Seven Reasons to Murder Your Dinner Guests by KJ Whittle

 

I recently received an ARC from Sourcebooks for this novel and decided to take a break from what I was currently reading to dive into this interesting novel that's a bit thriller, a bit mystery, and a lot of puzzle. 

 I gobbled this up in a few days. Seven strangers are invited to a dinner party and each receive a card telling them when they will die. Not all of them look at the card, but those who do are a bit freaked out. Quite quickly, one by one they start to die. The remaining guests, now a reluctant group that keeps in touch at the memorials, struggle to figure out if this is just awful timing, or if someone is out to kill them all. Is the killer one of them, or someone outside, playing a sick game? 

The story is told from the viewpoint of each of the seven, and that makes for a fascinating tale. You get to know each of them--some of them briefly. It makes you wonder if you knew when you were going to die, would you change your life? It kept me guessing through most of the book, but a few clues towards the end pointed to the culprit. I enjoyed the novel and loved the concept. 

I always enjoy the "unveiling" from the murderer--how they planned, waited, and finished their devious murders. This novel had a great wrap up and teaser at the end. 

I'd recommend this novel for anywho who likes a novel that slowly unfolds, with characters that slowly reveal themselves--and ooh, revenge is the name of the game! 

This novel will be available September 9 in bookstores in the United States. 

Rating: 4/6 for an interesting concept, intriguing characters, and a plot that keeps you engaged. 

 

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Seven Reasons to Murder Your Dinner Guests by KJ Whittle

April Reads: Lots of Magic and Make Believe

 April definitely was the month for me to read books that had an element of the mystical. Whether it was a young woman working to keep her witchy gifts, or a cozy mystery involving a tea house, I found comfort in the magical. I suspect I'll keep reading magical novels all throughout the summer!

It is May 1st (!) and I'm working through the half-begun books that are littering my living room. Vacation is coming up in another week or so, and I've begun thinking about what to take with me to read. I cannot wait to sit on my plane, open a book, and relax!

Here's what I read in April:

Love Sarah Jio. This novel asks the question: how different could my life be if I made other choices? 

A historical novel set in the late 1960's in Ireland, where contraception is illegal and women have no financial rights. Fascinating read!

A cozy fantasy about a young woman who has 30 days to reclaim her magical abilities or lose them forever. 

A cozy mystery set in small town Georgia, centered at a beloved bookstore. 

Second in a series about a family of women, their magical abilities, and the special flower farm in Mexico they call home. 

First in a cozy mystery series set on the coast of California. A young woman inherits a mystical tea shop, but someone wants her gone. What are her ties to the shop? 

As I said, a month of cozy reads. May is shaping up to be a very busy month, but I'll find the time to dive into some of the newer books I've bought, as well as what's waiting on my shelves at home. 

Enjoy the warmer weather, and happy reading!

The Bookalicious Babe

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April Reads: Lots of Magic and Make Believe

August Read: In the Lonely Hours by Shannon Morgan

 

We had a short run of cooler temperatures and sweet sleeping nights a few weeks ago and now we're back into the hellscape of heat and humidity. It didn't sway me from jumping into my "Fall feels" and now I just want to read my spooky, moody, gothic, magical novels. I'm ready for pumpkin bread, soup, and early nights. I'm done with summer!

This novel was exactly what I needed to give me that shove into the fall season. Shannon Morgan is a new author to me, and I'll definitely read her first novel Her Little Flowers.  

Taking place on a remote Scottish island, we join Edie Nunn and her daughter Neve. Edie, who grew up in an orphanage and never knew who her parents were, finds out she's inherited an island and a castle from her family, the Maundrells.  Off they go, to check it out and stay for just a few days. No way Edie can keep the castle; it will be sold. 

The castle and the island are filled with ghosts of every shape and size, including Viking ghost ships in the blood red loch (yes, it's red water!), a witch, the evil former owner who scares every other ghost in the castle, and creepy shadows that slither around, waiting to pounce. Edie's ready to leave after just one night; Neve is curious and wants to dig into the family history, which includes the hunt for the infamous Maundrell Red, a diamond coveted by more than one person, living and dead. It disappeared in 1965, and no one has ever found it. Neve wants to figure out the mystery and find the diamond. But is someone else on the island looking for the diamond? Are Edie and Neve safe, as Samhain (October 31) approaches? Will the witch claim Edie and Neve as victims, as the family curse has promised over the years?

At first I had a bit of a time keeping everyone straight as the story bounces from Edie and Neve to 1965 and the Maundrell family. There's a handy family tree included in the book to help you keep track. The haunting is immediate, and there's lots of creepy stuff on the island and in the castle. The history goes back thousands of years, so there's plenty of trauma and death soaked into the island. 

Ghost story fans will love this gothic novel. The setting is well done, and definitely gives you the bone-deep chills only a damp, haunted castle can do. Edie and Neve's relationship is solid and grows with their experiences. And, you are invested in finding out who Edie's parents are...there's plenty of possibilities. The bad people are definitely bad--no doubts about it--and beyond redemption. 

I'd say fans of Carol Goodman, Wendy Webb, and Simone St. James would enjoy this author. 

Rating: 4/6 for an intriguing family curse and mystery wrapped in a historical castle and island, haunted by creatures that will keep you looking into the shadows. 

Available in paperback, audio, and ebook. 

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August Read: In the Lonely Hours by Shannon Morgan

July Read: Storm Warning by David Bell

 

I went out of my usual reading zone for this new thriller by David Bell. From the publisher:

"Jacob Powell is racing to get off the island as a hurricane approaches. When he finds his friend Dallas, the building manager, dead from a blow to the skull, Jacob realizes there's more than the hurricane to fear. The murderer is likely still on the island, maybe even inside the nearly abandoned building."

This novel takes place off the coast of Florida, on a small island that has a few large apartment buildings on it. A massive hurricane is coming ashore, and only a few people are left in the one remaining building that is occupied. The owners of the buildings have let the buildings fall into disrepair as they prepare to sell the property and make a  whole lot of money. However, something fishy is going on, and now with the hurricane approaching, Jacob knows he's the only one who can keep the remaining residents safe as the building threatens to crumble down around them.

I've never felt more muggy and *blech* wet and chilled as I did reading this novel. The author definitely puts you into the space of a massive hurricane; no power, driving winds and rain, and an apartment that is falling apart and just plain gross. Add in a group of people who are scared and distrustful--and a few murders--and it intensifies the tension throughout the novel. Who do you trust? 

I enjoyed this novel and would recommend David Bell to those who like a thriller where everyday people are caught up in circumstances beyond their control, and they have to bring their "A" game and become the hero in order to survive. It's a quick read and fast paced. 

A big thanks to Penguin/Random House & Berkley for an advanced copy of this novel. It's sure to be a great vacation read--just not in hurricane season. 

Rating: 4/6 for a tension-filled adventure where it's man vs. nature, man vs. man, and heck, even man vs. self. You don't know who to trust or what's going to happen--pick this up for a thrill ride. 

Available in trade paperback, ebook, and audio

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July Read: Storm Warning by David Bell

July Read: The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley

 

I was itching to read this novel for a few weeks  and I finally snagged a quick pick at my library. It was a good break from my usual summer fun read. It dropped me right into English small village creepiness.

Told through multiple points of view--Bella, Francesca, Eddie, and Owen, this one has a short timeline of events, but also throws you back fifteen years and ahead a few days. The author keeps you on track at the start of every chapter, so pay attention and you won't have any trouble following the storyline. 

Francesca is so proud of her ultra-exclusive resort, The Manor, on the coast of England. It's summer and she's celebrating by having an opening weekend, complete with a summer solstice celebration. Francesca and her twin brothers inherited the land and manor from her grandparents, and she's decided to turn it into a moneymaker. She's also incurred the wrath of the people of Tome, the local village. The woods surrounding the manor and the beach below all belong to the people and not one person. They are special, and when someone disrespects the woods, the birds make it right. Cue the creepy ancient woods/something is watching vibes. Cue the crows gathering in droves, silently watching. 

The build up to summer solstice includes Bella returning to the Manor to confront Francesca about an event fifteen years before that changed Bella's life forever. Owen, Francesca's husband and architect, has a few secrets to keep from his wife, and his ties to the land unfold over the course of the novel. People are not who they seem to be, and this evolves as the weekend progresses, secrets are revealed, and the tension builds. 

The connections and ties between the characters are numerous and some are easy to figure out; others are a bit of a surprise. Revenge, murder, and man vs. nature are all big themes. Respect the woods or else they'll teach you a lesson. 

I enjoyed this dip into English ancient legend, nasty people,  and ooh, the satisfying conclusion. It's a quick read and you'll get sucked in pretty quickly. 

Rating: 4/6 for a thriller that keeps you guessing and reading as the past collides with the present and the local woods teach a few lessons to those who disrespect them. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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July Read: The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley

July Read: An Inconvenient Wife by Karen E. Olson

 

I'm a huge fan of novels that put a spin on the epic story of King Henry VIII and his six wives. When this came across my radar I immediately grabbed it. I had just started it when I was leaving for vacation, but couldn't take it with me in hardcover, and I couldn't wait until I got back to read it. Thankful for library resources that got me the ebook, which I immediately devoured. 

This is a modern day mystery set in the world of New York finance and Cape Cod. It all starts with the body of a woman, found on the beach near Hank Tudor's summer home on the Long Island Sound. She's dead; found without her head. 

Who that woman is remains a mystery through most of the novel, but you figure out pretty quickly who it probably is but the motive for her murder remains murky. 

What I found enjoyable about this novel was discovering each wife and how they were written into the modern world. It was pretty interesting! I did find renaming Henry to Hank a bit jarring; he just didn't seem like a Hank to me. He's a billionaire sixty-something handsome man, ruthless and always has an eye for the ladies. Currently he's just married his previous assistant, Kate Parker, following a disastrous marriage to Caitlyn, a young starlet caught cheating with an actor. Anna Klein (Anne of Cleves) runs a successful high-end bed and breakfast with her wife, and takes care of Lizzie and Teddy, Hank's kids. Catherine Alvarez, (Katherine of Aragon) also lives nearby--she never leaves her house and lives alone, except for the assistance of her housekeeper. She's got a few tricks up her sleeves, for sure. She hasn't quite left the corporate world and secretly keeps tabs on all of it, especially Hank's empire. 

The biggest surprise was Anne Boleyn's character. Where was she? Known as Nan, she disappeared one night years before, when Lizzie was a few years old. No one knows where she is and it's just assumed by everyone she's dead. 

I found the characters very interesting, and the machinations between the remaining wives kept me turning the pages. Hank wasn't as much of a prominent character, which was disappointing but makes sense in a novel that focuses on the wives. The ending left me with a big WHAT?? and there were a lot of loose ends that didn't tie up.

Overall, it was an interesting read with a bit of a thud ending. There were surprises, for sure, but what I most enjoyed were the modern versions of Henry's wives. I always wonder what they'd be like as modern women, so anytime I find a novel that puts a fresh spin on the saga, I'm immediately intrigued. 

Rating: 3/6 for a mystery that is more of a thriller, with an ending that left me hanging. However, if you are a fan of all things Tudor, you'll enjoy the modern spin and tangled web of the wives and their relationships to each other. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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July Read: An Inconvenient Wife by Karen E. Olson

June Read: Summers at the Saint by Mary Kay Andrews

 

I love Mary Kay Andrews and look forward to reading her summer novels every year. It took me a bit to finish this novel, but only because I couldn't stay awake at night for some good old-fashioned late night reading!

This novel takes place at the Saint Cecelia resort off the coast of Georgia. A family owned resort, it is grand, expensive, and a place where tradition is strong. Traci Eddings once worked at the Saint as a lifeguard in her youth, before meeting, falling in love, and marrying into the Eddings family, owners of the resort. Her happiness is short lived when her husband dies in a plane crash ten or so years into their happy marriage. Grief is still present four years later, as Traci works to run the resort, which seems to be in the red continuously--and she can't figure out why. 

Traci is up against her brother-in-law, Ric, who is one shady character. She convinces her niece Parrish to work at the resort for the summer, and that sets in motion a summer that will change the Saint for good. 

The novel's cover may give you an idea it's a light, breezy novel. However, there is a shocking murder, a twenty year old mystery to solve, and a whole lot of shenanigans happening around the Saint that will keep you turning the pages. Lots of characters, but you quickly get to know them and it wasn't hard to keep track of who was what. Surprises abound at the Saint! 

I throughly enjoyed this, and it is definitely a summer/vacation/beach read. I also, as always, completely enjoyed the epilogue. I'm a huge fan of seeing what the characters are up to in the future. The setting is lush and beautiful, and what I wouldn't give to ride around the grounds of the Saint in a golf cart!

Thank you to Edelweiss for the ARC! 

Rating: 4/6 for a contemporary novel full of shady characters, good people, mysteries old and new, and a spark of romance. Female friendships are a strong theme in this novel. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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June Read: Summers at the Saint by Mary Kay Andrews

April Read: How to Solve Your Own Murder by Kristen Perrin

 

I've heard buzz around this mystery and I didn't want to wait for a copy, so I bought my own. Sounds strange, but sometimes a good murder mystery is a good palate cleanser in your monthly reading. 

The premise of this mystery is a bit unusual: Frances Adams believes she will be murdered. It all stems from an encounter with a fortune teller when she was sixteen, way back in 1966. For the rest of her life, she's been unshakeable in her belief that one day she will be murdered. So she spends the rest of her long life trying to figure out just who is going to do the deed. 

Annie Adams is her great-niece, and she's been summoned to Frances' English country estate to meet with Frances and learn about her inheritance. Annie has never met Frances, so she's curious and cautious, since she's heard the stories of a quirky and unusual Aunt. 

Annie arrives, and the first time she sees Frances, she's dead on the floor, with bloody hands and scattered flowers all around. It appears to be a natural death, until Annie discovered sharp little blades inserted in the thorns of the roses--the cause of the bloody hands. Hmmm...sounds like Frances' belief in her own murder has come to pass. 

Here's the kicker: Frances has made her will so that Annie and a select few have a week to solve her murder. Whomever solves the murder inherits her entire estate, and it's a big chunk of real estate and money. If they don't solve it, the estate is sold to a developer and the money is given to charities. 

Frances has left behind all sorts of diaries, diagrams, and potential clues as to who may have murdered her and why. It all ties back to 1966 and the friendship between Frances, Rose, and Emily; three young friends who grow up together but experience some radical changes which lead up to Emily's unsolved disappearance. Are the two incidents tied together, all these years apart?

I enjoyed this murder mystery very much. Loved the setting--a beautiful English country estate; Annie is clever and determined to sift through the clues and find the culprit. Yes, she wants the inheritance, but mostly because she wants to keep her mother's home in London, which is part of the estate. But who does she trust in the village of Castle Knoll? The detective? Rose, Frances' friend who is now an elderly owner of a local hotel? The Vicar, who dated Frances as a teenager? Or Saxon, who has everything to lose? It's an interesting mix of characters, each with motivation. 

The past and the present definitely mesh together in this mystery. There are a few surprises, but nothing head scratching. It's not a hard mystery to solve, but you don't mind at all because it's just an enjoyable read and a fun ride. 

Rating: 4/6 for a truly English murder mystery, with a gorgeous setting, plenty of suspects, and a bit of help from the murder victim herself. Family secrets, friendships that span decades, and all sorts of revelations come to light in this mystery. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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April Read: How to Solve Your Own Murder by Kristen Perrin

March Read: What Have You Done? by Shari Lapena

 

I've read a few Shari Lapena novels and they always keep me dangling until the last few pages.   This novel, her latest (on sale July 30), kept me completely engaged and unable to put it down. 

The small town of Fairhill, Vermont is a place where you leave your house unlocked and there's never any crime. Until one early morning when a farmer, driving his tractor into one of his fields, discovers a horrible scene: a naked young woman-dead, lying in the field. 

That dead young woman is Diana Brewer, a senior at the local high school. Her single mother works the night shift as a nurse in the next town over, and Diana spends nights alone at their home. Word quickly spreads, and the first suspect is Diana's boyfriend, Cameron. What were they doing together the night before, and why does Cameron lie? Diana's best friends Riley and Evan are devastated Diana's dead--and murdered. The town quickly become filled with a whole lot of people who have secrets to keep; secrets which point at many of them as potential suspects. Will they lie to protect themselves, or fess up and help uncover Diana's killer?

Shari Lapena usually writes thrillers that involve couples, and this was a bit different from her usual in that it centers around a murdered high school student. As police investigate, there's plenty of people who have things to hide that may tie directly to Diana's death, or may have contributed to her murder. It was hard to tell who would be revealed, and the reveal at the end is a bit of a twist that you may or may not see coming. Another twist is that Diana's spirit is "hanging around", and she's confused as to what happened. She has big gaps in her memory, and is slowly understanding she's dead and that someone killed her. Her flashbacks also give a bit of a red herring aspect to the plot because what she remembers may not necessarily be accurate. Plus, she's dead! 

Definitely one theme in this thriller is the endless harassment and sexualization young girls have to endure, even in a small town. Being called a liar, or not being believed at all, are things Diana has to endure. People always going out of their way to protect themselves instead of standing up for truth. 

If you're a Shari Lapena fan, this won't disappoint. If you're new to her novels, and you like thrillers--Heather Gudenkauf fans I'm talking to you--grab this novel for you summer read when it arrives in stores and libraries July 30th. 

A HUGE thank you to Pamela Dorman Books/Viking for a chance to read this thriller a few months before publication. 

Rating: 5/6 for a thriller that keeps you on your toes guessing who the guilty party is--and also, the effect of murder on a small town and how it completely changes the lives of those left behind. 

Available July 30th in the U.S. in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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March Read: What Have You Done? by Shari Lapena

March Read: The Phoenix Crown by Kate Quinn and Janie Chang

 

I'm always fascinated by the San Francisco earthquake of 1906, so I immediately grabbed this historical novel by Kate Quinn and Janie Chang. It did not disappoint, and was exactly the kind of historical novel I enjoy. 

This is the story of four women: Nellie, Suling, Gemma, and Alice, who all connect in San Francisco days before the great earthquake. Gemma has arrived from New York as part of the chorus of an opera--she's got an amazing voice, but migraines which have kept her from climbing to the top in the opera world. She's hoping to connect with Nellie; they are friends who keep in touch no matter what. Suling is a young Chinese woman living in Chinatown with an astonishing embroidery talent. Unfortunately, she's days away from an arranged marriage she wants to escape. Alice is a scientist who specializes in botany, and she's living in the same boarding house as Nellie. 

Through interesting connections, the women all find themselves uncovering a terrible crime just as the earthquake destroys San Francisco, putting them all in danger not only from the catastrophe unfolding, but a very dangerous and deadly man who's willing to kill to keep his secrets. 

I can't give anything away, because it would spoil a few reveals and connections that are much more fun to uncover as you read. There's nothing downright shocking, but just a good story that grabbed my attention and I couldn't put it down. What was most interesting was how each woman fought against sexism and the barriers they faced even with obvious and immense talents. I especially loved getting a peek inside each career: opera, embroidery, painting, and botany. 

This is a novel about perseverance, talent, revenge, and healing from traumatic events. It's also a glimpse inside the world of 1906, on the cusp of immense change. There are author notes about San Francisco, the characters, and how they wrote the novel together at the end, which round out the novel. 

Rating: 5/6 for an entertaining novel set just before and after the San Francisco earthquake of 1906--but also a few other places around the world, too. Four strong women facing a deadly enemy and their quest for revenge. 

Available in hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audio. 

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March Read: The Phoenix Crown by Kate Quinn and Janie Chang

March Read: Murder Road by Simone St. James

 

Oh, Simone St. James did it again. Managed to fascinate me while giving me the creeps. She is one of my favorite authors, and I have read every one of her novels, all the way back to discovering her first paperback during my bookseller years a loooong time ago. I'm thrilled she's getting the attention she deserves and becoming more popular with every new novel. 

This one will make you unwilling to drive down a dark, empty road by yourself for quite some time. It takes place in 1995, and starts out with April and Eddie Carter; two newlyweds on their way to a resort for a short honeymoon. It's late at night, and April wakes up in the front seat and discovers Eddie has become lost, and doesn't quite know how he got lost. But lost they are, late at night, on a lonely road with no one in sight. 

Until they see a young woman running down the road, begging for help. There is something very, very wrong with the young woman, and the road. A big black pick up truck comes roaring down the road, chasing after Eddie and April and the injured young woman in the back seat. They get to the town of Coldlake Falls just in time to escape from the black truck, but unfortunately the young woman dies at the hospital. The police are looking at Eddie and April, covered in blood, and in a bit of shock. Strangers in a small town; a dying woman in their back seat. They're forbidden to leave town as the police investigate, and that's where things really take off and get interesting. 

Eddie and April's backgrounds are messy and they both have kept secrets from each other. But murderers they are not, and they become determined to figure out what happened on Atticus Line Road that night. It wasn't natural, what they saw in the back of that black truck...

This is a small town with some eerie back story--hitchhikers found dead, murders unsolved, whispers of strange occurrences on Atticus Line Road. So many unsolved murders on that road, and the police are suspicious of anyone who comes through town. 

Will Eddie and April figure it all out and stay safe and out of jail for a crime they didn't commit? As they unravel the pieces of the puzzle, it becomes clear just why they were drawn to Atticus Line Road that night. It's one heck of a twist!

Anyone who loves eerie thrillers with a definite nod to creepy ghost stories will be all on board with this latest from Simone St. James. I love how her characters are always flawed in some way, and find themselves caught up in bizarre and ghostly events that require them to be stronger and braver than they've ever been. To believe and accept the unbelievable, because it's the only explanation. 

Loved it! Not surprised. I'm never disappointed with this author. 

Rating: 6/6 for a novel that will keep you patiently on the journey with Eddie and April as pieces slowly fall into place. A great ghost story about revenge, redemption, family, and leaving the past behind for a brighter future. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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March Read: Murder Road by Simone St. James

The Curse of Penryth Hall by Jess Armstrong

 

I started this in December over Christmas weekend and finished it on January first. Love the cover--it grabbed me right away. I'm all about small English villages, murder, and a possible curse. Sign me up!

This mystery takes place in 1922, after the Great War (World War One in the U.S.). American heiress Ruby Vaughn lives in Exeter, England  with Mr. Owens, an elderly man who runs a rare bookstore. Ruby takes care of delivering the books to clients around England, and after her rather shaky past, it's a place for her to take some time to get a grip on her life and figure things out. 

Mr. Owens gives Ruby a delivery task that brings her directly back to her past in the small village of Lothlel Green, located in the Cornish countryside. There resides her best friend Tamsyn, who is married to Sir Edward Chenowyth and resides at Penryth Hall. It's a good excuse to visit her friend, who had sent Ruby a letter a year previously, stating she had made a terrible mistake and would Ruby please come. Ruby chose not to go, for various reasons you'll find out. Ruby arrives and meets the intriguing Ruan Kivell, the person who is expecting the delivery of books from Mr. Owens. He's something else, is Ruan. He's the local Pellar, which the locals hold in high esteem. He appears to have a bit of magic around him. And strangely seems to be able to hear everything Ruby is thinking in her head. 

Ruby is at Penryth Hall for only one evening when the next morning Sir Edward is found murdered in the orchard. Murdered in a most horrible way--and thus begins the mystery that Ruby and Ruan race to solve, before there are more victims of the curse that claimed Sir Edward. 

But is it a curse, a local legend; or a murder plain and simple? Lots of reasons to see Sir Edward dead--he was an unpleasant man. Did Tamsyn do it? One of the locals? Did Ruby do it and not remember? 

I thoroughly enjoyed this mystery. I loved the setting, especially the Cornish countryside and the post World War One climate. Ruby is an intriguing character who has a lot of problems and baggage. Ruan--ooh, he's a handsome devil. The two together are dynamite. 

This mystery had a lot of layers to get through, so you never really know who did it until close to the end. I most certainly hope there are more mysteries involving Ruby, Ruan, and Mr. Owens. I would gobble them up. 

Rating: 4/6 for an intriguing mystery with an unforgettable setting, characters that have excellent chemistry, and the possibilities of more collaboration in future novels. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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The Curse of Penryth Hall by Jess Armstrong

The Coworker by Freida McFadden

 

The best way I can describe Freida McFadden's novels is to say they are like a snack--you start nibbling and the next thing you know you've eaten the whole bag. I started this novel late Saturday night and wrapped it up early Sunday afternoon in between loads of laundry. 

Dawn Schiff works as an accountant at Vixed, a health supplement company. She sits next to Natalie, the top saleswoman in the company. Cubicles for all! Natalie and Dawn are complete opposites: Dawn is definitely on the spectrum--she eats one color food (all white, all yellow), must have everything organized, struggles with social norms and cues, and loves turtles above everything else. Natalie is blonde, gorgeous, and not above using her physical assets to bring in sales. 

The novel starts out with Dawn not showing up to work one morning, and Natalie notices. It's odd, because Dawn is punctual every day. Doesn't deviate from her routine. Yet here it is, over an hour later, and she's not at her desk, and no one has seen her. Natalie begins to worry; where could Dawn be? Add to that a bizarre phone call to Dawn's desk; "help me" are the only words spoken, and it sounds like Dawn. 

Natalie is worried--so worried she remembers where Dawn lives, and decides to check on her. Inside, she finds a pool of blood and what looks like a crime scene with no body.  Police get involved, and it's soon national news: where is Dawn Schiff?

The novel moves back and forth between present day, four months in the past and  two months in the past. It also switches narrators between Dawn and Natalie. What at first seems like simple co-worker concern from Natalie quickly becomes something much darker, and strap in because it's a roller coaster ride from there on out. 

What can I say? A co-worker can be someone you admire or like, but they turn out to be not so nice. We've all been there. But this takes it to eleven. 

You'll gobble this up pretty quickly. I can't say the ending was satisfying, but everything was tied up neatly. It was a heck of a read. 

Rating: 4/6 for a thriller with plenty of ups and downs, a clear message about the damage bullying does for both kids and adults, and being accepted for yourself-quirks and all. Office politics are a hot mess in this one. 

Available in paperback, ebook, and audio. 

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The Coworker by Freida McFadden

November Read: Inheritance: The Lost Bride Trilogy Book 1 by Nora Roberts

 November has been a hot mess for me reading-wise. I'm working on a bit of a project that is taking up a lot of my reading time and I blinked and tomorrow is December first. 

I have read a few of Nora Robert's trilogies over the years and I always enjoy them, and the fact that they are just a trilogy and not a series. I couldn't wait to read this, her newest trilogy that combines a bit of romance, a bit of history, and a bit of the unexpected in a family curse, an evil witch, and a whole lot of dead brides. 

Sonya MacTavish lives in Boston and has just gotten out of a terrible relationship mere weeks before she was set to be married. It turned her world upside down, but she's moving on and making plans. Her plans are disrupted by a visit from a lawyer from Poole's Bay, Maine. He tells Sonya that she's inherited a majestic home and investments from her unknown until now Uncle Collin Poole. Collin and Sonya's father Drew were twins who were separated at birth; neither knew the other existed until Collin found out as an adult, but too late to meet Drew, who died in an accident. Now Collin is dead, and he's left the family legacy to Sonya. She has to move to Maine and agree to live in the home for three years--all expenses paid. Overnight she's become a wealthy woman. 

With nothing to lose, Sonya moves to Maine and immediately falls head over heels for the home. She sets up her freelance business as a graphic artist and starts settling in, but quickly discovers some unsettling things about the home--it is haunted. Not by just one spirit, but by a whole group. And there is one nasty spirit who is determined to push Sonya out by any means possible. 

So who are the spirits? The family history paints a terrible picture of tragedy after tragedy for generations. Once each generation, a Poole woman dies either on her wedding day, or within the first year of marriage. All manner of deaths--but each is a murder, and those murders are done by a woman who was rejected by the first Poole man for his true love. She's still in the house, and at night Sonya wanders the house, looking into the events leading up to each of the seven brides and their tragic deaths. What do they want with her? And why does the evil witch take the wedding ring off each woman as they lay dying? 

This was just a fun read, and classic Nora Roberts. The house is fascinating; the premise of the family curse is interesting, and I have to say I do love the reaction of Cleo, Sonya's best friend, to the evil witch and her attempts to scare the women. A few "F*** You" quotes fly through the air, and honestly, if I was in Cleo's place, I'd probably say the same thing, too. This witch has had centuries to hang around, but she hasn't met any modern women--and she has met her match. 

Sonya gets involved with Trey Doyle, a lawyer in town who has a family history with the Poole family and grew up and around the house. He's well aware of the history and the hauntings. Sonya's best friend Cleo is also a treat--and I suspect her relationship with Owen Poole, Sonya's cousin, will be the second book in the trilogy. 

This one ends suddenly and boom! Done. Not even a teaser for the next book. I surely hope it comes soon, because it definitely left me hanging. So yes, suspend belief; enjoy the little dog named Yoda, the copious amounts of wine drinking between Sonya and crew, and the glorious home Nora Roberts created for us to enjoy. I can't wait to read more and watch Sonya destroy the family curse so she can live happily ever after and not become the next lost bride. Wrench those stolen wedding rings off that hag's hand, Sonya!

I don't see any dates or anything at all about the second book in the trilogy. Stay tuned. 

Rating: 5/6 for sheer entertainment, a clever story, and characters that are easy to get to know and enjoy. The romance is light and sex is tastefully done and exactly what a modern grown up couple would do and say.  I will be trying to wait patiently for the second book. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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November Read: Inheritance: The Lost Bride Trilogy Book 1 by Nora Roberts

November Read: The Christmas Guest by Peter Swanson

 

It's been a bit since I last posted, but I swear I've been very busy reading! I'm in the throes of reading a lot of YA novels for a special project. I snuck this one in tonight for a quick read. 

Yes, I usually don't read any holiday books until after Thanksgiving, but I'll confess this is my second holiday book already. This was a great little novella that I read in one sitting this evening. 

The Christmas Guest is a mere 93 pages and because of that, it was a refreshing read. Okay, it's a murdery kind of book, but it was a switch from my usual cozy and romantic holiday books. The perfect palate cleanser before I dive into all the happy holiday reads. 

Peter Swanson packs a lot into this novella about a young American college student spending Christmas week with a new friend. Ashley Smith is all alone in London; a Californian who has no family and has traveled to London to attend college. Befriended by Emma at school, she's pleased to accept Emma's invite to her family home in the countryside. After all, she was prepared to spend Christmas alone in London, and heck, why not have an authentic English Christmas in the countryside?

Ashley travels to Starvewood Hall, and is instantly smitten with Emma's twin brother, Adam. He's gorgeous and brooding--and also a suspect in the recent murder of a local woman, found dead near the family home. Clearly she was murdered. Adam has an alibi, but it's pretty weak. That doesn't stop Ashley from falling hard and crushing on Adam. 

Ashley spends the week leading up to Christmas hanging out at the family home, witnessing the horrible relationship Emma has with her toxic parents, and walking to and from the village pub, drinking and having fun. She writes it all down in her trusty diary. Until Christmas Eve, and whoa the story takes a sharp turn. 

This novella spans thirty years, from 1989 to present day (give or take a few years). It seems pretty straightforward, until it's not. I loved it--even if it's not the usual sweet tale of holiday celebrations and family love that I enjoy so much.

Rating: 5/6 for a novella that sucked me in pretty quickly! A setting that has all the hallmarks of an idyllic Christmas celebration turns dark and what happens echoes down through the years. If you like short stories and thrillers, this is for you. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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November Read: The Christmas Guest by Peter Swanson

October Read: The Stranger Upstairs by Lisa M. Matlin

 

What I expected going into this novel and what it was were very different. I'm still processing. 

It takes place in a small town in Australia. A town where houses are expensive and everything is gorgeous and perfect. Except for Black Wood House. It sits empty since a shocking murder forty years before, when the owner of the home murdered his wife while she lay in bed, and chased his daughter out the door. The daughter survived, but her father returned to the home and killed himself. Susan and Bill were beloved in the neighborhood; the horrible murder/suicide left a stain on the community. They all want Black Wood House to be torn down. 

Enter Sarah Spade and her husband Joey. Sarah has a popular website, a bestselling book about "being your best self", and is eager to turn the Black Wood House into a show-stopping flipper that will sell for millions. 

Except Sarah's not what you'd expect, and wow I did not expect her character or the novel to take the turns it did. For one, Sarah is not likable. Her marriage is on edge, and oh, the secrets she has to keep in order to maintain her perfect image. Only problem is, once she moves into the house, her life starts to fall apart. She can't sleep, she's finding notes around the house, there's someone walking around in the attic, and her husband won't stay at the house. 

As Sarah slowly unravels, as a reader you're kept wondering: is she losing her mind? The possibilities are all over the place: is someone trying to drive her out of the home? Are the neighbors spying on her? Is the house haunted? Or is there something else?

The turns it took were all over the place. The ending leaves you rethinking everything. It's at turns unsettling, suspenseful, and a bit bewildering. It's a whole lot of stuff going on, and I couldn't figure out what the heck was going on at all. If you want to read a novel that will keep you scratching your head and thinking you've got it figured out (you won't), pick this one up!

Rating: 4/6 for a wild ride where no one can be trusted--even the house. At times suspenseful, at times downright spooky, this is a blend of thriller/horror/suspense that will keep you guessing. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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October Read: The Stranger Upstairs by Lisa M. Matlin

September Read: :How Can I Help You? by Laura Sims

 

I don't know too many librarians who don't want to read this novel--about a librarian, set in a library, written by a librarian. Oh, and it includes murdering misbehaving patrons. SHHHH.

Dear Margo. She's a nondescript middle-aged woman who's worked as a circulation librarian at the Carlyle Library for the past two years. She's efficient, helpful, and keeps to herself. Her past as Jane, a nurse, is far behind her. She still seethes a bit over the injustice of hospital administration and how she was treated, but she's managed to simmer down and build a new life far away from all of that. 

And then Patricia (Pa-tree-see-a) walks in--young and polished; the new reference librarian. Margo doesn't really care for Patricia at first-she is a change in the pleasing, calming routine Margo has created for herself. She's a ripple Margo doesn't need. 

Patricia is a newly minted librarian, and this is her first job. She's escaped a dismal relationship in Chicago, along with the crushing failure of a rejected novel she's written and no one wants to publish. Desperate to try something new, she's moved to Carlyle--a dull, boring, Midwest town. 

Margo is intrigued by Patricia--what exactly does she do all day at the reference desk? Why is she always writing in her little notebook? Patricia is also intrigued by Margo--those odd flashes of coldness in her eyes; the careful stillness about her. Not to mention that very weird episode in the women's bathroom, where a patron died and Patricia saw Margo acting very, very strange. 

It doesn't take Patricia long to figure Margo out--and oh, what a story to write! But she's torn--does she tell the police now, or after she's finished writing her novel? Will it ruin her chances at a successful novel? 

The tension increases between the two women, even as they share tidbits of their lives with each other. Margo's restlessness is coming back, and she's itching to return to those heady feelings of helping folks...die. 

This was one heck of a short novel. Margo is truly a psychopath, and her mental dialogue along with her belief she's innocent are disturbing. Patricia seems like a harmless person, but her inner dialogue definitely makes you a bit uneasy, too. Two peas in a pod? 

Most of the action takes place in the library, with a few key scenes at the apartment complex both Margo and Patricia live at; the library references are spot on and the patrons--well, yes, they're definitely shaped by real-life interactions as a librarian. 

If you want to read a quick thriller, this is the one. Margo/Jane is truly one unsettling character. I found myself lingering over her chapters, trying to dig a bit deeper to figure her out. Patricia is someone you think you want to know, but by the end, I'm not so sure. It would be an interesting book to discuss with a group. 

Rating: 5/6 for a psychological thriller that builds in tension, so much so that I was almost reluctant to turn the pages! "How Can I Help You" takes on a whole new meaning in this small town library. 

Available in hardcover, audio, and e-book.

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September Read: :How Can I Help You? by Laura Sims

September Read: Dead Mountain by Preston & Child

 

I've come to anticipate the newest novel in the Nora Kelly series by Preston and Child; mostly because they take place in New Mexico. I visited New Mexico many times when my brother and sis-in-law lived there, and it holds a special place in my heart. There's nothing like it. So it's easy for me to picture the mountains and the landscape while I'm reading this series. 

You can read each book as a standalone, but it does make it a little bit easier if you read them in order. This is number four, featuring FBI agent Corrie Swanson and renowned archaeologist Nora Kelly.

Two men driving in the mountains get lost in a snow storm. Abandoning their vehicle, they find a cave to wait out the storm, drinking booze to stay warm and smoking joints to stay calm. Imagine their fright when they discover a skull sticking out of the ground. Rescued soon after, the FBI are alerted to the possibility of a murder and are called to investigate. 

What they find is two-fold: not only do they find a rare burial site of a local Native American tribe from centuries before; they also find the more recent desiccated remains of two men--could they possibly be two of the missing Dead Mountain hikers from 2008?

In 2008, nine college students with plenty of mountain hiking experience set off on an adventure. They were never seen alive again. Instead, when a search party was sent out, they found a bizarre scene: a ripped open tent, along with the bodies of some of the hikers--unclothed and obviously dead from exposure in a brutal blizzard. The next spring, they find two more, crushed and missing eyes down near a creek. Now it's been fifteen years, and there are still members missing. 

Corrie is lead investigator, along with FBI Agent Sharp, her new partner. There was an intensive investigation done fifteen years before, but nothing ever came of it--except the retirement and disgrace of the agent in charge. Why? What happened to the hikers? Theories abound: Yeti, aliens, genetic superhuman attacking the camp. It's all out there, and it's up to Corrie with the help of Nora to piece it all together. 

People are reluctant to talk, and the more Corrie shifts through the evidence and probes deeper, the more questions she can't answer. Conspiracy theories, government agencies, bitter parents, and lots of dead ends create a plot that keeps shifting until the exciting end. 

This was another excellent thriller from Preston & Child. They wrote this novel based on the infamous case of nine Russian cross-country skiers who died in 1959 in the Ural Mountains under very, very strange circumstances. I've read about this case, and it is truly bizarre, and still unsolved to this day. I'm happy the story they created has a solution, and the twisty road to it makes this novel a fascinating read. 

Rating: 4/6 for a clever, complex, and twisty plot that features man vs. nature, man vs. self, and of course man vs. government. Enjoyed this very much!

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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September Read: Dead Mountain by Preston & Child

August Read: The September House by Carissa Orlando

 

I haven't read a knock down, in-your-face horror novel in a very long time. Wowza. Horror fans will inhale this novel and come out the other side with a few choice words. I read it over the space of the weekend in between cooking and running errands. Thankful for a steaming hot day today that--oh darn--kept me inside reading. I'm not one for always reading horror novels, but when it comes to haunted houses, I am in it! 

September House is about a beautiful Victorian home where married couple Hal and Margaret live. Finally, they have the home of their dreams. Doesn't matter the basement is creepy and smelly, and they got it super cheap. 

Now it's been a few years, and it's September again. The month where the moans start softly, then build to piercing screams. Where blood begins to drip down the walls, slowly oozing all the way down the stairs. And there's the pranksters, all the little children who clearly died horrible deaths, hanging around the house, pointing at the basement. I can't stress enough--if you are squeamish, pass this novel by. If you, like myself, have the ability to see the dark humor in all of this, you'll be able to wince, but keep on reading. 

It seems Hal and Margaret have a haunted house. Sure, it's nice to have a housekeeper (Fredricka) who makes you tea and cooks you supper--don't mind the horrible ax wound she has on her face. And in September, well, Fredricka goes on a bender and moves things all around the house. Once September ends, things quiet down. But no way do you go in the basement. Master Vale lives there. 

Hal is done. He can't take anymore, and leaves. Margaret--well, she's lived with Hal and rules their whole marriage, so if she just follows the rules in the house, she'll be okay and get through another September. After all, it's her house and she's not leaving. 

Katherine, Hal and Margaret's adult daughter, is concerned her Dad is gone and won't respond to phone calls and seems to have disappeared. Katherine decides she's going to come to the home (she's never been) and get to the bottom of her father's disappearance. Margaret is distressed--after all, it is September. How will she manage cleaning up the blood, and how will Katherine sleep with all the screaming every night? Not to mention the pranksters...

Dang, this was one heck of a novel. If you're squeamish, avoid this novel. If you like very dark humor mixed in with a heck of a haunted house and a really nasty evil presence, step right up! The end is AMAZING. 

There's also other stuff that's brought to light, along with the escalation of concern over Hal's disappearance and Katherine's concern for her mother's mental health. There's backstory about Margaret's marriage and Katherine's childhood that frames the story, and certainly fleshes out Margaret's character and the choices she makes. It also sets up the last thirty or so pages, where you're breathlessly turning the pages and cheering Margaret on as she battles Master Vale. It's a bloody, brutal fight. 

This novel will be out in the U.S. on September 5th in hardcover, audiobook, and e-book. Thanks to Edelweiss and Berkley for a chance to read before publication. It will definitely go on my Best of 2023 list!

Rating: 5/6 for one hell of a paranormal/haunting/horror novel that builds in tension and explodes in action the last 1/4th of the novel. Fall readers who like a spooky read will grab this up. Warning: harm to children and violence make up a large part of this horror novel. Dark humor--yes, there is plenty. 

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August Read: The September House by Carissa Orlando

July Read: What the Dead Know by Barbara Butcher

 

I've been behind reading non-fiction, and I was glad to grab this title from the library new releases shelf. I can't overstate how much forensics and medical examiner reads completely captivate me. It's been a source of interest to me since my teen years. I could not do the job, but I love to read about it--how they put the puzzle together to bring closure to loved ones and bring victims justice. 

Barbara Butcher lays it all out and her ups and downs are compelling. A recovering alcoholic, she takes a vocational test and has two choices: a poultry veterinarian or a coroner. With a Master's in public health and a deep interest in medicine, she decides to pursue the path of coroner. In a stroke of luck, she walks into a job with the New York City Medical Examiner's Office as a death investigator. She's one of a crew (and the only woman) who is called to a death to take photos, make notes, and examine the body and make a brief statement about the cause of death. 

Barbara's experiences are wide ranging; from horrible suicides and murders to accidents and unattended deaths in locked apartments. She sees all of New York City--usually the worst parts. She learns to keep her composure and use humor to combat the overwhelming job of being surrounded by death every day. Always a recovering alcoholic, she also struggles to stay away from the bottle and find other ways to cope. 

Barbara was on hand for 9/11 and dedicates a few chapters to her experiences working through that devastating tragedy. Years of being exposed to death was no preparation for the sheer overwhelming awfulness of 9/11. And that was really when Barbara's  inability to balance her work with a healthy private life begins to send her into a downward spiral.  

Barbara's tales of investigations and the inner workings of the medical examiner's office are all so very interesting. It takes a strong, compassionate person a lot of inner strength to do this job professionally every day. It inevitably takes a toll, as it did for Barbara. 

If you are a fan of true crime, or, like me, forensics, this is a must read. It's also a study in human behavior and coping mechanisms when faced with the dark side of humanity every day. 

Rating: 5/6 for a very readable and compelling look at a woman's career as a death investigator for New York City. Her ups and downs both professionally and personally shine a light on the hard work public workers do, often without recognition, or the tools to help them cope. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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July Read: What the Dead Know by Barbara Butcher