Small Mercies by Dennis Lehane

July 19, 2025

Small Mercies by Dennis Lehane

Mary Pat Fennessy spent all her life living in a housing project in South Boston. She raised her children there the same way that she was raised, with the belief that the Irish of her South Boston neighborhood were better than other people. The residents of South Boston have always lived a certain way and they want things to stay that way, and they want those they consider to be outsiders to stay out. But it's 1974 and change is coming whether they want it or not, and they can't stop it, beginning with the integration of the local high school that they all attended and that their children now attend. Mary Pat's daughter Jules is one of the students affected by the plan to bus white students to a Black neighborhood, but when Jules disappears just days before busing is supposed to begin, Mary Pat's focus switches to finding her daughter, whatever it takes. 

Gritty, violent, compelling. Dennis Lehane a great writer, no question. Mary Pat is not always a likeable character - she has a lot of hateful beliefs. But she is a bad ass who will fight for her child, even though you know she is on a collision course with disaster. Filled with morally ambiguous characters, class struggle, hypocrisy and broken dreams, it's a story of bigoted violent adults raising bigoted violent children. Sensitive readers should take note that there are scenes of violence, and brutality, child abuse, racism, drugs, crimes against women. Will appeal to fans to Don Winslow and Jeffery Deaver.

Busing protest in South Boston in the 1970s

City in Ruins by Don Winslow

June 1, 2025

City in Ruins by Don Winslow

After leaving Hollywood, Danny Ryan has landed in Las Vegas. He is now a multi-millionaire, a legitimate businessman developing luxury hotels. But his past is never far behind, and it finally catches up with him.

Winslow concludes his saga of Danny Ryan with its combination of Greek tragedy and the Godfather. Not my favorite book in the trilogy, but Winslow wrote a conclusion to the series that wound in all the various threads and characters. Themes include moral ambiguity, revenge, crime and punishment, fathers and sons, honor, and the importance of family, whether they are your biological family or your chosen family. Although Winslow does some recapping, you really need to read the first two books to appreciate this one. The audio version is excellent. Winslow has announced that this will be his final novel. We'll see. Recommended for readers who enjoy the crime fiction of Michael Connelly, John Sandford, and Lee Child.

The Riviera, one of the oldest hotels in Las Vegas

Everyone is Watching by Heather Gudenkauf

May 2, 2025

Everyone is Watching by Heather Gudenkauf

Five contestants are invited to participate in a reality TV show with the chance to win $10 million. None of them know how or why they were chosen. All of the contestants as well as the program host have secrets, and when faced with strategic challenges and isolation, facades start to crack apart. They soon realize that someone brought them together for revenge and the stakes are life or death.

Revenge by way of reality TV show. A twisty suspense novel that is also a locked-room mystery centered around the current popularity of reality "must-see" TV shows, like a combination of Survivor and Squid Game, with notes of Agatha Christie. It's a fast fun read, with a cast of unlikeable characters, unreliable narrators, and a gorgeous but creepy gothic setting. It also offers a commentary on the voyeuristic aspects of social media and how far some people are willing to go for wealth, fame, and influence. A good choice for vacation or beach reading.

Many thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

A creepy gothic mansion, not exactly a place where I'd like to spend two weeks

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

March 4, 2025

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

Violet Sorrengail was supposed to be a scribe but after the death of her brother and father, her mother (who is also the commanding general) decrees that Violet should join the dragon riders, an elite group of warriors who protect their country from their enemy's griffon riders. But the dragon riders are highly competitive and many cadets are not chosen by one of the dragons, so they are perfectly willing to kill their fellow cadets to get ahead or for revenge.

The Hunger Games meets The Scholomance. At first, this is a typical magic college/dark academia story where students are competing for position as well as survival, and in their spare time, hooking up with each other. But at about the 1/3 mark, the dragons show up and the story really takes off (sorry, bad pun). The gauntlet obstacle course sounds like something you'd see on Wipeout. I did get tired of Violet's constant injuries and everyone trying to kill her. The sex is fairly graphic so if that bothers you, this may not be the book for you. The last paragraph of the book has a good twist. Not sure if I'm going to continue with the series but the first book was fun.

Black dragon

The Voyage Home by Pat Barker

February 9, 2025

The Voyage Home by Pat Barker

The wind has finally shifted and the Greek army is sailing for home, along with the enslaved Trojan women who are their war prizes. Agamemnon arrives home with his concubine, the Trojan princess Cassandra, thinking his life is going back to the way it was before he left ten years earlier. But Agamemnon murdered his oldest daughter Iphigeneia, and his wife Clytemnestra has been planning her revenge for ten years.

The last book in Barker's trilogy about the women of Troy, victims of the Trojan War who are enslaved and awarded to the victors as war prizes. I loved the whole trilogy and while I liked Ritsa's character and story, it was disappointing that there was barely a mention of Briseis who narrated the first two books. Will appeal to readers who enjoyed Madeline Miller's Circe or Costanza Casati's Clytemnestra.

Depiction of a palace in Ancient Greece

Return to Wyldcliffe Heights by Carol Goodman

September 28, 2024

Return to Wyldcliffe Heights by Carol Goodman

Ever since her bestselling romantic suspense novel was published, fans of reclusive author Veronica St. Clair have been clamoring for the author to write a sequel. When editorial assistant Agnes Corey loses her job at the publishing house that published the novel, she secures a position as the author's assistant to help her write a sequel. Little does she know that the job will open up a window into her own life story.

When I was in high school, I was a huge fan of Victoria Holt's gothic novels. The cover and description reminded me of those books (in fact, at least one is referenced in the text), but this one is no where near as well written or engaging. It's a book within a book, a trope which sometimes works and sometimes doesn't. There are too many dreams that repeat the same thing, too much falling asleep in the bathtub. The plot is really slow moving and the characters are unlikeable as well as confusing. All the narrative threads are jumbled together at the end in a confusing heap, with the characters proving to be exceptionally stupid. It was a slog to get through, and a good editor should have deleted at least 25 pages. It will appeal to readers who are big gothic fans - maybe.

Many thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

I remember this being one of my favorite Victoria Holt novels

The Belvedere Murders by Karen Baugh Menuhin

July 22, 2024

The Belvedere Murders by Karen Baugh Menuhin

Major Heathcliff Lennox and retired Scotland Yard detective Jonathan Swift are asked by Lord Belvedere to attend a ball at his fabulous country estate to keep an eye on his daughter's suitor, a man named Jack Dutton who he believes is a a gold digger after his daughter's money. Despite their best efforts, during the ball, someone manages to shove Dutton from the roof of the mansion. 

Another adventure for Lennox and Swift, #11 in the series. The mystery here reminds me of books like Murder on the Orient Express, where all the characters have some connection to the murder victim. Furthermore, he is a shady character who needs to get murdered (no one likes a blackmailer or a drug dealer). I love a country house mystery, and this one ticks all the boxes: a beautiful house, a ball, aristocrats, jewels and ball gowns, snooty rich people who think they're above the law, a locked-room mystery. While you don't need to read the series in order, do it because the books are so much fun. Recommended for readers who enjoy British historical mysteries and dry humor.

Iron Age barrow in the the Cotswolds

Chenneville by Paulette Jiles

July 6, 2024

Chenneville by Paulette Jiles

John Chenneville, a lieutenant in the Union Army and a telegrapher, suffers a grave head injury in the waning days of the Civil War that leaves him in a coma for months. When he recovers consciousness, the war is over and most of the troops have returned home. His injury forces him to re-learn to speak, walk, and perform basic tasks. When he finally arrives at his family home outside St. Louis, he finds out that his younger sister, her husband and their baby son have all been murdered by a sheriff's deputy. The deputy has gone on to murder several other people. When he discovers that the local sheriff has no intention of bringing the man to justice for the murders, John vows to hunt the man down and exact his own revenge.

I think I started this once before but had to return it because there was a waiting list. I'm glad I decided to go back to it - it was totally worth it. I loved Jiles' previous book News of the World (which is referenced once toward the end of this book), and this novel features the same type of knight errant as the protagonist in her previous book. John knows that his actions are criminal and that he is planning to commit murder, but he lives according to his own single-minded code of right and wrong. Wonderfully written, highly recommended to readers of historical and literary fiction.

19th century telegraph office, with a female telegrapher

The Astrology House by Carinn Jade

July 1, 2024

The Astrology House by Carinn Jade

A group of wealthy Manhattanites go on an astrology-themed weekend retreat at a restored mansion on Long Island. All of the participants have secrets as well as their own agendas, including the host. With a hurricane bearing down on them, tensions increase until they reach the breaking point.

To paraphrase Shakespeare, does the fault lie in our stars or in ourselves? Is everything preordained, or do we have free will to change our destinies? Like other novels of the psychological fiction genre, the plot focuses on revenge for a long-ago act. Some of the reactions are extreme - I doubt I would have a breakdown if I found out that one of my brothers was having an affair. I might tell him he's a jerk, but he's an adult and it's his business. Fans of Lucy Foley and Mary Kubica will enjoy this debut novel, as well as anyone looking for a good beach/vacation/summer read.

Many thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

Astrological birth chart

The Inmate by Freida McFadden

March 2, 2024

The Inmate by Freida McFadden

Nurse practitioner Brooke Sullivan takes a job at Raker State Prison out of desperation. She is warned not to develop a personal relationship with any of the inmates or give out any personal information. But Brooke does not disclose that she already know one of the inmates. Not only does she know him, she is responsible for him being in prison.

The synopsis for this book sounded really good, which is probably why I'm so disappointed in it. This is the second book that I read by this author (the other one was The Co-worker, which I felt was better, although it reminded me of Gone Girl). As other reviewers have noted, there is a strong YA feel. Brooke, the main character, gets dumber as the book goes on, almost as though she is reverting to her high school self. Yes, she's had a lot of trauma. But when she runs into the guy she sent to prison, who is now an inmate there, you can practically hear her underwear hitting the floor. The plot was too far-fetched with too many coincidences to ignore. Of course there had to be a corrupt prison guard and an evil Nurse Ratchett type. Not at all original. The epilogue was disturbing rather than satisfying. And in this century, who calls a child being raised by a single parent a bastard? Teens may enjoy her books, but I think I'm done with this author.

Many thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

Prison infirmary

Maude Horton's Glorious Revenge by Lizzie Pook

December 1, 2023

Maude Horton's Glorious Revenge by Lizzie Pook

After being informed of her sister's death while on an Arctic voyage on the ship Makepeace, Maude Horton demands answers about what happened to Constance. The ship was supposed to be searching for an Arctic explorer who went missing with his ship, but Maude discovers that there was another purpose for the voyage. Meanwhile, Edison Stowe, the Makepeace's scientific officer, is deeply in debt and concocts a scheme to make a great deal of money by capitalizing on the Victorian fascination with murder and executions.

This is a well-researched historical novel about revenge, but the plot moves slowly. Much of the book is spent setting up the final scenes and a lot of time is spent explaining little-known aspects of Victorian life. It reminded me of The Square of Sevens in that way. Learning about the Victorian fascination with executions and that there actually were excursions to watch executions outside London was quite interesting. There are some gaps, since we don't find out what happened to a number of the characters or the fate of the rubies that Stowe was after. Sensitive readers should be aware that there are a number of scenes of animal cruelty. 

Many thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

In the Victorian age, executions were a source of public entertainment

The Coworker by Freida McFadden

November 7, 2023

Dawn Schiff and Natalie Farrell both work for Vixed, a nutritional supplement company. Natalie is their top sales associate, while Dawn works as an accountant. Dawn is a bit eccentric, adhering to a very strict schedule, eating monochromatic meals, and obsessing over turtles, but an excellent employee. When she doesn't show up for work one day and doesn't call in, Natalie is concerned, particularly since Dawn scheduled two meetings and didn't show up for either one. She stops at Dawn's house to do a wellness check and is even more concerned when she finds a huge blood stain on the floor. 

Remember that saying about revenge being a dish best served cold? Keep that in mind when reading this novel. Dawn is definitely on the spectrum, possibly has Asperger's. Fast paced psychological fiction with good plot twists and no one is who they seem. Should appeal to readers who enjoyed Gone Girl, The Maid's Diary, and the fiction of Rachel Hawkins and Lucy Foley.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

The Dead Cat Tail Assassins by P. Djeli Clark

October 31, 2023

The Dead Cat Tail Assassins by P. Djeli Clark

Eveen is a member of the Dead Cat Tail Assassins guild, and an undead contract killer. During the annual Festival of the Clockwork King, she accepts a commission from an anonymous patron to ship (read: kill) a target in a wealthy district. Expecting some old mobster or shady businessman, Eveen infiltrates the building with no difficulty, but when she reaches the bedchamber, she finds a young woman who looks suspiciously familiar. Realizing that she has been set up, Eveen has until dawn to figure out how to beat her enemy and save herself. And her doppelganger.

I love P. Djeli Clark's fantastical fiction, and this novella does not disappoint. I especially enjoy his female characters: strong, smart and snarky. The ending is open enough that there could be a sequel (I hope, I hope!).

Many thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

Dark goddesses

The Christie Affair by Nina de Gramont

April 27, 2022

The Christie Affair by Nina de Gramont

In 1926, Agatha Christie disappeared for 11 days. When she re-surfaced at a spa resort called The Old Swan Hotel under another name, she had no memory of where she had been or what she had done. Shortly before her disappearance, her husband Archie told her he wanted a divorce so that he could marry a woman named Nancy Neele, who they both knew from their social circle. After Agatha reappeared, she and Archie divorced, and both re-married. This novel is a reimagining of that story.

Meh. This story has been done before, and it's been done much better. If the author had stuck a little closer to the facts, it would be less like a fantasy and more like historical fiction. Gramont changes everything from Archie's mistress' name (to Nan O'Dea, and it's unlikely that Nancy was Archie's mistress given her background and upbringing), changes her social standing (from upper class woman to a working class secretary), and her reasons (to a revenge plot against both the Christies instead of Archie and Nancy falling in love). Slow moving and a little too re-imagined. I'm not sure why authors have a need to "re-imagine" a story that already has enough drama to fill a book. I've read other authors who have done the same thing about other historical figures (such as Grand Duchess Anastasia).

I'm getting to the point that when I see one of those book club stickers on the cover (e.g., "Jenna's Book Club" or "Reese's Book Club"), I'm hesitant to pick the book up, no matter how good the reviews are. These are books that are aimed at people who don't read much. It's like Oprah's book club: it's a good thing that people who are not readers are actually turning off the TV or logging off social media for a while to read a book for a change, but there are better books out there.

Nancy Neele - she was definitely prettier than Agatha

Mermaid Confidential by Tim Dorsey

October 9, 2022

Mermaid Confidential by Tim Dorsey

Florida's very own wacko historian Serge Storms and his stoner BFF Coleman are once again on the the road, exploring the glories of their fair state. This time, Serge decides it's time for them to investigate that quintessential Florida experience, condo living in the Keys. They find the perfect 1970's condo and quickly meet the neighbors and integrate into the local culture. But when criminals, South American mobsters, and unscrupulous doctors rear their ugly heads. it's up to Serge to right the wrongs for his new friends.

Serge Storms is my favorite anti-hero, living by his own moral code and killing those who really need killing. I enjoy the Serge Storms novels, although I realize they're not for everyone. You don't have to read the books in order, but I would suggest starting with the first two. In this installment, he even explains that the title of a book doesn't really have to have anything to do with the story (and there are no mermaids in this one).

The causeway that connects the Florida Keys

The Guest List by Lucy Foley

October 4, 2021

The Guest List by Lucy Foley

At an exclusive island resort off the coast of Ireland, a magazine publisher and a television star have planned the destination wedding of their dreams. But the wedding party and the guests are more like frenemies than real friends. Things start to go badly wrong shortly after the vows are said and the champagne is opened, when a body is discovered on the grounds.

An homage to Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None." Like Christie's mystery, it's psychological fiction, slow-burning and slow moving, with many different narrators and everyone suspecting everyone else. Many of the characters are not who the others think they are. The solution to the mystery and the conclusion are satisfying. Pay attention to the change in narrators and the subtle clues that are dropped throughout. Revenge is a dish best served cold.

A Splendid Ruin by Megan Chance

May 15, 2021

A Splendid Ruin by Megan Chance

Penniless and orphaned, May Kimble is alone in the world until an unknown relative reaches out to her from San Francisco, inviting her to come and live with their family. May travels across the country to meet the family that she hitherto had not known existed. She is quickly swept into the glamorous lifestyle of the Sullivans. But she soon becomes aware that things aren't as they appear on the surface: her aunt wanders around in a laudanum haze, her cousin Goldie sneaks out of the mansion at night, and her uncle is obsessed with pursuing wealth at all costs. And then the 1906 earthquake hits San Francisco. As May unravels the sinister plot that surrounds her, she vows to take revenge.

Initially, May is the traditional TSTL (Too Stupid To Live) heroine so often seen in romance novels, but she grows, and by the end of the book, is a much more developed character. Good revenge story, loved the descriptions of turn-of-the-century San Francisco. Will appeal to fans of historical fiction.

Union Square Park in San Francisco before the 1906 earthquake

San Francisco 1906 post-earthquake

Dublin Noir edited by Ken Bruen

March 17, 2020

Dublin Noir edited by Ken Bruen

A collection of short stories by noir and mystery writers all centered around the city of Dublin.  The quality of the stories varies, but tend to be of higher quality than many collections.  Part of the noir series from Akashic Books.

This is a short review because it's not possible to review each individual story.  Because it's noir, the overall flavor tends to be darker than the average mystery collection.  Many of the stories deal with revenge for a past misdeed, but some are just about psychopaths who like to murder people (go figure).  There is some black humor (which is very Irish), particularly in the first story by Eoin Colfer.

I hope anyone who is reading this is staying well and taking precautions.  I'm at work but I know a lot of people are working from home or their places of employment have been closed by executive order.

Happy St. Patrick's Day, and stay healthy!

Darling Rose Gold by Stephanie Wrobel

March 7, 2020

Darling Rose Gold by Stephanie Wrobel

For 18 years, Rose Gold Watts believed that she was seriously ill, until an internet search made her suspicious that her that her mother was poisoning and starving her to gain attention.  She testified against her mother in court, and “Poisonous Patty” Watts went to prison for five years.  Patty is about to be released and with nowhere to go, asks Rose Gold if she can stay with her.  Rose Gold reluctantly agrees, since she now has a child of her own and fears what Patty might do to him.  Patty always gets revenge on those who wronged her, but Rose Gold is no longer a helpless child and has her own brand of revenge in mind.  As the saying goes, revenge is a dish best served cold.

What a great piece of psychological fiction!  The story alternates between Patty and Rose Gold in the present, and Rose Gold in the past.  Both Patty and Rose Gold have had years to think about revenge, and the pacing of the story really ratchets up the tension as the reader watches Patty and Rose Gold circle around each other like a pair of jungle cats.  They have a lot more in common than they think:  neither one is likable; both are highly manipulative; both women are unreliable narrators telling their own version of the truth.  Fascinating yet disturbing and twisted, this is definitely like a train wreck:  you just can’t look away.  Once you start this book, it’s really hard to put it down.

Loved the cover art!  The plot for Darling Rose Gold sounds a lot like the story of Dee Dee Blanchard and her daughter Gypsy Rose.  Hulu recently did an original series called The Act which was based on Dee Dee and Gypsy Rose.

I have a compressed vertebrae in my back so I have been having a lot of doctors’ appointments and tests over the last ten days.  Somewhere along the way, I lost my print ARC of Darling Rose Gold.  This irritated me almost as much as all the poking and prodding.  Fortunately, NetGalley was gracious enough to provide me with an e-ARC so that I could finish the book and write a review.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-ARC in return for a review.