All of Us Murderers by KJ Charles

August 18, 2025

All of Us Murderers by KJ Charles

Zeb Wyckham is surprised when his cousin invites him to his country house for a visit, but he arrives to find himself at the family reunion from hell. Worse yet, his ex-boyfriend who hates him for ruining his life is now working for his cousin. Could it possibly get worse? Actually, yes.

A locked-room mystery combined with an LGBTQ romance seasoned with an element of horror. There is plenty of suspense and sexual tension, plus a few steamy scenes. I love mysteries set at English country houses. The cover reminds me of the covers on old Victoria Holt romantic suspense novels (consumed those like candy when I was a teen).

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

See what I mean about the Victoria Holt covers?

The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark

August 3, 2025

The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark

Olivia Dumont is a ghostwriter, working with the rich and famous to craft memoirs that can be marketed as being written by the famous subject. But she is blackballed and her career has tanked after being sued for publicly slandering a fellow ghostwriter. About to lose her home to pay the settlement and legal fees, she is desperate for work and agrees to take on the memoir of a famous horror writer who was accused of murdering his two siblings. Now, 50 years later, he claims he is ready to reveal what really happened. The only problem is, the writer is Olivia's father who she has been estranged from for two decades.

Slow moving. It takes Olivia a looooong time to get to the heart of her father's manuscript. Ultimately unsatisfying, as there is no real resolution to the mystery. A cast of unreliable narrators and unlikeable characters. It does have a cool cover graphic.

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

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

Dead of Summer by Jessa Maxwell

July 6, 2025

Dead of Summer by Jessa Maxwell

After 12 years, Orla O'Connell returns to Hadley Island, her childhood home, to get her family's old house ready for sale. She left the island after her best friend Alice mysteriously disappeared. Orla is shocked to find her teenage crush David Clarke is in residence at his family's summer home, along with his beautiful girlfriend Faith. But David is busy with work, leaving Faith plenty of time to snoop around and investigate the town and David's family.

A quick read, the kind of thing you can read/skim in one day. Atmospheric, although somewhat predictable and it dragged at times. Familiar themes: rich nasty family, poor girl with secrets in her past hooking up with a rich guy, a woman return to her hometown after years away, small town with suspicious residents who know everyone and their business, odd local man who is a natural target, lots of secrets. The characters were all shallow and unlikeable, the narrators somewhat unreliable. The premise appealed to me since I usually like a cold case mystery, so I was disappointed in this one. Suitable for a beach or poolside read, or an at-home read when it's 90+ degrees outside and you're stuck in the house.

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

Love Letters to a Serial Killer by Tasha Coryell

June 29, 2025

Love letters to a serial killer by Tanya Coryell

Hannah is a 30-something woman working at a dead end job and searching for direction in her life. The guy she thought was her soulmate dumps her, her BFF gets engaged, and she’s on probation at work. After four women’s bodies are found in Atlanta and a man is arrested, Hannah becomes obsessed with following the story through social media sites and connects with other true crime junkies. On a whim, she begins corresponding with William, the accused man, figuring that he’s in prison in another state and can’t hurt her, right? When she loses her job, she decides to go to Georgia for the trial, only to find there are a bunch of other women there, like groupies. But when another woman is murdered during the trial, the case is dropped, and Hannah and William move in together. What could possibly go wrong? 

You know right from the start, from the minute you read the title and see the cover art, this is going to be full of bad decisions and it’s not going to end well. Just accept that and move on. The accused serial killer is a lawyer, handsome, wealthy, and charming - big surprise, right? - think Ted Bundy (those of you who are under 40 can google his name). Hannah, the main character, is a brainless idiot, TSTL, no question about it, trying to figure out if William is the killer after they move in together. I was pretty sure where the story was going, and at 85%, found out I was right. If I had escaped from/been released by/been rescued from a serial killer, especially one that I knew was still out there, I would have PTSD for the rest of my life. 

(There is a name for the syndrome where women are attracted to violent criminals and men in prison: hybristophilia. It seems like the more violent the crime, the more women are attracted. Hannah displays aggressive hybristophilia, where a woman actually makes contact with the prisoner and tries to help them, combined with boredom over her mundane life, the appeal of a long distance relationship, and the whole fantasy of the situation. It’s more common than you would expect, and there are a bunch of websites for prisoner dating. I am SO creeped out.) 

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

Ted Bundy, the stereotypical charming handsome serial killer

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

Coram House by Bailey Seybolt

May 28, 2025

Coram House by Bailey Seybolt

Coram House was an orphanage run by nuns, closed down after decades of abuse were uncovered. Alex Kelley is a struggling writer who has accepted a job to ghostwrite a true crime book about the orphanage and the children who lived there. She is hoping the book will restart her career and that the income will help her get back on her feet. The only real downside that she can see is having to move to Vermont in January. But when she starts researching the story, she discovers a very different tale than she was expecting.

Inspired by a true story (St. Joseph's Orphanage in Vermont) and a pretty quick read. Highly atmospheric from the creepy orphanage complete with graveyard that an entrepreneur is redoing as luxury housing (I mean, seriously??) to the shifty locals to the dark Vermont winter. Good plotting that makes you wonder who the real monster is. The main character was the drawback for me - she is all kinds of stupid. Of course, if she acted like a rational person, there wouldn't be a novel ("oh, sure, I'll come alone out to your isolated house and not tell anyone where I'm going, even though you've already threatened me with bodily harm and are suspected of killing at least one person."). I do prefer my main characters a little brighter, although some readers will appreciate her imperfections. Themes include the downside of true crime writing, child abuse, pedophilia in the church, blackmail, and murder, so be warned if these subjects are triggers for you.

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

St. Joseph's Orphanage, Burlington, VT

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

City on Fire by Don Winslow

March 16, 2025

City on Fire by Don Winslow

Danny Ryan is a small-time gangster working for the Irish mob in Providence, Rhode Island, working on the docks and trying to support his little family. Although there has been an uneasy truce between the Irish and the local Italian gang, their peace is shattered when one of the Irish takes the girlfriend of one of the Italians, triggering all-out war between the two factions. As he watches his friends fall, Danny finds himself reluctantly thrust into a leadership role as he tries to find a way to resolve the conflict before more deaths occur.

A modern day retelling of Homer's Iliad, like The Iliad crossed paths with Mario Puzo's The Godfather. I had to go back and make a list of the characters in the Iliad to try and match up the players who represent who (the Achilles character is not who you think it is at first but once I connected the actions, the character absolutely fit). There is even a Trojan horse of sorts. And who doesn't love a good mafia book? Themes include revenge, fate, respect, loyalty, and moral ambiguity. This is the first book of a trilogy. Another good Winslow read is California Fire & Life, a less complicated story but still a very good read. Recommended for readers who enjoyed The Godfather or Casino, especially if you are of a literary bent and are familiar with The Iliad.

Providence, Rhode Island

Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney

January 5, 2025

Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney

Grady Green is at the top of his writing career, with his latest book climbing The New York Times bestseller list. The his wife Abby, an investigative journalist, goes missing while driving home, and his life goes to hell. He has no idea what happened to her: no goodbye letter, no suicide note, no ransom note, no body. After a year of drifting and not writing a word, his agent offers him the use of a cottage in the Hebrides off the coast of Scotland. He and his dog Colombo make the long drive north from London, and once he arrives, he begins to see Abby everywhere.

The good news: Colombo the black Lab is safe all the way through the book. I have enough people who call me while reading a book, asking if the dog is okay at the end, because otherwise they won't be finishing the book, that I know to include this right away. Feeney's trademark suspense featuring the ever-popular unreliable narrator. It's a slow plot for almost 2/3 of the book. The twist and the island's backstory start at this point. The real twist is at the 90% mark. This is the third Alice Feeney book I've read and I always figure out at least part of the "twist" well before we get there - with Daisy Darker, I think I figured it out by page 20. The only reason I keep reading is to see if I'm right or to fill in the gaps. Maybe I read too much. I think I'm done with Feeney. Readers who enjoy Freida McFadden will enjoy Alice Feeney's style as well.

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

Outer Hebrides village

Kills Well With Others by Deanna Raybourn

December 19, 2024

Kills Well With Others by Deanna Raybourn

The four middle-aged supposedly retired assassins from Killers of a Certain Age are back for another adventure. The son of the target of their first kill is methodically tracking down and killing the people responsible for his father's death. It's up to the four assassins to take him out before he finds them. But how will they find him, and how does he know where they are?

The Golden Girls meets Charlie's Angels. Despite being in their 60s, the four female assassins are still evolving and growing. They are smart, sassy and sexy. I do like the recommendations for using common household items as killing or torture tools. Also, I would like Taverner if Billie is finished with him. A worthy sequel to the first book.

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

Venice

Hard Time by Jodi Taylor

November 13, 2024

Hard Time by Jodi Taylor

The Time Police's three most unusual trainees, Luke, Jane and Matthew (aka Team 236, aka Team Weird) return for an adventure that requires their unique skill set. At least one corporation is running illegal time travel excursions for tourists, and the conventional methods used by the Time Police to apprehend the perpetrators have failed. So Commander Hays send out her unconventional team to do their thing.

As much as I enjoy the original Chronicles of St. Mary's series, I think I enjoy this spin-off series more. There is still the wacky humor and adventures of the disaster magnets of St. Mary's, but within a military setting. So far, not as dark as the original series became in later books, probably because of the three main characters here. Fans of sci fi with a strong shot of humor will enjoy the Time Police series.

The former Battersea Power Station, home base of the Time Police at some point in the future, silhouetted on the book cover

I Will Ruin You by Lincoln Barclay

October 29, 2024

I Will Ruin You by Lincoln Barclay

A teacher's act of bravery puts him in the crosshairs of a former student intent on blackmail, plus exposes him to unexpected fallout from a number of sources.

Another solid psychological thriller from Lincoln Barclay, told through several POVs. After a fast beginning, the story slows down but the author winds in all the threads at the end. It gives a different look at the fallout that those involved in thwarting violence can experience. Sensitive readers should be aware of some difficult subjects, including drugs, school violence, and sexual abuse. Fans of Harlan Coben or Lisa Jewell will enjoy Barclay's latest book.

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

The Hitchcock Hotel by Stephanie Wrobel

September 30, 2024

The Hitchcock Hotel by Stephanie Wrobel

Alfred invites his five closest college friends to spend the weekend at his Alfred Hitchcock themed hotel, free of charge. Alfred has always been a huge Hitchcock fan and collects Hitchcock memorabilia. But something bad happened during their senior year of college (maybe more than one something), and Alfred has waited 16 years to exact his revenge.

This had a good creepy vibe, great for the season: an old house in a college town, converted to a boutique hotel and filled with movie memorabilia, a creepy housekeeper who is always lurking about, plus an aviary full of crows behind the house. All the characters have secrets in addition to being morally bankrupt. There are a couple of good twists that I didn't see coming. I read the author's previous book (Darling Rose Gold, based on the Blanchard case), which had its own squirm factor. Fans of Alfred Hitchcock and psychological suspense will enjoy Wrobel's latest novel.

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

Alfred Hitchcock with a Thanksgiving turkey - this photo is referenced several times in the book

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

Middle of the Night by Riley Sager

August 26, 2024

Middle of the Night by Riley Sager

On a summer night in 1994, two 10 year old boys camp out in a tent in one of their backyards, as they did every Friday night. One of the boys disappears in the night, never to be seen again. Thirty years later, the surviving boy, now a 40 year old man, reluctantly returns to his childhood home. Almost immediately, strange things begin happening that indicate that someone knows what happened to the missing boy.

The premise was interesting, which is why I picked up this book: people who grew up on the same cul-de-sac reuniting as adults to solve the mystery of what happened to one of their friends. But the text got repetitious quickly: the reader is reminded every other page that Billy was taken in the middle of the night, that he was obsessed with ghosts, there are repeated descriptions of Ethan's dream, the lights coming on and off in the neighborhood, descriptions of the ominous mansion just a mile from where they lived. Lots of family secrets, but I didn't really care because the characters were flat and two-dimensional, and it took forever to reveal the secrets. Not terrible but not great, either. I started skimming about halfway through. Fans of Freida McFadden will enjoy Sager's latest novel. I think I'm done with both of them.

Things Don't Break on Their Own by Sarah Easter Collins

August 2, 2024

Things Don't Break on Their Own by Sarah Easter Collins

One morning, 25 years ago, a girl set out to walk to school. Her younger sister soon followed. One arrived at school, the other didn't, never to be seen again. Her sister's disappearance shaped every aspect of Willa's life. But at a dinner at her best friend's house, Willa realizes that circumstances surrounding her sister's disappearance may not be as they appear.

We all have false memories, either things that didn't happen or memories that are a composite of a group of experiences, or even events where we couldn't possibly have been there (such as the child who is positive that they were at a particular family event, when actually the event occurred years before they were born but they heard about it so often, they are sure they have a memory of it). Recurrent themes here are breaking and mending, re-making something beautiful from the pieces of something else, whether it is a ceramic bowl, a family, or your own identity. While there is a mystery, it is secondary to the characters. I would call this novel psychological fiction or suspense, rather than a thriller. The villain really is the villain, but not in the way you expect. My only criticism is that the ending feels a little rushed. This would be a great vacation or beach read, but also a good book to cozy up with in the winter. It may take a couple of chapters to get into, but stay with it. Recommended for readers who psychological fiction where things are not at all what they appear, such as the books of Gillian Flynn or Freida McFadden.

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

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 Seventh Veil of Salome by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

June 26, 2024

The Seventh Veil of Salome by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

A mid-level  movie studio decides to make a film called The Seventh Veil of Salome. Every actress and starlet in Hollywood auditions for the role of Salome, but everyone is surprised when the director selects an unknown Mexican actress for the part. A struggling actress believes the part was stolen from her and is convinced that if she can get rid of the other actress, she will be able to step into the part.

This is a different direction for Moreno-Garcia, purely historical fiction with nothing mythical or supernatural. Three women, all struggling to find their identities and be heard in a male-dominated world: Salome, daughter of Herodias, niece of Herod Antipas, Princess of Idumea; Vera, a Mexican actress and newcomer to Hollywood; and Nancy, a struggling extra who has been trying to get her big break in Hollywood for ten years, convinced that she could be a major star. Two parallel storylines, one the life of Salome, the other the movie being made about her. Although there are multiple POV and narrators, I did not find it at all confusing. We are supposed to hate Nancy, the villain of the piece, but really she is her own worst enemy, sabotaging herself at every turn, so it's hard not to feel sorry for her for her dumb choices. Highly recommended for readers of historical fiction, especially about the golden age of Hollywood.

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

Traditional depiction of Salome

Angel of Vengeance by Douglas Preston and Lee Child

May 28, 2024

Angel of Vengeance by Douglas Preston and Lee Child

The continuation of the previous Agent Pendergast book, The Cabinet of Dr. Leng. Quick synopsis: Constance Greene, Pendergast's ward (and possible love interest), has time-traveled and crossed into a parallel universe in the year 1880, to save her brother and sister from the clutches of evil Dr. Leng. Unbeknownst to Constance, Pendergast and New York homicide detective Vincent D'Agosta followed her; unbeknownst to all of them, Pendergast's brother Diogenes has also time-traveled back to 1880 (even though he supposedly is dead). Diogenes was following a man named Gaspard Ferenc, time travel scientist, who was planning on buying 20 $1.00 gold coins, then returning to the 21st century and selling the rare coins for a fotune. But even if they are able to rescue Constance's siblings, the time machine has been destroyed, and if Pendergast's associate Proctor can't fix it, they may all be trapped in 1881.

Well, Preston and Child, it took you long enough. I waited over a year for the conclusion to the previous Pendergast novel. Fortunately it does not disappoint. We still don't know for sure if Pendergast and Constance are an item, but there are signs that they are getting it on. Highly recommended, but read the previous book first. Really, start and the beginning and read the whole series.

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

Longacre, now known as Times Square, where much of the action in the novel takes place