Review: The Escape Room

Summary: Welcome to the escape room. Your goal is simple. Get out alive.

In the lucrative world of finance, Vincent, Jules, Sylvie, and Sam are at the top of their game. They’ve mastered the art of the deal and celebrate their success in style—but a life of extreme luxury always comes at a cost.

Invited to participate in an escape room as a team-building exercise, the ferociously competitive co-workers crowd into the elevator of a high rise building, eager to prove themselves. But when the lights go off and the doors stay shut, it quickly becomes clear that this is no ordinary competition: they’re caught in a dangerous game of survival.

Trapped in the dark, the colleagues must put aside their bitter rivalries and work together to solve cryptic clues to break free. But as the game begins to reveal the team’s darkest secrets, they realize there’s a price to be paid for the terrible deeds they committed in their ruthless climb up the corporate ladder. As tempers fray, and the clues turn deadly, they must solve one final chilling puzzle: which one of them will kill in order to survive? -- St. Martin's Press

I've been excited to share THE ESCAPE ROOM by Megan Goldin with you for many months. I actually read this book when I traveled to Florida for the Penn State bowl game (obviously I had no idea when the publication date was!) And then, I was lucky enough at this year's Book Expo to participate in an escape room challenge with bloggers and none other than Ms. Goldin herself! I also had a drink with the group later in the evening and even sat next to Ms. Goldin. Of course, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to ask her a few questions about the book... and I was so glad that I had read it earlier!

THE ESCAPE ROOM tells the story of four co-workers who find themselves trapped in an elevator after they are called to work to participate in a team-building exercise. Each one of them is extremely competitive and wants to prove that he or she is deserving of kudos and maybe even a promotion. However, they quickly realize that this is one very unique team-building exercise because they are stuck in an elevator in the dark; and it seems like they are in a fight for their lives!

Much like an escape room challenge, these four must work together to figure out the clues, but there are definitely larger stakes. The co-workers are forced to work together, but they also are pitted against each other. These individuals are incredibly selfish and greedy, and their worst traits are gradually brought to light as they become more desperate. Just how far are they willing to go to save themselves?

I really enjoyed THE ESCAPE ROOM. It's a tense suspense story that definitely played on one of my biggest fears -- being stuck in an elevator; and it also a page-turner. The novel alternated between the four co-workers' saga in the present and the story of another employee which takes place in the past. The back-and-forth story sets up a dramatic conclusion; and even though I wasn't totally shocked, it was a well-crafted story!

I will be the first to admit that each of the four co-workers was more despicable than the next. I really couldn't stand any of them, but I loved how the author used these individuals to show the true meaning of greed. They really were willing to do anything to protect themselves and their reputation (not to mention their wealth!).

There are also quite a few twists in the novel that brought the story to the next level for me. Because I thoroughly enjoy mysteries and puzzles, the challenges the characters faced in the elevator were especially intriguing to me.

THE ESCAPE ROOM is a not-to-miss thriller. Highly recommended for fans of mysteries and suspense!

Thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy of this novel.

Review: The Better Sister

Summary: Though Chloe was the younger of the two Taylor sisters, she always seemed to be the one in charge. She was the honor roll student with big dreams and an even bigger work ethic. Nicky—always restless and more than a little reckless—was the opposite of her ambitious little sister. She floated from job to job and man to man, and stayed close to home in Cleveland.

For a while, it seemed that both sisters had found happiness. Chloe earned a scholarship to an Ivy League school and moved to New York City, where she landed a coveted publishing job. Nicky married promising young attorney Adam Macintosh and gave birth to a baby boy they named Ethan. The Taylor sisters became virtual strangers.

Now, more than fifteen years later, their lives are drastically different—and Chloe is married to Adam. When he’s murdered by an intruder at the couple’s East Hampton beach house, Chloe reluctantly allows her teenage stepson’s biological mother—her estranged sister, Nicky—back into her life. But when the police begin to treat Ethan as a suspect in his father’s death, the two sisters are forced to unite . . . and to confront the truth behind family secrets they have tried to bury in the past. -- Harper

I have to say that Alafair Burke is one heck of a writer, and if you haven't read any of her novels, then you are definitely missing out! Her latest novel, THE BETTER SISTER, just might be my favorite one yet. This book is both a domestic novel and a mystery... and it happens to succeed so very well on both levels.

THE BETTER SISTER tells the story of Chloe Taylor, a successful editor, whose husband Adam is found murdered in their East Hampton Beach house. There are a few strange things about this story like Chloe is married to her older sister's ex-husband, bringing up her son Ethan, and has virtually no contact with sister. And there's also the weirdness surrounding the murder. It initially seems like a stranger is responsible; however, Chloe's step-son quickly becomes the main suspect... which brings Chloe's long-lost (and very troubled) sister Nicky to town. Needless to say, these two women are forced together under difficult circumstances -- trying to free the son they both love.

I absolutely loved everything about THE BETTER SISTER! Ms. Burke's writing is stellar (as usual!), and her portrayal of the sisters is so good. The family dynamics between the Chloe, her husband and her son is strong enough to make a great domestic novel, but the murder mystery brings it to the next level. I never really thought Ethan was guilty and I was pretty sure I knew where the story was going, but nope - I ended up being surprised! I definitely loved the twist at the end, and it was executed so well. (I know I keep saying that, but I didn't even feel manipulated... and that happens all too much with surprise endings!)

THE BETTER SISTER is an excellent novel of suspense with fully developed characters and an intriguing mystery. Run (don't walk) and get this novel -- you won't be disappointed!

Thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy of this novel.

Review: Run Away

Summary: A perfect family is shattered in RUN AWAY, the new thriller from the master of domestic suspense, Harlan Coben.

You’ve lost your daughter. 

She’s addicted to drugs and to an abusive boyfriend. And she’s made it clear that she doesn’t want to be found.Then, by chance, you see her playing guitar in Central Park. But she’s not the girl you remember. This woman is living on the edge, frightened, and clearly in trouble. 

You don’t stop to think. You approach her, beg her to come home. 

She runs. 

And you do the only thing a parent can do: you follow her into a dark and dangerous world you never knew existed. Before you know it, both your family and your life are on the line. And in order to protect your daughter from the evils of that world, you must face them head on. -- Hachette

It's probably not a surprise for those of you who are already fans of Harlan Coben, but I love his books! No matter what I seem to pick up, I can't put it down... and that includes his latest novel RUN AWAY. This book is pretty darn entertaining with lots of twists!

RUN AWAY has a fantastic premise. Simon has been secretly trying to find his drug addicted daughter. She is definitely not in a good place between the drugs and her abusive boyfriend; and when Simon sees her performing in Central Park, he knows that something is seriously wrong with the daughter because she seems like a different (and scared) person. When Simon approaches her to offer help, she takes off and Simon ends up following her. This split second decision takes him into a terrifying world of drugs and crime, and ultimately puts his family and himself at risk!

I loved RUN AWAY. As I mentioned earlier, I flew through this book and that's really saying something for me because my reading rate has taken a hit! I loved the characters and the storyline, and I was quickly caught up in Simon's desperate desire to save his daughter. What parent couldn't relate a bit to the drastic means Simon was willing to go to get his daughter back?

RUN AWAY has action-packed to say the least, and I'm having a hard time "talking about" this book without giving away too much of the suspense. What I can say is that Simon, a well-to-do Wall Street broker, never imagined himself engaging with drug dealers and other nefarious criminals; however, he rose to the occasion and ended up being a great heroic lead for a thriller. I not only appreciated how he "solved" the mysteries surrounding his daughter, but I also loved that Mr. Coben made him a genuine character -- a dad who just wanted to save his daughter and the rest of his family.

What I enjoyed this most about this novel, though, was the ending. Talk about a surprising finish! I wasn't exactly sure where the novel would go between Simon, his daughter, the drug lords, the private investigator, and the cult members. And even though I did pick up a few clues about a certain plot point, I still ended being surprised with other things in this novel... things I didn't even know to be looking for! It was entertaining to say the least!

I definitely recommend RUN AWAY to Harlan Coben fans as well as other readers who enjoy thrillers!

Thanks to the publisher for providing a Netgalley review copy of this novel.

Review: My Lovely Wife

Summary: Dexter meets Mr. and Mrs. Smith in this wildly compulsive debut thriller about a couple whose fifteen-year marriage has finally gotten too interesting…

Our love story is simple. I met a gorgeous woman. We fell in love. We had kids. We moved to the suburbs. We told each other our biggest dreams, and our darkest secrets. And then we got bored.

We look like a normal couple. We’re your neighbors, the parents of your kid’s friend, the acquaintances you keep meaning to get dinner with.

We all have our secrets to keeping a marriage alive.

Ours just happens to be getting away with murder. -- Berkley

Wow! I picked up MY LOVELY WIFE by Samantha Downing not knowing how seriously twisted this book is. I should have known when the description compared it to Dexter that it would be quite the ride, but I honestly still can't believe the premise of this book! And I'm not sure what this says about me, but I seriously enjoyed it!

MY LOVELY WIFE tells the story of a husband and wife team who prey upon and then eventually kill women. Yes -- you read that right! I don't want to give too much of their backstory away because the reader is (gently -- haha!) eased into their story; but at its simplest, these two people fell madly in love, had kids, and struggled with money issues like any "normal" family. The only difference is that they got bored and found that killing people was exciting for their marriage!

I had such a good time with this novel. The characters are intriguing to say the least, and there are so many plot twists that will keep you not only guessing but totally shocked. I appreciated that the husband (who went unnamed) was the narrator of the story because his voice really added a whole other dimension to this book. It was really interesting to get inside his mind and see how he could be so normal at times and then so absolutely deceptive (i.e. he even pretended to be deaf so he could "get to know" women.)

The dynamics of their marriage and family were also really interesting. On one hand, the were like any upper middle class family -- balancing kids' schedules, making evening dinners, and finding ways to pay the bills. However underneath all of that, they were kind of a mess. Their teenage son kind of figured out that something with his dad wasn't quite right (although he didn't exactly realize the extent of his behavior!), and the younger daughter was a total mess due to the stress of women's disappearances and murders (and she didn't even realize it was her parents' who were responsible!)

Along with the character development, I also really liked the twists in this story. When a few things started to go wrong with the murders, this couple decided that they could outsmart the police. They both worked together (although I'd argue that they both kind of did their own thing too) and set up a man who had been released years ago for some suspicious crimes and subsequently disappeared. Pretty smart, right? I don't want to reveal what happens, but suffice it say, that things didn't go exactly as this husband and wife team planned!

The pacing of the novel is excellent -- this book is definitely a page turner, and I appreciated how the book worked up to its insane ending. Just based on the rest of the novel, I had a feeling that it was going to be a doozy... and it most definitely was. And just when I thought it couldn't get any crazier, it did! Now doesn't that make you want to pick up this book?

As you can tell, I really enjoyed MY LOVELY WIFE. Highly recommended for fans of twisted thrillers!

Thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy of this novel.

Guest Review: The Killer Collective

Summary: A fast-paced, page-turning novel of betrayal, vengeance, and depraved secrets in high places from the New York Times bestselling author of the John Rain and Livia Lone series.

When a joint FBI–Seattle Police investigation of an international child pornography ring gets too close to certain powerful people, sex-crimes detective Livia Lone becomes the target of a hit that barely goes awry—a hit that had been offered to John Rain, a retired specialist in “natural causes.”

Suspecting the FBI itself was behind the attack, Livia reaches out to former Marine sniper Dox. Together, they assemble an ad hoc group to identify and neutralize the threat. There’s Rain. Rain’s estranged lover, Mossad agent and honeytrap specialist Delilah. And black ops soldiers Ben Treven and Daniel Larison, along with their former commander, SpecOps legend Colonel Scot “Hort” Horton.

Moving from Japan to Seattle to DC to Paris, the group fights a series of interlocking conspiracies, each edging closer and closer to the highest levels of the US government.

With uncertain loyalties, conflicting agendas, and smoldering romantic entanglements, these operators will have a hard time forming a team. But in a match as uneven as this one, a collective of killers might be even better. -- Thomas & Mercer

Thankfully, Booking Pap Pap has had more time lately to write reviews than I do! His latest is by an author he's come to really enjoy -- Barry Eisler. Here are his thoughts about Mr. Eisler's latest THE KILLER COLLECTIVE:

THE KILLER COLLECTIVE by Barry Eisler takes on the uncomfortable subject of sexual abuse of children. The novel opens with Seattle cop Livia Lone, a survivor of child sexual abuse herself, serving as a member of a FBI-Seattle Police joint task force investigating international child pornography. Livia discovers a possible pornography link to several individuals in the Secret Service.

Livia is soon the target of an assassination attempt. After a plane goes down with two other members of the task force on board, Livia is fearful that the government may be behind the attacks and reaches out to old friend Dox, an ex-marine sniper who now resides in Bali. Being a little smitten with Livia, he quickly comes to her aid and together they assemble an eclectic group of individuals to identify and eliminate any threat to Livia. The group included John Rain, a retired assassin, his estranged lover and Mossad agent Delilah, black ops soldiers Ben Treven and Daniel Larson and Special Ops leader Scott Horton. This collection of killers is challenged to work as a team because of questionable loyalties and romantic involvements. But they must find a way if they are to take on government agencies, powerful politicians and private military contractors as they move from Seattle to Washington to Paris. D.C.

Author Barry Eisler has weaved together several differing story lines to bring THE KILLER COLLECTIVE to a thrilling conclusion. Even though his characters, particularly John Rain and Livia Lone, have been developed in other novels, the depth of the characters are a strength of the novel. The story line has its share of violence, sex and rough language but not uncomfortably so. THE KILLER COLLECTIVE is a fast paced international thriller with lots of intrigue that takes on a current but uncomfortable subject.

Thanks to Booking Pap Pap for his review and thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy of this novel.

Review: Before She Knew Him

Summary: Catching a killer is dangerous—especially if he lives next door

From the hugely talented author of The Kind Worth Killing comes an exquisitely chilling tale of a young suburban wife with a history of psychological instability whose fears about her new neighbor could lead them both to murder . . .

Hen and her husband Lloyd have settled into a quiet life in a new house outside of Boston, Massachusetts. Hen (short for Henrietta) is an illustrator and works out of a studio nearby, and has found the right meds to control her bipolar disorder. Finally, she’s found some stability and peace.

But when they meet the neighbors next door, that calm begins to erode as she spots a familiar object displayed on the husband’s office shelf. The sports trophy looks exactly like one that went missing from the home of a young man who was killed two years ago. Hen knows because she’s long had a fascination with this unsolved murder—an obsession she doesn’t talk about anymore, but can’t fully shake either.

Could her neighbor, Matthew, be a killer? Or is this the beginning of another psychotic episode like the one she suffered back in college, when she became so consumed with proving a fellow student guilty that she ended up hurting a classmate?

The more Hen observes Matthew, the more she suspects he’s planning something truly terrifying. Yet no one will believe her. Then one night, when she comes face to face with Matthew in a dark parking lot, she realizes that he knows she’s been watching him, that she’s really on to him. And that this is the beginning of a horrifying nightmare she may not live to escape. . . -- William Morrow

I have thoroughly enjoyed every novel that I've read by Peter Swanson, so when I saw that he has a brand-new book out this week called BEFORE SHE KNEW HIM, I was definitely in! BEFORE SHE KNEW HIM is another intriguing suspense novel that's fast-paced and a terrific read.

BEFORE SHE KNEW HIM tells the story of Hen, an artist/children's book illustrator who has moved with her husband into a new house outside of Boston. She seems to be in a good place now -- she has a new home, a nearby artist studio, and her bipolar disorder is under control with her current meds. However when she visits her new next-door neighbors' house, she discovers that he has a trophy that reminds of her of a another neighbor -- one who was brutally murdered about two years ago!

Hen was fascinated with this murder but she has moved on... well kind of. When she sees this trophy and starts asking a few questions, she finds herself caught up once again in this murder. She begins to wonder if her neighbor Matthew killed this boy and if he's even a serial killer. The problem is that her husband and the police aren't sure if her concerns are based on reality or another manic episode in her life!

One evening, Hen decides to take matters into her own hands and follows Matthew. She catches him doing something unspeakable in the parking lot of a bar, and worse yet, he sees her watching him. Hen realizes that Matthew is a very dangerous man, yet she still tries to "understand" him despite putting her own life at risk!

I really enjoyed BEFORE SHE KNEW HIM! Mr. Swanson is a fantastic storyteller, and I found his characters to be extremely interesting and complex. Like his other books, this novel has terrific pacing and is a real page-turner. In fact, the only very slight issue I had was that parts of the story were a little predictable.

I think what I enjoyed the most about this novel were the characters of Hen and Matthew and the relationship between them. Matthew was certainly interesting and readers were given just enough of his backstory to explain how he became a crazy killer. Hen was intriguing in that she had a mental illness that made her behavior seem questionable at times. However, it was the scenes where they interacted that made this book so special to me. Their relationship was more than a little "off" to me, yet I appreciated how Matthew almost needed Hen and vice versa. It made for an unusual twist to what could have been a typical suspense novel.

I also enjoyed a few of the twists in this novel. While I did figure out a pretty major one (and I think most readers will!), I did like how there were many times when I wasn't quite sure what was coming next. Many of the chapters ended with mini cliffhangers which made the book hard to put down, and there were plenty of little surprises along the way. I'm not sure I'm doing a good job of describing the feel of this novel, but it was a very smart thriller that constantly had suspenseful moments.

All in all, I think fans of psychological thrillers will enjoy BEFORE SHE KNEW HIM. Highly recommended!

Thanks to the publisher for providing an e-copy of this novel.

Review: The Silent Patient

Summary: The Silent Patient is a shocking psychological thriller of a woman’s act of violence against her husband—and of the therapist obsessed with uncovering her motive.

Alicia Berenson’s life is seemingly perfect. A famous painter married to an in-demand fashion photographer, she lives in a grand house with big windows overlooking a park in one of London’s most desirable areas. One evening her husband Gabriel returns home late from a fashion shoot, and Alicia shoots him five times in the face, and then never speaks another word. Alicia’s refusal to talk, or give any kind of explanation, turns a domestic tragedy into something far grander, a mystery that captures the public imagination and casts Alicia into notoriety. The price of her art skyrockets, and she, the silent patient, is hidden away from the tabloids and spotlight at the Grove, a secure forensic unit in North London.

Theo Faber is a criminal psychotherapist who has waited a long time for the opportunity to work with Alicia. His determination to get her to talk and unravel the mystery of why she shot her husband takes him down a twisting path into his own motivations—a search for the truth that threatens to consume him.... -- Celadon Books

If you've read a few of the "big" reviews for THE SILENT PATIENT by Alex Michaelides, you might find some very different opinions. Well, I am coming down with the ones who thought this novel was a very fun read. I thoroughly enjoyed this psychological thriller and thought it had some great twists!

THE SILENT PATIENT tells the story of Alicia Berenson, a famous painter married to a highly successful fashion photographer. She seemingly has it all until she shoots her husband Gabriel five times in the face. No one has a clue why, and Alicia isn't helping matters -- she hasn't spoke a word since the shooting! Needless to say, the mystery surrounding this crime is huge!

All of that intrigue attracts the attention of Theo Faber, a criminal psychotherapist who is desperate to work with Alicia. He is determined to get her to talk and reveal the truth behind the murder. Theo definitely becomes "too involved" in the case, and his personal issues become somewhat blurred with events from Alicia's past. As Theo builds his relationship with Alicia, the reader begins to question Theo and what his motivations actually are!

I haven't been reading as many thrillers lately since I started working full-time, but I will say that I had a great time reading THE SILENT PATIENT. I don't want to say too much about the plot beyond what I described above, but suffice it to say that this book has some major twists. (Notice that I said twists with an "s")! I honestly didn't see them coming until I was almost right up the reveal, and I loved how much this book kept me guessing.

One thing I really enjoyed about this book was the way the author revealed events from the past. Alicia kept a journal that she shared with Theo, and these entries gave a lot of insight into her marriage and her past. I especially appreciated how the journal was used to reveal the last-minute twists too!

This is Mr. Michaelides' first novel (and it's a great debut), but he does have experience as a screen writer. I have little doubt that THE SILENT PATIENT will be made into a movie... and it would be a great one in my opinion. I don't know what I'm looking forward to more -- the movie or Mr. Michaelides' next book!

If you are a fan of psychological thrillers, I highly recommend reading THE SILENT PATIENT!

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher at the 2018 Book Expo.

Review: An Anonymous Girl

Summary: Seeking women ages 18–32 to participate in a study on ethics and morality. Generous compensation. Anonymity guaranteed.

When Jessica Farris signs up for a psychology study conducted by the mysterious Dr. Shields, she thinks all she’ll have to do is answer a few questions, collect her money, and leave.

Question #1: Could you tell a lie without feeling guilt?

But as the questions grow more and more intense and invasive and the sessions become outings where Jess is told what to wear and how to act, she begins to feel as though Dr. Shields may know what she’s thinking…and what she’s hiding.

Question #2: Have you ever deeply hurt someone you care about?

As Jess’s paranoia grows, it becomes clear that she can no longer trust what in her life is real, and what is one of Dr. Shields’ manipulative experiments. Caught in a web of deceit and jealousy, Jess quickly learns that some obsessions can be deadly.

Question #3: Should a punishment always fit the crime?

From the authors of the blockbuster bestseller The Wife Between Us comes an electrifying new novel about doubt, passion, and just how much you can trust someone. -- St. Martin's Press

The talented writing duo, Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen, are back at it again with AN ANONYMOUS GIRL. It's beyond my comprehension how these two can write a thriller together, but it's safe to say that they definitely can. AN ANONYMOUS GIRL is a cat-and-mouse game between two women that has very serious stakes, and I thought it was an entertaining story.

AN ANONYMOUS GIRL stars Jessica, a young makeup artist living in New York who is struggling to make ends meet. As if it's not expensive enough to live in the city, Jessica also tries to help out with her special needs sister who lives back home with her parents. When Jessica learns that one of her clients is being compensated for a study on ethics and morality, Jessica decides to "highjack" her space in the study (not exactly a pillar of morality, right?). She's expecting to answer a few questions and make some quick cash; however, she finds herself involved in a life or death situation!

Jessica discovers that some of the questions are rather intense, and when she is asked to come back again, it seems like her involvement with the mysterious Dr. Shields is a little odd. Dr. Shields asks her to dress a certain way, pick up unknown packages, and go up to strange men at bars. Jessica begins to have her doubts about this study; however, she plays along with it because she needs to money (and she's kind of intrigued as well!)

As Jessica becomes more involved with Dr. Shields, she realizes that she's not sure who or what she can trust. She feels a strange affinity with Dr. Shields, but she's also frightened of what Dr. Shields knows about her life. And when she learns that an earlier subject in Dr. Shields' research was found dead, she wonders if her life is in danger. Can Jessica get to the bottom of this mystery while also saving herself from the imminent danger?

I enjoyed AN ANONYMOUS GIRL and it's no wonder that it was an instant bestseller. I enjoyed the back and forth tension between Jessica and Dr. Shields; and like Jessica, I didn't really know who or what to believe. The book definitely felt like a roller coaster ride, especially the second half; and there were definitely some scary/uncomfortable moments between the characters that made things fun. So all in all, I thought it was a solid thriller.

However, I'm not sure that I'd go so far as to say I loved it. I had some issues with the basic plot and found myself having to suspend reality. For example, I thought it was weird that Jessica listened to a client's phone message and then went to the study and impersonated her... and that happened in the first few pages of the novel. In addition, I'm not sure that Dr. Shields and her actions were altogether realistic for me (which is fine for a novel!), but I chose to not think to much about those things and just enjoy the mind games that took place between the characters.

What did stand out to me about this book was how the authors chose to explore morality. It's apparent from the first few pages that Jessica isn't exactly a goodie-two-shoes, and I appreciated how her actions were called into question with the study questions. I especially enjoyed how the questions caused discomfort in Jessica as they became more and more invasive while also ratcheting up the discomfort for the reader. In fact, there were numerous times during this story where the authors did an outstanding job with the pacing and the tension!

AN ANONYMOUS GIRL is an exciting thriller that actually delved into some interesting ethical questions. It's definitely a worthwhile read for fans of thrillers!

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via Net Galley.

Review: November Road

Summary: Set against the assassination of JFK, a poignant and evocative crime novel that centers on a desperate cat-and-mouse chase across 1960s America—a story of unexpected connections, daring possibilities, and the hope of second chances from the Edgar Award-winning author of The Long and Faraway Gone.

Frank Guidry’s luck has finally run out.

A loyal street lieutenant to New Orleans’ mob boss Carlos Marcello, Guidry has learned that everybody is expendable. But now it’s his turn—he knows too much about the crime of the century: the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

Within hours of JFK’s murder, everyone with ties to Marcello is turning up dead, and Guidry suspects he’s next: he was in Dallas on an errand for the boss less than two weeks before the president was shot. With few good options, Guidry hits the road to Las Vegas, to see an old associate—a dangerous man who hates Marcello enough to help Guidry vanish.

Guidry knows that the first rule of running is "don’t stop," but when he sees a beautiful housewife on the side of the road with a broken-down car, two little daughters and a dog in the back seat, he sees the perfect disguise to cover his tracks from the hit men on his tail. Posing as an insurance man, Guidry offers to help Charlotte reach her destination, California. If she accompanies him to Vegas, he can help her get a new car.

For her, it’s more than a car— it’s an escape. She’s on the run too, from a stifling existence in small-town Oklahoma and a kindly husband who’s a hopeless drunk.

It’s an American story: two strangers meet to share the open road west, a dream, a hope—and find each other on the way.

Charlotte sees that he’s strong and kind; Guidry discovers that she’s smart and funny. He learns that’s she determined to give herself and her kids a new life; she can’t know that he’s desperate to leave his old one behind.

Another rule—fugitives shouldn’t fall in love, especially with each other. A road isn’t just a road, it’s a trail, and Guidry’s ruthless and relentless hunters are closing in on him. But now Guidry doesn’t want to just survive, he wants to really live, maybe for the first time.

Everyone’s expendable, or they should be, but now Guidry just can’t throw away the woman he’s come to love.

And it might get them both killed. -- William Morrow

Without a doubt, my favorite question at Book Expo each year is, "What book are you most excited about this fall?" And one of my favorite book people (Book Club Girl) said, "NOVEMBER ROAD." Of course, her recommendation was all I needed, but I'll admit the amount of well-respected authors on Twitter who were raving about this novel and the author Lou Berney, made me even more excited to read it! Plus, NOVEMBER ROAD received starred reviews from Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, Booklist, and Library Journal. Are you getting the idea that this book is a must-read?

Well if so, you are correct! I loved, loved, loved this book in a time when I don't get to read all that often. I basically hid every day during my lunch just to escape with this novel. It's that good. The characters are so incredibly real, and the plot is suspenseful, and I could go on and on; however, it's Lou Berney's writing that makes this book absolutely amazing.

The description above for NOVEMBER ROAD is pretty detailed, so I probably don't need to add much more to that. In summary, this novel takes place in the days following JFK's assassination and follows three people who are on the run -- Charlotte, a housewife who has just left her alcoholic husband, Guidry, a street lieutenant with the New Orleans mob, and a hitman who is chasing both of them. It's definitely not Guidry's intent when he picks up Charlotte and her daughters to fall in love with her, but he finds himself not only trying to safe his own life, but also trying to make a new one with her. It's quite the ride... both for the characters and the reader!

What amazed me the most about NOVEMBER ROAD is that, while it was a really well-written suspense novel, it was perhaps even more special because of the characters and the depth of their stories. It's part mystery, part suspense, and part love-story; and it truly reflects the mood of the country during this dark time. Every page is compelling and I absolutely loved how the author explored these characters' innate desire to live life to the fullest against the backdrop of Kennedy's death.

Another aspect of this novel which I'm finding hard to explain is the pace of the story. In many ways, the novel was extremely fast paced. The entire book took place in a short period of time and the chase aspect made it feel hurried. However, there were poignant times between the Charlotte and Guidry that seemed almost slow-motion in contract to the chase. I know this isn't making much sense, but I so appreciated how these two main plotlines wove together to make a beautiful story.

NOVEMBER ROAD would make an excellent book club selection. This is literary suspense at the highest level, and the character development is outstanding. You could really analyze their choices and motivations for quite some time. In addition, there are some universal themes that would make for some interesting discussion including love, loss, fear, second chances, forgiveness, and sacrifice.

I purposely left my review for NOVEMBER ROAD a little vague -- mostly because this novel left me speechless (if you can believe that.) It will without a doubt go down as one of my favorite books of 2018 (and maybe even this past decade.) Highly recommended!

Thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy of this novel.

Mystery Mondays is a regular feature where I review all types of mystery books -- traditional mysteries, suspense/thrillers, and even cozies! Please feel free to share your thoughts on any recent mystery books that you've read.

Review: The Witch Elm

Summary: Toby is a happy-go-lucky charmer who’s dodged a scrape at work and is celebrating with friends when the night takes a turn that will change his life – he surprises two burglars who beat him and leave him for dead. Struggling to recover from his injuries, beginning to understand that he might never be the same man again, he takes refuge at his family’s ancestral home to care for his dying uncle Hugo. Then a skull is found in the trunk of an elm tree in the garden – and as detectives close in, Toby is forced to face the possibility that his past may not be what he has always believed.

A spellbinding standalone from one of the best suspense writers working today, The Witch Elm asks what we become, and what we’re capable of, when we no longer know who we are. -- Viking

I was so excited to open my front door a few weeks ago and see Tana French's new novel THE WITCH ELM. I haven't read all of Ms. French's novels (I know -- Shame on me!), but the ones I have read are outstanding. I love her characters, the mysteries, and especially the way she writes. Plus it doesn't hurt that her books all take place in Ireland!

THE WITCH ELM is a standalone novel that tells the story of Toby, a successful young man who leads a charmed life... until he doesn't! Toby was a popular kid (and adult), and he was always able to talk his way out of anything. However one night, he wakes up to find two strange men in his home. They beat him senseless, and Toby's life suddenly isn't so charmed anymore. Toby was basically left for dead and he suffered from major injuries including some brain damage. His memory of the attack is almost nil, and he has problems focusing on anything for very long.

When Toby learns that his beloved uncle Hugo, who lives at the family home, has been diagnosed with brain cancer, Toby decides to visit him. He ends up staying with Hugo and the two men kind of take care of each other.

Things get interesting when a skull is found inside the trunk of a wych elm tree in Hugo's garden. The body is soon identified and police start asking Toby questions. Toby is pretty sure that he had nothing to do with the murder, but since his accident, he's not entirely sure of anything. Despite his health issues, Toby is determined to get to the bottom of the case... even if that means learning that he's a murderer!

I enjoyed THE WITCH ELM, but I will admit that it's not my favorite Tana French book. I thought this novel was a little slow and a little long, and there were times when I found myself losing interest in it. I think it just took awhile for the story/mystery to get going. Once things started picking up, I was all in... but that just took me a little longer than I liked.

Having said that, THE WITCH ELM is still a mystery written by Ms. French, so there's plenty of great things to say about it. She truly is a remarkable writer. I love her character development -- Toby and Hugo were extremely interesting, but so were a few of the secondary characters. In addition, I was definitely kept guessing about the story behind the discovered skull. I admit that my thoughts changed about as much as Toby's did.

What impressed me the most about THE WITCH ELM, though, was how it made me think. And I don't just mean that I was trying to figure out a mystery. Toby wasn't exactly the most reliable narrator because of his head injuries, but the portrayal of him really brought to light the issue of memory. (It probably didn't hurt that some of the issues concerning memory were also being talked about in the news!) In addition, this novel explored some serious issues about family, luck, guilt, revenge, and identity; and let me just say that the way Ms. French delved into these topics was nothing short of brilliant!

THE WITCH ELM is an outstanding example of just how smart literary suspense can be. And even though I did find the book slow at times, it is most definitely a worthwhile read. Highly recommended!

Thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy of this novel.

Mystery Mondays is a regular feature where I review all types of mystery books -- traditional mysteries, suspense/thrillers, and even cozies! Please feel free to share your thoughts on any recent mystery books that you've read.

Guest Review: Bum Deal

Summary: They don’t call us sharks for our ability to swim.

Second-string linebacker turned disillusioned defense attorney Jake Lassiter finally switches teams. Appointed special prosecutor in a high-profile murder case, he vows to take down a prominent surgeon accused of killing his wife. There’s just one problem…or maybe three: no evidence, no witness, and no body.

But Lassiter’s used to fighting impossible battles on the gridiron and in court. After all, he’s not totally burned-out—just a little scorched.

Standing in Lassiter’s way are the defense lawyers: slick-talking Steve Solomon and blueblood Victoria Lord, who have their own complicated history with the defendant. Not to mention the specter of CTE, the lethal brain disease Lassiter may have contracted banging heads in the NFL. Drained of his mental edge just when he needs it most, Lassiter must do whatever it takes to win this case—even if it costs him his life. Because law is a contact sport, and you don’t get trophies for trying. -- Thomas and Mercer

I know my dad really enjoys the Jack Lassiter series by Paul Levine because he talked about these books over dinner last week. I'm sure it doesn't hurt that the main character is an ex-Penn State linebacker! He recently read the 13th book in the series BUM DEAL -- here are his thoughts:

BUM DEAL is the 13th and maybe final book in the series featuring Defense Attorney Jack Lassiter as the main character. Lassiter is an ex-Penn State/ Miami Dolphin linebacker who earned a law degree in night school after his playing days and suffers from early symptoms of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain disease associated with severe head trauma. Lassiter, now 50 years old, is a tenacious defender of his clients and often crosses the line between proper and outrageous behavior in the courtroom.

In BUM DEAL, Lassiter reluctantly switches sides and becomes a special prosecutor for the District Attorney in a high profile murder case against Clark Calvert, a famous orthopedic surgeon accused of killing his missing wife. The problems Lassiter must overcome in his case against Calvert are that there is no body, no evidence and no witnesses. To compound Lassiter’s challenges, Calvert has hired his two best friends, Steve Solomon and Victoria Lord, as his defense team. Lassiter has been a mentor to these two and they’re well-versed in his courtroom tactics.

Author Paul Levine does a fantastic job of bringing this story to life. His characters are well developed and the interplay among characters is very well done. Levine’s prior experience as a sports writer at Penn State, allows him to add real-life detail to Lassiter’s playing days at Penn State and in the NFL. His knowledge of CTE is evident in the ways he describes Lassiter’s behavior as it relates to memory loss, irritability and confusion. Even though Lassiter’s best friends are his adversaries in this case, there is still plenty of witty remarks among the three. Levine adds a complexity to the storyline as he reveals a prior history between Valerie Lord and Calvert which could complicate her defense tactics and roil the relationship with fiancée and partner Steve Solomon. The case is further complicated when the District Attorney brings a political element into the proceedings when his biggest donor for his campaign for higher office happens to be the father of the missing wife. The courtroom scenes are very interesting and when Lassiter has his back against the wall, things get really bizarre.

Even though this is the 13th story in the Jack Lassiter series, there is no need to read any of the prior novels to follow the storyline and characters. BUM DEAL is a fast-paced easy-to-read novel that will keep your attention up to the end. Levine seems to lead the reader to draw certain conclusions and then shakes things up with a surprising conclusion. Anyone interested in the legal thriller genre will really enjoy BUM DEAL.

Thanks to Booking Pap Pap for his review and thanks to Saichek Publicity for providing a review copy of this novel.

Review: Lies

Summary: Six days ago, Joe Lynch was a happily married man, a devoted father, and a respected teacher living in a well-to-do London suburb. But that was before he spotted his wife’s car entering a hotel parking garage. Before he saw her in a heated argument with her best friend’s husband. Before Joe confronted the other man in an altercation where he left him for dead, bleeding and unconscious.

Now, Joe’s life is unraveling. His wife has lied to him. Her deception has put their entire family in jeopardy. The man she met at the hotel has vanished. And as the police investigate his disappearance, suspicion falls on Joe.

Unable to trust the woman he loves, Joe finds himself at the mercy of her revelations and deceits, unsure of who or what to believe. All he knows is that her actions have brought someone dangerous into their lives—someone obsessed with her and determined to tear Joe’s world apart.

What if your whole life was based on LIES? -- St. Martin's Press

My advanced readers copy of LIES by T.M. Logan has a cover page prior to the real cover of the novel. It's this cover page that made me pick up this book. It asks, "What if you have the perfect live, the perfect wife, and the perfect child -- then, in one shattering moment, you discover nothing is as it seems. What if your whole life was based on lies?" Doesn't that just sound like a great book of suspense?

Actually, I'm happy to say that LIES lived up to my expectations. It was a fantastic psychological thriller that had me engaged from the very first page. Joe Lynch, a high school teacher, was driving with his young son when he noticed his wife's car entering a hotel parking garage. He thought he would surprise her but he was the one who ended up being surprised when he saw her have a heated discussion with her friend's husband Ben. When Joe confronted Ben in the parking garage, things got physical and Joe ended up leaving him on the ground bleeding from his wounds. When Joe returned to the scene, Ben was gone... and so was Joe's cell phone.

What happens next to Joe is absolutely incredible. Basically, everything Joe thought he knew about his life is proven wrong. Joe begins to doubt his wife and his marriage, and he wonders if everything in his life is based on lies.

As if that's not bad enough, Joe is pretty sure that Ben is still alive and that he's obsessed with his wife.  Joe is convinced that he's being set up by Ben and that Ben won't stop until Joe is in jail for his murder. Can Joe find Ben and prove his innocence before he is railroaded on a murder charge?

I loved LIES! It was a gripping thriller that was very well written. I thought the mystery behind Ben's "murder" was intriguing, and I loved the twist at the end. (I was definitely caught off guard in the very best way!) I also appreciated that this book was more than just a mystery. The author delved into some difficult topics, such as lies, betrayal, adultery, and more; and he was especially good at showing the pain caused by Ben's wife's betrayal.

I would love to go more into the twist and the end of LIES, but I'll just say that I was totally blown away. I had a feeling that the end was going to pack a powerful punch, but I didn't think it would be in this way! Maybe some readers will see it coming or have a few suspicions, but this one sure as heck didn't!

I actually think lies would be a great book club selection. Not only is it an entertaining psychological thriller, but it does explore marriage, infidelity and lies... and how one man comes to terms with all of it. You will, of course, want to discuss these themes, but you also might talk about deceit and trust and even forgiveness.

I loved LIES and highly recommend to fans of psychological thrillers!

I received a copy of this novel at the 2018 Book Expo.

Mystery Mondays is a regular feature where I review all types of mystery books -- traditional mysteries, suspense/thrillers, and even cozies! Please feel free to share your thoughts on any recent mystery books that you've read.

Review: Button Man

Summary: After a string of New York Times bestselling suburban thrillers, Andrew Gross has reinvented himself as a writer of historical thrillers. In his latest novel, Button Man, he delivers a stirring story of a Jewish family brought together in the dawn of the women's garment business and torn apart by the birth of organized crime in New York City in the 1930s.

Morris, Sol, and Harry Rabishevsky grew up poor and rough in a tiny flat on the Lower East Side, until the death of their father thrust them into having to fend for themselves and support their large family. Morris, the youngest, dropped out of school at twelve years old and apprenticed himself to a garment cutter in a clothing factory; Sol headed to accounting school; but Harry, scarred by a family tragedy, fell in with a gang of thugs as a teenager. Morris steadily climbs through the ranks at the factory until at twenty-one he finally goes out on his own, convincing Sol to come work with him. But Harry can't be lured away from the glamour, the power, and the money that come from his association with Louis Buchalter, whom Morris has battled with since his youth and who has risen to become the most ruthless mobster in New York. And when Buchalter sets his sights on the unions that staff the garment makers' factories, a fatal showdown is inevitable, pitting brother against brother.

This new novel is equal parts historical thriller, rich with the detail of a vibrant New York City in the 1920s and 1930s, and family saga, based on Andrew Gross's own family story and on the history of the era, complete with appearances by real-life characters like mobsters Louis Lepke and Dutch Schultz and special prosecutor Thomas Dewey, and cements Gross's reputation as today's most atmospheric and original historical thriller writer. -- Minotaur Books

I'm pretty sure that I've never reviewed a book quite like BUTTON MAN by Andrew Gross for my  Mystery Mondays feature. However, this book is being called a historical thriller... and therefore it counts. (It's my weekly feature so I can determine that, right?) As the description above says, BUTTON MAN is part historical thriller and part family drama -- two of my favorite genres!

BUTTON MAN tells the story of a Jewish family in the 1920s and 30s whose lives are turned upside down when the Jewish mob inserts itself into their lives. Morris, Sol and Harry are three brothers in the Rabishevsky family. The Rabishevsky family was poor; and Morris, the youngest brother, was forced to quit school and start working at a clothing factory when he was only twelve years old. Sol, the eldest brother went to accounting school, while Harry fell in with a neighborhood gang.

When Morris reached 21, he decided to go into business with Sol making economical women's coats; however, Harry felt more comfortable with the mobster Louis Buchalter, Morris' enemy from childhood. Eventually, Harry joins his brothers but he still is drawn to the money and power of the mobsters.

The Jew mob has set its sight on garment workers, and Morris and Sol have stood up to them time and time again... even when their friends are getting hurt by these same mobsters. As tensions rise, it becomes clear that Harry will have to make a difficult decision that will affect not only the company but his brothers as well.

I enjoyed BUTTON MAN quite a bit. It reminded me a bit of some books that I read years ago when I was obsessed with reading anything (fiction or non-fiction) about New York mobsters. I found the history of the garment workers, the unions, and the mobsters to be fascinating; and I appreciated how the author incorporated so many real characters into the story. The historical aspect alone of this novel made it a worthwhile read.

However, what brought BUTTON MAN to the next level for me was the family saga part of the plot. I appreciated how the author developed these characters by providing some background stories about their childhood, and I enjoyed the interactions between the three very different brothers. I especially liked Morris' strength and determination and found his rags to riches story to symbolize the American Dream.

BUTTON MAN was an entertaining (and educational!) read. I highly recommend it to fans of historical fiction as well as readers who enjoy family sagas and mob stories!

Thanks to Tandem Literary for providing a review copy of this novel.

Mystery Mondays is a regular feature where I review all types of mystery books -- traditional mysteries, suspense/thrillers, and even cozies! Please feel free to share your thoughts on any recent mystery books that you've read.

Review: Trust Me

Summary: Trust Me is the chilling standalone novel of psychological suspense and manipulation that award-winning author and renowned investigative reporter Hank Phillippi Ryan was born to write.

CAN YOU SPOT THE LIAR? An accused killer insists she's innocent of a heinous murder.

A grieving journalist surfaces from the wreckage of her shattered life.

Their unlikely alliance leads to a dangerous cat and mouse game that will leave you breathless.

Who can you trust when you can't trust yourself? -- Forge

TRUST ME, the new psychological suspense novel, by Hank Phillippi Ryan is certainly a novel that will make you question... well, everything. I just finished this book a few minutes ago, and I'm still not quite sure what to make of it. There was a lot going on and more twists than I could count, and I probably should have waited a few days to process everything that happened.

TRUST ME is one of the most convoluted thrillers that I've ever read, and I mean that in a good way. It's already received a ton of great buzz including the Amazon Editors' Pick Best Mystery/Thriller of the Month and a Booklist Starred review. It's also a Real Simple Magazine Top Thriller of 2018, a Book Bub Top Summer Thriller of 2018, a POPSUGAR Top Summer Thriller, a CrimeReads Most Anticipated Thriller of 2018, and a New York Post Best Thriller of the Summer!

Mercer Hennessy is a journalist/writer who is deeply traumatized from an accident that took her husband and young daughter's lives. She is still counting the days since their deaths and isn't doing much of anything with her her life. She ends up accepting a job to write about a book about the trial of the "Baby Boston" case, and she is determined to tell the story of the little girl's mother, Ashlyn Bryant, whom Mercer is sure killed her daughter. (Think the Casey Anthony story!)

Mercer is following the trial and working diligently on the book, even though it's difficult to cover a story about the death of a little girl. Mercer is one hundred percent sure that Ashlyn is guilty; however, things begin to get complicated when the jury finds Ashlyn not guilty of the crime.

Mercer is forced to examine her initial reaction to the crime and Ashlyn; and what she begins to learn after talking with Ashlyn makes her question everything about not only the crime itself, but her own life!

Nothing is what it seems in this book. Absolutely nothing! I had my doubts about Mercer as the narrator because she was still reeling from her family's deaths, but she seemed like she had a decent grip on the Ashlyn. However, it didn't take long for me to realize that Mercer was actually one of the most unreliable narrators I've ever encountered in a psychological thriller. After about a hundred or so pages, everything I thought she knew was upended... and everything I thought I knew was thrown out the window!

The author does a great job of blurring reality for the reader; and most of the time, I really appreciated the twists and turns. Having said that, there were times I felt a little manipulated. (But if you follow my reviews, you know that I'm super-sensitive to unreliable narrators.) All in all, I'd say that the surprises and the deceptions made for a fun and interesting read!

Another thing I really liked about TRUST ME was how Ms. Phillippi Ryan explored the concept of truth. There were lots of insights into what is truth and how we define it in our lives that made this book a little more special than a typical psychological thriller.

TRUST ME is an entertaining "roller coaster ride" of a book. Highly recommended!

Thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy of this novel.

Mystery Mondays is a regular feature where I review all types of mystery books -- traditional mysteries, suspense/thrillers, and even cozies! Please feel free to share your thoughts on any recent mystery books that you've read.

Review: Y is for Yesterday (Audio)

Summary: Private investigator Kinsey Millhone confronts her darkest and most disturbing case in this #1 New York Times bestseller from Sue Grafton.

In 1979, four teenage boys from an elite private school sexually assault a fourteen-year-old classmate—and film the attack. Not long after, the tape goes missing and the suspected thief, a fellow classmate, is murdered. In the investigation that follows, one boy turns state’s evidence and two of his peers are convicted. But the ringleader escapes without a trace.

Now, it’s 1989 and one of the perpetrators, Fritz McCabe, has been released from prison. Moody, unrepentant, and angry, he is a virtual prisoner of his ever-watchful parents—until a copy of the missing tape arrives with a ransom demand. That’s when the McCabes call Kinsey Millhone for help. As she is drawn into their family drama, she keeps a watchful eye on Fritz. But he’s not the only one being haunted by the past. A vicious sociopath with a grudge against Millhone may be leaving traces of himself for her to find… -- Random House Audio

It is bittersweet that I finally finished listening to Y IS FOR YESTERDAY by Sue Grafton -- the last book in her Kinsey Millhone series. Ms. Grafton passed away the end of 2017, and I have been holding onto this audiobook and listening to it in very small increments. I just didn't want it to end. I probably didn't enjoy it as much as I would have if I had listened to it regularly, but I wanted to savor her last novel.

That's not to say that I didn't like Y IS FOR YESTERDAY a lot because I did. It's just difficult to come to terms that one of my favorite authors is gone. It made me listen to the book in a different light, with an almost sadness and dread rather than my normal appreciation of her writing. It's definitely true to me and all fans of Ms. Grafton's -- the alphabet now ends with Y!

Y IS FOR YESTERDAY is a mystery that was rather disturbing. The original crime takes place in 1979 when four high school boys from a prestigious private school film a sexual assault on one of their female classmates. The tape ends up going missing and the boys suspect another classmate... who just happens to get murdered. Two of the boys are convicted after one of the boys ends up cooperating with the police, and the last boy disappears without a trace.

Fast forward to the present day (which just happens to be 1989) and Fritz McCabe, one of the perpetrators, has served his time for the crime and is getting released from prison. A copy of the tape shows up at his house with a ransom note, and Fritz's parents call Kinsey Millhone to do what she does best -- investigate. Meanwhile, she is also dealing with a twisted individual from her past. Can Kinsey get to the bottom of these crimes while also saving herself from a dangerous and disturbed man?

Y IS FOR YESTERDAY is Ms. Grafton at her best. It goes without saying that Kinsey Millhone is one of the best private investigators in fiction -- I just love her. In addition, Ms. Grafton has created some fascinating characters and an intriguing mystery. She managed to transition the stories between 1979 and 1989 flawlessly, while also balancing the crimes of the teens and her personal nemesis. There's a lot going on in this novel with a lot of characters; however, it's very, very well written.

The audiobook version of Y IS FOR YESTERDAY was read by Judy Kaye. If I'm being entirely honest, I kind of wish I had read this novel instead of listening to it. I don't know if there was inherently anything wrong with the narration; however, I just didn't find her voice to be what I was expecting. It's probably my fault for even having expectations for what Kinsey might sound like, but Kinsey really isn't that old... and Ms. Kaye's voice seemed a little too mature to me.

Y IS FOR YESTERDAY is a great end to an amazing series -- but would you expect anything less from Ms. Grafton? Highly recommended.

Thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy of this audiobook.

Mystery Mondays is a regular feature where I review all types of mystery books -- traditional mysteries, suspense/thrillers, and even cozies! Please feel free to share your thoughts on any recent mystery books that you've read.

Review: A Double Life

Summary: Claire is a hardworking doctor leading a simple, quiet life in London. She is also the daughter of the most notorious murder suspect in the country, though no one knows it.

Nearly thirty years ago, while Claire and her brother slept upstairs, a brutal crime was committed in her family’s townhouse. The next morning, her father’s car was found abandoned near the English Channel, with bloodstains on the front seat. Her mother insisted she’d seen him in the house that night, but his powerful, privileged friends maintained his innocence. The first lord accused of murder in more than a century, he has been missing ever since.

When the police tell Claire they’ve found him, her carefully calibrated existence begins to fracture. She doesn’t know if she’s the daughter of a murderer or a wronged man, but Claire will soon learn how far she’ll go to finally find the truth.

Loosely inspired by one of the most notorious unsolved crimes of the 20th century – the Lord Lucan case – A Double Life is at once a riveting page-turner and a moving reflection on women and violence, trauma and memory, and class and privilege. -- Viking

Once again, I picked up a book this summer because of the buzz surrounding it. The latest one is A DOUBLE LIFE by Flynn Berry, and I can definitely see why it is generating some excitement. I found this novel to be both well-written and an intriguing mystery, and I guess it's loosely based on a real unsolved crime.

A DOUBLE LIFE tells the story of Claire, a woman who leads a pretty quiet life as a doctor in London. She also happens to be the daughter of one of the most famous murder suspects in England, but somehow she's managed to keep that a secret. It's pretty amazing that no one close to her knows her history because (believe me!) Claire is still traumatized by what happened when she was a young girl.

Thirty years ago, a man broke into her family's house and brutally murdered her sitter and beat up her mother. Her mother claims that it was Claire's father whom she saw in the house; and when his car was found abandoned with blood stains on the front seats, it certainly made him look guilty. He was never seen again, and his friends all maintained that he was innocent.

The police notify Claire that they think have found her father, and Claire begins her obsession with discovering whether her father was a brutal murderer or a wrongly charged man. Claire is determining to get to the bottom of this mystery even if that means putting her own life at risk!

I really enjoyed A DOUBLE LIFE. I liked that the mystery was based on a real-life murder (the Lord Lucan) case, and I thought Ms. Berry wrote a fantastic story. The murder was captivating, as was Claire's character. She was dealing with a lot of baggage; and while I wouldn't exactly call her an unreliable narrator, she definitely wasn't quite right in the head. It all made for quite the murder mystery.

I also really appreciated Ms. Berry's writing style. I enjoyed the pacing of the novel and I found it to be quite the page-turner. In addition, I found it interesting that the author incorporated some social commentary into the story, especially when it came to class and privilege in England. I also liked how she created the character of Claire. I found her to be intriguing and I was actually uncomfortable (at times) with her actions.

One of the best things about A DOUBLE LIFE was the ending. It was a shocker for me and I found it a little disturbing.... and that's all I can really say without giving away the surprise!

A DOUBLE LIFE is a well written mystery that's sure to entertain fans of this genre. Highly recommended.

Thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy of this novel.

Mystery Mondays is a regular feature where I review all types of mystery books -- traditional mysteries, suspense/thrillers, and even cozies! Please feel free to share your thoughts on any recent mystery books that you've read.

Guest Review: The Force

Summary: The acclaimed, award-winning, bestselling author of The Cartel—voted one of the Best Books of the Year by more than sixty publications, including the New York Times—makes his William Morrow debut with a cinematic epic as explosive, powerful, and unforgettable as Mystic River and The Wire.

Our ends know our beginnings, but the reverse isn’t true . . .
All Denny Malone wants is to be a good cop.
He is “the King of Manhattan North,” a, highly decorated NYPD detective sergeant and the real leader of “Da Force.” Malone and his crew are the smartest, the toughest, the quickest, the bravest, and the baddest, an elite special unit given unrestricted authority to wage war on gangs, drugs and guns. Every day and every night for the eighteen years he’s spent on the Job, Malone has served on the front lines, witnessing the hurt, the dead, the victims, the perps. He’s done whatever it takes to serve and protect in a city built by ambition and corruption, where no one is clean—including Malone himself.

What only a few know is that Denny Malone is dirty: he and his partners have stolen millions of dollars in drugs and cash in the wake of the biggest heroin bust in the city’s history. Now Malone is caught in a trap and being squeezed by the Feds, and he must walk the thin line between betraying his brothers and partners, the Job, his family, and the woman he loves, trying to survive, body and soul, while the city teeters on the brink of a racial conflagration that could destroy them all.

Based on years of research inside the NYPD, this is the great cop novel of our time and a book only Don Winslow could write: a haunting and heartbreaking story of greed and violence, inequality and race, crime and injustice, retribution and redemption that reveals the seemingly insurmountable tensions between the police and the diverse citizens they serve. A searing portrait of a city and a courageous, heroic, and deeply flawed man who stands at the edge of its abyss, The Force is a masterpiece of urban living full of shocking and surprising twists, leavened by flashes of dark humor, a morally complex and utterly riveting dissection of modern American society and the controversial issues confronting and dividing us today. -- William Morrow

I loved THE FORCE by Don Winslow so much (my review) that I insisted Booking Pap Pap read it too. It was one of my favorite books of 2017, and I think my dad enjoyed it quite a bit too! He are his thoughts:

THE FORCE by Don Winslow is a story about Dennis Malone, an 18 year veteran of the NYPD who is considered a “hero cop”. Set in 2017, Malone is the top cop in the elite Manhattan North Special Task Force. Malone is 6’ 2”, covered in tattoos and is an arrogant, smart, violent and corrupt cop. He takes drugs, smokes marijuana, handles cash envelops to city politicians for “favors” and patrols the streets according to his standards of justice. Malone fights crime hard and parties even harder. Malone’s team is tasked with providing security to the citizens of the Manhattan North community but they also steal drugs and money from the criminals. Malone thinks of himself as the good guy and in his way of thinking, only his team cares about the downtrodden.

The book opens with Malone in jail and the reader then learns why he’s there. Malone has always considered graft as “normal business” but he crossed the line when he murdered a drug lord and kept a significant portion of the drug bust worth millions. He gets caught and is being squeezed by the Feds to rat on politicians, members of the judiciary and cops. Malone will cooperate to some extent but will do almost anything to protect his family and other cops, particularly his team

THE FORCE is a frightening book about cops, drug dealers and gangsters and how they coexist in New York City. The book is full of violence, not-so subtle racial talk and excessive profanity. It reveals the dichotomy of being a NYPD cop. On one hand he exhibits heroism through crime fighting and on the other hand he shows signs of criminal behavior through shakedowns and bribes. Author Don Winslow uses the story of “hero cop”, detective Malone, as an example of how deep corruption can run in the political and justice systems. Winslow story also reflects some stereotypical characters. For example Malone is a son of an Irish-American cop. Malone’s brother was a firefighter who dies on 9/11. Malone’s team consisted of an Irishman, an Afro-American, an Italian and a Jew. Malone has a white wife in the suburbs and an Afro-American lover in the city.

The overriding theme of the book is how good cops end up dirty. My one issue with THE FORCE is that all cops are portrayed as corrupt which I think is a gross exaggeration. The book has no likable characters but is a book you will have difficulty putting down once you start reading it. I believe the book is already under agreement to be made into a movie.

Thanks to Booking Pap Pap for writing this insightful review and thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy of this novel.

Review: The Perfect Mother

Summary: An addictive psychological thriller about a group of women whose lives become unexpectedly connected when one of their newborns goes missing.

A night out. A few hours of fun. That’s all it was meant to be.

They call themselves the May Mothers—a group of new moms whose babies were born in the same month. Twice a week, they get together in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park for some much-needed adult time. 

When the women go out for drinks at the hip neighborhood bar, they are looking for a fun break from their daily routine. But on this hot Fourth of July night, something goes terrifyingly wrong: one of the babies is taken from his crib. Winnie, a single mom, was reluctant to leave six-week-old Midas with a babysitter, but her fellow May Mothers insisted everything would be fine. Now he is missing. What follows is a heart-pounding race to find Midas, during which secrets are exposed, marriages are tested, and friendships are destroyed. -- Harper

I decided to pick up THE PERFECT MOTHER by Aimee Molloy after I saw all of the buzz surrounding this novel. It was an immediate New York Times bestseller, and it's going to be made into a movie starring Kerry Washington. I had a feeling that this would be a terrific read... and it certainly lived up to my expectations!

THE PERFECT MOTHER is about a group of moms (and one dad) who become friends because they have one thing in common -- they are all have newborns. They decided to meet twice a week in Prospect Park in Brooklyn where they bonded over their babies. It was a great break from spending 24/7 with a newborn.

As most new moms know, it's a tough job being a mother. To let off some steam, these women decided to go out one night for a few drinks. Winnie, a single mom, is reluctant to go out and leave her son Midas with a sitter. The other women convince her that nothing will go wrong? Famous last words, right? When Midas, her infant son, is taken from his crib, these new parents' lives and their friendships are heavily tested.

I really enjoyed THE PERFECT MOTHER. The premise is fantastic and I appreciated that this novel was both a terrific thriller and a social commentary on parenthood, and especially what it means to be a good mother. The character development is well done, and the writing is insightful; and I think THE PERFECT MOTHER is just a really good book on so many levels.

I really appreciated how the author decided to tell this story. The book alternates between the moms in the friends' group; and while it centers around Midas' disappearance, it also brings to light these other moms and the issues/secret that they have in their lives. Much of the characterization of these women was focused on how their lives were affected by becoming parents, but they also had some juicy secrets of their own that added to the intrigue of the story.

One fun thing that Ms. Molloy chose to do was include emails from a parenting group at the beginning of each chapter. These emails were helpful advice on how to take care of your infants, and I got a kick out of the tone of these emails. I remember reading emails just like this when I was a first time mom and swearing that they had absolutely no idea what I was dealing with!

Finally, I have to give major props to the author because this mystery was fantastic. There were so many twists and turns, and I honestly didn't know where the story was going. There was more than once when I thought I had everything figured out only to learn that I didn't. What a great feeling when reading a thriller!

I found THE PERFECT MOTHER to be smart, and entertaining, thriller. Highly recommended to fans of mysteries and women's fiction.

Thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy of this novel.

Mystery Mondays is a regular feature where I review all types of mystery books -- traditional mysteries, suspense/thrillers, and even cozies! Please feel free to share your thoughts on any recent mystery books that you've read.

Review: An Unwanted Guest

Summary: A weekend retreat at a cozy mountain lodge is supposed to be the perfect getaway . . . but when the storm hits, no one is getting away

It’s winter in the Catskills and Mitchell’s Inn, nestled deep in the woods, is the perfect setting for a relaxing–maybe even romantic–weekend away. It boasts spacious old rooms with huge woodburning fireplaces, a well-stocked wine cellar, and opportunities for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, or just curling up with a good murder mystery.

So when the weather takes a turn for the worse, and a blizzard cuts off the electricity–and all contact with the outside world–the guests settle in for the long haul.

Soon, though, one of the guests turns up dead–it looks like an accident. But when a second guest dies, they start to panic.

Within the snowed-in paradise, something–or someone–is picking off the guests one by one. And there’s nothing they can do but hunker down and hope they can survive the storm. -- Pamela Dorman Books

This week an anticipated novel by Shari Lapena, author of THE COUPLE NEXT DOOR, will be released. It's called AN UNWANTED GUEST and it's sure to be a favorite with Agatha Christie fans, especially those who enjoyed AND THEN THERE WERE NONE. This novel takes place in an inn in the Catskills during a horrific blizzard; and over the course of a few days, quite a few of the visitors find themselves either murdered or suspected of murder!

AN UNWANTED GUEST begins with an assorted group of people arriving at Michell's Inn. There are journalists, a lawyer, a wealthy couple engaged to be married, a couple having marital issues, and more. In what was supposed to be a weekend getaway with cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and even romance, a surprise blizzard that takes out the electricity forces them to stay inside. Of course, there's no cell phone reception due to the remote location, so basically these individuals are totally cut off from the outside world!

Even though their best-laid plans were ruined, it still could have been a cozy weekend by the fire playing games, reading books, and making new friends... but it wasn't! The next morning, a female guest is found dead at the bottom of the stairs in what looks like an accident; however, the criminal defense attorney (who just happens to have been accused of murdering his wife a few years ago!) suspects that there's something amiss. When a second guest is found dead, the guests start to think that someone among them is a murderer!

I enjoyed AN UNWANTED GUEST and I truly liked that the book almost paid homage to the great Agatha Christie. This novel had an intriguing plot and a creative murder mystery (or should I say mysteries?); however, I'm sure that it lived up to Ms. Christie (although that might not be a fair comparison!)

I don't want to give too much away but I did think the mystery was well-crafted. I started to figure out a few things about the culprit and the motive, but the plot was smart enough that I was still in the dark about pulling the entire story together. The ending was clever although I did figure out one of the twists, but perhaps I was supposed to?

I did feel as if Ms. Lapena did a great job of bringing the setting of this little inn to life. Her descriptions of the rooms as well as how she wrote about the blizzard were spot on. Even though it's miserably hot here, I was actually chilled as I read about the winds and blinding snow... and of course, the picking off of the guests one by one!

The one thing that I didn't love about this novel, though, were the characters. There were quite a few of them and I just didn't feel like they were that well developed. Normally that wouldn't matter in a book like this one, but I think a few of the characters (and really one in particular) had some issues from the past that required a little better character development. I also found that I didn't really like any of them very much, which in a way was good I guess because it made me doubt and question each one of them.

AN UNWANTED GUEST is a worthwhile read as far as murder mysteries go. Even though it doesn't quite live up Ms. Christie, it's still entertaining and will keep you guessing!

Thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy of this novel.

Mystery Mondays is a regular feature where I review all types of mystery books -- traditional mysteries, suspense/thrillers, and even cozies! Please feel free to share your thoughts on any recent mystery books that you've read.