Tag: Mystery & Suspense

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The It Girl-Ware-Review-Thriller-Available for Pre-Order Now

I am a fan of Ruth Ware. Her suspense thrillers always impress and usually have a beyond-unexpected twist. The It Girl is no exception.

Told in a nebulous time frame, the plot unfolds in alternating “Before” and “After” chapters. You can read the overall plot in the blurbs, but this is a nutshell re-telling:

popular girl meets tragic end and best friend/roommate still has to deal with the emotional fallout a decade later.

Except the story is so much more than these basics.

It’s about how we must live with our conscience, even as we are positive about our actions, and how easy it is for someone to manipulate us into questioning those actions.

Trust is also a big issue in this book. Can the characters trust their individual versions of the events that occurred or are there extenuating circumstances that keep their versions just shy of the truth?

Fortunately, the author takes the entire book – literally until the very last pages – to fully answer those questions.

The It Girl Ruth Ware cover
On Sale July 12, 2022

Hannah is a thoroughly sympathetic character. The author wisely establishes her as someone who never quite feels like she belongs, like she is fortunate to be in the presence of her classmates at Oxford.

That self-doubt, and utter lack of self-confidence compared to others, is the perfect fodder for her character arcs in both the past and the present.

As much as Hannah has doubts about her actions and who to trust, the reader is right there with her. Why did the close friends fall out of contact? Were there other issues that Hannah was oblivious to? Did her personal experiences cloud her judgment?

And is there more than one victim in all of this?

Obviously, you need to read the book to find out. But it is a mystery as much as it is a thriller. Hannah starts to doubt her own memory and is determined to uncover the truth so she can put the past to bed.

The facts she reveals allow her to put the pieces together, but in a painstaking and very un-obvious manner. Seriously, pay attention when you read because there are several easily missed clues along the way.

The only thing that I didn’t think was completely fleshed out was the focus on Instagram and of April as an “It Girl.” I know that seems like a big thing because it’s the title, but she came across more like the popular girl than the one who everybody wanted to be.

A little bit more of that would have helped the reveal along as well, although the climax is exactly what one would expect in a thriller.

But that’s minor. The It Girl is still an excellent, well-paced, thriller. Ruth Ware has done it again.

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The Fragile Ones-Books On Tour (Review)-Mystery/Suspense Series-Available Now

Detective Katie Scott and her trusty sidekick Cisco are back for another case. I can honestly say that while this was the most heartbreaking of the five cases (so far), it was also the one I had the hardest time getting into.

It is altogether possible that it’s solely on me for that (and probably is) but it might also be Katie herself.

I’ve enjoyed this series. However, in re-reading my review of the last one (Last Girls Alive) I see that I mentioned that the plot seemed to meander a bit and wasn’t as tight as the previous book. I would have to say the same about this book.

Katie is still sharp and working hard to keep her PTSD at bay. I would have liked to see a little more progress on this front, but I understand why the author keeps it at the particular level.

It’s a condition that can resurface at any time with any trigger – and for many, it never goes away even if the person thinks it has been combatted.

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I do still like the camaraderie between Katie and McGaven. They work well together. I do get a bit annoyed at how Katie’s reputation seems to be that of being wonderful. Nobody is that perfect.

That being said, I guess it could be because of her PTSD that people are amazed at how well she does? But that doesn’t make a lot of sense in the bigger picture, and certainly doesn’t fit with the characters.

One disappointment for me is that it seemed from the last book that the author was setting up for a good showdown of wills between Katie and the new undersheriff, Dorothy Sullivan. But unless I just plain ol’ missed it, there was virtually nothing involving the two of them.

I had high hopes for that, but even a search of the undersheriff’s name in the book gave one return. So I’m not exactly sure if I misread the interactions in the previous book, or if the author just decided to go a different direction.

I will say that I got a chill when it came to the description of Rock Creek (roughly ¾ of the way through the book). That was a nice bit of atmosphere that added to the mood.

Anyway, I did like the book, although this is the second in a row where I kind of felt something was missing. I’ll still read the series though because I like Cisco and I like the cold case aspect.

Author Bio:

Jennifer Chase is a multi award-winning and best-selling crime fiction author, as well as a consulting criminologist. Jennifer holds a bachelor degree in police forensics and a master’s degree in criminology & criminal justice. These academic pursuits developed out of her curiosity about the criminal mind as well as from her own experience with a violent psychopath, providing Jennifer with deep personal investment in every story she tells.

In addition, she holds certifications in serial crime and criminal profiling. She is an affiliate member of the International Association of Forensic Criminologists, and member of the International Thriller Writers.

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A Killer’s Daughter-Books On Tour (Review)-Mystery Suspense-Available Now

This book started with a gruesome scene, but it immediately set the stage for the rest of the book.

The author astutely gives the reader a bit of insight into the perpetrator’s frame of mind as they constantly refer to catching “her” attention.

It quickly becomes clear that the “her” in question is the protagonist of this new series, Agent Nadine Finch.

Or is it someone close to Nadine? Hmmmm…..

As you can see from blurbs (and even the cover) Nadine has an interesting background. She’s the daughter of a notorious serial killer. She’s also a forensic psychologist.

Side note: it is sometimes said in police circles that those who have a sketchy background or family history can go one of two ways – they can follow the bad or become the polar opposite and fight against the bad.

In that regard, Nadine was interesting to me because she obviously was deeply affected by her mother’s actions and chose a profession that would not only help catch other people but might also help her understand her mother’s motives.

Great choice to make a complex character.

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I liked how everything seemed natural in the book. I’ve mentioned in other reviews that the first in a series can either be tedious with backstory or natural in the introductions. This falls firmly in the latter category.

I also appreciated how the author made certain characters just murky enough that it was plausible to follow Nadine’s suspicions, regardless of if they were correct or not.

News flash: investigators do often have thoughts and intuitions that may not be entirely correct. Good investigators follow each one to see if they’re right or not. This is what Nadine does, even when it hits close to home.

The plot itself was certainly action packed and had me engrossed from beginning to end. I’d say that I would be worried that the author would be able to sustain the breakneck pace of this book through others, but I would certainly be in for reading them to find out.

I liked the characters, I liked the relationships that were formed, and I liked the twistiness of the plot. I think there is a lot to work with going forward and I can’t wait to see where the next investigation takes Nadine and her co-workers.

Last side note: we just moved to Florida, so it was personally neat to read about places that are nearby…not that I’d want to experience what happened in them, but to recognize locations gave it an extra kick for me.

Twitter: @JennaKernan

Author Bio:
Publishers Weekly bestselling author Jenna Kernan is a two-time RITA nominee and winner of the Book Buyers’ Best award. Prior to signing with Bookouture, she published over thirty novels including her popular APACHE PROTECTOR series, and is a member of numerous writing groups, including International Thriller Writers, Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, Florida Mystery Writers and Novelists, Inc. and frequently attends conferences on police procedure at the Writers Police Academy and MurderCon. Jenna currently lives on Florida’s Gulf Coast with her husband. A natural redhead, she has recently increased her sunblock to SPF 50.

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Silent Voices-Books On Tour (Review)-Crime Thriller-Available Now

I’ve been a pretty big fan of Lottie Parker for a few books now (you can read my reviews by searching “Lottie Parker” in the search bar on this blog).

This author creates some of the most intricate plots I have ever read, and there are always surprises and connections that are unexpected. This latest book (#9!) is no exception.

One thing I found particularly entertaining is how Lottie and Boyd’s personal life has progressed. To me, that is almost as interesting as the cases at hand.

Maybe it’s because I have a law enforcement connection, maybe because I just like the human interest, but I’m always invested in how an author addresses the personal lives of the characters.

I’m happy to say that Lottie and Boyd have indeed progressed, but not without more drama (of course). And once again, Lottie needs to think quick and solve an extremely convoluted case before she can find happiness with Boyd.

Or can she find it at all?

Like I’m going to give that part away.

You can read blurbs and recaps elsewhere. The author does the usual fine job of introducing characters at just the right moments so that everything seems natural and organic. There is no forced realization.

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That’s one of the things I like most about this series – I can count on it to be intriguing and page-turning, but rarely do I say “Oh, come on! That wouldn’t happen that way!”

Yeah, I get that way about crime novels.

I think it is also a testament to the author’s prowess that this is indeed book nine in the series, and there are no real signs of slowing down. In fact, I think each book gets more intricate (that word again).

I’d love to see this author’s mind maps or idea boards, I’ll bet they’re works of art.

I will say, however, at this point if you want the full impact of the book, you would be best to start at the beginning of the series and read them in order.

While this could be read as a stand-alone, due to Lottie and Boyd’s relationship, I would suggest reading the trajectory of it. You’ll get so much more out of the book. I promise.

Oh, and the title in relation to the crimes? Well done. I love that connection.

Facebook: trisha460
Twitter: @trisha460

Author Bio:

Patricia is the million-copy bestselling author of the DI Lottie Parker series. She yearned to be a writer after reading Enid Blyton and Carolyn Keene and even wanted to be Nancy Drew when she grew up. She has now grown up (she thinks) but the closest she’s come to Nancy Drew is writing crime!

In 2009, after her husband died, she retired from her job and started writing seriously. Fascinated by people and their quirky characteristics, she always carries a notebook to scribble down observations.

Patricia also loves to paint in watercolour and lives in the Irish midlands with her children.

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Cry for Mercy-Books On Tour (Review)-Crime Thriller-Available Now

It is apparent from the very start that Eleanor Raven is not going to be your typical heroine. The opening scene makes it obvious that this woman walks a different path – the question is, why? It’s a heck of an introduction to the main character, but it doesn’t stop there. Eleanor quickly finds herself in the middle of quite the investigation.

That’s just one of the appealing things in this series from Karen Long. The book starts strong and doesn’t really let up. The author does a good job of introducing the characters and relating them all to each other.

I will say that Eleanor is a tricky character. On the one hand, she is a cool character. Her analytical sense comes through loud and clear, and her methodology is logical. This is good for policework, because it enables her to work through the case efficiently.

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However, her reserve also makes it difficult to really “get to know” her, which in turn made it a little bit difficult to really get behind her. The aloofness worked on one hand but was a hindrance on another.

The subject matter itself is not for the faint of heart. A killer is on the loose and is playing a very dangerous game. Eleanor figures out that there is a connection to a cold case…but just how cold is it? And are the victims random, or is there a pattern?

I thought the investigation and the attitudes of the entire team were realistic. Yes, there’s swearing and it’s gritty, but that’s simply policework. It’s realistic (from my experience).

This book was originally released under a different title a few years ago. I don’t know if there were any changes made between the original publication and this one. I do know that it was a good read, and I look forward to more investigations with Eleanor.

Author Bio:

Karen Long was born in Wolverhampton but has spent the last few years living in California. She worked as an English and Drama teacher for many years, before becoming a full-time writer.

She has written screenplays and articles, but primarily dedicates her time to writing crime fiction and observing wildlife. She loves to travel, which is a great source of inspiration; Toronto became the backdrop to the Eleanor Raven series of thrillers after Karen spent several months there.

A passionate conservationist and lover of the crow family in particular, she has rehabilitated and adopted ravens, crows, magpies and rooks, many of whom became integrated into family life, much to the distress of household members and soft furnishings. She now volunteers regularly at Los Angeles Oiled Bird Care Centre.

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The Drowned Woman-Books On Tour (Review)-Mystery Suspense Thriller-Available Now

I really enjoyed the first book in this series (The Next Widow), so I was excited for the next installment to see what was up next for Luka and Leah. I came to some very interesting conclusions after reading this story.

First, I found that I was more interested in the character arcs of Luka and Leah than I was about the plotline itself. That’s not to say that the plotline was bad in any way. But it didn’t hold my attention the same way the characters did.

That’s interesting to me, because usually the plot enhances the characters and vice versa. For whatever reason this time, though, I kind of found them to be…separate.

Which actually is a little weird, because both Luka and Leah have personal ties to the plot of this book. So, I really can’t figure that out.

But I digress.

The second thing I learned that it’s almost always important to give a book a chance, even when you feel like giving up. I thought the beginning this book was slow. It was very difficult for me to get into it.

Again, this was strange because it takes place just a month after the first book, and a lot in the characters’ lives (especially Leah’s) is new. She is trying to adjust, both in her personal (after the tragedy in book one) and professional (she has a new job – more on that in a moment).

The book also starts with a prologue involving the death of a woman who thinks of (calls to?) Luka as she drowns. What’s that about? (I’m not telling).

See, all looks really good, right?

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But the beginning dragged for me. I will admit, I was a bit turned off by Leah’s job. It was reminiscent of the push to defund the police. The attitudes of a couple of characters rubbed me the wrong way.

The dialogue surrounding her initial encounter with Walt was especially off-putting to me. That’s a personal thing on my part, though…I’m sure others won’t be bothered by it at all.

I also was able to peg the bad guy pretty easily, which was a little disappointing. I kept hoping that I was wrong and there would be a twist, but there wasn’t.

I did think that the plot picked up speed in the latter half of the book, with the last third especially being rapid fire and much more interesting. In spite of my suspicions being confirmed, I did like how it all ultimately fitted together.

But back to my initial thought about the characters – it really is about where Leah and Luka go next. I’ll still follow and hope for another good case for them.  

Facebook: cjlyons
Twitter:  @cjlyonswriter

Author Bio:

As a pediatric ER doctor, New York Times and USA Today Bestseller CJ Lyons has lived the life she writes about in her cutting edge Thrillers with Heart.

CJ has been called a “master within the genre” (Pittsburgh Magazine) and her work has been praised as “breathtakingly fast-paced” and “riveting” (Publishers Weekly) with “characters with beating hearts and three dimensions” (Newsday).

Learn more about CJ’s Thrillers with Heart at www.CJLyons.net

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The Innocent Girls by BR Spangler – Books On Tour (Review)

I really enjoyed the origin of Detective Casey White in Where Lost Girls Go, so I was excited about her next case. Second time this weekend, where there is no Sophomore Slump in a series (I’m on a winning streak).

Casey has progressed since moving to the Outer Banks: she’s in a relationship with Jericho, she’s firmly rooted in her job, and she seems to be coming to grips (at least a little bit) with her missing daughter, Hannah, being so close, yet still so far away.

However, with the gruesome opening scene, the author lets us know right away that not all is peaceful in the Outer Banks, and things are going to get a lot more complicated and violent. From there, a new investigation is launched…one that hits closer to home than Casey expects.

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I like Casey because she is natural. She has failings and personal demons, but she knows that she still has a job to do and she does it well. Her instincts are strong, and she puts clues together in a smart fashion.

The plot itself was interesting. Somehow the author managed to tie together cults, brainwashing, environmentalism, wrongful accusations, loyalty, love, and revenge to create a thoughtful and well-plotted case. A late twist (very late) kept me guessing up until the very end. Extremely well-done.

I did think that one lead in the case (a tie to the summer solstice) hat appeared early on was misguided and a little inaccurate. It seemed like a red herring, and not a well-informed one. Fortunately, it went by the wayside sort of quickly, so I was able to forgive it. Had it remained I would have had an issue with it.

I mentioned Casey’s demons. She has to face one head one with the reappearance of a person from her past. I loved the way she ultimately handled it (no spoiler, but you’ll know it when you read it.

With the way everything wrapped up, I’m very excited to see what’s up next for Casey and Jericho and am looking forward to the next book.

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Author Bio:

B.R. Spangler here. I’m a resident of Virginia along with my family, five cats, two birds, a hamster, and a lizard. During the day, I work as an engineer and spend my off hours writing, editing, and thinking up the next great story.

I split my time across pen names, writing crime thrillers, science fiction, horrors, paranormal and contemporary fiction.

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Road to Mercy by TJ Brearton – Blog Tour (Review)

I really enjoyed the first book in the Shannon Ames series, Into Darkness, and I’m really excited to say that there is no Sophomore Slump in this series.

As with the last book, this one opens with an exciting scene (not saying what it is) that sets the tone for the rest of the story. We get people on the run, dead bodies, shady financial dealings, a twisty investigation…all the elements of page-turning, thrilling suspense.

The author does not let up the entire length of the book. Even during “down” times of the investigation, the plotting is tense, and the action is compelling.

I like that Shannon herself does not let up. She is an astute and no-nonsense investigator who expects others to live up to her standards. But she isn’t necessarily “tough-as-nails” annoying. Her character is a likable bad-ass.

I also appreciate how the author allows the story to unfold, switching to other characters periodically so that we get an “update” from their point of view. It makes the story more accessible. These are the easiest thrillers to read because they’re engaging, and the action is natural.

US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08GY7X8QQ
UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08GY7X8QQ

One of the other reasons that I like these two books (and I hope that there are a lot more) is they’re largely set in and around New York City, where I used to live. There is definitely something just more to a story when you can picture the streets and neighborhoods.

Truth though, as soon as I saw Woodbury Common, I was pretty much pre-disposed to like the book, because I’ve shopped there and know the area. I did have to laugh, though, when the characters mention Raytheon in Loudoun County, because that’s practically my backyard now. So yeah, locations that are relatable give it that extra oomph.

Not that this story needs it though, because as I mentioned, this plot has everything sNot that this story needs it though, because as I mentioned, this plot has everything someone could want in a thriller. It could be set anywhere and it would still be a winner.

I really do hope that Shannon continues her investigations, because I love “watching” her work. This is one gripping thriller series that truly lives up to its hype!  

Twitter: https://twitter.com/BreartonTJ
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tjbreartonauthor/
Website: http://tjbrearton.net/

About T.J. Brearton:

T.J. Brearton’s books have reached half a million readers around the world and have topped the Amazon charts in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia. A graduate of the New York Film Academy in Manhattan, Brearton first worked in film before focusing on novels. His books are visually descriptive with sharp dialog and underdog heroes. When not writing, Brearton does whatever his wife and three children tell him to do. They live happily in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate, New York. Yes, there are bears in the Adirondacks. But it’s really quite beautiful when you’re not running for your life. 

TJ is the author of Into Darkness, book 1 in the Shannon Ames series. ROAD TO MERCY will be his second novel published with Inkubator Books.

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BOOK REVIEW: First Corpse, The Appetizer

$7.99 on Kindle

In re-reading this review before posting, I am not sure that I did it justice. In total, this was not an awful book. The heroine was endearing. Her klutziness was amusing and her disbelief at the situation she found herself in was real. The scenes with her family were actually pretty funny. I think that the author just overshot the goals for the plot; there were two characters who had similar names that I had trouble keeping straight, and I am still unsure about the motivations of a couple of others.

It is the first in a series, all in the theme of “Corpses,” which is a play on words for “Courses.” It is entirely possible that future books will clarify some of the characters and the motivations will become more apparent. As I say below, the characters were enough that I would give the second book a try to see where it goes. Below is my Goodreads review.

First Corpse: The Appetizer by Carie Toeller

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I have mixed reactions to this book. On the one hand, I liked the premise: Highly recognizable TV personality gets involved in some international intrigue and has her life taken over by the FBI investigation. There was a good balance between amusing and exciting moments. However, I thought that it took too long to get to a reason for all of the FBI involvement. There were several chapters at the beginning where I felt lost because enough wasn’t revealed in a timely manner. Even when I got a handle on the plot, there were still some murky international connections. The big reveal of the reason for the international intrigue also felt a little bit heavy-handed; I didn’t think there was enough build up to have it make sense. That being said, I liked the main characters enough to probably read follow up books in the series. I’ll give 3.5 stars for a hunky FBI agent and a likable heroine. Tightening the plot would have made it a solid 4.



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