Tag: mystery

Book Review: Where There’s Smoke, by Rachel Louise Adams

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Title: Where There’s Smoke
Author: Rachel Louise Adams
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Rating: 4 out of 5

A lot has happened in Dolores Hawthorne’s life since the events of last Halloween. She’s divorced, traded being a forensic pathologist for a job as a medical examiner, and now lives in small-town Wisconsin, close—but not too close—to her family.

Dolores doesn’t have much in the way of work, but that all changes when a body is found at the local slaughterhouse. Benedict Marcy owned Marcy’s Meats, and is affectionately called Mr. Mercy across the region. This high-profile case quickly catches the attention of Dolores’s friends at the FBI.

From the very beginning, this case is full of contradictions and surprises, and the team quickly learns someone is willing to go to extreme lengths to stop them from finding out the truth behind Benedict Marcy’s murder.

The cover for this novel is so creepy to me! Definitely fits the vibe of the book. I haven’t read the first books in this series, but that wasn’t a problem (although having read the first one would probably have added some nuance to this read). The crime scene was very gross and illustrated the layers of confusion that filled the mystery itself. This was a solid thriller read, and I’ll probably go back and read the first one as well.

Rachel Louise Adams was raised in Brittany. Where There’s Smoke is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press | Minotaur Books in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: The Worst Is Yet to Come, by Trish Lundy

Image belongs to Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group | Henry Holt and Co. (BYR).

Title: The Worst Is Yet to Come
Author: Trish Lundy
Genre: YA
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

High school might be officially over, but the real nightmare is just beginning. When two best friends are attacked on graduation night, only one of them makes it out alive.

Left for dead at an abandoned house but determined to find out who killed her best friend, Rose is rescued by former high school quarterback and heartthrob, Jake, who becomes an unexpected ally. . . and maybe something more. But when she learns that fifteen years ago, another girl suffered the exact same fate in the exact same place, she wonders if a murderer might be back with a vengeance. . . or is a copycat killer on the loose?

Time is running out, because whoever the killer is, they’re eager to correct their biggest letting Rose live. As Rose follows the trail of evidence, she’s led down a path of horrors that threatens to expose the insidious secrets at the heart of her community—secrets the killer will do anything to keep quiet.

This was…a decent read. It wasn’t horrible and I didn’t figure out what was going on before the reveal, but I wasn’t on the edge of my seat, either. There were a few decent red herrings and I did question Rose’s headspace a time of two—why would you visit an abandoned building in the middle of nowhere in the middle of the night? Why?—and some of her decisions seemed a bit like a horror movie character who you just know is about to die, but this was a quick, entertaining read.

Trish Lundy lives on the West Coast. The Worst Is Yet To Come is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group | Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: In the Woods They Wait, by Carrie Lee South

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Title: In the Woods They Wait
Author: Carrie Lee South
Genre: Mystery/thriller
Rating: 3 out of 5

Fifteen years ago, Audrey Figg’s little brother, Benny, vanished on a family vacation to Devil’s Den state park, a day that split her life in two.

Now, Audrey is a park ranger in the very same woods with expertise in wilderness search and rescue. Audrey has found a rhythm to her training new rangers, tending to injured hikers, protecting the backcountry, and still, searching.

When a little girl, Ivy, suddenly goes missing on the trails, Audrey can’t help but notice the similarities to her own brother’s case. As Audrey widens the scope of her search, she begins to believe Ivy wasn’t merely lost; it looks like she was taken by something—and maybe Benny was too. Yet the closer Audrey comes to answers, the more old memories push to the surface. Audrey is haunted not only by her brother’s loss, but a terrible secret from that day. A secret she has never shared with anyone.

I don’t think this was a terribly good fit for me. I didn’t really like Audrey much. She spent way too much time feeling sorry for herself and being rude to everyone around her because she was so much better than everyone else. She came across as very judge-y. This novel did not make me want to be out in the woods at night, so it had some creepiness going for it, but honestly, I was so annoyed by the stupid things Audrey kept doing that I didn’t really care what happened to her.

Carrie Lee South lives in Arkansas. In the Woods They Wait is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Little, Brown and Company in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: A Lovely and Deadly Dance, by Claire Andrews

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Title: A Lovely and Deadly Dance
Author: Claire Andrews
Genre: Historical fiction, mystery
Rating: 3.0

Something is stalking the queen of England, and Irene Adler is ready to find whatever monster may lurk behind this new gruesome string of murders—with or without the help of Sherlock Holmes.

Irene Adler and Sherlock Holmes were both sent away from Oxford’s All Souls class after uncovering a murderous plot on campus. But now Irene’s deductive skills have called her back to England. Someone is killing off the queen’s closest allies and leaving mysterious messages at every crime scene.

The people of London are frightened—and growing angry. Could the murders be Queen Victoria’s fault, or is she the one in the most danger? With Sherlock’s help once more, Irene will follow leads that bring her deep into the secrets held by England’s richest families. The spark between the pair ignites and burns ever hotter all the while.

But the closer Irene gets to finding the killer’s identity, it becomes clear that it’s not a truth she wants to face. To prove herself an Adler, not a Moriarty, Irene will need to overcome the worst betrayal of her life. Can she endure true heartbreak if it’s for the greater good?

I don’t know, this just felt off to me. Kind of erratic, kind of juvenile, kind of dark in spots, but nothing consistent throughout. I finished it, so it kept my attention somewhat, but I was glad to put it down. The story jumped from plot point to plot point, but there wasn’t any transition between events, so it felt clunky and didn’t flow.

Claire Andrews was raised in Alaska and Scotland. A Lovely and Deadly Dance is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Little, Brown Books for Young Readers in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: The Oxford Guide to Scandal and Lies, by Kate Westbury

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Title: The Oxford Guide to Scandal and Lies
Author: Kate Westbury
Genre: Historical fiction, mystery
Rating: 4.2 out of 5

Oxford, England, 1951 – The Honorable Ginevra Bishop likes red lipstick, clever retorts, and earning top marks in her tutorials. She’s following her mother’s footsteps by studying at Oxford, eager to prove she’s more than a debutante.

Sidney Braithwaite likes brooding, Latin, and ignoring his nightmares. He’s determined to forge a new life for himself at Oxford, far from his childhood mining village and free from memories of the war.

Though Gin and Sidney have little in common, the British Security Service is keen to unite her charm with his espionage experience: there’s a Soviet spy at the university, and the agent tracking them down was poisoned. MI5 wants Gin and Sidney to pick up the trail and identify the informant before more sensitive information is compromised. As a team, the pair of undergraduates clash in personality, upbringing, and taste––but have a connection neither can deny. Gin and Sidney must unite their respective talents to follow the clues before they’re caught in the traitor’s crosshairs…if the sparks flying between them don’t blow up the operation first.

This felt a tiny bit slow at first, trying to get into the setting and time frame, but I ended up liking it a lot. I do love historical fiction, especially WWII historical fiction—which this isn’t, but it’s linked—and I definitely enjoyed the historical aspects of this. I really liked Gin and her friends. They were a  lot of fun. I also liked Sidney, although I wanted to smack him a couple of times. The two of them together were believable and a joy to read.

Kate Westbury teaches Latin. The Oxford Guide to Scandal and Lies is her debut novel.

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press | Minotaur Books in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: Night Songs, by Alli Dyer

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Title: Night Songs
Author: Alli Dyer         
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 4 out of 5

On the morning of Rhea’s eighteenth birthday, she makes a shocking discovery—her mother was the famed singer of some of country music’s most iconic tunes, the legendary Lulabelle “Belle” Powers, and she’s just inherited her massive estate. Eager to know more about this woman she barely remembers, Rhea travels to Nashville to retrace her mother’s footsteps. But as she gets to know Belle’s closest friends and learns more of her story, she can’t help but think something is being kept from her.

It isn’t until years later that her mother’s best friend Hess reveals the truth—her mother believed all the women in her family were cursed to die at thirty-three—Belle’s exact age when she passed away in a mysterious plane crash. Hess dismisses the curse as pure superstition, but Rhea feels something sinister stalking her, her own life beginning to mirror her mother’s as she gets closer to her thirty-third birthday. Desperate for answers, Rhea delves deeper into her mother’s music, uncovering Belle’s last unpublished album Night Songs, which leads her back to her roots in ways she never could have imagined.

This was…a bit weird, not going to lie. I loved Rhea’s and Belle’s different storylines, but it felt very chaotic in places. (Which…makes perfect sense, considering, actually.) I like the characters and the behind-the-scenes look at life in Nashville. I just was never quite sure where this was going to end up.

Alli Dyer was born in Tennessee. Night Songs is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Atria Books in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: The Mortal Enemy Murder Club, by Gloria Chao

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Title: The Mortal Enemy Murder Club
Author: Gloria Chao             
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 4 out of 5

Kathryn Hu is not getting into the business of solving murders. Yes, she and her friends Olivia and Elle figured out who killed their cheating ex-boyfriend. But now Kat can get back to her usual, murder-free existence.

Then she gets an unexpected plea for help. Mandy Thorne has ruined countless lives through her revenge podcast. She also did her best to frame the girls. Now, she claims, someone is trying to kill her. And the girls are the only ones who can save her.

But can the trio and Mandy put aside their mutual contempt long enough to prevent a murder and solve this case? Can they become…the Mortal Enemy Murder Club?

I don’t think I enjoyed this one quite as much as the first one, but I did like it. Kat is so funny to me—and I don’t know how she puts up with her mother. Her open-mouth-insert-foot antics also made me cringe with sympathy. I never figured out the killer, I honestly couldn’t keep all the suspects straight, but that was more of a me problem than a problem with the book. I kept getting interrupted and distracted.

Gloria Chao is a bestselling author. The Mortal Enemy Murder Club is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Harlequin Trade Publishing | Park Row in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: The Story Keeper, by Kelly Rimmer

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Title: The Story Keeper
Author: Kelly Rimmer      
Genre: Historical fiction   
Rating: 4 out of 5

In the aftermath of a tumultuous year, Fiona Winslow finds solace in the decaying grandeur of Wurimbirra, the rambling family estate she once called home. Intent on restoring it, she discovers the keys to more than just the dilapidated mansion—beneath the crumbling plaster and dust are secrets that have been buried for a generation.

When a curious book, The Midnight Estate, catches her attention in her late uncle’s library, Fiona is plunged into a tale that mirrors her own—a story of love, loss and betrayal. But as the lines between fiction and reality blur, Fiona must ask herself: Is the true mystery the one hidden within the walls of her ancestral home, or is it within the pages of a book that chose her as much as she chose it?

I really enjoyed the story-within-a-story going on here. I was deeply invested in the book the character was reading, as well as the novel itself. There’s no way I’d move out to a big, empty house in the middle of nowhere by myself—the first stray noise would have had me abandoning ship. I ended up enjoying this read quite a bit, and I loved how everything tied together.

Kelly Rimmer is a bestselling author. The Story Keeper is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Harlequin Trade Publishing | MIRA in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: Pretty Dead Things, by Kelsey Cox  

Image belongs to St. Martin’s Press | Minotaur Books.

Title: Pretty Dead Things
Author: Kelsey Cox             
Genre: Mystery/thriller  
Rating: 4 out 5

2000: Isabelle Whitmore vanishes at Sherman Ranch in Anhalt, Texas, without a trace.

2025: The annual Lone Star Princess Pageant looms, bringing long-standing grudges to the surface. Ingrid fled Anhalt in the wake of her sister Isabelle’s disappearance and has now returned, just in time for a construction crew to start digging up Sherman Ranch; the pageant brings up past traumas that Melanie can’t forget; Cat, newly sober, starts to feel threatened in ways that bring back old demons; and Sarah Lynn, who comes from a long line of pageant winners, knows that losing is not an option.

When old resentments and new confrontations reach their boiling point, temperatures drop to deadly degrees as a record-setting storm brings down the state’s power grid. With everyone trapped under one roof, scores will be settled, and more than one person will end up dead.

Not going to lie: the portrayal of pageant culture (especially pageant moms) felt pretty spot-on. This was an engrossing read, and I enjoyed both the present-day scenes and the past scenes. The characters were all quite vivid and there were enough twists and turns that I kept changing my mind about who the killer was—and I never actually did figure it out.

Kelsey Cox lives in the Hill Country. Pretty Dead Things is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press | Minotaur Books in exchange for an honest review.)

   

Book Review: The Secret Thread, by Eve Chase

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Title: The Secret Thread
Author: Eve Chase     
Genre: Mystery/thriller  
Rating: 4 out of 5

Even the darkest secrets unravel in time. . . .

2024: Jo O’Mara, a young writer, lands a job working for Mimi Mott, a wealthy style icon and legendary founder of a decorating empire. Newly widowed and in her seventies, Mimi is preparing to auction off her possessions, through them finally telling the story of her early life. Famously private, Mimi has kept her past shrouded in mystery. Jo doesn’t dare reveal how closely it touches her own.

Tasked with collecting the untold tales behind each auction lot, Jo peels back the layers of Mimi’s origin story and discovers it’s far darker than anyone ever suspected.

1969: Mimi and her sister, Pamela, live in a cramped, musty staff cottage on the grounds of Rushwood, an idyllic English country estate owned by the Caswell family, their demanding new employer. Working alongside their gardener parents, the girls have been raised with their hands in the soil and know only a traditional, simple life—but spirited Mimi hungers for more.

When the Caswells’ adult children, Nancy and Lawrence, arrive at Rushwood for the summer, the sisters are drawn into a privileged, intoxicating world, unsettling their own, and passions spark under the blazing sun—until a shattering death at Rushwood’s high-society party tears Mimi and Pamela apart.

Now time is running out. Jo discovers both a missing auction piece and a missing sister and vows to find them no matter how dark the secret they expose—or the cost to herself.

This was a fascinating read! I loved Miriam’s/Mimi’s POV in the ‘60s, and I also loved Jo’s timeline in the present day. I did not much like younger Pamela, however older Pamela was great. I was pretty much enthralled with this from the very beginning, through its twists and turns, its dark days, the glimmers of hope and sunlight. Everything woven together until the complete pictured merged together in the light of the present.

Eve Chase is a bestselling author. The Secret Thread is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Ballantine | Ballantine Books in exchange for an honest review.)