Tag: mystery

The Winter Girl, by Matt Marinovich

the winter girl
(I do not own this image. Image belongs to Doubleday Books.)

 

Matt Marinovich lives in Brooklyn and has written for numerous publications. His first novel was Strange Skies. His new novel, The Winter Girl, hit shelves on January 19th.

Scott and Elise have come to the Hamptons because her father is dying of cancer. While she spends every day at the hospital, Scott stays home, growing more down with every passing day, as he focuses on his failing marriage, his lost job, and his ailing father-in-law, who hates him. Scott becomes fascinated by the empty house next door, where lights turn on with timers in a semblance of life. Soon Scott dares to go inside, hoping for a sort of escape.

What he finds is an empty house that speaks of secrets. Secrets that excite Scott, lifting his depression. Soon he enlists Elise in his explorations, as they seek to rekindle their marriage. But things in the house next door are not what they seem, and soon Scott and Elise are seeking a different kind of escape: from the darkness that surrounds them, hiding secrets they never imagined.

The Winter Girl is dark and twisted, full of shocking revelations, insidious secrets, and a history of violence only hinted at on the surface. This book is not for the faint of heart, nor is for the reader looking for characters that are likeable and uplifting.

(Galley provided by Doubleday via NetGalley.)

The Poison Artist, by Jonathan Moore

poisonartist
(I do not own this image. Image belongs to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.)

http://www.amazon.com/The-Poison-Artist-Jonathan-Moore/dp/0544520564

http://www.amazon.com/The-Poison-Artist-Jonathan-Moore/dp/0544520564

Jonathan Moore finished law school in New Orleans, which probably gave his fiction that creepy twist. Now he works for a firm in Honolulu, after an eccentric career past. He was short-listed for the Bram Stoker award. His new novel, The Poison Artist, hits shelves January 26th.

Caleb Maddox is a toxicologist who studies the effects of pain. His work is demanding and all-consuming, leading to a fight with his girlfriend that leaves him wounded and emotional. He goes to a speakeasy to brood, and over absinthe, sees an alluring woman who whispers in his ear after getting his blood on her fingertips before leaving. Caleb is fascinated and must find her.

But a rash of dead bodies in San Francisco delays his search for Emmeline. One of the men vanished from the speakeasy the same night Caleb was there, so he feels obligated to help his medical examiner friend solve the case. Caleb remembers nothing that will help the detectives, but continues to help his friend in secret while also continuing his search for the tempting Emmeline. Soon the hunt for the killer entwines with Caleb’s obsession with Emmeline, linking with his past in ways he never imagined.

The Poison Artist is a haunting, creepy tale full of twists and turns. Caleb is a conflicted man driven by the horrors in his past. His obsession with Emmeline drives him to places he never believed possible as he seeks to unravel her mysteries.

(Galley courtesy of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt via NetGalley.)

Death Before Decaf, by Caroline Fardig

((Death Before Decaf cover 2.6M

(I do not own this image. Image belongs to Random House Alibi.)

Caroline Fardig is the author of the Lizzie Hart Mystery series. Her new book, Death Before Decaf, is the first book in the Java Jive series

Juliet Langley had a fiancé she loved and a café she gave her heart to. Unfortunately, her fiancé ran off with a waitress and stole everything she owned, she lost the café, and had to move back to Nashville to take a job running a coffee shop for her best friend. Things couldn’t get much worse.

Until Juliet finds the dead body of the cook in the dumpster before the end of the first day. The other employees, in open revolt, are more than happy to point fingers at Juliet’s famed temper, and soon she finds herself a suspect in the murder. Juliet decides that she will find the killer, since no one else seems interested in the truth. Not even the handsome stranger hanging around the coffee shop asking questions. This may be too much for even caffeine to handle.

Death Before Decaf is a fun mystery reminiscent of the Stephanie Plum series. Juliet is a great character, full of spunk and attitude, determined to do the right thing. She won’t give up, no matter what other people think, and no matter the danger she puts herself in. Death Before Decaf will have the reader laughing at Juliet’s antics as the pages fly by.

(Galley provided by Random House Alibi via NetGalley.)

Pale Highway, by Nicholas Conley

(I do not own this image. Image courtesy of Red Adept Publishing.)
(I do not own this image. Image courtesy of Red Adept Publishing.)

Nicholas Conley loves to tell stories, especially when fueled by travel or good coffee. His newest novel, Pale Highway, combines his love of storytelling, science fiction, and his experiences working with Alzheimer’s patients. The novel is available October 20th.

Gabriel Schist was once the Nobel Prize winner for creating a vaccine for AIDS. Back then, Gabriel was younger, rebellious, and had one of the finest minds in science. Now he’s stuck in a nursing home, suffering from Alzheimer’s. And he’s aware of it, making life in the nursing home that much worse.

When a fellow resident is struck with a horrible new virus, Gabriel’s world is turned upside down. One by one, the other residents fall prey to the virus, and Gabriel realizes he’s the only one who can stop its spread. But Gabriel’s brain isn’t cooperating this time. He’s losing bits of himself, having debilitating hallucinations, and fighting every step of the way as he tries desperately to find a cure. This time, his enemies aren’t just a horrible disease and a disbelieving public. Now he must struggle with his very mind if he’s to win the race to save the human race.

Pale Highway is a fast-paced ride into the mind of a man struggling against one of the most horrible diseases on the planet. Gabriel’s past is told in flashbacks to his youthful brilliance that contrast sharply with his Alzheimer’s symptoms. The enclosed world of the nursing home is his reality, and the other residents are vibrant characters who don’t understand Gabriel, or his struggles to save them. Even Gabriel doesn’t fully understand himself, but he wants to. Pale Highway brings his struggles for survival along with his fierce desire to hold off his symptoms long enough to save everyone around him to brilliant, beautiful life.

On a personal note, I have a family history of Alzheimer’s, so Gabriel’s struggles with the disease were both heart wrenching and familiar. I’ve never read a story like this, where the protagonist struggles so profoundly with the disease, and the narrative brought it vividly to life. There’s also magic in this story, in the little things, and the big ones, that Gabriel discovers along the way. It’s well worth the read!

The Vile Desire to Scream, by Oisín McGann

(I do not own this image. Image belongs to Oisín McGann.)
(I do not own this image. Image belongs to Oisín McGann.)

Oisín McGann is an Irish author and illustrator. After some exploratory employment, he decided that working as a security guard or in advertising wasn’t for him, so he returned to his first love (and Ireland). His newest offering, The Vile Desire to Scream, is a novella in his series of books in the Wildenstern Saga.

The Wildenstern family is all about power, money, and family loyalty. Unless, of course, another family member is in the way of climbing the ladder of success. Then it’s okay to kill that person and take their place. It’s just business, and as long as the Wildenstern men follow the rules, the family supports them. But removing a woman is against the rules. Even a woman that the rest of the family doesn’t like.

Daisy Wildenstern doesn’t have many friends in the family, and her open defiance of family tradition doesn’t help. When adventurer Peter Barnum arrives at the family mansion with a shape-shifting engimal for sale, Daisy is entranced. She’s not sure what the living machine does, but she wants it, despite her mother-in-law forbidding its purchase. The next morning, Daisy and the engimal are both missing, and it’s up to her brother-in-law Nate to find her, without the aid of the family that dislikes Daisy so much…and may be responsible for her disappearance in the first place.

The Vile Desire to Scream is set in the world of the Wildenstern Saga, and intriguing blend of family intrigue, living machines, and adventure. The family itself is larger than life, and this is a great introduction to the saga.

(Galley courtesy of Open Road Integrated Media via NetGalley.)

Darkness of Light, by Stacey Marie Brown

(I do not own this image. Image belongs to Mark My Words Book Publicity.)
(I do not own this image. Image belongs to Mark My Words Book Publicity.)

Stacey Marie Brown writes paranormal fantasy for the young adult/new adult genre. Her heroines are edgy and have an attitude, her heroes are bad boys. She is the author of the Collector series and the Darkness series. Darkness of Light is the first book in the Darkness Series.

Ember Brycin isn’t normal. She’s always known it, and her different colored eyes, strange hair, and unusual tattoo lets everyone else know it, too. Not to mention the inexplicable things that continue to happen around her.

When the latest explosion at her school lands her at a school for other “troubled” teens, she meets Eli Dragen: dark, mysterious, and surly. Not to mention hot. Eli knows who—and what—Ember is, and she’s determined to find out. But the knowledge is more than Ember imagined. It’s enough to change her life forever. Enough to alter her views on Light and Dark. To force her to choose between love and destiny, even when she’s not sure where each choice will lead. Her life will never be the same.

Darkness of Light is a fast-paced, riveting read, full of action and mystery. The reader is drawn into the secrecy that surrounds Ember, as she struggles to finally leave the horror of her past behind to find out the truth about herself and her world. The attraction between Ember and Eli is raw and untamed, and will have the reader flying through the book to figure out what’s going on. A must-read for anyone who loves paranormals or strong, conflicted characters!

(Galley provided by Mark My Words Book Publicity via NetGalley.)
Just an fyi: I stayed up way too late finishing this book, because I couldn’t put it down, then I bought all three of the other books in the series immediately. Wow. Love this series, and these characters. Fantastic world. I’ll probably add this author to my must-read list.

Skeleton Plot, by J.M. Gregson

(I do not own this image. Image belongs to Severn House.)
(I do not own this image. Image belongs to Severn House.)

J.M. Gregson is an English writer who taught for 27 years before moving to writing full-time. He writes about a variety of subjects, from golf to murder. His newest book, Skeleton Plot, is a Lambert and Hook Mystery, and hits shelves September 1st.

When a teenager helps his grandfather with the gardening, he finds a skull buried in the ground. An old skull. No one knows whom it belongs to, or if they do, they aren’t admitting to it. Now detectives John Lambert and Bert hook are investigating a cold case from 20 years ago.

In the small community where the skull is found, most people know everyone else, so it’s no surprise that everyone has a theory about who killed the victim. A lucky break identifies the remains, but doesn’t help narrow down the suspect list. The pair of detectives will have to see past the pointing fingers and festering animosities of bygone conflict if they are to figure out who’s responsible for the mysterious skull.

Skeleton Plot is the latest in a long line of Lambert and Hook books, but new readers will have no problem keeping up. The characters are distinctive and realistic, with all the drama common in small towns. This is a standard police drama that will feel comfortable to readers of this genre.

(Galley provided by Severn House via NetGalley.)

Spore, by Tamara Jones

(I do not own this image. Image property of Tamara Jones and Samhain Publishing.)
(I do not own this image. Image property of Tamara Jones and Samhain Publishing.)

Tamara Jones has written the Dubric Byerly Mysteries series, forensic murder mysteries in a fantasy setting, as Tamara Siler Jones. However, these dark and gripping novels are not hallmarks of her personality at all. In addition to writing gory murder scenes, Ms. Jones also likes quilting and cats. Her newest book, Spore, is a departure from the fantasy setting, but it keeps the mysterious and creepy vibe that Jones does so well.

When Sean Casey wakes up that morning, he has no idea the entire world is about to change. It’s a normal day, and he plans to spend it working at his normal job, artist for the comic Ghoulbane. Until the first naked person wanders into his back yard from the cemetery next door.

The ten people are naked, confused…and they used to be dead. Now they’ve regenerated and want to reclaim their old lives. One of them, Mindy, stays with Sean while they try to figure out what’s going on. Her ex-husband prefers that she stays dead, and will do anything to make that happen. And Sean’s nightmares, relic of childhood terror, grow worse, spilling over into his waking world. A world now inhabited by the spreading Spore People and all of the horrors from the past.

Spore is a fast-paced novel filled with action, a bit of gore, and haunting terror from bygone days. Sean falls headfirst into the new world created by the awakening of the Spore People. As he tries to help them, and others desperate to bring back the past, he becomes a target for the fear and anger of those surrounding him. Spore is tightly written, compelling, and will appeal to readers who love mysteries, a touch of horror, or even zombies (though this is not a zombie story). Definitely a must-read for anyone looking to liven up their reading list!

Side note: Tamara Jones was a member of the first crit group I was ever a part of, way back when I started writing, something like 15 years ago. I read part of her original version of the first Dubric book, and loved it. Fantasy and forensics? How cool is that? Spore is pretty different from the Dubric books, but the writing is definitely on par. Ms Jones is a writer you should definitely read.

The Insect Farm, by Stuart Prebble

(I do not own this image. Image belongs to Mulholland Books.)
(I do not own this image. Image belongs to Mulholland Books.)

Stuart Prebble is a British TV producer and director. He has written thrillers and comedies, including the Grumpy Old…series, as well as the television shows. His new novel, The Insect Farm, is a murder mystery/family drama.

Jonathan and Roger were inseparable. Jonathan was the adventurous, outgoing younger brother. Roger was the mentally handicapped older brother who adored Jonathan and was happy to be at his side. But all that changed when the brothers got older. Jonathan discovered girls, Roger discovered insects, and the two boys slowly grew apart.

Jonathan is away at school with his girlfriend, Harriet, when he gets the call that his parents’ house has burned down, with them inside. The police are suspicious of Roger, who was furious over their father’s threat to destroy his beloved insect farm, but Jonathan believes Roger is innocent. He quits school and moves home to care for Roger, leaving the life he’d hoped for behind. But his new life isn’t all he expected. Soon he realizes there is more going on than he ever imagined, with Roger, with Harriet, and with Roger’s fantastical world filled with insects.

The Insect Farm is a fast-paced story that stretches from childhood to old age. The relationship between the two brothers is ever changing yet static, and Jonathan is not as aware of things as he thinks he is. Filled with unexpected twists, betrayals, and rage, The Insect Farm is a thrill ride down an unexpected road.

(Galley provided by Mulholland Books via NetGalley.)