Handle with Care

 

Handle with Care by Marybeth Mayhew Whalen
4/14/26; 288 pages
Thomas Nelson 

Handle with Care by Marybeth Mayhew Whalen is highly recommended women's fiction novel following three women who become hostages when a domestic dispute escalates in the small coastal town of Sunset Beach, North Carolina.

Not much happens is ever happening in Sunset Beach, so it is shocking when a domestic dispute at the post office results in four women being taken captive. After a prolonged angry discussion with the postal employee, his wife Nadine, her husband Tommy quickly returns with a gun and the four women there, including Nadine, become his hostages. What follows is a gentle hostage situation, but it is also a deep dive into the thoughts and lives of three of the women, Sylvie, Morrow, and Blythe. 

This is not a fast-paced thriller. While, yes, he is threatening them with a gun, they can't leave, and the situation is frightening, but there is never any real sense that any of the women are truly in danger.  What the situation presents is the chance to take a close examination of the lives of each of the three women who walked into the post office that day. Each of them was planning to mail something that would change their lives. The narratives follows the thoughts of  Sylvie, Morrow, and Blyth. Also involved is Hope, a police officer with her own issues to face. 

Suggestions that this would make a great book club selection are based on the secrets each woman has based on what she was planning to mail. Each of their individual situations would be good fodder for a variety of conversations, and discussion questions are included at the end. Topics include aging, forgiveness, personal struggles, honesty, grace, and hope.

The novel is structure to resemble the five parts of a letter, which, if I'm being honest, wasn't highly effective as it might be in this day and age, although I can appreciate the idea. There were several other issues, some which were addressed after the novel ended, which requires setting disbelief aside. Most immediately glaring was just a front and back door at the post office, no loading docks, side entrances, etc. Additionally, I would have tossed the idea of a hostage situation out and brainstormed another reason for the women to be stuck in a room together for a period of time.

Handle with Care is a good choice for those who enjoy women's fiction where a group of women bond during a crisis. Thanks to Thomas Nelson for providing me with a complimentary advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

Too Close to Home

Too Close to Home by Seraphina Nova Glass
4/14/26; 304 pages
Park Row Books 

Too Close to Home by Seraphina Nova Glass is a highly recommended domestic drama/popcorn thriller. Set disbelief aside and enjoy the over-the-top action. 

Regan, Sasha, and Andi are good friends who live in the elite community of Cloverhill Lakes. It seems to be a perfect suburban community - until Regan's car blows up after she loaned it to another mom, Ally, who just wanted to run to get more ice for the community's labor day picnic. Clearly Regan, a recent widow, was the target, but why? The police think it was a prank gone wrong. 

Sasha is worried about what her teenage son is involved in while sneaking around town. She's also hiding her support for her ex from her current husband, Ray. 

At the same time Andi is dealing with her ex-husband Ray's new wife, Tia, clearly a future HOA president in the making, who is trying to cause problems. When Andi's new husband, Carson, teaches her how to use a gun for protection before he leaves on a trip, it is the second of a series of events, following the initial explosion, which quickly escalate into an over-the-top, twisty thriller.

There is a whole lot of action going on in this well-written, twisty domestic drama which will hold your complete attention throughout. You'll easily set disbelief aside (as several events are over-the-top and poor decisions are made, repeatedly) and keep reading to see what in the world is going to happen next. This is what you expect from a popcorn thriller. The narrative unfolds between the three perspectives of Regan, Sasha, and Andi. The chapters are short, quickly moving the action and point-of-view to the next character, propelling you forward from one crisis to another.

All the characters are introduced at the same time so be sure to pay attention at the beginning in order to keep the different characters separate in your mind. Then sit back and enjoy the ensuing mayhem which follows the initial explosion. Admittedly, the ending is truly over-the-top but so are several other events in the plot, so relish the drama leading up to the dramatic ending. Thanks to Park Row Books for providing me with an advance reader's copy. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The Burning Man

 

The Burning Man by Trevor Negus
4/12/26; 400 pages, est
Inkubator Books
DCI Danny Flint Book #14 

The Burning Man by Trevor Negus is a highly recommended, detailed investigative procedural and the fourteenth book in the series featuring DCI Danny Flint.

An accident on the outskirts of Nottingham results in a burned-out car. While the injured driver was pulled from the car just in time, a body is later discovered in the trunk (boot) of the car. What appears to be a murder case for DCI Danny Flint, quickly turns more complicated when the victim is identified as an undercover Customs and Excise officer working on stopping the smuggling of massive quantities of heroin into the UK. Suddenly Flint and his team find their murder investigation hampered by another teams undercover operation while simultaneously the body count is rising.

This is a police procedural made for fans of complicated, detailed, and realistic investigations. Each new piece of information or clue uncovered are logically followed up on during the investigation. There is a dual plot following the raw material for the drugs being picked up in Afghanistan and then the final product making its way to Nottingham. At the same time Flint's investigation into the initial murder is becoming increasingly complicated by more murder, the Customs and Excise operation, and corruption. All these complications also serve to increase the risk and danger to everyone involved.

The characters are all well-written and portrayed as realistic individuals with strengths and weaknesses. Everyone already following this long running series will know the characters, especially DCI Flint, and their abilities. This can be enjoyed as a standalone novel too, although you won't have any history of previous cases. 

The Burning Man is a perfect choice for readers who enjoy police procedurals following detailed investigations. Thanks to Inkubator Books for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

Stolen Family

 

Stolen Family by Lisa Regan
4/9/26; 424 pages
Bookouture
Detective Josie Quinn #24 

Stolen Family by Lisa Regan is an exceptional, very highly recommended crime thriller/procedural. You won't want to miss this absolutely un-put-downable 24th book in the Detective Josie Quinn series! Seriously, I had to stay up late to finish Stolen Family. At a certain point in the gripping plot it becomes impossible to not keep racing through the pages while your heart is pounding.

Denton, PA, is having their first Balloons and Tunes Festival which seems to be wildly popular and will hopefully become an annual event. Detective Josie Quinn and Detective Kyle Turner are called to a glamping site at the festival where Maxine and her teenage daughter Haven Barnes have been found murdered and left with white-tipped blood-red camellias laid on their bodies while other flowers are scattered across the room. Turner admits he recognizes Maxine from an earlier spousal abuse incident. As the team is investigating,  a report of another suspected missing mother and daughter is called in. 

The missing are Danielle ‘Dani’ Schwarber and her sixteen-year-old daughter Cassidy and the same camellias are left behind. Even more shocking is that they are Kyle Turner's estranged wife and daughter. Now the clock is ticking to find who abducted Kyle's family and hopefully find them before anymore lives are lost. 

As expected, the writing is superb. The plot is fast-paced, complicated, immersive, and riveting, due to both the investigations and personal interactions. The tension keeps rising right up to the action-packed conclusion. The procedural part of the narrative is excellent with all the clues logically followed and leads investigated. Complicating everything is the personal connection to Turner.

I continued to enjoy all the realistic interaction between the characters. All the characters are portrayed as fully realized individuals with strengths and weaknesses. Josie's personal life is going well. Her husband, Noah, is back at work while still recovering emotionally from a previous case. Their relationship with Wren, the teenager they are custodial parents too, is making progress. Kyle Turner is the character with the most development. He is known for being disagreeable, lazy, and all-around unlikable. Now we are introduced to a different side to his character. 

Although this is the 24th book in the series, Stolen Family could be read as a standalone novel, however, knowing the history of the characters will make it a richer reading experience. There is enough of the backstory covered that new readers can follow along and appreciate this latest thrilling procedural.

Stolen Family is a exceptional crime thriller/procedural and is a perfect choice for everyone following the series. I'm anxiously awaiting the next book in the series! Thanks to Bookouture for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

False Witness

 

False Witness by John Carson
4/5/26; 290 pages
Boldwood Books
DCI Liam Brodie , #2 

False Witness by John Carson is a very highly recommended procedural/crime thriller and is an excellent second book in the series featuring DCI Liam Brody.

DCI Liam Brodie is Called back to Fife, Scotland, when a body is found on the beach that closely resembles the bodies left by a serial killer called The Embalmer from seven years previously. The name was given based on how the bodies of the victims were left. The case was never solved before and the fear is that the serial killer is back or someone is imitating him. As the investigation unfolds, it seems that The Embalmer wasn't as inactive as previously thought and, in fact, he may have been expanding his modus operandi as well as targeting anyone connected with the previous murders.

The writing is exceptional in this series. With a compelling plot, the tension rising throughout this fast-paced, chilling crime thriller. It is always appreciated by this reader when procedurals logically follow the clues and information discovered during the investigation. Included within the investigation are chilling chapters from the point-of-view of victims the killer targeted to protect his identity. This could be read as a standalone novel, but I appreciated having read the first book in the series, Broken Bones. 

All the characters are portrayed as realistic individuals and the whole team continues to work very well together. Brodie's girlfriend/partner psychologist Ruth Calder is back and provides some important insight into the case. The warning about bowling leagues was also noted and appreciated. 

False Witness is an excellent choice for readers who enjoy procedurals/crime thrillers. Thanks to Boldwood Books for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

A Cruise to Die

 

A Cruise to Die For by Heather Graham
4/7/26; 336 pages
MIRA Books 

ruise to Die For by Heather Graham is a so-so romantic thriller set on a cruise ship. State Special Agent Chloe McMurray joins federal Special Agent Wesley Law as they both go undercover as a couple on a cruise ship leaving out of of Miami. There have been a series of murders and suicides which all have a connection to technology and the company that also owns the the cruise company. McMurray and Law are assigned the case and join the Milestones cruise which is also offering technology events.

The explanation for putting a federal agent with a state agent on a cruise to work a federal case was really nonexistent and the whole idea was nonsensical. It required the reader to set aside a huge amount of disbelief, much more than I was willing to do, especially as Chloe's affinity for cruises, the only reason given, doesn't count as a qualifying reason. Further detracting from the story was the dialogue, which felt stilted and oddly awkward. The same could be said for the whole plot, including the romance and technology lecture information. Points are given because I finished reading it. Graham has written better books.

Thanks to MIRA Books for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

Revenge Prey

 

Revenge Prey by John Sandford
4/7/26; 400 pages
Putnam
Lucas Davenport/Prey Novel #36 

Revenge Prey by John Sandford is a highly recommended thriller featuring Lucas Davenport in the 36th Prey novel. Davenport is protecting a former high-ranking Russian intelligence officer.

Leonard Summers, a pseudonym, was a high ranking Russian intelligence officer who defected to the U.S. and provided critical information about spies operating in the country. Leonard, his wife and son are relocated to a safe house in a wooded Minneapolis suburb when a sniper attacks, killing the wife and son but not Leonard. 

U.S. Marshal Lucas Davenport and fellow marshal Shelly White are on the scene and immediately leap into action. While firing at the escape vehicle, two of the snipers are seriously injured. What follows is a Davenport and White, along with John Sherwood from the CIA, tracking down the assassins while also uncovering how information was leaked.

Long time fans of the series will definitely want to pick up this latest action-packed thriller and join Davenport and other recurring characters on the investigation and chase. While they are being tracked and chased, the hit team keeps trying to find Leonard and finish the job, so the tension rises throughout. This was another solid addition to the series which keeps the action going throughout the novel. There was a little slow down midway through, but things soon picked up again.

If you are following the series, you will be well acquainted with the characters. Sherwood was a welcomed addition and his character fit right into the plot. Even though this is a long running series those new to it can enjoy any of the books for the action-packed plots. Thanks to Putnam for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.