You Belong Here

You Belong Here by Megan Miranda
7/29/25; 352 pages
Simon & Schuster/Marysue Rucci Books 

You Belong Here by Megan Miranda is a very highly recommended mystery/psychological thriller following two different mysteries.

After a tragedy and police investigation during her senior year at Wyatt College, Beckett Bowery left the college and Wyatt Valley, Virginia, planning to never return. Her parents were professors at the college and still live there but Beckett rarely visited. Now Beckett's daughter, Delilah, has received a full scholarship at Wyatt and Beckett very reluctantly helps Delilah settle in on campus.

Beckett, however, knows about the Howling, a hazing tradition at the college and how easily things can go terribly wrong. When Delilah calls her one night, says nothing, and then is not responding to any subsequent calls or texts, Beckett fears run wild and she heads back to Wyatt Valley to find her daughter who has disappeared. This also puts law enforcement's focus back on Beckett.

Beckett initially comes across as an overly concerned helicopter parent when she takes off in the middle of the night to Wyatt Valley after Delilah doesn't respond to her attempts to contact her. She also calls Delilah's father, Trevor, who immediately comes to town to help look for his daughter. Later her concern appears to be justified, but it is also clear that much more is going on beneath the surface and perhaps neither mother or daughter are safe there. 

The descriptively written story is told through two timelines, the present day and twenty-plus years earlier when Beckett lived in Wyatt Valley and was later at the college. The pace is even at first, setting up the plot, the setting, and the history, while allowing suspense, tension, and uncertainty to gradually build. The plot becomes increasingly atmospheric and eerie. The present mystery includes the search for Delilah and ensuing incidents, while the past mystery follows Beckett as a student.

Beckett is a fully realized character with plenty of flaws and insecurities. She clearly loves Delilah and wants to protect her. Even if her concern seems overly protective, it comes to light later why that is the case. Delilah is a realistic teen, exerting her independence, but still needing the support and wisdom of her parents whether she realizes it of not.

You Belong Here by Megan Miranda is a perfect choice for anyone who enjoys well-written mysteries with dual timelines. Thanks to S&S/Marysue Rucci Books for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

Guess Again

Guess Again by Charlie Donlea
7/29/25; 352 pages
Kensington

Guess Again by Charlie Donlea is a very highly recommended mystery/thriller that held my complete attention from start to finish.

Ethan Hall is an ER doctor who previously was a special agent with the Wisconsin Division of Criminal Investigation. His former partner, Pete Kramer, is dying and comes to Ethan with a request. Ten years ago 17-year-old high Callie Jones disappeared and the case was never solved. Pete was the original investigator on the case and now he wants Ethan to take a look at the case and hopefully find some clue Pete missed to bring closure for the family. Ethan agrees to look at the case files but is pulled into investigating.

This well written thriller amps up the suspense and tension with each short, fast-paced chapter. The narrative jumps between the past and present and in the present between Ethan and a unknown woman. This structure works well to enhance the uneasiness and highlights the twists as the investigation continues. 

The plot is complex and ties into Ethan's past in an unexpected way. It also requires some assistance with current technology to assist in the investigation. This is a novel that contains multiple mysteries along the way. Clear out some time as you will want to read it in one sitting.

Ethan is portrayed as a likable, fully realized character, with both strengths and weaknesses. You will know, as Ethan does, that he is being guided into an evil man's twisted scheme, but Ethan is intelligent and not easily deceived.

Guess Again is an excellent choice for those who enjoy fast-paced, twisty mysteries. Thanks to Kensington for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

Ink Ribbon Red

Ink Ribbon Red by Alex Pavesi
7/22/25; 320 pages
Henry Holt & Company

Ink Ribbon Red by Alex Pavesi is a recommended murder mystery where in the characters are writing murder mysteries.

A group of six friends gather together on a weekend to celebrate Anatol's thirtieth birthday in the Wiltshire countryside. The group plays a game Anatol's invented called Motive Method Death which requires everyone to choose two players and then write a story where one kills the other.

Once you start reading you will not be able to distinguish between reality and the stories the characters made up as both are shared in a random way in the novel. The start of each story gives clues to when the narrative that follows was written. This misdirection is a purposefully planned part of the reading experience, but at the beginning, before you figure out this is the case, it is annoying and off-putting.

The The group of characters are interesting, but would have benefited from more depth to their development. The writing is very good, and there are parts I really enjoyed, but the whole experience required more devotion to the experimental structural technique than I was willing to freely give.

Ink Ribbon Red may be a good choice for readers who like unique narrative structures in novels. Thanks to Henry Holt & Company for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The Writers' Retreat

The Writers' Retreat by Samantha Vïrant
7/22/25; 294 pages
Storm Publishing

The Writers' Retreat by Samantha Vïrant is a recommended thriller, for the right reader, which follows a group of unlikable characters.

Liv (Olivia) Montgomery is invited on an exclusive, week-long writing retreat at the Nyx resort in the Catskills. She knows the site as the former site of an infamous Nexus cult. Just before she leaves, she learns her former boyfriend was murdered and her former fiends are being questioned along with her current boyfriend, but she goes anyway. Once there, all the mean girls from her past along with her boyfriend also arrive. There are other random guests.

The narrative unfolds through dual timelines, past and present, and show the past and the current lives of the characters. This whole novel is entertaining with a sinister undercurrent, but it also has a pulpy, mean girls vibe. As more and more twists and surprise reveals occur, a huge dose of disbelief must be set aside. I was not able to muster that much acceptance of the events past the first several twists. Then the plot turns became a bit ridiculous, entertaining, but ludicrous.

It is fast moving, and grabbed my attention at the start. As the familiar plot continued, however, it quickly became clear that there are no trustworthy or likable characters, and everyone seemingly has endless wealth. It had a new adult feel too, as if written for a younger audience than me. The ending was preposterous.

The Writers' Retreat by Samantha Vïrant might be appreciated by new adult readers who appreciate a pulpy thriller with endless twists. Thanks to Storm Publishing for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The List

The List by Steve Berry
7/22/25; 384 pages
Grand Central Publishing

The List by Steve Berry is a very highly recommended standalone thriller. This novel was started years ago, one of the first books Berry wrote, then put aside for years until he pulled it out and started working on it again in 2020. Subsequently, it reads more like a thriller from years ago.

After his father's death, Attorney Brent Walker is returning home to Concord, Georgia, to care for his elderly mother. He has accepted the position of assistant general counsel for the Southern Republic Pulp and Paper Company, which is the towns main employer. His longtime friend Hank Reed is a union official at Southern Republic and Walker will be working with him negotiating labor contracts with the union. 

What they don't know, at first, is that the company's three owners have instituted a lethal program called the Priority program to cut costs. They have hire professionals to eliminate their list of employees or retirees who are costing the company money. they have to make the deaths look natural. One of the three, Christopher Bozin, is dying and desires to repent of his actions so he wants to exposes his partners evil deeds to Walker and Reed.

Readers are privy to the professional murders occurring right away so they understand some of what is going on before Walker or Reed. The writing is very good, the pace is even at first and then picks up as the story unfolds over twenty days. One indication that this was written years ago is that it doesn't depend upon numerous twists to hold your interest. Instead of gimmicks, twists, or constant surprises, the narrative logically follows both sides of the action with the nefarious murders and the investigation, behind the scenes. This is what makes it resemble a thriller from several years ago.

The characters are fully realized and portrayed as realistic individuals with strengths and weaknesses. Ultimately they are both good men who have found themselves working for unscrupulous men, and they want to stop them. There is plenty of backstory provided and character growth along the way.

The List is a great choice for readers who enjoy John Grisham's thrillers. Thanks to Grand Central Publishing for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

Dead of Summer

Dead of Summer by Jessa Maxwell
7/22/25; 288 pages
Atria Books

Dead of Summer by Jessa Maxwell is a highly recommended atmospheric mystery full of soap opera vibes and characters with questionable integrity.

Orla O’Connor's best friend Alice disappeared from Hadley Island, presumed drowned, at age 15. Now Orla is returning to the New England island a decade after leaving to clean out the family's home to prepare it for selling. Next door is the decrepit, abandoned house where Alice lived which brings up memories and increases Orla's anxiety over being on the island. Even being on the island starts the gossip up again. It doesn't help that her old summer crush, David, is back at the Clarke estate with a girlfriend.

Faith knows she is lucky to have met her wealthy boyfriend David Clarke. He has invited her to spend the summer at his family's enviable estate on Hadley Island and she is sure he will be proposing to her soon. Once there, however, David seems to be working with his father all the time, leaving her to wander around the island on her own. She also hears about Alice's disappearance and is curious about what happened.

Henry Wright is a retired recluse who lives on his own island. He hasn't left his island since Alice disappeared because he was accused of being involved with her death. Now his hobby is watching the island through a telescope and recording all the activities he observes in his logs. He's been noticing and taking note of some strange things lately.

This is an entertaining melodramatic novel full of unlikable caricatures of different types of people you've seen before: tortured friend; status seeking young woman who is an outsider; privileged, wealthy son of a tyrannical father; potentially creepy peeper. Now takes these different types of characters and put them on an island where an extremely wealthy man has an estate and likes control. Have some characters behave badly. Give the young outsider some curiosity and provide some clues, town gossip, and another missing girl. Finally, add a few twists.

The narrative unfolds at an even pace and the island setting provides an isolated, atmospheric setting that can feel ominous. Henry observing events from afar assists in creating the foreboding tone. Chapters tell the story through the points-of view of Orla, Faith, and Henry. There observations worked together well to propel the plot forward. It's not a ground breaking novel, but it held my attention to the end.

Dead of Summer is a good choice for those who like New England island settings and soap operas. Thanks to Atria Books for providing me with an advance reader's copy. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The One and Only Vivian Stone

The One and Only Vivian Stone by Melissa O'Connor
7/22/25; 368 pages
Gallery Books

The One and Only Vivian Stone by Melissa O'Connor is a highly recommended romance novel and historical fiction presented in two timelines. This is O'Connor's debut novel and romance novel readers will likely love it.

In the present day Margot DuBois is cleaning out her grandmother's house to sell it. She finds a mysterious box of cassette tapes with a damaged tape player. She turns to her first love, Leo, to fix it. He finds a working cassette player and sets to work cleaning up the tapes, one at a time. The two then listen to the eight tapes over a series of days and reconnect with each other.

The tapes tell the story of Vivian (MacKenzie) Stone early in her career as a famous comedic actress in the 1950's Hollywood studio system and later on TV. Vivian recounts her life story with her friend Ruth and her two great loves, Hugh Fox and Kit Pierce. On the eight tapes she honestly shares and vividly describes the wins and struggles they all endured at the time. She had wanted to be a dramatic actress but her fame came when she took on comedic roles.

Vivian's story is the stronger narrative of the two stories. The novel shares what was on each tape, with Vivian telling her story. The tapes sections include excerpts from gossip columnists that add context and tone to the narrative.The tapes contain many descriptions of 1950's fashion, which is interesting. In between the tapes sections is the shorter present day plot with Margot and Leo.

As Vivian is described, readers will immediately view her as a Lucille Ball like character. She is written as an intelligent woman who realistically faces life and the studio system with determination and fortitude. Margot is settling for a lesser life than she envisioned and cleaning out her beloved grandmother's home. Reconnecting with Leo and listening to Vivian's story encourages her, but the real revelation is when she learns why Vivian sent the tapes to her grandmother in the first place.

The One and Only Vivian Stone is a great choice for historical romance novel readers. Thanks to Gallery Books for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.