The New Wife

 

The New Wife by Gemma Rogers
8/14/26; 280 pages
Boldwood Books 

The New Wife by Gemma Rogers is a highly recommended soapy domestic psychological thriller for the right reader. This one throws everything, including the soapy kitchen sink, into the opera. 

Lucy Davenport, 24, is a baker at “Crumbs Bakery" when she strikes up a relationship with a new customer named David Brightman, an orthodontist who is two decades older than her. What began as a friendly companionship soon grew into love and the two got married on a trip to the Maldives. After the marriage, David quickly turned into a controlling, abusive husband. Lucy feels stuck in the marriage, however, because her mother has stage-four Parkinson’s and requires full-time care. David is paying for her mother's stay at an excellent care home, Wyntham Manor.

When David doesn't come home for dinner, after giving her explicit instructions about the meal for the guests he is bringing, business partner Torsten and his wife Erika who are from Germany, she is unable to contact him. When she contacts his work place she learns that David was married before, told no one there about her, and that he died the day before from anaphylactic shock. No one contacted her because they didn't know about her. Now Lucy needs to collect the papers to prove they are married so she can handle the details. She in for a shock, however, as new details, secrets, people, opportunists, threats, and dangers emerge all seemingly targeting her.

This is a short, fast paced domestic psychological thriller with major soap opera sensibilities. Almost every plot point and twist you could think of happens to Lucy. I would list them but that would ruin the fun. Many of them felt familiar but they are used here to create the suspense, tension, and diversion this novel needed after a bit of a overly familiar opening.

Although several twists are predictable, I am glad I pushed on, kept reading, and did not set it aside. I almost went this direction when it was seemingly another woman in a bad marriage situation, especially when, very early in the plot, this was combined with Lucy unable to find her marriage certificate and she has no idea where it might be located. (She may be young, but, come on, she should have not only known where it was but I'm assuming in the UK she would have had to sign for a marriage license, file paperwork, and use it for updates to other personal information.) Thank goodness the narrative does get better and moves beyond this. 3.5 rounded up when needed.

Lucy can be an exasperating character, but she is tenacious as she attempts to uncover secrets and protect her mother. She has to endure numerous aggressive, manipulating, and potentially lethal actions against her.  The situation David's death puts her in is stressful, especially because his money pays for the excellent care her mother is receiving. 

The New Wife is a good choice for those who enjoy fast-paced domestic psychological thrillers with soap opera vibes. Thanks to Boldwood Books for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

Under the Falls

 

Under the Falls by Richard Russo
8/11/26; 256 pages
Knopf

Under the Falls by Richard Russo is a highly recommended literary/crime drama that exposes resentment, betrayal, and secrets in a small town.

After growing up in a dysfunctional family, Tyler Sinclair left Stone Mountain at eighteen with his guitar and without a word to any of his friends, including his best friend Curt. He never looked back. Now he has success and fame as the front man of his band, Stone Mountain, and finds himself returning for a one-night-only benefit concert to the place he left behind eighteen years ago and vowed never to return to, Stone Mountain. The concert will benefit an old friend, Doc, who had an accident at the swimming hole that left him paralyzed and in a wheelchair when he was twelve. When Tyler meets with Doc before the concert for an interview, he learns from Doc while driving to the local high school that some people in Stone Mountain Blame him for Doc's accident. 

When the news comes during the concert that Doc has unexpectedly died, all the resent for Tyler's fame and his never returning or sharing his wealth/fame with them breaks out in the crowd, resulting in a melee. He discovers that Curt is now Stone Mountain’s chief of police and married to Freddi, the girl they both liked. As Tyler and his crew is escaping town in a limousine, they are driven off the road, down the side of a mountain by someone, leaving only two very injured survivors, Tyler and Beth, singer and co-writer. Young police officer Deb is tasked with finding them and calling the ambulance, etc, which sets into motion the start of the crime drama.

This is a very short novel that displays some of Russo's gift in empathetic character development while including flawed individuals, male friendships, and small town issues before veering into a crime story. Russo himself understands a small town's resentment and expectations that a famous former resident should return to benefit them and their situation, despite how that former resident's experiences in the town. This is personally understandable in a roundabout way for me as my family moved a lot when I was a child and when someone in the small town where I attended high school proclaims "and you're from____" I always want to reply, "No, I'm not." 

In an afterword, Russo writes that the novel began as a TV script that didn’t survive the Writer’s Guild strike. As a fan of his writing, this explains some of what the novel is missing, including more of his wit and humor, the abbreviated character development, and better pacing and editing. It also explains the predictability of the plot. While we're confronting this flaw, actually, an astute editor should have also removed the three small, throwaway, dated political comments that serve no purpose in the plot and were all both pointless and unnecessary. Additionally Stone Mountain is a well known city in Georgia, so perhaps another name would have been better. Russo gets points for his body of work. 3.5 rounded up.

Under the Falls is a good choice for fans of Russo's oeuvre. Thanks to Knopf for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The Secrets We Hide

 

The Secrets We Hide by Karin Slaughter
8/11/26; 416 pages
William Morrow
North Falls #2 

The Secrets We Hide by Karin Slaughter is an exceptional, very highly recommended investigative thriller/police procedural/family drama. Following We Are All Guilty Here (2025), I have been anxiously anticipating this second book in the series set in North Falls, Georgia. Yet again, Slaughter has reliably delivered one of the best novels I've read this year. 

Just six weeks after her father's death, Sheriff Emmy Clifton is leaving the graveside service of her mother, Myrna, with her sister Jude, retired FBI, and her son Cole, rookie officer. They are on their way to the lunch at cousin Taybee's home when the unmistakable sound of gun shots ring out by the house of Allison Vickery, a former police officer. What they find inside is Allison dead and Mandy, her sixteen-year-old daughter barely alive. From initial appearances it seems that Allison and Mandy were packing the car to leave. Were they fleeing from Allison's known abusive husband, Bill Garrison, or was something else going on in Allison's life? A neighbor saw Mandy talking to Wesley "Woody" Woodrow, part of the Rawley clan who are known for drugs, so was this related to them?

The writing is excellent, the pace is lightning-fast, the investigation is complex, and the tension is relentless in this outstanding procedural. The pages just flew by while reading. All the leads and clues are logically followed up on through a complicated maze of information, potential suspects, and connections are uncovered during the investigation. The insular small town setting provides clues from decades of secrets and hidden clout leveraged by a few. There are numerous discoveries which influence the detailed, gripping, suspenseful and unpredictable plot. The stress is palpable and increases throughout the narrative.

These are all believable, realistic, and fully realized characters with definite strengths and weaknesses. They are also deeply flawed individuals. The tenacity, intelligence and resilience of Emmy and Jude is on full display, as they investigate even while grieving, and, in Jude's case, keeping secrets. Along with the individual characters, the dynamics between family members and the community also play a role in the plot. The interaction between characters, especially Emmy and Jude, can be informative, tense and, for Emmy, combative. 

Slaughter always writes excellent novels and continues to be an automatic go-to author for me. I'm anxiously awaiting the next direction this series takes as I'm fully invested in these characters now. This may be a procedural and thriller, but it is also an intricate family drama that will still be evolving in future novels. This is novel is the real deal - fast-paced, believable plot, nothing formulaic, well written, interesting characters, and the potential for much more development in the future. 

The Secrets We Hide is an excellent choice for anyone who enjoys complex procedurals/investigative thrillers and is one of the best books I've read this year. Thanks to William Morrow for providing me with an advance reader's copy via Edelweiss. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The Tailor

 

The Tailor by Tim Sullivan
8/11/26; 368 pages
Grove/Atlantic
DS George Cross Mystery #8

The Tailor by Tim Sullivan is a very highly recommended procedural/mystery and the eighth book in the series featuring Detective Sergeant George Cross of the Bristol Major Crimes Unit. It is always a pleasure to follow Cross, who is on the autism spectrum, investigating anything while dealing with the various challenges of life. This is a welcomed addition to the series.

A man is found murdered in the toilet on a train at Bath Spa with his throat cut and a plastic bag over his head. The BTP, British Transport Police, are understaffed so they call in the major crimes unit to take the case. The man is identified as William (Billy) Titcomb, a tailor of bespoke (made to order) suits. He was headed to the airport, traveling to Dubai and then to China, but all his luggage, including a suitcase and two suit carriers, is missing. It quickly becomes clear that this was a planned murder, but who would want to kill a tailor? 

Detective Sergeant George Cross along with his new partner, DC Alice Mackenzie, begin to investigate. Cross, who struggles following social cues, uses his unique observational and intuitive skills to notice clues others can miss. They talk to the new widow, Min, who is Chinese and works for SJM Energy Solutions. Cross feels something is off. They begin looking into clients. As the investigation continues, it seems that something more is going on and the clues lead to connections with a local gangster, clients, another death, and two South Korean tourists who seem to start appearing.  

All of the novels in this series are compelling, well-written, fast-paced, complex procedurals which follow both the case at hand and Cross's personal life. This series sets itself apart with the uniqueness of the main character and the twisty, complicated, intuitive, and analytical investigations undertaken in the plot. The intelligent investigation logically and instinctively follows the clues making it another enjoyable procedural in the series. Although this can be enjoyed as a standalone novel, reading the previous books in the series and knowing all the characters and their backgrounds makes it a even greater pleasure to read.

In his personal life, Cross wrestles with accepting a new partner while dealing with issues involving his parents. He also becomes interested in a bespoke suit, which, knowing Cross, makes perfect sense considering the meticulousness attention to details involved in a handmade suit. At this point, all the characters in the series are fully realized individuals. This series depends on both the strong characterizations, along with the complicated, well reasoned plot, to propel the action forward. The unique main character also serves to set this series apart from others.

The Tailor is a wonderful choice for those who enjoy procedurals/mysteries and are also following the DS George Cross series. Thanks to Grove/Atlantic for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion. 

Canada's UFO Secrets

 

Canada's UFO Secrets by Chris A. Rutkowski
8/11/26: 256 pages
Dundurn Press

Canada's UFO Secrets: Disclosing Government Files on What Is Happening in Our Skies by Chris A. Rutkowski is a highly recommended look into how the Canadian government handles UFO reports, researcher Chris A. Rutkowsk's involvement in collecting reports, the history, government policy, investigations, and additional information. If you are looking for a gripping, sensationalized, heart-stopping account of aliens invading and attacking, you will be disappointed. If you are more interested in the open, honest transparency about the documents from Canadian UFO or UAP (unidentified aerial phenomena) reports, then this will be of interest to you. 

This book is the culmination of 75 years of aerial phenomena records in Canada, Included are historical documented cases, investigations, and government correspondence. The book follows a overview of the history of sightings through archives from the 1940s until the present. Included are photos of documents and some fragments of objects. Following the text are Acknowledgements, List of Abbreviations, Notes, Bibliography, Image Credits, and an Index. 

Rutkowski has been researching Canadian UFO reports since the 1970s when he was in college. Early on UFO/UAP reports were sent to the Institute of Astrophysics as "non-meteoric sightings" and they didn't know what to do with them. At that time Rutkowski said, "Send them to me" and this began years of his collecting and investigating the sightings. The text is a consideration of the information and the development of Canadian UFO policy by the government and military. According to Rutkowski, since the Canadian UFO Survey began in the late 1980s, there are close to 25,000 separate UFO reports in Canada. He points out that the data is there, it just need analysis.

Included from a community college course he taught on how to be a UFO investigator Rutkowski  is a 30 question checklist he developed as a guide to interviewing witnesses and recording information on sightings. He also includes  The vast majority of sightings can be explained as misidentified conventional phenomena. There are some which initially appear to be unexplainable, but could be with more information. The book ends with six categories of explanations for reported UFO sightings. The first five explain almost all sightings, however, the  final one gives a nod to, perhaps, visitors from outer space.

While it is clear that reports of UFO/UAPs are increasing, it is also obvious that current technology and advancements can explain the increase in many new sightings with drones, more amateur weather balloons, international spying (think Chinese weather balloon from 2023), to name a few. Even people releasing the fire-powered paper lanterns or aurora's could be an unexplainable phenomena to some unsuspecting viewer. Most sightings are airplanes, satellites, planets, fireballs, and meteors.  

Canada's UFO Secrets is a great choice for anyone interested in a serious, not sensationalized, examination of Canada's UFO reports/sightings. Thanks to Dundurn Press for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

Freight

 

Freight by Ryan Lowell
8/11/26; 224 pages
Little, Brown and Company 

Freight by Ryan Lowell is a recommended atmospheric noir following employees of a New England trucking company and others who know them.

The narrative opens with Billy Trasker picking up two buckets of illegal pills from his dying/dead Uncle Bernier after killing a good Samaritan who stopped to help.  Following this we are introduced to the cast of characters. Curtis is a dispatcher working the third shift. His wife Rachel is pregnant. Billy is his uncle and he agrees to assist him in stealing a truck load of pharmaceuticals from Canada. Theo has Sarah riding with him which is against the rules. Jimmy is assisting Billy. Phil begs Curtis for more hours and is sent on a 1,800-mile haul. Stephanie is looking for Sarah after she missed her shift.

After the opening, the first half (or more) of the plot is very slow moving as it introduces the various characters and provides insight into their lives. While these characters are slowly developed as very flawed individuals, they also all resembled each other in many ways. They are all unlikable. It did take a moment for me to initially keep track of all the characters as distinct individuals. I'll also have to admit their actions and vocabulary throughout the novel did alienate me as a reader.  

Once all the characters are sorted out, the dark and gritty plot settles down to following their everyday lives. The narrative didn't seem sharply focused throughout the novel. The plot to steal the trailer Theo is driving is there, but, alternately there is the story line following Phil on his long haul. Much of Theo's tale is his increasing annoyance with Sarah and regret in bringing her along. Basically, we get to know the daily lives of these incredibly damaged individuals in their ill-fated daily lives. In the final chapters the action does pick up. 

Freight would be a good choice for those who enjoy dark, gritty noir filled with very flawed characters and don't mind a lot of expletives. Thanks to Little, Brown and Company for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

Getting Away with Murder

 

Getting Away with Murder by Shari Lapena
7/28/26; 352 pages
Viking Penguin/ Pamela Dorman Books 

Getting Away with Murder by Shari Lapena is a highly recommended domestic psychological suspense novel following an unlikable couple and a planned murder.

Ted and Jill Westcott enjoy living a wealthy, privileged life. They love their New York brownstone, with all of it's expensive touches and accoutrements. However, when it comes to light that they are broke after Ted made some poor investments and they have been living far above their considerable means, they come up with a plan. After asking him for a loan and being turned down, they decide to murder Ted's brother Greg, worth $45 million. Ted knows he will inherit a good portion of that as Greg's only relative. 

They go sailing with Greg on his sailboat, Fortune Seeker, and implement their plan. Knowing Greg is too confident and arrogant to wear a life jacket even in rough water, the two send Greg overboard, wait for him to go under before calling the coast guard, and claim it was all a horrible accident. From all appearances, that seems to be the truth, only Paul Ramirez, a special investigative agent for the coast guard, doubts their story and begins asking questions. As Ted and Jill become more paranoid, and even less appealing, the number of people they suspect want to take them down increases, including Jill's best friend Lara, Greg's ex-wife Min, their cleaning lady Nadya, and shady business man John Burnley. Then everything escalates when they begin to receive blackmail threats and find a hidden camera.

The fast pace is relentless and there are red herrings and twists galore in this well-written thriller. It is full of suspense and surprises in every chapter as something new happens. Ted and Jill's suspicion, paranoia, and corruption intensifies as their greed and sense of entitlement escalates. The narrative will hold your complete attention even while Ted and Jill become increasingly unlikable and insufferable. The pages will fly by in this incredibly entertaining thriller.

Since Ted and Jill are both well-developed characters, this serves to make them even more unappealing because they are both so entitled and unbearable. With Officer Ramirez questioning them and their associates, the pressure is on them and he senses the cracks in their composure. Those who know them also sense their deception and this is clearly shown in the narrative as Ted and Jill suspect everyone of blackmail.

Getting Away with Murder is a great choice for anyone who enjoys a fast-paced novel of domestic psychological suspense and can tolerate an unlikable, entitled couple. Thanks to Viking Penguin for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.