Head Cases

 

Head Cases by John McMahon
1/28/25; 352 pages
St. Martin's Press
Head Cases #1

Head Cases by John McMahon is a very highly recommended investigative thriller following members of the FBI's PAR (Patterns and Recognition) Unit as they hunt down a serial killer who is targeting other serial killers. As a fan of McMahon's exceptional P.T. Marsh series, it's a pleasure to say I love the start of this new series and am looking forward to the next book in the series, Inside Man, released in January 2016.

FBI Agent Gardner Camden is an analytical genius who has an eidetic memory and an unique ability for solving puzzles, riddles, and codes, as well as recognizing patterns and interconnections between items. He is part of a team of misfits who compose the PAR Unit of FBI's Behavioral Sciences department lead by Frank Roberts who are brought in for cases that no one else can solve. Team members working with Gardner include his partner Cassie Pardo, who is detail-oriented and brilliant with numbers, Jo "Shooter" Harris is a weapons expert and tactician, and newbie Richie Brancato, a data analyst.

This specialized team isn't normally in the field, but when Ross Tignon, a man who, after murdering three women, was previously declared deceased seven years earlier is found dead, again, they are called in to investigate. This is quickly followed by a second victim, Barry Fisher, who was just paroled after serving 31 years in prison. The killer calls Gardner to boast, threatens his family, and suggests the team call him god, which leads them to give him the moniker "mad dog." He also plants clues on the victims. to see if the team, especially Gardner, can follow them.

As expected, the writing is absolutely excellent in this outstanding procedural. The plot is fast-paced, interesting, suspenseful, intelligent, and held my complete attention throughout. The case is enigmatic, which explains why PAR was assigned it when usually they work on cold cases. It was nothing but sheer pleasure to observe the team uncovering clues and following up on them intuitively and logically, sometimes with surprising outcomes.

The characters are all portrayed as fully realized, unique, complex individuals with both strengths and weaknesses. This is a team of misfits who didn't fit in with the regular FBI. Gardner is brilliant, unique, and socially awkward, however, although possibly more socially adept, all of the team members have their own gifts and quirks and could be described the same way. This is a great ensemble of characters and I am looking forward to their next case.

Head Cases is a perfect choice for anyone who enjoys procedurals that display excellence in both the writing and executed. Be sure to look for the second book in the series, Inside Man, released in January 2016.

The Briars

 

The Briars by Sarah Crouch
1/13/26; 320 pages
Atria Books

The Briars by Sarah Crouch is a highly recommended literary mystery melded with a romance novel.

After her marriage ends, Annie Heston accepts a job as a game warden in the small town of Lake Lumin, Washington, in the forests and mountains of the Pacific Northwest. When she arrives, Annie discovers a small office where she works closely with young local sheriff Jake Proud. Immediately there is a cougar that she needs to track and collar. This becomes more serious when a body is found near hiking trails with claws marks on it. Later it is determined that the claw marks were postmortem, the young woman was already dead.

The search is on for who killed the young hiker. While tracking the cougar, Annie meets recluse Daniel Barela who owns land near the lake. He allows her to set traps for the cougar and the two immediately feel a connection. Then the body of another young woman is found in the briars that border Daniel’s property, and Annie assists the local sheriff with the investigation.

The well-written novel immediately sets the atmosphere and setting of the plot while introducing the characters. Annie is an interesting young woman who has been deeply hurt but is very invested in her job as a game warden. Jake is depicted as an outgoing, friendly, and inexperienced. Daniel is a much more careful and guarded character, but his background, which he eventually shares with Annie, is heartbreaking. All the characters are depicted as fully realized individuals with strengths and weaknesses.

The narrative is mainly told through the point-of-view of Annie and Daniel, with some chapters through Jake's perspective. Since the town is small, Annie helps Jake with the murder investigation, While the search for the cougar is what intrigued me about the synopsis of the novel, the narrative very quickly set that plot point aside and focused on the burgeoning relationship between Annie and Daniel and the murder investigation. I'm not a great fan of romance novels. The unexpected focus on the quickly developing new relationship felt unrealistic as did the unlikely pairing of Jake and Annie investigating the murder together.

The Briars is a good choice for those who enjoy literary mysteries mixed with romance. Thanks to Atria Books for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

One Sun Only: Stories

One Sun Only: Stories by Camille Bordas
1/27/26; 304 pages
Random House

One Sun Only: Stories by Camille Bordas is a highly recommended collection of twelve literary short stories which explore the human condition. The majority of these were originally published in The New Yorker with the rest either from The Paris Review or original stories.

All of the stories are thoughtful character studies and present a slice of life of life rather than a conventional plot. They are perceptive, attentive, and reflective while following characters through a specific situation or while dealing with an occurrence. The characters can be acutely soul-searching and flawed as their lives are portrayed from multiple faucets while they deal with various situations.

The quality of the writing and use of language is what elevates these stories above the ordinary, even while they frequently portray ordinary events in the lives of their characters. The characters all react in understandable, ordinary ways to the events that they are experiencing. Admittedly, because the stories are more a slice of life with no real final resolution, I did feel a loss of closure for some of the stories. On the other hand they really represent a perfectly presented slice of life.

One Sun Only: Stories is a wonderful choice for anyone who enjoys literary short stories. Thanks to Random House for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

Illusion of Truth

Illusion of Truth by James L'Etoile
1/6/26; 430 pages
Oceanview Publishing
Detective Emily Hunter #3

Illusion of Truth by James L'Etoile is a very highly recommended procedural and mystery. This is the third novel featuring Detective Emily Hunter following Face of Greed and River of Lies. It can be enjoyed as a standalone procedural.

Two explosions hit the police officers who responded to a false report of a break-in at a church in Sacramento. Fellow cop and Detective Emily Hunter's boyfriend, Sergeant Brian Conner, is caught in the blast and is in serious condition. Emily and her partner Javier Medina are investigating when Officer Clay Milton determines that bomb components found at the scene can be traced to those in remote control cars. Soon another bomb targets more officers with a similar m.o. While Emily and Javier are trying to follow clues, City Councilman Rob Davis, is inciting antagonism and riots against the city’s police force. Emily must discover what incident from the past ties all the officers together and now makes them all a target.

During the tension from the high pressure investigation, Emily is also dealing with Brian's health struggles and her mother’s progressing Alzheimer’s. Emily and Brian's relationship was facing a hurdle before his serious injuries, which may change everything. At the same time Javier is also facing some challenges in his relationship with his girlfriend. These story lines don't detract from the main plot, but do add depth and realism to the characters, helping their development as individuals.

The pace is fast and the plot feels realistic in this well-written intricate procedural/mystery that feels like it could be ripped from headlines today. The political ramifications and involvement of various government departments along the way add credulity to the plot which is intricate, twisty and intelligent. The pressure and tension are unrelenting as the investigation unfolds.

Part of the plot is inferred in the title. Illusory truth is when repeated exposure to false information leads people to believe it is true, even when recognized as false. We can be more likely to believe something if we've heard it repeated multiple times. There are numerous examples of this in the news today where people set critical thinking and fact-checking aside.

Illusion of Truth is a wonderful choice for anyone looking for a tension-packed procedural. Thanks to Oceanview Publishing for providing me with an advance reader's copy via Edelweiss. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The Viper

The Viper by Brad Meltzer
1/6/26; 400 pages
William Morrow
Escape Artist #3; Zig & Nola Novel

The Viper by Brad Meltzer is a very highly recommended tense and well-written thriller. This is the third escape artist novel featuring Zig and Nola but it can definitely be enjoyed and relished as a standalone thriller. Zig and Nola are not friends, but she always seems to be there to help him.

Andrew "Fetch" Fechmeier, who has been in hiding and living under a pseudonym for years, is dying from Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. He hides something in a suit at the funeral home that will handle his burial. Then he is murdered in his motel room when he won't reveal the information about the location of the item he hid which is sought by the perpetrators.

Jim “Zig” Zigarowski is a skilled mortician who is called by Roddy LaPointe, Nola Brown's brother, to assist with his investigation into Fetch’s murder, as well as the murder of his mother Daniella, who's death was labeled a suicide, when Nola and her twin brother, Roddy, were 3 years old. There was a group of teenagers over 25 years ago who called themselves The Breakfast Club. Since then they have been targeted by someone for something they stole back then. As the two investigate and are being followed, Nola starts investigating too while trying to watch out for Zig and Roddy.

The writing is exceptional, the pace is fast, and the engrossing plot is full of twists and surprises. This intelligent, unpredictable thriller grabbed my attention immediately and held it throughout. As the narrative switches between points-of-view along with covering Roddy and Nola's past, the shorter chapters help propel the plot forward while providing all the context and information you need to follow the intricate plot. There is some humor along with heart-stopping action.

This is my first Zig and Nola novel and it was really enjoyable. There is enough background information provided that I never felt like the narrative left me behind. They are still provided with additional character development in this outing and are depicted as fully realized characters with strengths and flaws. It need to look into the previous two novels.

The Viper is the perfect choice for those who enjoy fast-paced thrillers. Thanks to William Morrow for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The Castaways

The Castaways by Lucy Clarke
1/6/26; 400 pages (originally published on 3/18/21)
Grove/Atlantic

The Castaways by Lucy Clarke is a highly recommended mystery and survival tale. This is a reissue of the novel originally published on 3/18/21.

Sisters Lori and Erin are taking a vacation on one of the small remote islands by Fiji. While on Fiji the night before they are to fly out to their final vacation destination, they have an argument. Erin stomps off in anger and misses the flight the next morning. The small plane disappears and her sister Lori is gone. Two years later the pilot of the downed plane shows up ill, on Fiji. Erin, who works as a journalist in the UK, returns to Fiji to talk to the pilot and find out what happened, how he survived, and what happened to the passengers. In a reply he uses the word "we" which gives Erin hope that Lori may be alive.

Two years ago, Lori did survive the crash landing on a small uninhabited island. Other survivors included the pilot, two male passengers, and a baby. While present day chapters follow Erin's investigation and search for Lori, alternate chapters follow the first 31 days for the castaways on the island through Lori's point-of-view. From each of their viewpoints, the bond between the sisters is clear and they are both mourning their loss but in vastly different circumstances.

This is a well-written, fast-paced investigative mystery mixed with a survival story. The story and experiences as told by each each sister are intensely different but both are compelling. Erin is in denial, consumed by the mystery, and mourning her loss while Lori misses her sister but is struggling to survive while caring for a baby. The overwhelming question is did Lori survive, if so, where is she, and can Erin find her sister or find closure.

The Castaways is a great choice for those who enjoy survival stories tempered by an overarching present day mystery. Thanks to Grove/Atlantic for providing me with an advance reader's copy via . My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The First Time I Saw Him

The First Time I Saw Him by Laura Dave
1/6/26; 288 pages
Scribner 
Hannah Hall #2

The First Time I Saw Him by Laura Dave is a recommended thriller and the sequel to The Last Thing He Told Me (2021), which you will want to read first, or watch the TV show which has apparently been made based on The Last Thing He Told Me. 

Almost 6 year ago (5 years, 10 months, 24 days)  Hannah Hall's husband and her stepdaughter, Bailey's father Owen disappeared, leaving them with a bag of money and a note to keep her safe. Now it seems they may be in danger again. Owen shows up almost unrecognizable at Hannah's new exhibition and secretly slips her a flash drive. Almost immediately after that Hannah receives a message to get out of there now and she and Bailey are on the run again. They are following an intricate plan they have in place to keep them safe. 

The pace is fast and the tension is high throughout this sequel about the power of forgiveness. The crime family of Frank Campano Pointe from the Organization are after Hannah and Bailey again. It also appears the Nicholas, Bailey's grandfather, has passed away, but that is later proven to be untrue and he has a plan. Between present day action are multiple points-of-view following the backstory of where Owen went along with other explanatory background information/stories.  

Hannah and Bailey get along in this outing, which is a nice change from the teen with an attitude from the first book. All the interpersonal relationships between Hannah, Bailey and Nicholas are well done. This sequel is well written, but predictable and, again, uneven in parts. It also requires you to set a huge dose of disbelief aside. While I enjoyed this book, the first book was stronger, based on my review,  and after all this time I clearly never felt a sequel was needed.

The First Time I Saw Him is recommended for those who have read The Last Thing He Told Me and have been waiting for a sequel. Thanks to Scribner for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The Storm

The Storm by Rachel Hawkins
1/6/26; 288 pages
St. Martin's Press 

The Storm by Rachel Hawkins is a highly recommended, atmospheric, Southern gothic mystery set in at the Rosalie Inn, a century-old Gulf Coast beach motel on St. Medard’s Bay, Alabama, an area where hurricane season can be murder.

For Geneva Corliss, the current owner of the Rosalie Inn, every day is a struggle to survive between maintenance and booking customers. When writer August Fletcher offers to pay double to book a two month stay, Geneva knows it can help save her bottom line. When August shows up, he brings the infamous Gloria “Lo” Bailey with him and books a room for her too. Now 60 years-old, back when she was 19, Lo was the mistress of political heir 30 year-old Langdon Fitzroy. During 1984’s infamous Hurricane Marie, Langdon died and his family presumed he was murdered by Lo. Lo claimed he was injured during the hurricane and was acquitted after a mistrial for lack of evidence. Now August and Lo are working on a book about the case.

Along with ties that interconnect many characters to each other through generations, the occurrence of hurricanes and their devastation is also a running theme through the novel. The story unfolds through the point of view of Geneva, events from the past, through the writings of Lo and August, and old letters, articles, etc. This is an entertaining, atmospheric, even-paced thriller that held my attention throughout. 

The characters are all portrayed as realistic individuals with strengths and flaws. Geneva is the character with the most development, but all the others receive some further development. The setting is also comes alive and is an important part of the story. This generational tale is Southern to it's core and the mystery is satisfying.

The Storm is a great choice for anyone who enjoys Southern gothic mysteries with strong female characters. Thanks to St. Martin's Press for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

Fatal Invitation

Fatal Invitation by S F Baumgartner
12/5/25; 339 pages
F.B. Publishing/BooksGoSocial
Kylie Cassidy #1

Fatal Invitation by S F Baumgartner is a highly recommended investigative crime thriller. This is the first book in the new Detective Kylie Cassidy (KC) series, although KC was earlier introduced in the short story Christmas Murders.

Detective Kylie “KC” Cassidy has left the small town police force of Pine Grove to work in the Orlando Major Crimes Unit. When KC is called out to her first murder case by her senior detective partner, Rick Spaulding, she has to handle it on her own until he is done re-certifying at the gun range. The body of a young woman without ID is found in a park and turns out to have a connection to Pine Grove. KC recognizes her as a clerk at the grocery store there. 

This case is quickly followed by another similar murder. Commander Frank Travers and the Orlando Prime team steps in because they have several similar cases, but the two departments end up working together to solve the murder cases. It appears the young women were part of an illegal organ harvesting cabal and the clues keep leading back to Assistant State Attorney Gavin Watkins and his elusive ally, Kozlov.  

This investigative police procedural moves at an even pace as the clues are logically uncovered and followed up on. The case is interesting and timely, especially with a tie-in to a social media money-making offer/ad and the subject of organ harvesting. Baumgartner is known for writing clean thrillers which focus on the investigations of the cases involved and character development. I'll be looking forward to the next case KC tackles as well as more information about her Aunt Mae.

KC is a likable character and readers will be rooting for her success (and safety). She is developed as a full realized individual with strengths and weaknesses. KC is intelligent, determined and very attuned to clues, both verbal and physical, while investigating. At the same time, she also has to deal with becoming hyper-focused on clues, enough so that it looks like she's spacing out. KC is still in a relationship with FBI agent, Nate Tanner.

Fatal Invitation is a great choice for readers who enjoy procedurals. Thanks to BooksGoSocial for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

Running Blind

Running Blind by Paul Heatley
12/7/25; 303 pages
Inkubator Books
Tom Rollins #19

Running Blind by Paul Heatley is a very highly recommended action-packed thriller and the 19th book in the Tom Rollins series. Tom Rollins, PhD and former black ops specialist, is known for using his training and lethal skills in the pursuit of justice. This can be read as a standalone novel.

Tom is working as a bartender in Reno when he is approached by a woman who happens to be with the CIA. Jess Chen has been told about Tom's skill and needs to recruit him to assist her on a mission. An undercover agent, Hao, is helping Li, a Chinese defector reach the USA. She has a USB drive containing the identities of deep-cover moles embedded throughout American intelligence. Jess needs Tom's help to meet Hao and Li and assist in safely getting the woman and the USB drive to Langley. Once Tom agrees to help her, the mission quickly becomes more complicated when both the Chinese government and a ruthless Triad network try to eliminate them both. 

This is another well-written, intense addition to the series where the good guy eliminates all the antagonists in the pursuit of justice. Tom has a lethal skill set and he needs it as they are constantly being tracked and attacked. The plot becomes more complicated when it becomes clear that there is a mole operating within the CIA so they aren't safe anywhere. Set disbelief aside and follow the fierce non-stop action. This is my favorite book in the series to date. I'm anxiously awaiting Tom's next mission.

Running Blind is an excellent choice for readers who like nonstop action featuring a take-no-prisoners black op specialist. Thanks to Inkubator Books for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

Their Deadly Truth

Their Deadly Truth by Carla Kovach
12/17/25; 322 pages
Bookouture
Detective Gina Harte #18 

Their Deadly Truth by Carla Kovach is a highly recommended procedural and the 18th novel in the Detective Gina Harte series. Enough background information is provided that it can be enjoyed as a standalone novel for the investigation.

When a body is found in the trunk of a parked car, Detective Gina Harte and her team are called in to investigate. The body is identified as Kain Pickering and the car belonged to his deceased mother. At her house, where Kain was living, a blue teddy bear is found. Kain's sister Lindy Pickering is notified. She admits to police that her brother had a lot of issues but has no idea who would kill him. When another murder happens with a blue teddy bear at the scene, it becomes clear that someone is targeting specific victims. Then DCI Briggs is suddenly pulled off the case and a new DCI is brought in for the lead. 

The writing is very good and the pace moves quickly in this intricate case that may involve events from the past but also seems to be targeting a friend group of women too. A teddy bear left at the scene or homes is one of the clear clues that mark the victims. All the clues are logically followed and there is a lot going on as several suspect emerge in the investigation continues. This is a unpredictable procedural, so just go with the clues uncovered and follow the action as the team investigates. 

There continues to be more character development for Gina in this outing. For readers new to the series, some events in Gina's past are mentioned in the narrative which are helpful to introduce her and her history. The hidden personal relationship between Gina and DCI Chris Briggs is still on the rocks.

As an aside, one clue is a blue hoodie and the team searches a house for it. This actually had me laughing at the absurdity of it as a clue because any search of my home would unearth all manner, styles, and hues of blue hoodies along with hoodies of many other colors, sizes, and variations. 

Their Deadly Truth is a good choice for readers who enjoy procedurals and especially for those following the Gina Harte series. Thanks to Bookouture for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The Girl from Nowhere

The Girl from Nowhere by Michele Dominguez Greene
12/9/25; 242 pages
Storm Publishing
Special Agent Emily Ray #3 

The Girl from Nowhere by Michele Dominguez Greene is a recommended investigative mystery and the third book in the series featuring FBI Special Agent Emily Ray. Although this can be read as a standalone, readers would benefit from reading the books in order.

Special Agent Emily Ray is assigned to verify the identity of Kaveri Miller Browne, who went missing as a very young child and has been found eighteen years later by a former LAPD detective turned PI, Rawley Jaynes.  Kaveri is the heiress to the Doucette-Browne family fortune so this is big news featured on a TV show. On the same show Rawley also claimed to find missing girl Danica Hansen, which shocks Emily because she is the real Danica Hansen. She's been living under a pseudonym to protect her identity. It is claimed that DNA proved their identity but Emily knows this can't be true. She and agent Andy Ryan are on the case.

This is a short book and the plot moves quickly. It is clear from the start that some shenanigans are underway by Rawley Jaynes and Kaveri's grandmother, Mackenzie Miller Browne. Emily's job is to uncover proof of this, but there is also more going than initially apparent. It also places Emily in an awkward position, does she reveal her true identity or keep it hidden. This dilemma does require a huge amount of disbelief to be suspended as I would imagine an FBI agent would be thoroughly vetted and and pseudonym would be outed. 

There is also another plot point involving Emily's failing marriage. This was a whole lot less compelling than the main investigation and I could have done without it. However, I haven't read the other books in the series and that most certainly could influence my disinterest in Emily's personal drama. For those following the series there is character development in this outing. 

The Girl from Nowhere is recommended for those who enjoy investigative mysteries and are following the series. 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 Quiet Mother

The Quiet Mother by Arnaldur Indridason
12/9/25; 352 pages
St. Martin's Press
A Detective Konrad Novel #3 

The Quiet Mother by Arnaldur Indridason is a recommended Icelandic crime procedural. Originally published in 2019 this English edition translated by Philip Roughan will be available on 12/9/25. This is the third novel in the Detective Konrad series. There are two case followed in this novel, as well as events from 1960's.

Retired detective Konrad returns to Reykjavik to assist in the investigate of the murder of Valborg, a seventy year old woman in her apartment, which had also been burglarized. Days earlier, she had been in contact with Konrad, trying to hire him to find the child she gave up 47 years ago. He declined, but now feels duty bound to follow up on her murder. At the same time Konrad and his friend, Eygló, are looking for clues in the murder of their fathers back in 1963. Their fathers worked together as spiritual con artists. At the same time, Eygló believes that her psychic abilities are real. Together, Konrad and Eygló look for old clues.

The narrative jumps between the two different cases while also switching to some events from the past without warning. It also moves at an extremely slow pace. The primary case is Valborg's murder. The cases are both interesting but the slow pace causes the story to drag on and it begins to feel overly long. Adding to this is the sometimes repetitious text in the story. The two cases do connect at one point. Valborg's case does reach a conclusion while the murder of his father does not. The novel might resonate more with those who have read the first two books in the series. 

The Quiet Mother is recommended for those who enjoy Nordic Noir and crime fiction and don't mind a slower paced novel. Thanks to St. Martin's Press for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

Burning State

Burning State by Rob Sinclair
12/8/25; 384 pages
Boldwood Books
James Ryker #14

Burning State by Rob Sinclair is recommended - for the right reader. James Ryker, former intelligence agent, is sent to Atlanta, Georgia, to find a missing governor's daughter. When bombs begin going off in buildings, Ryker ends up pursuing an old adversary, ex-special ops agent Caleb Marshall. Marshal was presumed dead, but now he is out for vengeance.

This features nonstop action and an abundance of violence. The conspiracy is huge so the stakes are equally high as Marshall is trying to destroy the USA. I haven't read the other books in this series, but after reading Burning State I felt I should have listened to myself after the last Sinclair novel and avoided reading another one. It's too violent and over-the-top. Additionally, Sinclair has made up some "radical right-wing factions" as the enemy in this outing. At this point, I can't even try to set the needed amount of disbelief aside in the current climate to accept this plot point as it is totally unbelievable. 2.5 for me, rounded up.

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

 

Secrets You Can't Keep

Secrets You Can't Keep by Debra Webb
12/9/25; 319 pages
Thomas & Mercer
Vera Boyett , #3

Secrets You Can't Keep by Debra Webb is a highly recommended procedural and the third book in the series featuring Vera Boyett, following Deeper Than the Dead and Closer Than You Know. It can be enjoyed as a standalone novel.

Valeri Edwin, personal assistant to wealthy business man Thomas Wilton, arrived at his estate before an important phone call and neither Wilton nor his second wife Alicia were there. As Valeri searched, she found them   murdered along with two other people at a cabin on the property. When Sheriff Gray “Bent” Benton arrived it is discovered that Alicia is still barely alive. Bent calls in crime analyst Vera Boyett to examine the crime scene for clues he and his team may have missed. 

At the same time a horrible accident has happened at Vera's pregnant sister Luna's house where she was finishing preparing the nursery with her mother-in-law. Luna left for more paint and when she returned her mother-in-law was dead at the foot of the stairs. She immediately called Vera, who then contacted Bent. It looks like Luna is the perpetrator, but knowing the two, that seems highly unlikly, so Vera needs to uncover what really happened.

This well-written procedural presents two interesting cases to investigate and solve. The Wilton triple murder case provides a complicated tangled case to solve. Webb does give readers a chapter early on letting them know the characters that clearly are involved, but then provides all manner of other clues and red herrings pointing to others being responsible. While waiting for Alicia to come out of a coma and hopefully provide the clue they need, the largest hurdle to overcome is figuring out all the lies and subterfuge along the way which are slowing down Bent and Vera from solving the Wilton case. 

Luna's case is more nuanced. From all initial appearances, Luna may be guilty. Her mother-in-law was a real shrew, and her sister is on the warpath to charge Luna. Vera knows Luna, as well as all the others involved, and understands that something else is going on and she needs to find the clues and facts to prove this. There is no clue or chapter suggesting what happened on this case, leaving readers in total suspense.

The character development and the relationship between the characters provides strong reasons to read this book and series. Vera and Bent's professional and personal relationship is strong and continues to develop. Vera's relationship with her sisters, Eve and Luna also continues to grow. 

Secrets You Can't Keep is a great choice for those who enjoy procedurals. Thanks to Thomas & Mercer for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

A Grave Deception

A Grave Deception by Connie Berry
12/9/25; 336 pages
Crooked Lane Books
Kate Hamilton Mystery #6 

A Grave Deception by Connie Berry is a very highly recommended cozy murder mystery and the sixth book in the series featuring Kate Hamilton. Kate and her husband, Detective Inspector Tom Mallory, have settled into married life in Long Barston, UK.

When members of an archeology team lead by Dr. Simon Sinclair, including Dr. Niall Nevin, DR. Celia Whybrew, and PhD students Mark Lambe and Tamzin Oliver, discover a miraculously preserved body of a 14th century woman, dubbed Egemere woman, while excavating by a church in the ruins of a nearby plague village. Antiques expert Kate Hamilton and her business partner, Ivor Tweedy, are called in to appraise the grave goods being stored at Ravenswyck Court, the estate near the dig owned by wealthy businessman Alex Belcourt. The items include a valuable pearl which Kate has a visceral reaction when she sees it, feeling violence and fear attached to the pearl. 

It is discovered that Egemere woman was pregnant when buried and Belcourt wants Kate to try and find out the identity of the woman. He had his wife, Carrie, disappear a decade earlier and is presumed dead. He is mourning her even while he is still a suspect in her death. Tensions rise when the body of Sinclair is found at the dig site with fake pearls in his mouth and stomach. Kate uses 700-year-old documents found through clues left by a deceased historian who was researching the area. At the same time she is keeping her ears open to assist Tom in the case too. Things become even more tense when a third body is found.

This is a very well-written interesting mystery that keeps you guessing right to the end while remaining very compelling while reading. There are several suspects along the way, including almost everyone on the dig team, but although I had my favorite suspects, I did not guess whodunit until it was revealed. There is also plenty of basic information about 14th century artifacts found and/or sold.  Adding to the atmosphere are the many pubs Kate and Tom or others visit/eat at while conducting the investigation. There is an interesting tie-in to a group of protestors and the historian, which all helped Kate. Kate and the rest of the recurring characters are all likable and believable. 

A Grave Deception is a perfect choice for those who enjoy cozy mysteries with a historical bent, and everyone following the series. Thanks to Crooked Lane Books for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

A Weekend on Allyson Island

A Weekend on Allyson Island by Susannah B. Lewis
12/9/25; 288 pages
Thomas Nelson 

A Weekend on Allyson Island by Susannah B. Lewis is a recommended women's Christian fiction novel set in South Carolina's low country.

After her beloved husband unexpectedly died three years earlier, Moira Allyson is having a 50th birthday celebration. She lives on a beautiful mansion on Savannah's waterfront and is known for her perfect parties. This weekend will be no exception, with catered meals, movie night in the home theater, massages, a cruise on a yacht, and more. She has sent out several invitations but those who accept are:  Gemma, one of Moira’s high school best friends who struggles with her weight; Celia Kate (CK), another high school best friends who is a helicopter parent and anxious, Nell, a friend from church who had a falling-out with Moira over her drinking and is a former alcoholic; and Erin, Moira’s housekeeper who cares for and listens to Moira and struggles financially after divorcing her abusive husband.

The book ends up on a supportive note, being both hopeful and healing while celebrating the power of friendship. All of the problems are tackled Biblically. However, it also throws way-too-many problems at the reader, including death, alcoholism, adultery, fat-shaming, over-protectiveness, anxiety, poverty, domestic abuse, divorce, etc. It makes it difficult to connect with the characters. Perhaps It would be a more powerful book to have one or two characters with issues and tackle helping and supporting them rather than giving everyone major problems. Moira and Erin would have been good choices. 

It is clear right from the start that Moira drinks way to much and is isolating herself while still grieving her husband's death. However, she needs some support in grieving. Three years isn't that long to still be grieving after being married for over twenty-five years. The intervention about her drinking is fine, but she needs support in other ways too. Help her find a support group for grieving spouses, not just alcoholism. Help her slowly clear out some of her husband's things when she is ready. Maybe love her where she is at and truly understand healing from some traumatic life events can be a journey.

Erin and her son needed support living and healing after she divorced her abusive husband. These women, beyond Nell who was supportive of all of them, were all in a place where they could have offered her some help in maybe finding a better job or place to live. Ultimately, she is helped by Moira, who, one would think, could have deduced her needs much earlier if she had been getting the help in grieving she needed.

The novel does end on an upbeat note where all the friendships are strengthened as the women bond and experience spiritual healing. A Weekend on Allyson Island is a good choice for those who enjoy contemporary women's Christian fiction. 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.

Savage Game

Savage Game by JT Sawyer
11/23/25; 314 pages
Inkubator Books
Kyle Payne Thriller #4

Savage Game by JT Sawyer is a very highly recommended action thriller and the fourth book featuring former CIA operative Kyle Payne. This can be enjoyed as a standalone novel but after reading you will want to read the previous books in the series: Knife Edge, Blood Trail, and Kill Shot.

Kyle Payne came to Alaska on his Indian motorcycle to get away and experience some peace and solitude. Instead he helps Gus, the owner of the lodge he's working for, look at at tracks with police detective Nolte at a site where it is thought a mass bear attacked occurred. He finds himself immersed in a murder investigation after it is determined that the four campers were brutally murdered by human predators. There is one survivor, teenager Micah Brezny, who manages to escape the hired killers twice before inadvertently running into Payne with the killers close behind. 

As both Micah and Payne are now targets, Nolte is working to find out who the killer is and clues have been left to point to an innocent man. Nolte also has a pushy officer sent from the governor to assist him, which is suspicious. Micah, however, has taken pictures of the killers on her phone and this information gets out. Now the big man, mining executive Sean Klurman, behind the hired men must eliminate her and Payne. With Payne, though, they have no idea who they are dealing with and he uses all his training and skills to keep Mich and himself alive.

This is a well-written, fast-paced, compelling, action thriller that will hold your complete attention while keeping you turning the pages late into the night. The tension is high, the corruption seems to be everywhere, and the danger is ever present throughout the novel. You might have to set disbelief aside that one man can do everything Payne does, but you will gladly do so because the action is worth it. Besides, it is known that Payne is prepared to take deadly action if necessary.

Clearly, Payne is a one-man lethal force and has the training and background to handle what comes his way. He is a hero you will support and root for since you know he stands for justice and discovering the truth. He can tell when a system is corrupt and will make sure that the truth is exposed. At the same time he is protecting Micah, who is a determined and strong young woman who has all ready experienced a lot of traumatic events in her life. 

Savage Game is a perfect choice for anyone who enjoys action-packed thrillers. Thanks to Inkubator Books for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

Silent Bones

Silent Bones by Val McDermid
12/2/25; 432 pages
Grove/Atlantic
Karen Pirie Series #8 

Silent Bones by Val McDermid is a recommended procedural, highly for the right reader, and the eight novel featuring DCI Karen Pirie in Scotland. It can be read as a standalone novel.

Two cases are investigated by the Historical Crimes Unit of Police Scotland lead by DCI Pirie and her team DS Daisy Mortimer and DC Jason Murray (Mint). The first is a body uncovered when rain causes a landslide on a motorway which was built eleven years ago. The remains are identified as belonging to Sam Nimmo, an investigative journalist. He was believed to be on the run after his pregnant fiancée was found murdered and he was the prime suspect. Now it is clear that someone killed Nimmo.

The second case involves a death from five years ago. The death was determined to be accidental, but New Zealander Drew Jamieson  believes his brother hotel manager Tom Jamieson was murdered and wants Police Scotland’s Historic Cases Unit to look at the death. Tom appeared to have fallen down Edinburgh’s Scotsman Steps, but Drew obtained camera footage that showed manufacturer Marcus Nicol following Tom that night. 

The quality of the writing is very good. While the plot set-up is interesting and the two cases being investigated are compelling enough, the pace felt way-too-slow moving in this outing of the Historical Crimes Unit. It also felt unnecessarily wordy, making the cases over complicated when it became clear the direction the investigations were heading. Perhaps this is my problem due to reading several tightly plotted, succinct novels lately. For everyone who loves procedurals, however, Silent Bones certainly does have the team follow up on every clue and piece of information they discover. I have enjoyed other novels in the series more.

The characters are all well-know at this point in the series and continue to experience more development while looking into these cases so those new to the series can easily follow who is who. While they are investigating, the suspects and others involved in the cases also receive character development along the way. Expect many Scottish procedures, phrases, and words along the way. Take note that it felt dodgy and annoying for a Scot to bring up her personal opinions on US politics several times.

Silent Bones is a good choice for those who enjoy detailed procedurals. Thanks to Grove/Atlantic for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

Three Days in June

Three Days in June by Anne Tyler
2/11/25; 209 pages
Knopf Doubleday 

Three Days in June by Anne Tyler is an exceptional, very highly recommended character study which follows a socially awkward mother of the bride during the three days before and after her daughter's wedding. As with everything single book Tyler has ever written it is superb. Anne Tyler is a go-to author who has books on my best-books-ever-written-life-list.

Gail Baines day starts out challenging enough when she quits her job after being told she will be passed over to replace the retiring headmistress. Tonight is the rehearsal for her daughter's wedding tomorrow. If that wasn't enough stress, her ex-husband Max shows up at her door to stay at her house because he has brought a rescue cat he is fostering with him and can't stay at their daughter Debbie's house due to her husband-to-be Kenneth’s allergies. Debbie is at a spa day planned by the groom's mother, when she is told a secret about Kenneth. She talks to her parents about it before talking to Kenneth, and it briefly puts the wedding in question but also brings up events from Gail and Max's past. 

As expected, the writing is absolutely exceptional and captures all the emotions, over-thinking, observations, and memories that can happen during the wedding of a child, as well as suddenly having your ex stay with you before the wedding. Gail is the narrator, following the actions and reactions of everyone. Tyler is always a wonderfully empathetic writer with her ordinary characters who are trying to live their lives, learn along the way, and ultimately find/receive forgiveness.

Gail and Max are both well-written, fully developed characters with obvious strengths and weaknesses. They are also complete opposites, which is perfectly captured here. Gail is said to be socially awkward, but personally I think she is just an introvert who could be blunt and honest when she spoke but she also knew when to keep quiet, a skill many people should learn. Max is easy-going and laid back, a nice compliment to Gail's demeanor. 

There were several quotes from Gail in the book that I related to on a very personal level and I found her a very sympathetic character. There was one quote about setting boundaries I would frame. I perfectly understood that Gail's daughter was called "Debbie" rather than Deborah. For younger readers: it's a family habit that many adult children experience when family members are called a childhood nickname. 

Three Days in June by Anne Tyler is an excellent choice for anyone who enjoys character-driven novels and fans of Tyler's writing. 

Personal note: I had to put off reading Three Days in June by Anne Tyler until I had time open in my reading/reviewing schedule. Admittedly, I was also very bitter when I was turned down for a review copy and then receive an email a couple weeks later that all reviewers have a day which they can download it to read. I can't help but deduce some intern got overly ambitious with the turn-down button without any look at the stats of who was requesting it. 

The Free

The Free by Willy Vlautin
2/4/14; 320 pages 
HarperCollins 

The Free by Willy Vlautin is a very highly recommended look into the lives of three people whose lives interconnect as they are looking for meaning while facing desperate situations.

Iraq, veteran Leroy Kervin suffered a traumatic brain injury and was living in a group home. Now he is in a coma at the hospital after clarity returned to him one night and he tried to commit suicide. His memories and dreams while he is in the coma are shared in the narrative. 

Freddie McCall works two jobs, a clerk at a paint store and the overnight caretaker at the group home where Leroy was living. He still struggles to make ends meet after being buried in debt, including medical bills from his daughter. His wife moved out and took their two daughters with her.

Pauline Hawkins is a nurse at the local hospital and Leroy is one of her patients. She cares for her mentally ill father with practical yet firm kindness, buying him groceries and paying his bills. She also cares for a young patient who is a runaway, Jo, who was living in a bad situation, but doesn't know how to escape it.

The writing is straight forward while developing these realistic characters who are all depicted as fully realized individuals with strengths and weaknesses. They are all damaged in some way while they are facing issues and their fears as many ordinary working class people do. While Leroy tried to escape his situation, his dreams add a surreal, nightmarish aspect to the narrative. Freddie, who is working as hard as he can, is kind to others, and tries to hold onto some kind of hope. Pauline has deeply regulated her life and keeps her emotions tightly controlled to protect herself from harm/hurt. Jo opens up something in Pauline.

Another excellent novel by Vlautin that is a testament to the resiliency of people as they face their fears and find some kind of redemption.

The Motel Life

The Motel Life by Willy Vlautin
4/24/2007; 206 pages
HarperCollins

The Motel Life by Willy Vlautin is a very highly recommended, honest story of two brothers on the edge of society just trying to get by while down on their luck. This was Vlautin's debut novel and in it you can see the impetus for the novels that followed.

Two Reno, Nevada, brothers, Jerry Lee and Frank Flannigan, go on the run after a Jerry Lee accidentally kills a kid in a hit-and-run accident late at night during a snow storm. After the accident Jerry Lee turns to Frank for help and the two go on the run. They eventually end up back in Reno. Then, overwhelmed with guilt, Jerry Lee tries to kill himself by shooting his already partially amputated leg. He ends up in the hospital where Frank, who is constantly drinking, visits him, telling him stories to take his mind off things. Frank also rescues a dog while worrying about his brother.

Frank is the narrator of this novel that is about more than two brothers making poor choices. Their mom is dead, their father is gone, and all they have is each other. These young men are both talented, Frank with his stories and Jerry Lee with drawing, and given a chance in life could have accomplished more than living in residential motels, taking dead end jobs and drinking too much. The stories Frank tells provide the hope and escapism his brother needs. There is also a story about Frank's previous girlfriend, Annie, that finds closure.

This is a sad, but simple story of two young men living lonely, troubled, bleak lives in an alcoholic haze while walking the thin line between hope and desperation. Reading several of Vlautin's other novels before this debut novel actually made me appreciate it much more because you can see what is to come. I have enjoyed my Vlautin marathon immensely and just have one more left to read.

 

The Horse

The Horse by Willy Vlautin
7/30/24; 208 pages
HarperCollins

The Horse by Willy Vlautin is an excellent, very highly recommended character study/assessment of a man's life. This is a deeply personal, moving novel.

Sixty-seven-year-old Al Ward was a songwriter, guitarist, and alcoholic who now lives without heat or running water in the assayer's shack on an isolated mining claim he inherited from his great-uncle Mel. Now he lives on instant coffee, canned soup, and a simple routine while recalling past events from his life and the many songs he wrote over the years.  He was talented enough to travel with several different bands, but his real gift was in his song writing. His alcoholism, however, often made his life difficult.

When a blind, scarred horse shows up and just stands outside the shack, Al is at a lost on what to do. He knows nothing about horses, but clearly this horse needs help. He hopes the horse leaves, but it stays, just standing there. It's winter, he hasn't tried to start his car for many months, so he can't drive for help. He's unable to put it out of it's misery. Al needs to find a way to help the horse, and perhaps himself.

The writing perfectly captures the essential events in Al's life and his current situation. It is spare and restrained, but that makes Al's memories from the past even more compelling as he reflects on his past. We know why Al is hiding out in the desert through his memories. While the bulk of the narrative is about Al's life experiences, it is clear that helping this sick horse is giving Al a purpose beyond recalling his past and perhaps even a chance to find peace.

This is also an inside look at a song writer's drive to write songs. There are the complete lyrics to several songs in the novel, but there are lists of the titles of the numerous songs Al wrote. The songs captured events in his life and his reaction to them. It is a sad novel, but ends with a surprising hope for redemption.

* For anyone following my reviews you may notice I've read several of Willy Vlautin's novel lately, loving everyone of them. After reading The Night Always Comes several years ago I immediately bought every novel he wrote. Between work and my reviewing schedule I never got to them but now I'm taking the time now to read everything before his next novel is released.  

Don't Skip Out on Me

Don't Skip Out on Me by Willy Vlautin
2/13/18; 304 pages
HarperCollins

Don't Skip Out on Me by Willy Vlautin is the very highly recommended story and character study of a young man with a dream and the father figure who supports him.

Horace Hopper, 21, is half-Paiute, half-Irish, and is treated like a son by his guardians, the Reeses. His parents left him with his racist grandmother when he was 12, promising to return, but never did. When Horace was 14 his grandmother could no longer take care of him so he went to live with Eldon and Louise Reese on their sheep ranch in a canyon outside Tonopah, Nevada. Horace has always longed to be someone and dreams of being a Mexican boxer because he feels they are warriors who never quit. His plan is to go to Tucson, Arizona, to participate in a Golden Gloves competition and then become a professional boxer.

Mr. Reese is 72 and has a bad back. He really needs Horace's help on the ranch, but he supports Horace's dream and knows that he must find his own way. The Reeses will support Horace unconditionally but also truly believe that Horace will return to the ranch, which will become his, one day. By the time the Reeses became guardians for Horace his self esteem and sense of worth was already broken from being abandoned by his parents and living with his grandmother. Mr. Reese understood that Horace had to try to succeed at his dream, no matter how unobtainable it was.

As expected, the writing is pitch perfect with decisive, clean prose in this haunting, compelling portrayal of two men in different stages of their lives. The narrative seamlessly moves back and forth between Horace and mr. Reese, developing them as fully realized, believable, and sympathetic characters. While Horace is searching for identity and purpose, Mr. Reese is seeing the end in sight.

Yes, there is a lot of boxing in the novel but the underlying theme of the novel transcends boxing. As in any quest to find meaning and purpose, brutal hardships and uncompromising facts appear and leave the protagonist the choice to either face them realistically or ignore the signs. It is also difficult for most people to admit defeat and return home with their broken dreams. Mr. Reese told Horace the story of his return home, leaving a dream behind. Horace chose to miss the obvious fact that he would be accepted, loved, and find purpose if he returned home. The ending is abrupt and heartbreaking.

Lean on Pete

Lean on Pete by Willy Vlautin
4/13/10; 304 pages
HarperCollins 

Lean on Pete by Willy Vlautin is a very highly recommended drama following a boy looking for some stability in his life. This is another novel that is hard to read emotionally, but stay with it. Again, I cried, hard, but loved this novel. You will reach absolute hopelessness and desperation before there is a glimmer of redemption for Charley. The ending is very well done. 

Fifteen-year-old Charley Thompson wants a home, food on the table, and a high school where he can play football. His single father, however, leaves Charley on his own for days without food in the house or enough money to buy food. They have just moved to Portland from Spokane and Charley knows no one. Charley finally ends up looking for a job and finds one after helping seventy-year-old curmudgeon Del change a tire. The job is helping Del with his horses at the Portland Meadows racetrack. Del is very unreliable as far as paying Charley, but it is a way to earn money for food. He also develops a relationship with a quarter horse named Lean on Pete. Then several tragic circumstances result in Charley on the run with Lean on Pete, looking for his long-lost aunt who lives somewhere in Wyoming.

The writing may seem simple but that is hardly the case. The realism and emotional impact Vlautin's novels have is simply incredible. Charley will break your heart. He's just a teen who is fighting to survive under desperate circumstances. He has been failed by those meant to protect them in a world that seems intent on beating him down. He has no one to help him navigate the events in his life or even really care about him. There are some supportive actions taken along the way, but most people are too self-involved to really see outside their bubble. 

Northline

Northline by Willy Vlautin
9/27/11; 224 pages
HarperCollins 

Northline by Willy Vlautin is an excellent, very highly recommended, brutally honest, yet ultimately moving domestic drama about overcoming. This one is hard to read emotionally, but stay with it. I simply loved this novel. 

Allison Johnson is perpetually drunk and still with her abusive boyfriend Jimmy Bodie when she decides to flee Los Vegas and go to Reno. There she will give up for adoption the baby Jimmy knows nothing about and start a new life. Her imaginary conversations with Paul Newman help to ground her while she works the graveyard shift as a waitress at the Cal Neva Top Deck restaurant. She struggles but slowly takes steps to improve herself, including talking to regular customers like Dan Mahony and taking a second job as a telephone solicitor for Curt vacuum cleaners. 

What Vlautin does so exceptionally well is capturing the emotions and turmoil in his characters while keeping it real. These are all very realistic working class characters who struggle everyday to just live their lives even while doubting themselves. Along the way there are people who step up to help Allison, showing that there are good people in the world who will help others rather than tear them down or take advantage of them. Ultimately, Allison, a memorable, fragile character, must overcome her bad decisions, even while her choices are limited, if she wants to live a normal life.