The Beast in the Clouds

The Beast in the Clouds by Nathalia Holt
7/1/25; 288 pages
Atria/One Signal 

The Beast in the Clouds by Nathalia Holt is a very highly recommended account of the 1928-1929 Himalayan expedition across China and Tibet undertaken by Theodore (Ted) Roosevelt Jr. and Kermit Roosevelt, the eldest sons of Theodore Roosevelt, to find the mythical beishung, or panda bear. Chicago's Field Museum was supporting the expedition, funded by William Vallandigham Kelley. This was a time when many scientists, adventurers and hunters were searching for physical specimens for museum collections, including the American Museum of Natural History.

This is a well written story that will appeal to those who enjoy history, nature, and adventure tales. The pace is actually fast as it immediately opens with the expedition. Holt not only chronicles the brothers exploration and the many challenges, dangers, and hardships they faced, she also includes information on the plant and animal life as well as the cultures of the people they encountered as they traveled. Additionally, she focuses on the other members of the team of scientists and naturalists along with the men and women who assisted in the expedition and actually made it possible. The brothers are portrayed as realistic individuals, with their strengths and weaknesses included.

The text includes photos throughout and following it are notes and an index. The Beast in the Clouds is a real life, well researched adventure story. Thanks to Atria for providing me with an advance reader's copy via Edelweiss. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The White Crow

The White Crow by Michael Robotham
7/1/25; 368 pages
Scribner 
Philomena McCarthy Series #2

The White Crow by Michael Robotham is a highly recommended crime novel/procedural. This is the second novel featuring police officer Philomena (Phil) McCarthy (the first one is When You Are Mine) but can be read as a standalone novel.

Philomena McCarthy is a young officer with the Metropolitan Police and her husband Henry is a firefighter. When she sees a child wandering in the streets alone at night she stops and helps her. It's a little girl, Daisy, who leads Phil to her home and the discovery of the body of her mother. At the same time across town Chief Inspector Brendan Keegan responds to a violent robbery of a jewelry store and a man left with a bomb strapped to his body. The man is Daisy's father, who was taken from his home and forced by masked men to open up the store. Millions of dollars of jewelry is gone.

Complicating matters further is that Phil's family may be implicated in the robbery. Phil is the daughter of Edward McCarthy, a London gangster and leader of a criminal empire he has built with his brothers. This case may put her career and possibly her life in jeopardy, especially if it really does involve her father and uncles. Chapters alternate between Phil and the police investigation, and her father and uncles concern over a new mobster/crime boss from Eastern European moving into London.

Once again Robotham provides an extremely well written, perfectly paced, and wonderfully intricate puzzle of a thriller. The complicated, layered plot moves quickly while keeping the tension high. There are so many clues presented and questions that will arise concerning Phil's investigations along the way.  It's always a pleasure to follow an investigation with twists and surprising discoveries along the way.

Phil continues to be a fully realized, complex character and an engaging protagonist. She has keen investigative instincts, but you may question her judgment at times in the novel. You will want the best for her, but she can be a frustrating character for me. Her family is a colorful but loyal group of mobsters. DCI Keegan who is leading the police investigation can be a frustrating character, but he does experience growth.

The White Crow is a good choice for those who enjoy procedurals. Thanks to Scribner for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

Party of Liars

Party of Liars by Kelsey Cox
7/1/25; 336 pages
St. Martin's Press

Party of Liars by Kelsey Cox is a very highly recommended character-driven psychological thriller full of twists. This one is unpredictable. You will try to piece all the clues together but you won't be able to guess where the plot is going. Well played Kelsey Cox, this is a superb debut.

Sophie Matthews is being thrown a Texas-sized Sweet Sixteen party at the luxurious restored Victorian mansion where her father Ethan and his second wife Dani live in the small Texas town of Bulverde. The party is going to be a huge event and everyone attending is excited to see the inside of the renovated mansion, especially because it is rumored to be haunted. We know from the opening that someone falls to their death from a balcony the night of the party. But who was it?

The characters are important in this psychological thriller. Four characters, Dani, Orlaith, Mikayla, and Kim are narrators in alternating chapters.
Dani is Ethan's 27-year-old second wife and mother to 5-month-old Charlotte. Her dream is to open a bakery. She has struggled with paranoia and then postpartum depression. Someone is watching and threatening her.
Orlaith is the Irish nanny in her sixties. She has many dark, depressing stories to share and is superstitious. Her trustworthiness is suspect.
Mikayla has been Sophie's best friend since they were very young. As the story continues it becomes clear that she has secrets of her own.
Kim is the mother of Sophie and Ethan's first wife. She is the one who worked on renovations of the mansion. Now she's an alcoholic, anger, bitter, and holding a grudge. 

Other notable characters included in the narrative include: Ethan, a psychiatrist, father to Sophie, husband to Dani, ex-husband to Kim, and the host of the party. Spohie is the birthday girl. She is a cheerleader and her ex-boyfriend is Mason. Curtis is Ethan's partner and Dani's psychiatrist. Gemma is the wife of Curtis. There are numerous other characters, townspeople, and teens, mentioned too.

The writing is pitch-perfect, the twists and surprising revelations abound, and Party of Liars held my complete attention throughout. The plot unfolds in three parts, Before the Party, The Night of the Party (the longest section), and After the Party. As you closely follow the four narrators relating their experiences and thoughts, suspicions bound and the tension rises. The plot is set up as a locked-room whodunnit, but on a Texas sized scale with a gothic ghost story influence. Even though most of the action is during one night, the pace moved quickly because so much was going on and so many clues were dropped.

All of the characters are fully realized, complex individuals who are realistically portrayed with both strengths and weaknesses. They are so well-written and portrayed that you'll swear you know some of these people or met them before. While reading you will alternately sympathize with them, question their sanity, be suspicious, actively dislike them, and care deeply. They all seem to be lying about something. The ending completely surprised me.

Party of Liars is an excellent choice if you enjoy complex character-driven psychological thrillers. 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.

The Homemade God

The Homemade God by Rachel Joyce
7/8/25; 336 pages
Random House/Dial Press 

The Homemade God by Rachel Joyce is a very highly recommended, insightful domestic drama following a dysfunctional family and a potential murder.

Artist Vic Kemp, 76, invites his four children out to lunch to inform them that he is in love with Bella-Mae, 27, and plans to marry her. He is also going to plan to start painting his final masterpiece. He has given up drinking, drinks the special tea Bella-Mae makes, and has lost a lot of weight. He wants them to all meet at the family's summer retreat, an Italian villa on Lake Orta. Vic is a man who was a erratic parent who also has had an unhealthy hold on his children who all want his attention.

His children range from 40 to 33 years old and they are unusually close after their mother die at a young age. Basically the oldest, Netta raised them. Netta is now a lawyer who drinks too much. Susan married an older man with twin sons. she had wanted to be a chef. Goose (Gusta) is a failed artist who had a breakdown. He is his father's studio assistant. The youngest, Iris, is the most fragile. She gets entry level jobs and wears thrift store clothes.

When their father marries Bella-Mae in Italy and later dies, the family rushes to the villa. Netta is looking for the will and evidence that Vic was murdered. The others are all grieving, confronting their childhood roles and emotional scars, as well as years of things left unsaid.

This is a beautifully written, atmospheric, character driven novel that closely examines a family on the verge of collapsing when their father dies. Admittedly, it feels like a slow start, but much of that is establishing the status quo between the family members and the significance Vic plays in all of their lives as well as their individual roles in the family dynamics. Once the plot and the mystery take off, the tension and drama increase dramatically. This novel gets better with each turn of the page.

The characters are all portrayed as fully realized, complex individuals with both strengths and weaknesses. Bella-Mae is the exception as her character development doesn't receive the same attention until the very end of the novel. The four siblings have spent years donning their expected role while never honestly sharing their real thoughts or the damage done to them by Vic. During their time on the island after their father's death they are all finally heading toward facing the truth.

The Homemade God is an excellent novel that would provide a book club with lively discussions. Thanks to Random House/Dial Press for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

Don't Let Him In

Don't Let Him In by Lisa Jewell
6/24/25; 368 pages
Atria

Don't Let Him In by Lisa Jewell is a very highly recommended domestic psychological suspense novel following one one con man, or perhaps three, and the women he targets. Once you start reading this one it's impossible to put it down.

Recent widow Nina Swann receives a condolence card and soon after that a lighter from Nick Radcliffe, who claims to be an old friend of her late husband, Paddy. She meets Nick and starts a relationship with him, much to the dismay of her daughter Ash, who has bad feeling about him. Ash begins to look into Nick. In a nearby town, Alistair, husband of Martha, a florist, seems to be traveling for work more and more and she is suspicious something else is afoot. Then there is also a jump back in time following man who hates his wife and is scheming to get her money.

The writing is absolutely excellent. The tension ramps up with each revelation and shocking twist leading up to a very satisfying conclusion. Obviously, it will be clear that Don't Let Him In is following the nefarious deeds of a man who is a smooth operator and a narcissistic sociopath. His actions and thoughts are increasingly treacherous and cunning.

Give the narrative time to set up the different scenarios as it follows alternating points of views, indicated by a change in fonts. When it moves back in time, it is noted before the passage. This man's slick but devious actions will infuriate you, but keep reading. While it may seem disjointed at the beginning, things will quickly become clear and the plot becomes intense, ominous, and un-put-downable.

The characters are all portrayed as fully realized individuals with strengths and weaknesses. Following the thoughts and deeds of Nick/Alisair will anger you. At the same time you will be cheering for Ash's efforts to find out more about the man who calls himself Nick Radcliffe.

Don't Let Him In is an exceptional novel of psychological suspense. Thanks to Atria for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

I'll Be Right Here

I'll Be Right Here by Amy Bloom
6/24/24; 272 pages
Random House

I'll Be Right Here by Amy Bloom is a so-so novel about found families. 

In 1942 Gazala, seventeen, works for the writer Colette. She immigrates alone from Paris to New York after World War II, and becomes friends with sisters Anne and Alma Cohen. Gazala’s adopted brother, Samir, later joins her and the two become lovers. These four characters become life long friends and a family to each other.

This is a beautifully written novel but the(dis)organization and the lack of a noteworthy plot make it a mess to read. Nevertheless, I persisted and stayed with it because it is also a very short novel. Be forewarned that the chapters jump back and forth in time throughout the narrative. It is not a before and after set up, it is jumping back and forth to random years. It is also consumed with various interpersonal relationships. All of this and the narrative fails to tell a story. The beginning of the novel focuses on Gazala but she later becomes a secondary character. 

Bloom gets a point for her descriptive writing, but the presentation and lack of a cohesive story were disappointing. Thanks to Random House for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The Whyte Python World Tour

The Whyte Python World Tour by Travis Kennedy
6/24/25; 416 pages
Doubleday

The Whyte Python World Tour by Travis Kennedy is a very highly recommended novel that blends tales of an 80's hair metal band with a Cold War PSYOP. This entertaining, fun book really is on a "satirical knife-edge between high-suspense and head-banging hilarity."

In 1986 Drummer Rikki Thunder (Richard Henderson) met his girlfriend Tawny Spice while putting out flyers for his band in Los Angeles. She soon manages to get him on as a drummer for the up and coming band Whyte Python. Rikki is thrilled to join the members of Whyte Python - lead singer, Davy Bones, shredding guitarist, Buck Sweet, and bassist, Spencer Dooley. The the band's success takes off. They have a hit single and are selling out clubs. Their album soars on the charts and they go on tour. He has a beautiful girlfriend. Life is good.

What he doesn't know is that Tawny Spice is actually Amanda Price, an undercover CIA agent with Project Facemelt. The goal is to propel Whyte Python to fame and get them to tour in eastern bloc countries behind the Iron Curtain. The mission is to inspire a youth revolution through American music. Rikki Thunder is thrust into the role of drummer and international spy as the band spreads "peace, love, and epic shredding across the globe."

Honestly, it was surprising how much I enjoyed this headbanging, shredding comedy. And yes, it is mainly a comedy, but there are some suspenseful and serious scenes too. The plot unfolds through the point-of-view of Rikki and Tawny. Readers should take note that the action is a little slow to take off but once it does it is definitely worth the wait. Expect a lot of name dropping of bands from the 80s.

The Whyte Python World Tour would make an excellent retro 80s rock 'n' roll movie. Thanks to Doubleday for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

What We Leave Behind

What We Leave Behind by Sue Halpern
6/24/25; 352 pages
Harper Perennial

What We Leave Behind by Sue Halpern is a highly recommended domestic drama following two women of different ages and backgrounds.

Delia Marcus, wife of Eddie and mother to Melody, 17, dies in a freak accident. While Eddie is deeply mourning a woman he loves, Melody, who was adopted at age 3, is both mourning and confused. She was planning on taking the SATs and then heading on to college. Now, she has never heard the full story of her adoption and her mother is dead. After talking to friends, she questions if she should even go to college, take a gap year, or work on an organic farm.

Candace Milton is a successful HR professional in her forties. She has a best friend, Paul. After growing up in a turbulent home, she is intentionally single and unattached. When her company moves to Connecticut, she leaves New York City for a home in the country located closer to her job. Friends from the city come out to visit her and on Thanksgiving they save a man who fell into the pond when he broke through the ice. His name is Tom and he may offer the emotional attachment she needs.

The chapters alternate between the separate narratives following the lives of these two women. Their individual stories are distinctive and not kindred tales. Their lives do connect, but only briefly toward the end, and in an incidental way, although it is an encouraging occurrence. Basically, the novel follows two very different women contending with their own diverse emotional trauma from their parents and their destiny.

The writing is very good and the characters are all portrayed as sympathetic, unique individuals with strengths and weaknesses. You will hope both Melody and Candace find their way through life, overcome their emotional pain, and encounter future peace of mind. The choice to tell the story of these two women, side by side, in two distinct narratives is an interesting, especially since they are not dependent on each other. It kind of comes together in the end, but not completely.

There were several little issues along the way in the plot. They include: No mention of doing or even hiring someone to do yard work or snow removal at Candace's house in the country. All the climate change comments, which added nothing to the plot. Finally, the throw-away line about not moving with a company to South Dakota, specifically mentioning the Bad Lands, came across annoyingly coastal elitist since that is not where tech companies are relocating to in SD.

What We Leave Behind is a good choice for those who enjoy domestic dramas and can appreciate the dual story lines. 3.5 rounded up. Thanks to Harper Perennial for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The Accidental Favorite

The Accidental Favorite by Fran Littlewood
6/24/25; 320 pages
Henry Holt & Company

The Accidental Favorite by Fran Littlewood is a recommended drama featuring a dysfunctional family.

Vivienne and Patrick Fisher have three adult daughters, Alex, 45, Nancy, 44, and Eva, 40. When all three generations of the family gather at a glass house in the country to celebrate Vivienne's 70th birthday a near- tragic accident reveals to everyone that their father, Patrick, has a favorite daughter. This revelation results in sibling rivalries being resumed, while secrets abound, long held resentments surfaces, and family ties are strained.

The narrative unfolds from alternating perspectives of the sisters Alex, Nancy, and Eva, and their mother, Vivienne. The revelations follow events from 1976 to the present, exposing their present situations and past grievances. As with any family the tensions can span years and confront varying different memories of events. Also included are all the children and partners of the sisters.

Occasionally an insightful and impactful observation surfaces, and there is some humor along with emotional depth, but, beyond that, the plot mostly feels unfocused as it wanders between memories and current problems.  They are all portrayed as realistic individuals, but, personally, I struggled with caring about all these characters.  I was left with the overwhelming questions: Why did they all agree to this week long vacation together? Why not just a quick weekend?

Normally, a story with a dysfunctional family can hold my attention, but I struggled  here. It may be the author's writing style simply isn't a preferred style for me. The ending did bump up my rating. If you like dramas with messy dysfunctional families you might want to give The Accidental Favorite a try. 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 Black Highway

The Black Highway by Simon Toyne
6/24/25; 368 pages
HarperCollins
Laughton Rees #3

The Black Highway by Simon Toyne is a highly recommended investigative thriller. In England the River Thames is also called the black highway because of the number of homicide victims that are found in it. This is the third novel in the Laughton Rees series.

Detective Chief Inspector Tannahill Khan is called to the banks of the Thames where a male body, without hands and head, has been found. Tannahill is in a relationship with forensic specialist Laughton Rees so he immediately notices that her address has been written on the mans arm. The same night Laughton's teenage daughter, Gracie, demands to know who her father is for a school family tree project. Gracie’s father, Shelby Facer, was recently released from prison for his involvement in an international drug trafficking ring. When he unexpectedly turns up at Laughton's door he provides information that leads to the identification of the body. Then a second body in the same condition is found in the Thames.

It seems the case is tied to events from years ago and Tannahill and Laughton need to explore a past case, one that Laughton's father, Police Commissioner John Rees, was involved with. There are several twists and complications as the even-paced plot unfolds and new clues and evidence is uncovered. The pace does seem slow in the middle of the narrative. Along the way, the relationship between Laughton and Tannahill is explored and further developed.

The writing is very good and the story is interesting, however, having Gracie's father show up right after she learns his name is was way-too-much of a concurrence at the opening of the novel. It tempered my opinion while reading the rest of the novel, which essentially meant it had to be excellent in order to make-up for that glaring coincidence. Keep reading. It does make amends in many ways and the ending is surprising.

The Black Highway is a great choice for those who enjoy procedurals and investigative thrillers. Thanks to HarperCollins for providing me with an advance reader's copy via Edelweiss. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

You Don't Know Me

You Don't Know Me by Theo Baxter
6/22/25; 320 pages
Inkubator Books

You Don't Know Me by Theo Baxter is a recommended family drama following a family after the death of their wealthy parents.

Isobel, Harold, and Annabelle Marconi are planning their father's funeral when their mother is killed in a hit and run accident. At the service for both of her parents, Mary and her son David show up and introduce themselves. David is apparently their half-brother from an affair their father was having years earlier. Annabelle is uncertain, but Isobel forges ahead and invites them to move in and stay with the family while the estate is settled. Now the question of inheritance looms large as the family is very wealthy. Soon it becomes abundantly clear that something evil is afoot.

The first part of the novel does capture your attention, and sets up an interesting plot. It will keep you reading to see how events are going to unfold. Annabelle is the narrator so all the events are from her point-of-view, with the exception being the opening scene. The conflicts between siblings is realistic, if a bit overdone. The tension remains throughout the novel and the threats to their health and safety are quite credible. There are plenty of secrets on several fronts.

However, all the bad decisions and misplaced trust made throughout the narrative simply stretched my disbelief to the breaking point - and I can handle a big dose of disbelief for a good novel. Any family with the kind of wealth the Marconi's are portrayed as having would taken much more care and caution. The final denouement is also quite predictable, so the suspense lies in the anticipation of the final reveal, rather than in the whodunit question.

You Don't Know Me is for those who like family dramas with a YA feel. Thanks to Inkubator Books for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

Murder Takes a Vacation

Murder Takes a Vacation by Laura Lippman
6/17/25; 272 pages
William Morrow

Murder Takes a Vacation by Laura Lippman is a recommended cozy mystery featuring widow Muriel Blossom, 68, on a Parisian river cruise.

Mrs. Blossom found a lottery ticket in a parking lot that resulted in an $8 million dollar win. She decides to see the world, starting with a trip to France and a river cruise with her best friend, Elinor. She meets Allan at the airport and he helps her negotiate her way to the transatlantic flight. He continues to assist her in London when she misses her connecting flight and the two enjoy each other's company for a day. The next day she continues on to Paris. 

Mrs. Blossom ends up meeting a man who was following her, Danny Johnson, and he becomes a part of her trip, for better of for worse. In Paris someone searches her room and Allan turns up dead there when he was supposed to have meetings in London. Danny, who may be FBI or a PI, warns Mrs. Blossom that she might be in danger. Mrs. Blossom continues on to meet her friend Elinor and go on their cruise, finding Danny is also on the trip.

This novel had potential. The quality of the writing is good. Muriel Blossom is a charming character and there were many details that were appealing in this mystery, including her love of art and details about places. It works as a cozy because nothing is graphic. She reflects on her deceased husband and her life. She ponders her daughter and family moving overseas, leaving her on her own. She's starting a new chapter of her life and now has the money to do it.

On the other hand, there were several elements that were overwhelmingly problematic. First and most notably is the fact that there is no real mystery. It is abundantly clear throughout the novel exactly what is going on but Muriel remains utterly clueless. She talks about her weight and being old incessantly. Finally, she is too trusting and has no ability to read people. Being pleasant does not equate being gullible. Lippman has written better novels.

Murder Takes a Vacation is a good selection for those who like cozy mysteries without a lot of suspense. Thanks to William Morrow for providing me with an advance reader's copy via edelweiss. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

Hazel Says No

Hazel Says No by Jessica Berger Gross
6/17/25; 352 pages
Hanover Square Press

Hazel Says No by Jessica Berger Gross is a recommended coming-of-age novel tackling topical issues including the me too movement and cancelling people.

Gus Blum, an American studies professor, accepted a tenured position as department head at a college in Riverburg, Maine.  His wife Claire is a clothing designer, daughter Hazel is an eighteen-year-old high school senior and son Wolf is eleven-year-old sixth grader in middle school. His family moves from Brooklyn to the small town and try to find their place where they are one of the few Jewish families in town.

On the first day of school Hazel has the principal of her new high school call her to his office and proposition her. He also threatens her future college acceptances. The fall out from this impacts everyone in the family. Adding to the turmoil is the poorly planned first lecture her father gives, which was based on one he gave many years earlier. It results in a petition to fire him.

The narrative unfolds through the point-of-view of each family member in alternating chapters. Each of the members of the Blum family is struggling and experiencing stress from several different directions and sources. Obviously the harassment looms large, but the resulting fallout causes guilt, victim-blaming, and trauma among the family members. Additionally, it captures the struggles associated with moving to a small town and finding a way to try to fit in.

While the first half of this new adult novel is excellent, starts strong, and gives all the family members compelling, credible voices, in the second half it then evades the realistic direction it was taking. First the narrative suddenly loses track of what was making it successful and begins to takes on the author's voice rather than that of the characters. It becomes lecturing rather than leaving room for thoughtful reflection upon all the events. The unrealistic turn in the plot feels affected which totally changes the tone. I started out totally engrossed in the novel and was tempted to set it aside in the second half.

Hazel Says No is recommended for the right readers. It could be a good book club selection. Thanks to Hanover Square Press for providing me with an advance reader's copy via Edelweiss. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

Question of Guilt

Question of Guilt by Sally Rigby
6/12/25; 246 pages
Storm Publishing
Sebastian Clifford #7

Question of Guilt by Sally Rigby is a recommended procedural/cozy mystery and the seventh book in the Sebastian Clifford series. In this outing private investigators Sebastian (Seb) Clifford and Lucinda 'Birdie' Bird take on investigating a cold case. It can be read as a stand alone novel.

Thirty-six years ago Daryl Brackstone's mother Helen was murdered. Her father, who was convicted for the crime, recently died while still in prison. Daryl never believed her father was guilty. When a true crime podcaster  contacted her about her mother's murder, Daryl decided to hire a private investigator to look into the case, which brought her in contact with Seb and Birdie. 

The duo decide to take on the case and discover that the police didn't look at anyone but her father and her mother Helen was part of a secretive activist group investigating high-level corruption. Soon the investigators are being targeted which clearly indicates someone has something to hide.

This an even-paced investigative mystery. Clues and information are logically followed as more facts are uncovered in their inquiry, leading the two to further areas to examine. Admittedly, the plot is also very predictable this time. When the opening scene shows the reader that the father was not involved in the murder, it removed the question of guilt and thus some of the tension from the investigation. It might have been a better choice to not start with that scene.

It was entertaining to follow Seb and Birdie looking into the case and see their partnership develop further. Seb's college-aged daughter makes an appearance and is great at assisting with research. The inclusion of Birdie going on a date was a pointless addition to the story and felt like pandering. Personally, I have enjoyed Rigby's other mysteries more. Thanks to Storm for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

Deep Water

Deep Water by Paul Heatley
6/8/25; 306 pages
Inkubator Books
Tom Rollins #17

Deep Water by Paul Heatley is a highly recommended action-packed thriller. This is the seventeenth book featuring Tom Rollins, a former black ops specialist who is known for vigilantism and seeking justice by what ever means possible. This is another intense action/adventure page-turner.

Tom Rollins is working a construction job in Newark, NJ, when Dennis, a young man who he works with, witnesses a brutal crime and sees the perpetrators. Tom accompanies him to the police to report it, but it quickly becomes clear to Tom that the police know who did it and are being paid off by them. When the two crooked officers come to their job site to take Dennis and Tom in for questioning, Tom secretly prepares for what he knows will be their demise. He's right, but his preparation means they escape. Now they are on the run being ruthlessly hunted by a security force representing the Penneys and their pharmaceutical empire.

Expect non-stop action, constant threats, and a credible adversary in this suspenseful thriller. The pages will fly by following the mysteries, murders, violence, and henchmen galore. Sure, you'll have to set disbelief aside, but that is easily done while following the actions of Rollins, an intelligent, observant, and, above all else, lethal one-man-demolition-crew seeking justice.

Even though this is the seventeenth book in the series, Deep Water can easily be read as a stand alone novel. There is enough background information seamlessly included in the plot to understand Tom Rollins and his background. Those new to the series could always go back and read previous titles if you enjoy this fast-paced, gripping thriller.

Deep Water is a perfect choice for those who want a thriller featuring an action-hero plot. Thanks to Inkubator Books for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

Death at the White Hart

Death at the White Hart by Chris Chibnall
6/10/25; 352 pages
Penguin Group

Death at the White Hart by Chris Chibnall is a highly recommended procedural set in the English village of Fleetcombe. This is the debut novel of the creator of TV's Broadchurch series.

A man is found dead in the middle of the road tied to a chair with a stag’s antlers attached to his head. The victim is well known and immediately identified at the scene as Jim Tiernan, who ran the White Hart pub. Called to the scene is Detective Nicola Bridge, 38, who has recently come to Fleetcombe, a small West Dorset village, from Liverpool. She thought a slower pace would be good for her marriage. Also called is rookie DC Harry Ward. He is ten years younger and a newcomer too. Nicola has years of experience and Harry is eager to assist and learn.

The department has no real experience with a crime of this sort so all of Nicola's experience is desperately needed, as well as her observation skills. Harry is surprising with how much he steps up to assist. As with any small town, there are plenty of secrets and history between everyone. Not all those questioned are forthcoming or open with the information they know

This well written, intelligent procedural features a complex investigation, an even pace, and fully realized characters. All the clues are logically followed and as a pub owner, the list of local people who need to be questioned, and re-questioned, includes people who knew Jim or had interactions with him the night of the crime. The characters all feel like unique, real people which makes it very easy to follow the investigation and piece together clues along the way. These characters deserves a sequel.

Death at the White Hart is a prefect choice for anyone who enjoys British police procedurals. Thanks to the Penguin Group for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

Plays Well with Others

Plays Well with Others by Lauren Myracle
6/10/25; 288 pages
Blackstone Publishing

Plays Well with Others by Lauren Myracle is a very highly recommended character based domestic thriller/suburban noir. The whole is much more than the parts when everything comes together for an engaging, compelling thriller. This debut adult fiction novel is a success.

Jake (Jacquelyn) Nolan lost her husband, baby, and best friend in one fell swoop. She was pregnant, gave birth early, lost her son, and then discovered her husband, Adam, was having an affair with her best friend, Shelby, and he was leaving her. She wrote an angry comment on social media and then wrote an angry private response to Shelby, who immediately edited Jake's comments to make her look bad and posted their private correspondence on social media. It exploded online and made Jake a social pariah.

Now Jake has moved to a bungalow on Sweetwater Lane in Fort Collins, Colorado. She keeps to herself as she is still recognized after the social media scandal, but her neighbor Mabel welcomes her to the neighborhood and the two become best friends. Mabel has her own issues, past and present, bothering her. There are also some children in the neighborhood who have their stories told. including Bethany, Mabel's 10-year old stepdaughter, Billy, with an abusive mother, and siblings Delilah and Wendell, who are living with their aunt.

This is well-written, fast-paced novel is really a character study with a plot that explores betrayal, deceit, friendship, toxic social media, and revenge. The narrative is an engrossing page-turner that is full of twists and secrets along with some humor. It is a novel that will hold your complete attention and just becomes more compelling with each chapter. It was surprising how much I enjoyed this novel.

The chapters all are from either Jake, Mabel, Billy, and Wendell's point-of-view, with Jake's story the initial main focus. At first readers may wonder why the children's viewpoints, but it all comes together at the end. The characters, including the children, are all fully realized individuals and realistically developed with strengths and weaknesses.

Plays Well with Others is a great choice for those who like a character based thriller set in the age of social media. Thanks to Blackstone Publishing for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

Jill Is Not Happy

Jill Is Not Happy by Kaira Rouda
6/10/25; 256 pages
Penzler Publishers

Jill Is Not Happy by Kaira Rouda is a highly recommended domestic thriller featuring a very flawed couple in a toxic marriage.

Jack and Jill Tingley met in college and have been married for over twenty years. With their daughter Maggie now away at college, Jill has planned a road trip to Utah for her and Jack to reconnect. Jack, on the other hand wants nothing more to do with Jill. He has a mistress and is planning to divorce Jill as soon as they return. The only reason he has stayed with her for so long is due to a tragic secret the two share. Jill is not happy; she is not going to allow Jack to leave and she has it all in writing.

With each chapter the fast-paced narrative switches between the point-of-view of Jack and Jill. As more secrets are revealed, the toxicity, scheming, and tension explode off the page along with the new twists in the plot. Jill is presented as especially cunning and obsessive, but the deviousness and duplicity of both characters is revealed along the way. Ultimately none of the characters are trustworthy or likable, but following their drama is deliciously entertaining.

Jill Is Not Happy is a perfect choice for those who enjoy reading fast-paced domestic thrillers with devious characters. Thanks to Penzler Publishing for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

Kill Your Darlings

Kill Your Darlings by Peter Swanson
6/10/25; 288 pages
William Morrow 

Kill Your Darlings by Peter Swanson is a highly recommended murder mystery in reverse. The marriage and relationship of Thom and Wendy Graves is told in a nonlinear timeline, starting at 2023 with chapters going backward in time to 1982.

Thom Graves is a tenured English literature professor who drinks too much and is a womanizer while Wendy is a published poet. The two have been married for over twenty-five years, their son Jason is an adult, and Wendy is ready to murder her husband. She has to murder him rather than divorce him to ensure he keeps a secret the two share from many years ago and he has dropped some hints recently that he may be writing a murder mystery about their secret.

The slow moving narrative starts with what would normally be the ending and subsequently moves four decades back in time providing the history of their relationship through both of their points-of-view. Each step back in time provides more information and clues about their past and insight into their present, or rather the ending that starts the novel. The final chapters, the beginning, can reveal the significance of later, or earlier events.

What kept me reading was the unique format and I wanted to see if it would work when I reached the end/beginning. Honestly, this story of an unhappy marriage wasn't that engaging until about the 40% mark in my ebook at which point it seems more connections between present and past are coming together and more revealing details emerge. The ending, or the beginning, was worth the wait. While I can appreciate a narrative with flashbacks within the narrative, I may avoid novels with this structure in the future.

Kill Your Darlings will be appreciated by readers who can appreciate the nonlinear timeline. 3.5 rounded up. Thanks to William Morrow for providing me with an advance reader's copy via Edelweiss. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

 

Believe Me Now

Believe Me Now by S. M. Govett
6/10/25, 320 pages
Crooked Lane Books

Believe Me Now by S. M. Govett is a recommended investigative thriller that unfolds between dual narrators. The title is Believe in the UK.

Natalie Campbell experienced a traumatic event ten years ago and still struggles with PTSD and blackouts. She has coping strategies and routines to help her and she also relies on her husband Ryan. Then her life is shaken up when she begins to receive the same kinds of threatening letters she was sent years ago. Following this her husband is accused of the same crime that ruined her life and the accuser, Alice Lytton, is found dead.

DI Helen Stratton understands past trauma. Stratton joined the force to make a difference for lost or missing women after her sixteen-year-old sister disappeared years ago and the police didn't take it seriously. Now she's been on the force for years and assigned a new partner, DC Bradley. The two are assigned to the murder case of Alice.

Following the two very different points-of-view in alternating chapters works very well in this investigative thriller. Natalie is a very sympathetic character but with her blackouts readers also won't know if she is entirely a trustworthy one. Stratton is a bit of a prickly woman, but an observant and competent detective that you will trust.

There are plenty of suspects and the suspense is high throughout the fast-paced novel. I knew exactly who did it very early in the novel and all the twists and additional information didn't change my opinion, but they did add depth to the plot. 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.

Karen

Karen: A Brother Remembers by Kelsey Grammer
5/6/25; 456 pages
Harper Select

Karen: A Brother Remembers by Kelsey Grammer is a so-so personal memoir and tribute to his sister Karen who was murdered. In Colorado Springs on July 1, 1975, eighteen-year-old Karen Grammer went in to pick up her paycheck at Red Lobster and was kidnapped, raped, and murdered by three men who were planning to rob the restaurant. Kelsey Grammer was just twenty-years-old at this time. Understandably this tragic loss impacted his whole life.

In a stream-of-consciousness style full of many digressions, Grammer recalls Karen and how he struggled throughout his life to deal with his grief over her tragic death and try to focus on the good memories of Karen. The narrative jumps around in time and covers many different events and struggles in his life, some involving Karen, many that don't.

The whole memoir just feels like a tangle of Grammer's memories, is sometimes repetitious, and more about him rather than a tribute to his sister's memory. Many of us have tragically lost a sibling and as one of them any memoir I would write would celebrate her life. Any focus on my struggles with grief and acceptance would be a postscript with places to find help, but then, of course, I'm not famous.

In the final assessment, the no affectation or filter, stream-of-consciousness approach did not result in a cohesive narrative and was a struggle to read. This needed focus, organization, a good editor, and a re-write. Thanks to Harper Select for providing me with a copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

Death at Fakenham Races

Death at Fakenham Races by Ross Greenwood
6/5/25; 485 pages
Boldwood Books 
DI Ashley Knight #5

Death at Fakenham Races by Ross Greenwood is a highly recommended police procedural. Even though this is the fifth book in the DI Ashley Knight/Norfolk Murders series, it can be read and appreciated as a standalone novel too, especially if you enjoy horse racing.

During heavy snow fall the police are called out to investigate a loud argument at the Fakenham Racecourse. When the officers arrive and separate to investigate, one officer, Frank, is attacked and left unconscious and the snow covered car of bookmarker Jonny Lowe is in a parking lot. After a body is later found, also snow covered, DI Ashley Knight and team are called in to investigate. The body is identified as that of Glen Gordon, one of the local horse owners. There appears to be no apparent motive for the murder. 

As the investigation continues Jonny Lowe is found murdered. Clearly the murders are somehow connected to the racetrack, but no motive seems readily apparent, but the list of suspects keeps growing. Someone must be hiding something that would tie it all together among the many people involved in horse racing at Fakenham.

The murder investigations were interesting, intricate, and clues are logically followed in the well-written police procedural. As the investigation unfolds becomes clear that there are many people and a lot of work going on behind the scenes. The answer may be more complicated than anyone thought and the stakes are higher than initially imagined. The plot moves at a quick pace and the suspense rises with each new interview and clue.

At the opening of the novel Greenwood thankfully has a cast of characters which will help refresh your memory of who's who, which I appreciated. Those who have read other novels in the series know these characters and their interaction with each other while solving cases. Personally, I think readers who are acquainted with and enjoy the world of horse racing would enjoy this a bit more than I did, however, Greenwood always writes a good mystery.

Death at Fakenham Races is a good selection for those who enjoy intricate procedurals and horse racing. Thanks to Boldwood Books for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

Fifty Fifty

Fifty Fifty by Steve Cavanagh
6/3/25 (originally 9/3/20); 384 pages
Atria Books
Eddie Flynn #5

Fifty Fifty by Steve Cavanagh is a very highly recommended legal thriller. Atria Books has made a wise choice to re-releasing this excellent series in paperback. (Fifty Fifty was originally published on 9/3/20.) Even though this is the fifth book in the Eddie Flynn series it can definitely be enjoyed as a standalone novel.

Eddie Flynn is a streetwise ex con-artist who is now a defense attorney. A contact at the police station calls him to let him know that he needs to get to the station now. When he arrives the station is pack with lawyers trying to represent either of the potential clients, sisters Alexandra and Sofia Avellino. They are both charged in the murder of their father, Frank Avellino, former NYC mayor who is worth an estimated 50 million dollars. The sisters both called 911 almost simultaneously, blaming the other for their father's murder. One or both of them is a killer. 

Eddie ends up representing Sophia with assistance from ex-FBI agent Harper and retired judge Harry Ford. Alexandra is represented by new lawyer, Kate Brooks, who took over the case out from under her former firm, Levy, Bernard and Groff. Kate is assisted by her friend ex-NYPD friend Melissa Bloch. The prosecutor, Dreyer, plans to try the sisters together. 

Fifty Fifty is exceptionally well-written, expertly plotted, intelligent, twisty, and wildly entertaining legal thriller! A nail-biting warning may be in order too, as the tension remains high throughout and the pace is lightning fast. The narrative is presented in five parts and told through the alternating point-of-view of Eddie, Kate, and "She," one of the sisters who is obviously a killer. You won't know the truth until the very end, which will shock you.

This one is a real page turner as it it impossible to predict what is going to happen next. It is a pleasure to watch Eddie and the team work and this is the book where Kate and Bloch are introduce into the series. All of the characters in the series are written as unique, realistic individuals with strengths and weaknesses.

Fifty Fifty is a perfect choice for those who enjoy legal thrillers. Thanks to Atria Books for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

Badlands

Badlands by Douglas Preston, Lincoln Child
6/3/25; 368 pages
Grand Central Publishing
Nora Kelly & Corrie Swanson Series #5

Badlands by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child is a very highly recommended action-packed thriller and the fifth novel in the series featuring archaeologist Nora Kelly and FBI Agent Corrie Swanson. It can definitely be read as a standalone novel and features strong, capable female protagonists. Preston and Child dependably deliver another winner.

FBI Agent Corrie Swanson is assigned the investigation into the skeleton of a woman found in the New Mexico badlands. The woman apparently walked into the desert, removed all her clothes while walking, and died of heatstroke and thirst. By the bones are found an arrowhead and two round green stones. When Corrie calls Nora to look at the arrowhead, Nora immediately took more interest in the stones which she identifies as extremely rare green lightning stones. The body is identified as Molly Vine, a science teacher who went missing five years earlier.

When another body is found and identified as Mandy Driver, a geological consultant, two green lightning are again found by her. Their investigation leads Corrie and Nora to believe that the two deaths might be connected to Professor Oskarbi who had ties to both deceased women at the University of New Mexico. He also had an interest in the Gallinas, indigenous people who used lightning stones and were wiped out in the 13th century by the Chaco Canyon people. How does this all connect together?

As expected Badlands is a well-written, heart-stopping thriller which held my complete attention from start to finish. The plot moves at a lightning-fast pace and the setting, which comes to life, is beautifully described. Yes, you might have to set some disbelief aside, but there are also real historical facts woven into the plot. The investigation follows some complicated turns along the way, and there are several different story lines going on as everything heads to a run-in with the supernatural. You'll definitely want to read this in one sitting.

Corrie and Nora are great characters and it was wonderful to see them back, working together. They are both intelligent, insightful, and competent women and their characters continue to develop in this outing. Nora's brother Skip is back, making questionable decisions as is Corries friend, Sheriff Watts.

Badlands is an excellent choice for anyone who loves page-turning, action-packed 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.

The Ghostwriter

The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark
6/3/25; 368 pages
Sourcebooks

The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark is a very highly recommended, clever mystery and family drama that unfolds in two timelines while exploring a tragic event from the past.

Olivia Dumont is a ghostwriter who has been estranged from her father, the famous horror writer Vincent Taylor, for years so she is shocked when she is offered a job writing a book for him. It isn't a horror novel. It's a memoir focused on events from June, 1975, when his two teenage siblings, Danny and Poppy, were murdered in their Ojai, California, home. Throughout Olivia's childhood in Ojai rumors were always swirling around that Vincent was responsible for the murders. 

Olivia accepts the job because she needs the money. Once she arrives in Ojai, she learns that Vincent is in poor health and has been diagnosed with Lewey body dementia. He has notes for the book, but can no longer write it. Olivia must try to decipher his notes and piece together clues from other sources to try and determine what really happened to Danny and Poppy fifty years ago.

The writing and plotting is excellent in this slow-burn mystery/thriller/family drama. While the start feels slow moving, the suspense and tension keep building up along with the pace as more information is uncovered and Olivia tries to piece clues together. It is unclear if Vincent is telling Olivia the truth or if he even honestly recalls what happened. The NDA Olivia signed also prohibits many of the obvious research routes she would normally take.

The narrative follows two time lines. In the present Olivia is searching for information in Vincent's notes, Poppy's diary and later her films, and some interviews. From the past are flashbacks and observations from Poppy and Vincent in 1975. The balance between following Olivia in the present and the scenes in the past work exceptionally well together in the narrative while proving more insight, clues, and twists. They are all compelling characters as you follow their stories. The final denouement pushed the rating up on this one.

The Ghostwriter is an excellent choice for those who enjoy a murder mystery mixed with a family drama. Thanks to Sourcebooks for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

Don't Forget Me, Little Bessie

Don't Forget Me, Little Bessie by James Lee Burke
6/3/25; 368 pages
Grove/Atlantic
Holland Family Saga #5

Don't Forget Me, Little Bessie by James Lee Burke is a very highly recommended historical fiction family drama/coming-of-age/good vs. evil story set in Texas opening in 1914 during the WWI time period. This is the fifth novel in the Holland Family Saga.

Young teen Bessie Holland is struggling through life with an alcoholic, former Texas Ranger father, Hackberry Holland, and her brother Cody. Their mother is deceased. An ongoing feud with the Fowler family results in Cody losing an eye via Jubal Fowler and his slingshot. Cody runs away to NYC. Hackberry confronts Jubal's father Winthrop, which result's in Bessie shooting Winthrop. She ends up in jail, but is later released, but the violence around her continues. Bessie flees to stay with Cody in NYC where more trouble awaits. She later returns to Texas where the ongoing violence there escalates.

The writing is exceptional as Burke descriptively captures the setting (in Texas and NYC) and the time period. This is when oil drilling was new in Texas and cars were becoming more common. Women were often dismissed and/or abused by men. Bessie is fourteen when the novel opens so this is set during her teen years. The violence and corruption around her is overwhelming, yet she always speaks her mind, stands up for herself, doesn't back down from conflict and fights back against the bullies and thugs.

Bessie is a fully realized, complicated character with both strengths and weaknesses. She finds a friend and mentor in her former English teacher, Ida Banks, and Mr. Slick, a spirit/drifter/haint who helps her again and again. Most of the characters around her are unethical, evil, threatening men. The few exceptions stand out.

Even though this is the fifth book in the Holland family series, it can be read as a stand alone novel. I was unsure when supernatural elements appeared early in the narrative and almost stopped reading, but Mr. Slicks  appearance and on-going presence in the plot isn't distracting and ends up adding to the plot. Ultimately this is a very violent plot where any justice is hard fought with moral ambiguity, but it also showcases a strong, young female protagonist.

Don't Forget Me, Little Bessie would be an excellent choice for those who like westerns and family dramas with strong women. Thanks to Grove/Atlantic for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.