Beginning Middle End

 

Beginning Middle End by Valeria Luiselli
7/28/26; 368 pages
Knopf Doubleday 

Beginning Middle End by Valeria Luiselli is a recommended literary novel - for the right reader - which follows a mother and daughter on a trip to Sicily.

After a divorce a mother with her precocious 12-year-old daughter take off traveling in Europe for her book tour. The two are also worried about their mother/grandmother's dementia. They end up in Catania, Sicily, near the ancient ruins where the mother’s grandmother worked years ago. The focus is on generations of women in a family and the changes that can happen during the different stages of life. They are planning to return an ancient tile depicting the head of the sea god Proteus that the mother's grandmother dug up and kept years ago. Woven into the story is mythology from ancient Greek and Roman texts, including Ovid’s Metamorphoses, Pliny the Elder’s writings, and Proteus, as well as watching eruption of Mount Vesuvius.

The strongest parts of the slow-paced, loosely structured plot follow the mother/daughter relationship and their family legacy. While it has beautifully written parts, the narrative is deliberately slow and never totally held my complete attention. The writing felt like it was written purposefully in a stream-of-consciousness style, of which I'm not a fan. It actually felt overly reflective and, well, pretentious at times. 

As someone who actually loves literary novel and mythology, I was looking forward to this novel. It wasn't quit what I was anticipating and expected. Actually all the mythological references were overdone and failed to enhance the plot, such as it was. Included in the plot is an migration theme. I can appreciate the parts of the novel that worked, however, it wasn't a good choice for me. 

Beginning Middle End is a good choice for those who enjoy literary novels with a focus on classical mythology. Thanks to Knopf Doubleday for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The Silent House

 

The Silent House by Lynda Renham
7/23/26; 339pages
dp books/ Digital Publishing

The Silent House by Lynda Renham is a very highly recommended domestic psychological thriller. 

Daniel (Danny) and Joann (Jo) Neal are a successful couple with one son, Joel. Danny is a finance director while Jo is a paediatric surgeon. They have just bought and renovated a country house in the Cotswolds but will also keep their desirable apartment in the city for times when Jo is on call. Jo is looking forward to going out with Danny for their anniversary tonight so after Jo finishes her workout with friend and co-worker Gil, she walks home as it is nearby. Then she is abducted by a hooded man. Danny comes home to the nanny, Nicola, upset, not a word from Jo, and her friend Gil is shocked she didn't arrive home.

In the aftermath Danny receives a phone call demanding 2 million dollars to be delivered in 2 payments at sites to be shared in the future, and no police. Danny knows his in-laws, Donald and Julia have the money and will pay the ransom, but Donald does demand proof of life first. They receive a picture of Jo and make the first drop off. After this, unapproved by Danny, Gil and Nicola contact a friend, DS Josie Blackford and the police get involved. The second drop off site is set, but, while under surveillance by the police, the kidnapper calls Danny and changes the drop off location. Danny disables his wires and tracking while setting off for the new location. Jo is still not returned.

This is an extremely well written thriller which moves at a fast pace. It starts out following a familiar formula so you will think you know where the plot is heading and will have made predictions about what is going to happen. Trust me, you don't know. Once the first big twist hits, it shakes up everything, then more information and subsequent twists hit and you will find yourself reading as fast as possible trying to find out what could possible be revealed next. The multiple lies, secrets, and duplicity are all exposed one right after the other and everything you thought you knew just wasn't the case. 

It is the many unpredictable twists toward the end that lead up to a shocking final denouement that totally changes the entire novel and make it a cut above other thrillers. It was an engaging and compelling novel at the start and then the narrative changed into thriller as it headed toward the end. Renham did an exceptional job misdirecting me and subsequently shocking me. I will admit that there are a lot of characters all introduced at the beginning of the novel and I had a little note pad nearby to write down names until I had everyone figured out. 

The Silent House is an excellent choice for those who enjoy domestic psychological thrillers with surprising twists. Thanks to dp books for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

Dad, Love, Me

 

Dad, Love, Me by Matthew Quick
7/21/26; 320 pages
Avid Reader Press/S&S

Dad, Love, Me by Matthew Quick is a heartbreaking, honest, and very highly recommended memoir about the troubling and disparaging relationship with his father, Mike, who now suffers from dementia. In the opening he writes, "I trust your soul to know what to do with my memoir." As a reader, I thank him for his courage, vulnerability, and honesty. I have been looking forward to reading this for months. 

This memoir is an exceptionally well-written, emotionally honest account that is both brave and inspiring as Quick shares his memories and feelings being raised by a father who never really knew how to show love and encouragement. The unwavering support of his wife is ever present. Quick also found other supportive men who play a key role in his life. Those reading Quick's Substack know he has been struggling with writing this candid account of his fraught relationship with his father and his own recovery and participation in Jungian therapy. As his father slips further into dementia, Quick has been there to help both his father and mother. This has helped him find a connection and closure.

The chapters move back and forth in time while exploring his relationship with his father and his own struggles with drinking, anxiety, and writer's block. This is a very effective presentation as it mimics memories and thoughts being suddenly recalled during current events. Some chapters are to his father, recounting how demoralizing, cold, and cruel he was. Other chapters offer insight into the Zoom-based Jungian analysis he undertakes with a man he calls Zeus. Then there are the chapters recounting events in more recent times as his father's dementia takes hold.

What sets this memoir above and beyond others is the honesty about both memories and personal struggles. Quick hopes his account will help other men deal with the fraught relationships with their fathers and find healing, closure, and forgiveness, but others can also find healing. Honestly, many families can be difficult. There were several poignant passages I highlighted. One referred to advice he was given that the suffering he was experiencing was actually a gift from God. Quick needed to realize that everything good in his life was there because God allowed it to be there. In another impactful passage he recounted advice that he didn't have to tolerate being infected by his father's words. He could liberate himself, a very worthwhile concept to consider. 

Dad, Love, Me is an excellence choice for those who appreciate memoirs, struggle with relationships due to fathers (or family members), and are seeking healing. Truly, everything about this memoir is outstanding, poignant, and deeply moving. Thanks to Avid Reader Press for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.   

Three Reasons for Revenge

 

Three Reasons for Revenge by Dervla McTiernan
7/21/26; 336 pages
William Morrow 

Three Reasons for Revenge by Dervla McTiernan is a very highly recommended psychological thriller/mystery. This one will interest you in the beginning and then totally grab your complete attention. 

After opening with a scene of two young sisters, Margaux and Renee, on a beach, the narrative then jumps to Alexis Turner who was assaulted by psychologist Robert Walker at a therapy session. Alexis reports the crime to Detective Sergeant Judith Lee, who immediately recalled a similar complaint a decade earlier. Soon after Judith interviewed Robert, Vanessa Walker, a news anchor and wife to Robert, receives an anonymous gift containing a video of Robert assaulting another woman in his office. The video is also released online and will ruin lives. 

The video is the first of three identically wrapped gifts hand delivered to three different people with cryptic notes included. The next destructive gift is sent to Jack Miller, a single father to 10 year-old Cameron, and the third to Elsa Anderson, a wealthy entrepreneur, mother of two daughters, and Jack's friend. Each of the gifts are destructive and contain a cryptic note. Anonymous phone tips are also being left. Clearly something is connecting these very disparate individuals. Judith surmises it may go back to Alexis. The only problem is "Alexis" disappeared after reporting Walker to Judith.

The well-written, intricate novel is presented in four parts along with an epilogue. The first part opens strong, is intriguing and will capture your attention, signaling it will be a good mystery/procedural, however, the start of Part Two is where you will become completely shocked, immersed, and invested in the plot, unable to read fast enough. This is where the real complex psychological thriller takes hold and the guessing games begin as to what exactly is going on and why. The direction it takes is foreshadowed, but unexpected. The perpetrator behind the destructive acts is clearly dangerous, deranged, and intelligent.

Judith Lee is a fully realized, complex, insightful character portrayed with both strengths and weaknesses. When the novel opens she is also dealing with corruption inside the department which leaves a huge target on her back. She's an intelligent perceptive investigator and it would be interesting to see her in another investigation. Detective Senior Sergeant Rockie Jansen has her back, but he's also being lead astray by the mysterious malefactor behind the anonymous tips and packages who is extracting their own revenge. Actually, all the characters are well developed and are portrayed as unique individuals in the narrative. 

The compelling plot held my complete attention as the sense of urgency and danger increases throughout the novel. The person behind the nefarious manipulation and gifts obviously has intimate knowledge of their targets. They know all their vulnerabilities and have planned out exactly how to hurt each victim. This makes it even more chilling as the connection is hidden to most. DS Judith Lee is the only one making the connections, but her knowledge of the complete picture is tenuous at best and she must use all of her abilities and intelligence right up to the end.

Three Reasons for Revenge is an excellent choice for those who enjoy psychological thrillers/mysteries with strong female protagonists. Thanks to William Morrow for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion. 

She Had Enough

 

She Had Enough by Stacie Grey
7/21/26; 336 pages
Poisoned Pen Press

She Had Enough by Stacie Grey is a recommended mystery.  "Six friends. One dinner. And a secret that won't stay buried."

Mallory Taylor meets old college friends, Caitlin, Lourdes, Sonali, Rachel, and Kendra for dinner one night. It is a evening among a group who have known each other for years. Caitlin seems more withdrawn and quiet, but after her mother's recent death this is understandable. When Mallory and Caitlin are in the bathroom, Caitlin gives her a lipstick tube that was her mother's for safe keeping as she claims it keeps wanting to fall out of her bag. Mallory throws it into her bag and the evening continues. Later, after the group returns to their respective homes, a massive earthquake hits San Francisco. Mallory left the city while the city started repairing damages and returned six months later. 

When Mallory returns she learns from her landlord that her apartment was broken into several times after she left. The day before she left it had also been broken into. Nothing was taken so it appears that the perpetrator was looking for something specific. Mallory thinks about Caitlin's lipstick, tries to contact her, and eventually discovers she has died. The police attribute her death to the earthquake, but Mallory has questions, especially after she uncovers something in the tube of lipstick. She begins to contact their group of common friends, seeking the truth.

On the plus side, the writing flows smoothly and can be read quickly.  All the action, such as it is, reaches a logical, exciting conclusion, and the plot ends with everything neatly tied up. Beyond that, you will have to set a massive amount of disbelief aside while reading this even-paced mystery. There are huge jumps of suppositions made in the service of the plot's goals and not all of Mallory's actions are logical or believable. Mallory herself repeatedly says she didn't know Caitlin well at all. So why go to all the effort she undertakes to contact her right after she returns to the city? 

The group of friends she contacts with questions about Caitlin don't seem to really care about her either. Honestly, though, it has been six months since the earthquake and Caitlin's death, and no one had tried to contact her. They were all focused on their own circumstances and recovery, including Mallory who just returned after six months away. Quite frankly, the earthquake turns into a pointless plot element that could have been eliminated to tighten up the story line and keep the focus on the actual murder mystery.

Additionally, aside from Mallory who is an okay character, very determined but insipid, I found the rest of these characters annoying and this is in a character driven mystery. I truly became tired of reading about the designer's names of the clothing worn and the height of everyone as they met at different places for coffee, etc. Mallory's various ways to travel around the city are also endlessly discussed. Eventually I didn't care who did it because the motive was disclosed earlier in the narrative and I felt zero connection with any of these women. 

She Had Enough will best be enjoyed by those who enjoy mysteries and can set disbelief aside. Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.   

The Second Chance Trailer Park

 

The Second Chance Trailer Park by Katie Powner
7/21/26; 304 pages
Alcove Press

The Second Chance Trailer Park by Katie Powner is a very highly recommended character-driven, feel-good domestic drama about second chances and opening yourself up to friendship in a community.

Meredith McGillicutty is not having a mid-life crisis, she's simply tired. Following her breakup with her boyfriend Patrick and after a younger co-worker is given the manager position over her, Meredith has had enough. She is ready to retire. Her plan is to sell her house, move into a retirement community, settle down, and grow moss. The one problem is that the Peaceful Pines Trailer Park for Seasoned Adults has a strict age requirement, 54 1/2 and up, and Meredith is 52 years-old. A little lie on the application and a bad picture of her driver's license, along with a sudden opening in the community, and Meredith is in, ready to meet her neighbors.

Amy, the manager of the trailer park is a very young whippersnapper. Next door to Meredith is Harry whose wife recently died and he is in mourning. When his grandson Dawson suddenly needs a place to stay for a couple months, they make a plan to keep their rule breaking a secret. Larry and Sherry live next to Harry and love to decorate outdoors enthusiastically. Rowdy is a former pastor living on the other side of Meredith. For a community that she thought would be quiet, there is actually quite a bit going on and Meredith quickly begins to find ways to fit in, participate, and help her new neighbors while they also help her.

This is a funny, charming, endearing, and sometimes poignant character-driven novel. Powner does an excellent job depicting all the residents of Peaceful Pines as unique, quirky individual adults with backgrounds, knowledge, and experience acquired over a lifetime, not caricatures of older retried people. It is very easy to keep track of who all the various characters are in the plot. Meredith's character experiences growth and discovers a new sense of purpose, along with the freedom and comfort provided by elastic-waist pants, while becoming a first time cat owner.

Although no great literary boundaries are stretched, there is plenty of humor along with drama as situations and dilemmas need to be handled. While there aren't any thrilling action scenes within the novel, it is a very comfortable, heartwarming, funny, and entertaining read that held my complete attention. The ending was predictable, but perfect. 4.5 rounded up for the sheer pleasure in reading it.

The Second Chance Trailer Park is a perfect choice for those times when you need an inviting, cozy domestic drama. Thanks to Alcove Press for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

Twist of Fate

 

Twist of Fate by Sally Rigby
7/7/26; 240 pages
Storm Publishing
Detective Sebastian Clifford #8

Twist of Fate by Sally Rigby is a highly recommended investigative mystery and the eight novel featuring detective, now private investigator, Sebastian (Seb) Clifford. 

Private investigators Sebastian Clifford and Lucinda 'Birdie' Bird are asked by the police, who are short handed, to assist Twiggy, Birdie's former partner, in the investigation of a series of thefts targeting Leicestershire's wealthiest estates. The thieves are not taking everything. They are taking very specific items, leaving other, more valuable antiques and paintings in place. The estates all have security systems and the thieves seem to have inside knowledge. Seb's daughter Keira is back from the university for the summer so she is available to help with research. Keira also reconnects with an old friend.

These are well written mysteries where the page count is low so the pace moves quickly. As information comes in, clues are uncovered, potential suspects identified, and clues are logically followed up on. There is a big break in the case that helps point the investigation in the right direction. Even though this is the eight book in the series, it can easily be read as a standalone novel. All the characters have very different personalities and investigative styles. Birdie brings the humor to the plot.

The plot has the feeling of a cozy mystery. Also, due to the limited page count, some details that would have made the plot more believable are often left out or glossed over. Personally, I  have to admit I prefer Rigby's Cornwall Murder Mystery series over the Sebastian Clifford series. Sometimes Birdie gets on my nerves. In spite of that this is a satisfying mystery and fans will love it.

Twist of Fate is a good choice 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.

Not with a Bang

 

Not with a Bang by Temi Oh
7/14/26; 352 pages
S&S/ Saga Press

Not with a Bang by Temi Oh is a recommended domestic drama set during a cataclysmic event that may signal the end of the world. This is very, very light on the science fiction, heavy on the dysfunctional family drama.

Marcus and Kimona (Kim) Minton have four daughters, Aaliyah (Lia), Briar, Tanice and Chantale. After losing his job, Marcus focused on becoming a survivalist, digging a doomsday bunker, stockpiling supplies, and having drills preparing for the end. When a planet, named Hero, is reported headed to pass by the Earth, the family plans to watch it pass, but are mainly planning for Aaliyah's wedding. When the planet comes close and the magnetic event happens, they are split up and try to make their way home or find each other and Briar joins a a UFO doomsday cult.

For those who enjoy domestic dramas this will likely work on some level for you. For those who like the "science" in their science fiction, pass this one by. There's not much science in it. This novel leans heavily into the small actions of the characters while basically ignoring the Big Actions/Events. As a fan of hard science fiction, I was disappointed. The big magnetic event happens, but not in a totally credible manner depicting what would have realistically happened if that specific event occurred. (For example, there were still houses.) After mainly focusing on the Mintons running around, then, late in the novel, there's an information dump that could have been handled so much better, perhaps with chapters actually following specialists and scientists throughout the plot. It might have served the plot better if the big event was some natural disaster.

If you enjoy family dramas more than science fiction, then this might work for you. What we have here is the story of the Mintons unfold in multiple POVs. The chapters are following the countdown to the event and then the days after along with the character being followed. As the family makes their way through life before and after the event, the focus is on the minutiae of their thoughts and actions. At times the switching between characters felt chaotic and messy and there was never a real sense of cohesion in the plot. It likely didn't help that none of the characters were very likable or appealing. 2.5 rounded up when required.

Not with a Bang will best be enjoyed by those who like dysfunctional family dramas set during a world changing event. Thanks to Saga Press for providing me with an advance reader's copy via Edelweiss. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

In Wonderland

 

In Wonderland by Joyce Maynard
7/14/26; 413 pages
Little A

In Wonderland by Joyce Maynard is a very highly recommended literary domestic drama and coming-of-age story set in 1986. Frances, 14, gets to escape her troubled working class family in New Jersey after she is hired to be a mother's helper for a wealthy family at their elite summer estate named Wonderland on Lake Catherine in Maine.

Forrest (Howie) Emerson, her father's childhood friend who escaped his background and neighborhood when he married into money, has asked Frances to help with the children, 12 year-old Hayward and 6-year-old Jilly. His wife Regina is ill and unable to care for them. Mainly Frances's job will be getting the kids to their tennis and sailing lessons at the country club. Since she can't drive, she is provided a bike for transportation and she and her charges ride their bikes to the country club. At first, Forrest shows interest in Frances, more than her parents have, and makes her feel welcome in the family. Forrest is a personable, charming, handsome man and naturally Frances develops a crush on him, writing stories about a make believe relationship with him in her diary. 

What follows is her realization that he is a womanizer and serial cheater, although he daily declares his love for Regina and cares for her. Regina has an eating disorder and suffers from depression. The children are spoiled. Frances is basically invisible at the country club. She also hasn't developed breasts or started her period yet, which greatly bothers her. When Forest starts an affair with a woman, Regina confides in Frances that he has an affair with a different woman every summer. Then she enlists Frances to spy on him, which opens her up to seeing and hearing more than she wanted to know. 

This is a well-written coming-of-age story as it follows a teen with very real concerns about her development. She has a crush on Forrest, but quickly learns that he is fickle and promises things he can't deliver. She has the opportunity to learn to play tennis and loves it, but is unsure she can continue it when she returns to her home. She knows she doesn't really belong in Wonderland. When she spies on Forrest for Regina, it leaves her questioning everything she thought she knew about privilege, power, and the price of belonging. 

The story is told completely through the point-of-view of Frances and is stronger for that choice. Frances is a fully realized individual and Maynard does an excellent job capturing a teen girl at that awkward age. She's young and when reading you need to think back to being 14 years-old and imagine being in her place, no friends, a wealthy, privileged family that she's not really a part of no matter what is said, and being placed in the position of spying on one adult for the other. Add to this her overwhelming concern over her development, which really matters to a young teen. 

It's a heart breaking novel and Frances is in an unconscionable situation with no reasonable adult or friend to talk to about what is happening. Frances is a girl who longs to belong somewhere and has never felt she did. She initially thought Wonderland was her chance to belong, but she was quickly dissuaded of that notion, especially when everything goes terribly wrong.

In Wonderland is an excellent choice for those who enjoy coming-of-age stories set amidst a domestic drama. Thanks to Little A for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

This Changes Everything

 

This Changes Everything by Lisa Scottoline
7/14/26; 400 pages
Grand Central Publishing 

This Changes Everything by Lisa Scottoline is a recommended paranormal mystery, for the right reader, that focuses on friendship, justice and the use of paranormal/psychic abilities. This is a sequel to The Unraveling of Julia.

Julia Pritzker is with her husband and daughter at her villa in Tuscany when she has a premonition to call her best friend Courtney, who happens to be arriving at her grandmother's farm in Pennsylvania. Before Courtney can step in the door, Julia has a psychic  premonition and warns her to not enter. Courtney, who already had the door open doesn't stop and as she enters she sees her grandmother has been murdered and the killer is leaving through the back door. Courtney pursues him but he escapes. Now Julia is traveling to the States to provide comfort and support to her friend Courtney. The police think it was a burglary, but the two friends end up investigating the murder and uncover a series of secrets, conspiracies all while Julia is having her supernatural visions.

Expect a plot full of action and twists as the two investigate, looking for the truth and justice while exposing secrets and conspiracies that have been hidden and there are people who don't want them revealed. The story is suspenseful and the tension rises throughout the fast-paced plot. While a large part of the story is focused on their friendship, the plot requires you to set aside a large dose of disbelief in order to appreciate all of it and I was not willing to do so for this plot. 

Even though this is a sequel, it could be read this as a standalone although you will have more character background after reading the first novel. I was more sympathetic to Julia in the first novel and found her and all the female friendship/empowerment above everything else annoying this time around, perhaps because common sense is lacking. The paranormal/psychic activities were disconcerting and a plot device I wasn't interested in embracing yet again after reading The Unraveling of Julia. When the focus is on Julia's horoscope, astrology and the paranormal I skimmed over them.  

This Changes Everything is a good choice for those who enjoy paranormal mysteries and have read The Unraveling of Julia. 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 Sins of Summer Daughters

 

The Sins of Summer Daughters by Lo Patrick
7/14/26; 400 pages
Sourcebooks Landmark 

The Sins of Summer Daughters by Lo Patrick is a highly recommended domestic drama/Southern mystery following four generations of women over two timelines set in a small Georgia town. 

When Meg Gregory left Tuskin, Georgia, as a teen she wanted to never return, leaving her past and secrets behind. After her divorce from her ex, Ferrol, she did return, bringing her daughter Nina back to her small home town. Now, years later, she is 64-years-old and Nina's daughter and Meg's granddaughter, Lucy along with other teens, have just been accused of murdering Lucy's boyfriend Josh. Meg has secrets she has been harboring for years and has never talked about. Meg knows Lucy couldn't have done it, but Lucy's situation brings back all of the memories and trauma from Meg's childhood. 

The narrative follows two timelines, the present in 2024 and the past in 1974. In the present day action, 15 year-old Lucy is traumatized and almost nonverbal. She almost seems to be in a trance. Meg's daughter, Nina, is anxious and beside herself with worry. Meg is also concerned, but she is remembering the events she experienced 50 years ago. Back in 1974 when Meg was a young teen, she felt detached from her mother, Heather, who was a stripper and then a bartender who always seemed to have a new boyfriend. Meg's older sister Rainy was much closer to their mother. Meg's only friend was an older teen, Tyler, and with him came his odd friend Larisa. Something happened in 1974 and flashbacks to memories are coming back to haunt Meg.

This is a well-written novel full of startling, emotional observations and events. Along with the haunting memories the whole plot is presented in a perceptive and sensitive manner. The alternating timelines worked well in the plot and helped to highlight the evolution of Meg's stunted emotional state and trauma. Lucy's trauma was self-evident as was the emotional manipulation by her friends. Many of the situations Meg blames on the small town working class population, including herself, and how everyone knows your family's history. The ending is powerful.

Much of the plot also follows the complicated fractured relationships between mothers and daughters in both timelines. This isn't a fast-paced plot, it is a slow burn that allows the tension to build at an even pace in both timelines. This made both story lines equally compelling and allowed the plot to develop more depth, intricacies, and atmosphere than a faster pace would have allowed, while  simultaneously enabling the tension to gradually keep building. This also left room for Meg's personality to be on full display, as she was concerned, forgetful, distracted, having flashbacks, and even sometimes humorous along the way.

The Sins of Summer Daughters is an excellent choice for those who enjoy Southern small town domestic dramas.Lo Patrick is a must read author for me ever since I read The Floating Girls (2022), followed by The Night the River Wept (2024), and Fast Boys and Pretty Girls (2025). While I didn't love The Sins of Summer Daughters quite as much, it was still a solid 4.5, rounded up when required. Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

Hidden Creatures

 

Hidden Creatures by Dino Martins
7/7/26; 336 pages
Knopf Doubleday 

Hidden Creatures by Dino Martins is a very highly recommended intriguing and accessible look into the world of parasites. Dr. Martins, an award-winning entomologist, evolutionary biologist, and professor from Kenya, examines real parasites (not that relative who always wants more) in an enthusiastic, understandable, educational, and informative manner. The complete title of the book, Hidden Creatures: Luscious Leeches, Bashful Botflies, and the Wondrous, History-Shaping World of Parasites, makes this quite clear.

Although I felt squeamish and perhaps a bit nauseous at times, I was totally engrossed throughout this informative book. Dr. Martins is a descriptive writer as well as a great teacher who takes delight in sharing his knowledge. Using a conversational tone and in poetic language he shares a plethora of fascinating, detailed information about a wide variety of parasites, their life cycles, treatments for them, as well as the interconnectedness of everything. This isn't simply a book about parasites, it's a detailed, factual book about Dr. Martins' educated, factual, and real life examinations of parasites. This makes all the difference. While reading you are experiencing remotely and at a safe distance his up close observations and interactions.

Chapters are delightfully (and the subject is a joy for Martins to discuss) are titled: 1. Practical Pinworms, Happy Hookworms and Remarkable Roundworms; 2. Marvelous Maggots; 3. Lovable Liver Flukes and Bountiful Bloodworms; 4. Magnificent Mosquitoes and Perfect Plasmodia; 5. Beautiful Bedbugs and Likable Lice; 6. Fabulous Fleas; 7. Mysterious Mites and Titillating Ticks; 8. Bashful Botflies; 9. Terrific Tapeworms; 10. Luscious Leeches; 11. Parable of the Leech; 12. Parasites Rising (And Falling); Acknowledgements and Notes. There are illustrations of various parasites included.  

He said more than once while discussing parasites "Life begets death begets life," which is a poignant observation that is clearly exemplified through his elegant, immersive discussions of the various parasites that are a vital part of every ecosystem. A story of one of his experiences observing the activity surrounding an elephants corpse while collecting samples demonstrates this fact. Dr. Martins' book clearly shows the importance of really seeing and paying attention to what is going on around you every day. Also included in the text is a wealth of historical background.

The last chapter was quite interesting and begs for further studies. He discussed how the immune system of humans may be trained through the exposure to parasites and how the increase of allergies may be connected to the decrease of exposure in developed industrial areas. Allergies are rare in rural tropical areas where exposure to parasites is common. Also touched upon was the fact that there are very few new pathogens or parasites. Reports that are quick to claim something is a new foreign agent (ticks, mosquitoes) is a fallacy.

Hidden Creatures is an excellent choice for anyone interested in an accessible account of the world of parasites. I was admittedly simultaneously, fascinated, curious, disgusted, and engaged throughout the entire book. Thanks to Knopf Doubleday for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.   

Get Lost

 

Get Lost by Justin Halpern
7/7/26; 256 pages
Grand Central Publishing 

Get Lost by Justin Halpern is a very highly recommended humorous mystery, for the right reader. This is a hilarious thriller following an adult daughter and her deadbeat father as they look for her missing mother. It is a lightning-fast-paced novel with twists and turns galore, however the use of profanity, mainly by Lila, is prolific. 

Lila Dixon is a baseball scout, and not necessarily pleased about it, when she receives a call about her mother Mattie Wilkerson who is missing from her apartment in Los Armarios, California. Lila isn't too concerned because her mother has a history of mental health issues and has been taking off and disappearing as long as Lila can remember. This time, however, her charming but deadbeat dad John “Dix” Dixon, former minor league baseball player and local hero is the prime suspect. Knowing her mother likely took off on her own and her father would not have murdered Mattie, Lila takes off for Los Armarios to get to the bottom of the mess.

When she arrives things are more complicated than she anticipated. The local cops are clueless, so Lila ends up getting Dix out of jail and investigating Mattie's disappearance while Dix invites himself to tag along to find Mattie. In their efforts Lila uncovers a large monetary pay out to Mattie and money subsequently changing hands. Then it appears that Mattie may actually be in real danger when Lila receives a threatening note. Lila provides the brains, cynicism, and foul mouth to the investigation and Dix has the connections, the charisma, and people skills.

Lila may be a disagreeable, foul-mouthed, and irritable cynic, but she is also intelligent, realistic, and determined. Along the way in the novel we learn more about her childhood and her attitude becomes understandable and will be relatable to some people. Dix is an optimist who "likes to see conflicts as simply a detour on the road to friendship," and likes to point out that "the sun shines on a dog's butt every once in a while." With their complicated history and Lila's lifelong disappointment, strife is expected in their collaboration. 

The well-written and planned plot moves very quickly with no down time. In spite of Lila's inability to utter a sentence without some expletive and Dix's denseness at times, I admittedly like this duo. The two end up working well together in their own unique dysfunctional way. The cast of characters they encounter is unique. With the dangers they encounter and the plot twists, the novel most certainly has dark overtones along with poignant moments. This would make an excellent movie (perhaps with some of the language toned down).

Get Lost is an excellent choice for those who enjoy humorous, fast-paced thrillers that also have a somber side and won't mind the expletives. 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.    

Country People

Country People by Daniel Mason
7/7/26; 320 pages
Random House 

Country People by Daniel Mason is a highly recommended literary character-driven family saga that follows a family who move from California to spend a year in Greensbury, Vermont. This follows the familiar trope of a "fish out of water" as an urban family moves among the country folk but here there is the added bonuses of a plethora of literary references, new weather experiences, local colorful characters, and some incredible stories of local legends.

The Krzelewski-Petrosian family consists of Miles, who has been working on his Ph.D. dissertation on Russian folktales for over a decade, his wife Kate, an English professor who has been offered a one-year visiting professorship in Vermont and is a Milton and Blake specialist, their children, son Wesley, 12, and daughter Olive, 9, and their dog Giuseppe. While Kate teaches, Miles is supposed to be working on his dissertation while making sure the children get to school and keeping the household running. The family does experience a variety of events together. As for Miles, the dissertation falls to the side, he does care for the children, tells great bedtime stories, and meets a far-ranging cast of local characters. 

Although there are many humorous parts of this novel, they are more situational rather than slapstick, and are frequently embedded in interacting with local culture and Miles trying to understand "country people," who consist of a whole cast of colorful characters. He is also introduced to the legend of Jeremiah Wylkes, an early hollow earther, who claims to have discovered a cave leading to a kingdom below the earth’s surface. There are amusing excerpts from a local radio call in advice show called The Miscellaneous Minute, where the topics change daily and callers frequently derail the topic. 

While I enjoyed this extremely well-written, entertaining novel and the literary references and humor quite a bit, the plot does meander, seemingly aimlessly at times, between topics and enters into the realm of magical thinking. Part of my problem may be with Miles. While I appreciated his character's imagination and openness to new experiences, I wanted less passivity, some self-determination, and more acceptance of responsibilities, perhaps a job. As someone who has frequently moved to different areas of the country her whole life, Mason does capture the feeling when you first move to a new city and have to learn the local dialect and customs.

Country People is a great choice for anyone who enjoys literary character-driven novels with magic realism embedded in the story line. Thanks to Random House for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.    

Nightjar

 

Nightjar by Emily Ruskovich
7/7/26; 272 pages
Random House 

Nightjar by Emily Ruskovich is a very highly recommended collection of five short stories which explores grief, relationships, intuition, and doubt in the ordinary lives of people living in the Pacific Northwest.

All of these stories are exquisitely well-written and explore the intimate, inner thoughts and reflections of ordinary people. Grief and secrets are a major theme connecting the stories, but they also explore memory, interpersonal relationships, natural intuition, personal observations, troubling events, instinctive knowledge, and the hidden internal thoughts of the main characters. The setting also becomes an essential part of each story. This is really an excellent collection.

The stories included are:
Victor's Room:  explores a relationship and marriage as a woman questions her husband's account of his family's history and how his deception impacts their current lives. This is the longest of the stories, more a novella, and is a strong, compelling start to the collection.
Owl: a fur trapper considers his marriage after his wife is accidentally shot by four boys. This story is a winner of an O. Henry Award.
Round Lake: a young woman plans to meet a boyfriend in Tokyo but learning an unexpected fact about her deceased mother's death shakes her world. This was the weakest story for me.
Petty Creek Road:  Will is grieving the sudden death of his brother Butch and his son Cal moves in with him. Will is hoping to regain his natural ability to locate people in danger. 

Nightjar: Tess, 12-years-old, discovers she can skim the reflection off the top of a water pail and place them on a boulder to save them. These reflections become increasingly important to her as she appreciates their mysterious beauty. This is a strong final story to the collection. 

Nightjar is a wonderful choice for those who enjoy exceptionally well composed short story collections. Thanks to Random House for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.   

Pretty Dead Things

 

Pretty Dead Things by Kelsey Cox
7/7/26; 336 pages
St. Martin's Press 

Pretty Dead Things by Kelsey Cox is a highly recommended mean-girls murder mystery. Set in Texas amidst the beauty pageant scene, secrets abound and the competition is taken seriously.

Back in 2000 for the 25th annual Lone Star Pageant in Anhalt, Texas, one of the twin daughters, Ingrid (Iggy) or Isabelle (Izzy), of Barbara Whitmore, was naturally expected to win. When Izzy disappeared before the competition, upstart Kennedy Claire won and Iggy left town.

Now in 2025, the competition is about to start again. This year Kennedy Claire Preston’s daughter, Sarah Lynne, is expected to win. However, this year there are long standing secrets and grudges that are also joining the competition. When Sarah Lynn convinces her friends Hannah and Olivia to compete, ruthless Kennedy Claire immediately sizes up her daughter's competition. Hannah is the daughter of Melanie, who still has trauma from her treatment 25 years earlier. Catherine's (Cat) daughter is Olivia. Olivia represents real competition against Sarah Lynne, while Cat is a recovering addict. What shocks the Anhalt pageant world is that Iggy returns to town. Her mother is ill and Melanie, a nurse, is helping care for her. Catherine, Melanie, and Iggy join Kennedy Claire to assist with the pageant. 

This even-paced novel unfolds through multiple points-of-view. Additionally, there are a whole lot of characters to keep track of, so an even-paced start will give you a chance to sort them all out. I haven't even mentioned several other characters. All of the characters are portrayed as unique individuals which will help you distinguish between them. It also serves to identify multiple suspects for present deeds and the past disappearance of Izzy. You may have to set a bit of disbelief aside, but the plot is worth it.

The whole premise of the plot, a long standing beauty pageant, presupposes nefarious deeds will take place. Iggy's return to the area may ignite an already tense situation. The setting, a pageant in the same small town, begs for self-importance, ambitions, resentments, grudges, secrets, and a fierce competition to erupt. When storm brings down the state’s power grid and everyone is trapped under one roof, the plot turns into a locked-room thriller during an already tense situation. This increases the tension and the likelihood that something deadly will happen. 

Pretty Dead Things is a great choice for everyone who enjoys a small town, mean-girl mysteries and a plot following toxic pageant culture. 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.    

Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt

 

Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt by Ben Reeves
7/7/26; 256 pages
Avid Reader Press/Simon & Schuster 

Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt by Ben Reeves is a beautifully written, compassionate, very highly recommended literary novel about... the end. Have you ever read a novel and then found yourself quoting from it when in the midst of a serious conversation about a life threatening situation? I have, and this novel was the one I quoted from the day after I read it. I'll be the first to admit that this novel had me in tears frequently as it truly showed the importance of treasuring every moment of your life because it could be your last. 

Travis Smith is Death. He's a handsome young man who lives a quietly with a cat who chose him and also works in photo restoration. His real job is to offer comfort to those in their final hours of life. He neither judges nor interferes in anyone's fate. He is gentle, compassionate, and present as he visits people in their last moments of life. He understands that every life must eventually end.

Dalia, a midwife, and her boisterous eight-year-old daughter Layla, live across the hall from Travis. Even though he tries to keep his distance, Layla inexplicably adores him and soon Dalia starts a relationship with him. Through them, Travis actually discovers what it means to be alive, the connections people have, and what they lose when a death occurs.

This is a brilliant, heart-felt, lyrical novel that is also a highly emotional novel in which you may find yourself suddenly sobbing while reading. In the narrative are brief scenes of the deaths of people Travis is with at the end of their lives. These scenes are found throughout the plot, even while the relationship between Travis, Dalia, and Layla develops. Many of these short interludes are deeply moving. All of them are ultimately about appreciating and cherishing life even while accepting that in the end death comes for us all.

I loved the title before I even knew what the book was about. After you get a few years under your belt, it becomes easier to long for a place and time where everything is beautiful and nothing hurts. Personally, I looked at Travis as the angel of death. He's not the grim reaper in any sense of the word. He is sympathetic while giving comfort and peace to those facing the end. As for quoting from this book, in different circumstances it might have been from the Bible, and an encouragement to spend time with your loved ones and remember the good while storing your treasures in heaven where they can't be destroyed because where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 

Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt is an excellent choice for those who enjoy literary novels and can handle a novel about finding beauty in the brevity of life. Thanks to Avid Reader Press/Simon & Schuster for providing me with an advance reader's copy. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.    

January and July

 

January and July by Jeff Abbott
7/7/26; 368 pages
Blackstone Publishing 

January and July by Jeff Abbott is a highly recommended mystery/thriller.

After a disastrous failed mission in Paris, intel officer January Holte is demoted and sent on a new mission. Her task is to uncover the identity of an agent who is selling agency secrets and the clues lead her to the small town of Lethey, Texas.  January is looking for a man named Bill Connors. She arrives at his house in Lethy, finds it was broken into and there is a older woman there who is a neighbor also looking for Bill. Then someone else shows up for the same reason. It becomes abundantly clear that Lethey is one odd little town inhabited by odd citizens all looking for Bill.

At the same time, Houston bodyguard July Whitlock has lost his first client, Bill Connors. July was to wait outside a warehouse while Bill had a meeting inside. Bill never emerges, a car speeds away, and when July looks inside, he finds a used syringe but little else. Since he is technically still being paid for his time, July continues his investigation at Bills apartment. A confrontation with another man looking for Bill, leads July to the small town of Lethey where, after threats from others, he ends up cautiously working with January to find Bill.

It seems everyone is looking for Bill, all of them have questionable motives, most of them are capable of deadly violence, and there appears to be some sort of major monetary graft going on involving millions of dollars. And the money may be missing, or at least inaccessible. People have turned to violence for less, and that greed appears to be a motive here. At the same time, at every turn someone is out to get January and July. Additionally, there are other players in town looking for someone or something. Nothing is as it seems.

The writing is excellent, while the premise and set up are compelling and interesting. The intrigue and mystery factor, along with the tension, is high, although the pace is even for much of the novel. When things start moving faster toward the end of the novel, the pace takes off at a breakneck speed and throws all manner of twists and new information at you. The twists are surprising and all of them keep the suspense and tension high. The final denouement and lead up to it is all very well done.

The cast of characters are all vastly different and interesting. Both January and July are complicated, well-developed characters with strengths and weaknesses who are facing some real questions along with life-changing information. There is certainly more room for development of these two characters.  I mention this because, once I finished January and July, it appears that it may represent the start of a series and, if this is the case, I'm all in. I liked both January and July and the ending presented some real possibili.ties for future missions and it would be interesting to see them in another thriller. 4.5 rounded down when required

January and July is a great choice for those who enjoy mystery/thrillers where nothing may be exactly how it appears. Thanks to Blackstone Publishing for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.     

No One Knows You're Here

 

No One Knows You're Here by Rachel Howzell Hall
6/30/26; 363 pages, reissued
Thomas & Mercer 

No One Knows You're Here by Rachel Howzell Hall is a recommended thriller. This novel was originally published on 11/21/11 and is being reissued.

Syeeda (Sy) McKay is a crime reporter in LA who is currently following the Phantom Slayer investigation. She is writing stories on the investigation and hopes to publish a book on the serial killer who has targeted sex workers in South Los Angeles for nearly twenty years. She was reached out by the latest victim to meet with her for more information. Instead Sy discovered her body at the meeting site. This latest victim, as a minister's daughter, didn't really seem to fit the profile of the victims.  It helps that Sy's on/off boyfriend Adam is a police detective on the cases and can feed her more information along with other inside sources like Spencer, the medical examiner. There is also a delusional stalker who is following Sy.

There is a lot going on in this novel and not all of it relates to the current investigation or past cases. The reason I'm reading the novel is for the mystery and the investigation. While some personal life of the protagonist inserted into the plot is expected, it seemed that much of the drama inserted in this story follows events in Sy's personal life and these minor story lines sometime overwhelms the actual investigative. The perpetrator was easily identified early on in the story which perhaps made the added personal drama more frustrating.

Ultimately, Syeeda became an unlikable character. While she is intelligent, it seems she often makes foolish choices and bad decisions which put her directly in the path of danger. Be prepared. If you have an alarm system, use it. Don't meet strangers anywhere by yourself. If you have that little feeling you are being watched, listen to it and get to a safe place. And, for a woman recovering from recent cancer surgery, she could allow herself to take some time off to recover rather than continually put herself in the path of danger. Or, alternately have her recovered now and don't include this in the plot.

The ending was very abrupt, which was a disappointment. In the author's end notes it was interesting to know she based the plot on the true story of the Grim Sleeper case, however, as a reader, I wasn't there for the additional lecture. It made some assumptions about the readers. This is a revised and reissued edition of the novel that you can tell it was originally published in 2011.  3.5 rounded down when required. Thanks to Thomas & Mercer for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The Cold Room

 

The Cold Room by J. T. Ellison
6/30/26; 397 pages (reissue)
Thomas & Mercer
Taylor Jackson #4 

The Cold Room by J. T. Ellison is a highly recommended procedural/thriller and the fourth book featuring Nashville detective Taylor Jackson. This is a revised and reissued edition of the novel originally published on 3/1/2010. 

A murder victim has been starved and then the body is found posed like a famous painting, Il Macellaio. Nashville Metro Homicide Detective Taylor Jackson, who was demoted in the last novel, is called to the scene along with her new partner Renn McKenzie. Once she views the positioning of the body, she calls her fiancé, FBI profiler Dr. John Baldwin. Baldwin has been working with the CIA following a serial killer who has been operating in Europe and leaves bodies in a similar macabre manner. 

The plot captures your attention immediately and kept a tighter focus for more of the narrative in this outing. The serial killer is creepy and disturbing. The plot didn't seem to scattered in as many different directions this time. However, there are still sections where the plot and the focus seem to be dropped for lighter fare and the pace slows down. Skim these parts to get to the actual procedural and investigation. Again, some disbelief must be set aside. It can be read as a standalone novel, but it is clear that following the series will give you more background information on the various characters and past events.

Two drawback in this outing. The addition of New Scotland Yard detective James "Memphis" Highsmythe and the sudden plot shift to a romance novel/love-triangle, left me cold. Not interested. Again, Taylor needs focus, better control of her emotions, and to try to act in a logical manner. Second, get serious Taylor, cut your hair so you can stop messing with it. Obviously it's getting in your way. I noted this quirk in the last novel. This time it was annoying. 

The actual case was disturbing, compelling, and strong enough to carry the narrative without adding all the additional emotional/relationship drama along with the personal threats. It also could be reading the two reissued novels back to back was too much Taylor all at once. I was also left questioning what editorial revisions were made because it certainly wasn't to tightened up the plot. 3.5 rounded up when required.

The Cold Room is another good choice for those who enjoy procedurals that also include some subplot and romance. Thanks to Thomas & Mercer for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.   

Judas Kiss

 

Judas Kiss by J. T. Ellison
6/30/26; 351 pages (reissue)
Thomas & Mercer
Taylor Jackson #3 

Judas Kiss by J. T. Ellison is a highly recommended police procedural/thriller and is the third novel in the Taylor Jackson series. It can be read as a standalone novel. This review is for the reissued and revised edition of a novel that was originally published on 12/23/2008.

Twenty-six-year-old Corinne Wolff, seven months pregnant, is found brutally murdered in her own home by her sister. Corrine's young 18 month-old daughter is left with her mother's body, covered in blood. As Nashville homicide detective Lieutenant Taylor Jackson and her team begin investigating, it becomes quit clear that much more is going on than they initially thought. The investigation initially points to the husband's involvement, uncovers links to online porn, a trafficking network, and even pulls Taylor into several scandals.

During this time John Baldwin, Taylor's fiancé, is called back to DC. He is the acting director title of the Behavioral Science Unit, but he is also working on an off-grid assignment partnering with the CIA to catch an international assassin out for revenge. The trouble is Taylor is a target due to her relationship with Baldwin.

This is a fast-paced thriller that has a whole lot going on and seemingly becomes more twisted as the plot unfolds. You may need to set aside some disbelief over the vast amount of moving pieces and investigative leads all uncovered and being some how related, including several video attempts to discredit Taylor. Admittedly, I quickly read the chapters following Baldwin as everything happening to Taylor was enough for one novel. Really, multiple story lines involve someone trying to humiliate and discredit Taylor was over-the-top. It will hold your attention but it is also quite obvious while reading that it was originally released in 2008. 

Taylor is basically a likeable character, but she does have a bit of an attitude, needs better control of her emotions, and didn't always act in a logical manner. Also the story lines involving her past became a bit much as the actual murder investigation was enough to follow. Also I guessed the perpetrator immediately and was surprised this person wasn't initially looked at more closely. 3.5 rounded up when needed.

Judas Kiss is a good choice for those who enjoy procedural with lots of moving pieces. Thanks to Thomas & Mercer for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.    

The Wash-Ashores

 

The Wash-Ashores by Hannah McKinnon
6/30/26; 336 pages
Atria/Emily Bestler Books 

The Wash-Ashores by Hannah McKinnon is a highly recommended women's fiction/beach read for the right reader.  Set on Cape Cod, the plot brings a feel-good Hallmark movie to mind as characters have personal entanglements.

Holly is taking over running the historic Cranberry Inn on Cape Cod in hopes of inheriting it from her grandmother Francine. Francine is ready to retire, maybe, but she is unsure Holly can run and update the inn on her own. Holly is determined to keep the Cranberry up, running, and profitable, knowing that if she doesn't her grandmother has a developer interested in buying it. The summer takes off at a gallop, Holly is working nonstop to keep her team working toward the goal and make a profit. Part of Holly's plan is to open up the inn to events and this summer a prominent New York family, the Suttons, are bring the whole bridal party there in preparation for their daughter’s wedding.

This is a very descriptive novel that creates the setting and then focuses more on the characters than the actual day to day running of the inn, although certainly some of the daily complications are necessary to keep the setting and tone of the novel realistic and create drama. The inn is the setting for the many romantic/personal relationships and complications. Employees at the inn are like family to each other in the way that many high stress jobs create a closeness between employees. It's the love lost and found plot points that drive the narrative forward. 

Holly's previous love interest Ben is back. Greta and Oliver slowly make a connection. A bride is suddenly hedging. Ezra finds a purpose and pleasure in life again. Francine struggles with letting go. Guests create drama and demands. Linus keeps everything running smoothly. And Holly makes plans to expand Cranberry Inn's business. 3.5 rounded up.

The Wash-Ashores is a good choice for an entertaining summer vacation read that will appeal to women. Thanks to Atria/Emily Bestler Books for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.   

Keep Them Close

 

Keep Them Close by David Ellis
6/30/26; 368 pages
G.P. Putnam's Sons 

Keep Them Close by David Ellis is an exceptional, very highly recommended, twisty murder mystery and legal thriller. It is so surprising and twisty it's like a pretzel on steroids. This complex, clever thriller will surprise you multiple times while reading. Read this book. Oh, and trust no one.

When Finley Brice is found dead in a dumpster, his wife, Allison, is obviously a suspect. Allison is also a top lawyer in Chicago and has, incidentally, been keeping tack of her husband's affairs. During this same time Allison's brother, Luke, is facing legal problems of his own, but Allison and Luke always have each other's backs, or do they?

This is an extremely well written, complex, original, clever, and twisty thriller that moves at a fast-pace throughout and will hold your complete attention throughout. It will also blow your mind with some of the complex twisty-twists and the pages will fly by. Trust me, this one has it all and you will not be able to guess where it is going. Pay attention and follow the chapter timelines closely. They are all based on April Fools Day, the day Finley died, but can be following action before and after that day. The plot unfolds through the points-of-view of Allison, Luke, and Louise, the police detective on the case. 

Allison is a complex, fully realized character. She's astute, cunning, intelligent, and never a pushover. Luke is also more than he seems. You wouldn't want to turn your back on either of these siblings as they are both very intelligent but also have secrets. None of the characters are trustworthy. The complications, duplicity, questions, suspicions, and lies abound throughout the plot. Again, trust no one and nothing is as it seems.

Keep Them Close is an exceptional mystery mystery/investigative thriller and should not be missed. Thanks to G.P. Putnam's Sons for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

Not What It Seems

 

Not What It Seems by Lisa Jackson
6/30/26; 416 pages
Kensington
The Savannah Series #5 

Not What It Seems by Lisa Jackson is a highly recommended Southern Gothic murder mystery. This is the 5th book in the Savannah series featuring crime writer Nikki Gillette and her husband, Detective Pierce Reed. It can be enjoyed as a standalone thriller as enough background information is provided in the plot.

When Detective Pierce Reed gets phone call out to a murder, his wife, reporter and crime writer Nikki Gillet, is immediately intrigued. Victim Billy Huber’s house and land resemble a junkyard, so the scene that initially resembles an accident only becomes a murder scene upon closer examination. The polished, engraved stone left under his body is also curious. Nikki, although warned against getting close to the scene, is on Huber's land, watching. Within days another body is found. This time a wealthy, thrice-married Savannah socialite dead in her lavish home, also with a polished engraved stone. Soon another body follows.

This is a well-written investigative crime thriller that focuses on both the investigation of the murders along with the domestic life of Nikki and Pierce. When the novel is focused on the murder investigations it is compelling and will hold your attention.   There are chapters from the point-of-view of the killer. Several red herrings are within the plot, although attentive readers may guess the real serial killer. 

Even when Pierce warns her off Nikki continues to be headstrong and takes unnecessary risks rather than taking a modicum of thoughtful consideration concerning the consequences of her actions. Since she is described as a successful crime writer of books and only a supplementary news writer, mainly using the office at the newspaper for research, perhaps she could stop inserting herself into active investigations, especially considering the danger and the fact that it interferes with Pierce's job.

Since the last Savannah novel was The Third Grave published in 2021, (following 2013, 2004, and 2003) the focus on the domestic life and goings on of Nikki and Pierce don't seem quite as vital to share as it does in linear series where books follow each other in a quick succession. Much of that could have been edited out, keeping the basics, which would result in tightening up the pace tremendously. This would include the personal romantic interludes. Also I could have done without the paranormal/black magic.

Not What It Seems is a good choice for those who like murder mysteries with a Southern Gothic atmosphere. Thanks to Kensington for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.   

The Top of the World

 

The Top of the World by Ethan Joella
6/30/26; 272 pages
Scribner 

The Top of the World by Ethan Joella is an exceptional, very highly recommended literary family drama and coming-of-age story that is both heartbreaking and heartwarming. This is one of the best novels of the year and should not be missed. The bulk of the story takes place over the summers of 1974 and 1975 at The Red Maple Inn, a resort in the Poconos, and in a dual narrative follows two siblings, Chip and Maggie Bishop.

In 1974 Chip Bishop has just graduated from high school and is also undergoing treatment for leukemia. Rather than staying in town, where everyone knows he is dying, he leaves without a word to his family and starts working at The Red Maple Inn for the summer. There Chip can lead a relatively normal life for a time, returning home when he knows the end is near. Chip has arranged with his doctor to get transfusions at the local hospital. When he returned home after his summer adventure, he never tells his family where he went.

In 1975, Maggie Bishop has been grieving along with her parents ever since her brother Chip died. He never told anyone where he went last summer, but Maggie finds his name tag for The Red Maple Inn. She decided to follow in his footsteps, taking off for the inn without telling her parents where she is going. Once there she is welcomed by the employees when they learn she is Chip's sister. While working, she also tries to find people who knew Chip and can tell her about his last summer there while she is also making connections of her own. 

The writing is excellent in this character-driven, emotional story as the narrative flips between the point-of-view of Chip in 1974 and Maggie in 1975, with some chapters from earlier times/memories in their lives. One sibling knows he is dying while another is on the cusp of her adult life. Both are grieving a loss. The narrative captures the close relationship between the siblings. Expect emotions to run high during some scenes. The time period is depicted realistically and factually. The story of The Velveteen Rabbit plays a role in the novel, along with The Catcher in the Rye. 

All the characters are wonderfully depicted as fully realized, emotionally complex individuals, with even minor characters resembling real people. The siblings both have rich interior lives, with Chip's perhaps more complex, but as he knows he is facing death this seems understandable. The grief, which is at the forefront of the plot for multiple characters, is handled well, with compassion, insight, and grace. Maggie begins to experience healing while dealing with her loss. Anyone who has experienced a loss of a sibling or loved one will appreciate the way the experience is handled in the plot.

The Top of the World is a perfect novel for those who enjoy literary character-driven, emotionally complex family dramas and coming-of age stories. Thanks to Scribner for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.    

The Toxic Friend

 

The Toxic Friend by Nicole Trope
6/26/26; 286 pages
Bookouture 

The Toxic Friend by Nicole Trope is a recommended psychological thriller. To enjoy, know you will have to set all disbelief and doubts aside and just go with the action/story line. Trope is known for churning out a high volume of fast-paced, entertaining popcorn thrillers with soapy plots full of secrets that will hold your attention to the end.

Victoria, married to Ed, and Reese, married to Nick, have been best friends for over 20 years, experiencing many ups and downs along the way. Camilla used to be a third member of their friend group, but they all had a falling out many years ago. Now Victoria and Reese have both individually received a text from Camilla threatening to expose their big lie. Apparently pictures are also being taken of the two and their families. What is the big secret, the lie from years ago and why would it matter so many years later? 

The narrative has an uneven pace at the beginning and the plot unfolds through the point-of-view of all three women and chapters are presented from in both the present and the past. The present chapter show what is happening now to Victoria and Reese, both is their family lives and through Camilla. Past chapters tell the background of the three women, along with their interpersonal interactions and struggles. It is clear that they have a history but have come to some taciturn agreement to forget the past. Remember to keep setting that disbelief aside.

The pages move quickly and the page count is low, so this is a fast read, however, it wasn't a favorite for me. It felt a little too formulaic for most of the novel until the big twists hit later. Parts were also too predictable. Additionally, at least four character have green or hazel eyes. Come on already. As someone with green eyes, they aren't that common.

The Toxic Friend is a good choice if you are looking for a quick popcorn thriller. Thanks to Bookouture for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The View from Here

 

The View from Here by Rachel Howzell Hall
6/22/26; 287 pages (re-release)
Thomas & Mercer  

The View from Here by Rachel Howzell Hall is a recommended psychological thriller. This is a revised re-release of the novel originally published on 11/7/2010.

Nicole and Truman Baxter have been married for eleven years and are having relationship problems. It seems Truman is always too busy and they are having problems communicating and making time for each other. Truman flirts with other women at his birthday part angering Nicole. Nicole has an early miscarriage and Truman doesn't have a clue. She also has a fling with a neighbor. Before she has a chance to talk to Truman, he disappears, presumed dead, after a scuba diving accident near Catalina Island. This is followed by Nicole seemingly losing her mind while grieving, as she begins to see Truman, along with signs of him being in the house. Is he haunting her?

The pace moves quickly and the plot is basic, so easy to follow. The plot could basically be summarized as: couple has marital problems, husband dies, woman grieves and thinks she's going crazy or is haunted.  Truman doesn't disappear until the 35% mark in the book. Normally I wouldn't disclose this information considering it a spoiler, but it's part of the description and really the whole point of the story is he dies/disappears and she is grieving/haunted. It is disconcerting and should be noted how much Nicole depends upon and takes prescribed medication.

Really, none of the characters seem to be trustworthy as doubts are placed throughout the narrative that encourage questioning the motives of every single one of them. I guessed what was going on and my suspicions were proven correct. The plot felt like a familiar, widely used trope and the characters are all caricatures of a type of person. The page count is low and the pacing is fast, so the action does move relatively quickly.

The View from Here will best be appreciated by those who like fast-paced psychological thrillers with paranormal undertones. Thanks to Thomas & Mercer for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.