Trust No One

 

Trust No One by James Rollins
2/24/26; 432 pages
HarperCollins 

Trust No One by James Rollins is a very highly recommended stand-alone thriller of international intrigue. It opens with a treacherous event which will immediately grab your attention and pull you into the story.

Sharyn Karr is an American student in a postgraduate program covering the history of witchcraft, folklore, and spiritualism at the University of Exeter in England. Shortly before his death when the two meet in the school's library, Professor Julian Wright entrusts her with a valuable and historically significant ancient book, the locked and encrypted journal from the Count of Saint-Germain, an 18th-century alchemist. He instructs her to never open it, keep it safe and, trust no one. He also gives her a number to contact if she needs help. Events quickly force Sharyn to confide in her two roommates along with Duncan Maxwell and his friend. 

The five university students are being chased by a lethal cabal and law enforcement while being blamed for murder. They flee, following instructions via their unknown contact, but are followed at their every move and pursued across England, France, and into the Italian Alps by their deadly pursuers. They learn from Malick Laurent, a guardian of the book who joins them in their flight, that Confrérie des Illuminés is the group after them.

As expected, this is an extremely well-written, fast-paced thriller that grabs your attention from the start and never lets it go. The plot is compelling and the menacing group hunting for the students as they are on the run keeps the tension very high throughout the novel. Their enemies always see just a few steps behind them. At the same time the group needs to solve the puzzles in the ancient text while always just a few paces ahead of death. Rollins does his usual mixing historical facts and places with fiction and includes a note afterword about what is real and what he took liberties with in the plot. The narrative also includes illustrations and maps.

The characters are all fully realized individuals and you will care about what happens to them. Sharyn has a very specific background and hidden skill set which brings a lot to bear on the plot. The rest of the characters also add their own special abilities that assist the group in their mission and hope for survival. I would personally follow another outing of this group should a series be a possibility. 

Trust No One is a perfect choice for everyone who enjoys a fast-paced well-written thriller.  Thanks to HarperCollins for providing me with an advance reader's copy via Edelweiss. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.  

She Thought She Was Safe

 

She Thought She Was Safe by Terri Parlato
2/24/26; 304 pages
Kensington 

She Thought She Was Safe by Terri Parlato is a highly recommended gothic mystery/thriller set at a small, secluded lakeside community.

Emma Shrader just went through a painful divorce where her ex-husband's huge gambling debts are revealed which was followed by the death of her mother. She decided to look for her father, a man she never knew and whose name her mother never revealed. After he is found and it is determined that they are related through a DNA test, she briefly meets him. Alex Spencer is a wealthy, renowned author who invites Emma to stay at his home on Cheshire Lake in Maine. There are only four homes on the lake and when she arrives it is clear that this is not a simple lakeside cabin, the Spencer house is a large Victorian house.  

Emma meets the welcoming neighbors and settles in to her writing when the unthinkable happens. A neighbor is found dead, and it is determined to be a murder. The police begin investigating. Alex arrives with his daughter Sunny, who is the antithesis of her name, and suddenly the idyllic lake setting and quiet community begins to feels less accommodating and increasingly threatening.

This is an even-paced mystery/thriller with gothic undertones in an atmospheric setting. The tension and apprehension increase gradually with every page leading up to several mysteries followed by some much larger plot twists and a very satisfying ending. I actually enjoyed it and was immersed in the plot throughout. However, the essential requirement to enjoy this novel is that you must be willing to set a huge dose of disbelief aside, multiple times, while reading. 

The first main hurdle of disbelief to jump is that Emma would even accept an offer to stay at her father's lakeside home. She's never developed a relationship with him and doesn't know anything about him beyond what she can find online. Agreeing to meet in order to get to know each other is one thing; staying at one of his homes is another.  Once you accept this premise, the other unbelievable plot points are easier to accept while you keep reading, after all, there is obviously a murder to solve but there are also other mysteries which are revealed and need answers.

Emma has a complicated background and meeting her father does not simplify it, rather it adds more complications. Along with all the residents at the lake, there is also emerges an unspoken, sinister history. The murder investigation uncovers other secrets from years ago, which add to the threatening atmosphere and plot complexities while making the plot take on even more of a gothic atmosphere. 

She Thought She Was Safe is a good choice for those who enjoy mysteries/thrillers with a gothic atmosphere and can set disbelief aside. Thanks to Kensington for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.  

Tyler Green Will Never Be Free

 

Tyler Green Will Never Be Free by Nicci French
2/24/26; 448 pages
William Morrow
Maud O’Connor #3 

Tyler Green Will Never Be Free by Nicci French is a very highly recommended locked-room thriller/procedural following a group of old university friends with a killer in their midst. This novel is alternately titled What Happened That Night and is the third novel featuring Detective Inspector Maud O'Connor.

In 1993 a group of university friends Leo, Will, Ali, Rudi, Marco, Clare, Jay, Ellen, Beatrice, and Tyler meet for a graduation party which results in the murder of Leo and Tyler being imprisoned for the crime. Tyler always claimed he was innocent, so twenty-nine years later when he is released from prison. Tyler wants to meet with the remaining eight friends from that fateful night. They all show up along with Marco‘s young girlfriend Kristen. The evening quickly disintegrates and results in another member of the group found dead.

DI Maude O'Connor with assistance from DS Carrie Kessler are called in to investigate. They arrive to find the scene in chaos, totally unsecured and uncontained. The officer in charge has already determined with no evidence that Tyler is guilty and he is thrown back into prison. Maude has doubts about Tyer's guilt. She quickly takes charge and starts interviewing and investigating to determine what really happened, resulting in a very satisfying procedural.

The narrative is even-paced as this well-written, well-plotted procedural first follows the events of the get together in Part 1 and then starts the investigation in Part 2. Adding Kristen, Marco's young loud-mouth girlfriend, to the mix at the party was a good choice and her questions assist in bringing out the personalities of all the old friends, now in their 50's, during their muddled reunion. The evening quickly becomes sloppy and the wisdom of all these people getting together again is doubtful.

Once the investigation is underway in part two the questioning of the survivors uncovers clues and insight into the group and their individual personalities. This keeps the tension in the plot as the search for the identity of the killer is underway. It truly is a novel of "Old friends, new secrets, one deadly reunion." Nicci French is the pen name of the husband-and-wife writing team Nicci Gerrard and Sean French.

Tyler Green Will Never Be Free is a great choice for those who enjoy locked-room psychological thrillers/procedurals and those following the Maude O'Connor series. Thanks to William Morrow for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.  

Caller Unknown

 

Caller Unknown by Gillian McAllister
2/24/26; 352 pages
William Morrow 

Caller Unknown by Gillian McAllister is a highly recommended thriller following a mother and daughter during a series of disturbing events. 

Simone arrives from the UK to Fort Davis in the Big Bend region of Texas where Lucy has been attending a vocal workshop. The plan is to spend time with her daughter Lucy on an enjoyable vacation before Lucy leaves home for the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, RADA. Simone awakens the morning after their first night in the cabin they rented and finds all her luggage there but Lucy gone. Then she receives a message, caller unknown, on a cell phone left in Lucy's bed. She is instructed to not tell the police, go to a specific location, and be prepared to follow instructions if she wants to see her daughter again. She does receive a video with proof Lucy's still alive.

Simone calls her husband Damien who encourages her to call the police, but she declines, worried about Lucy's safety. Damien says he will be on a flight to the USA and Simone proceeds to follow the kidnapper's instructions. Instead of a ransom demand, Simone is given a task. Simone follows the instructions and this sets into motion a distressing encounter, morality choices, an arduous journey, and intense cat and mouse game.

This well-written thriller starts out at a sweeping, intense, nail-biting pace and then slows down as the situation changes. The sources threatening Simone and Lucy include humans but also the harsh environment as they are on the run. Along with the thriller plot line, the narrative also explores the close relationship/connection between mothers and daughters. The middle part of the novel becomes a thoughtful character study and examination of familiar relationships. The ending explodes back into action with surprising developments and twists. Take note that there are several times I had to set disbelief aside while reading.

The characters are all well-developed and intimately portrayed as complex individuals with strengths and weaknesses. The exploration of the connection between mothers and daughters, and the sacrifices mothers will make for their children is especially well done and compassionately depicted through thoughts and deeds throughout the narrative. 

Caller Unknown is a great choice for those who enjoy thrillers which feature a mother and daughter encountering a tension-packed situation. Thanks to William Morrow for providing me with an advance reader's copy via Edelweiss. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.  

A Good Animal

 

A Good Animal by Sara Maurer
2/24/26; 288 pages
St. Martin's Press

A Good Animal by Sara Maurer is a very highly recommended, beautifully written, coming-of-age novel set in a rural farming area outside of Sault St. Marie, Michigan in 1995. This is an incredible, character driven literary debut novel which perfectly captures people in a specific place and time. I am looking forward to Sara Maurer's next novel. (This might be best appreciated by those who understand the realities of rural/small town life.)

Everett Lindt has always planed to stay on the sheep farm that has been in the family for generations, breeding and selling sheep after he finishes his senior year of high school. When he meets Mary, who has just moved to the area with her Coast Guard father for her senior year, he is immediately attracted to her, but she makes it clear that she plans to leave after high school for college in California. They stumble into dating and a relationship, with Everett secretly hoping she will stay with him and his dream, while Mary adamantly knows she is leaving for her. Then they face complications and hard choices.

A Good Animal is an exquisitely written novel with an even-paced plot. As many adults will understand, young love/first love doesn't always admit the obvious realities clearly present and the relationship between Everett and Mary showcases this fact. They may be attracted to each other, but their individual dreams are distinctly contrary. The sometimes harsh, sometimes satisfying realities of raising, showing, and selling sheep is plainly captured in detail, but readers will know that Everett's future on the farm is a well-chosen decision for his life. At the same time, Mary's obvious fear of sheep is one fact which certainly indicates she is not suited for that life. 

Everett is a well-developed character and depicted as a fully-realized individual with both strengths and weaknesses. He is young and still maturing, but indications of the man he will be one day are present. Supporting characters, including in part Everett's best friend Charlie, his younger sister Katie, and Mary, are also portrayed as realistic characters. Even some of the sheep have personalities. The well-written characters help make the plot soar in this emotionally complex coming-of-age drama. 

 A Good Animal is an excellent choice for those who enjoy well-written coming-of-age stories. 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.

More Than Enough

 

More Than Enough by Anna Quindlen
2/24/26; 256 pages
Random House 

More Than Enough by Anna Quindlen is a very highly recommended literary character-driven domestic drama of self-exploration which follows a woman dealing with infertility, a dying friend, and complicated family relationships. 

Polly Goodman, 42, is a high school English teacher happily married to Mark, a veterinarian at the Bronx Zoo. While Polly is struggling with infertility issues, she has an enviable, comfortable relationship with her brother, friends, in-laws, and her father who is in a nursing home with a failing mind. Her relationship with her mother is more complicated. When her best friends/book club buddies, Sarah, Helen, and  Jamie, give Polly an ancestry test kit as a joke, she takes the test and is surprised by the results. She ends up meeting with her match, a teenager, and while their connected ancestry is still not clear, the two form a connection.

This is a exceptionally well-written, touching literary examination of a slice of an individual's life. From her friends, which she can share everything with, to her interactions with her brother, parents, and in-laws, the keen observations can be touching, humorous, mundane, heart-breaking, and ultimately hopeful. While the pacing is slow through much of the book, it touches deeply on topics many women have experienced and how much interpersonal relationships with family and friendships can mean. It also demonstrates how secrets can affect other's lives.

Polly is a fully realized, well-developed character with both strengths and weaknesses. Readers should quickly finds areas in her life they can either relate to or have observed. Admittedly, while reading there were several times Polly's observations and difficulties resonated with me and hit too close to personal experiences. All of the supporting cast serve to add depth and insight into Polly's character, helping to reveal how our relationships can define us. Additionally, as a bonus it delightfully includes alpacas, humming and pronking.  

More Than Enough is a perfect choice for anyone who enjoys gentle, literary character driven dramas. 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 Crossroads

 

The Crossroads by C. J. Box
2/24/26; 352 pages
Putnam
Joe Pickett Series #26 

The Crossroads by C. J. Box is a very highly recommended investigative mystery and the winning 26th addition to the long running series. This time Joe's daughters lead the investigation as Joe is incapacitated.

Marybeth Pickett gets the call she has always dreaded when her husband, Wyoming Game Warden Joe Pickett, is found in his pickup at Antler Creek Junction, shot in the head, unconscious and barely holding on to life. He is airlifted to the hospital in Billings, Montana, accompanied by Marybeth, where he remains in critical condition and in a medically induced coma while being treated. The couples three daughters, Sheridan, April, and Lucy,  converge on the family home, determined to investigate who was responsible for what happened to their father.

The three determine that the owners of the three ranches that connect off of Antler Creek Junction may have something to do with Joe's ambush. They talk to the new sheriff for the county of Twelve Sleep, Steve Sondergard, and they all agree to share any information they uncover in their investigations. The identity of the hired assassins, Dorn Peddy and James Dale O’Bryan, are identified early on in some chapters from their perspective but the identity of who hired them is kept a secret. Also included are chapters from Joe's point-of-view dating back before the ambush which provide extra information for readers.

The pace is fast and the tension rises as the suspects are delved into in this well-written installment of the series. The owners of the three ranches all have a reason to be implicated in Joe's ambush and need to be carefully questioned. The new Sheriff Sondergard has barely had time to settle in when he is confronted with this case and informed by Sheridan that she and her sisters will be investigating it too, with or without his approval. It is entertaining to follow Joe's daughters while they investigate and they prove to be insightful and intuitive, but Joe will be missed by those following the series. Who knew Wyoming could continue to be such a dangerous place to live.

The Crossroads is an excellent choice for anyone who enjoys investigative mysteries set in a rural area and, of course,  for everyone following the Joe Pickett series. Thanks to Putnam for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.  

The Fatal Confidant

 

The Fatal Confidant by Debra Webb
2/17/26; 335 pages 
Thomas & Mercer 

The Fatal Confidant by Debra Webb is a very highly recommended thriller. This is the revised edition of the previously published Faceless. 

Deputy district attorney Carson Tanner is a tenacious prosecutor whose persistence has earned him the nickname the Avenger. His determination to seek justice is driven by the horrific murder of his family fifteen years. His current case involves Birmingham crime boss Otis Fleming. The key to crack open the case may lie with Fleming's staunch confidant and fixer for the wealthy, Annette Baxter. Annette knows who Carson is, intimately initiates contact, and soon it becomes clear that there is more treachery, secrets, manipulation, betrayal and danger than Carson could have ever imagined.

Suspicion and secrets immediately set the tone to this well-written novel. The plot becomes more complex with each chapter as yet another new revelation, secret, threat, and twist occurs. The truth lies somewhere in a twisted maze of personal contacts and private obligations among an elite, wealthy, and well-connected group of people. Annette knows many of their covert actions and the information they need to conceal, but she also know the treachery and misdirection they are capable of initiating. Carson is being thrust into the reality of what may actually be going on behind the scenes.

At first I'll admit I was put off the novel in the beginning by Carson's actions when he succumbed to Annette's overt seduction. It did take awhile to set the distaste of the seduction incident aside, but as the complications, tensions, and danger increased, the incident became less annoying. It certainly sheds light on Annette and Carson's character. When she intimates that she has information about the murder of his family, the question is always how trustworthy is she? Then things begin to become increasingly dangerous and lethal, indicating that there is more going on than he realizes.

Both Carson and Annette are portrayed as fully-realized characters with strengths and weaknesses. Various other characters slowly reveal parts of their true nature along the way. The connections and schemes between all the players in the narrative is intricate and layered, ultimately leading to a shocking final twist.

The Fatal Confidant is a great choice for anyone who enjoys complex thrillers full of secrets and intrigue. Thanks to Thomas & Mercer for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.  

When I Kill You

 

When I Kill You by B.A. Paris
2/17/26; 304 pages
St. Martin's Press

When I Kill You by B.A. Paris is a recommended psychological thriller where stalking/stalkers is the focus.

Nell Masters' life is going well now and she's in a good relationship with Alex. She also knows someone is following her, she just doesn't know who it is or why it is happening, but all the indications are there. Fourteen years ago Alex was Elle Nugent. After she saw  Bryony Sanders, who was later found murdered, get into a stranger’s car, Elle became obsessed with the man driving the car and relentlessly stalked him. This experience ended badly, thus her name change, but it is also this experience years earlier that fuels her certainty that she is currently being stalked. 

The glacially slow but entertaining plot unfolds through chapters that alternate between the past and present, telling the story of Elle/Nell. Included in between the earlier/later chapters are chapters through the voice of Nell's stalker, which always end with the words, "when I kill you." There are plenty of secrets held by everyone and more than one suspect for the current stalker. The chapters are short, which helps hold your attention.

Nell's anxiety does increase, but the slow pace kept much of the tension at bay for this reader. Younger Elle is immature and her obsession can be annoying while, as Nell, she has a reason for her current paranoia. This one lost the thrill early on and the suspense and trepidation about the identity of the stalker was slow building. Not a bad novel, but B.A. Paris has written much better. 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 New Neighbors

 

The New Neighbors by Claire Douglas
2/17/26; 400 pages
HarperCollins 

The New Neighbors by Claire Douglas is a highly recommended domestic soap opera focusing on suspicious new neighbors.

Henry and Mariella Morgan, in their sixties, have moved in to the neighborhood on a suburban street in Bristol. They are next door to Lena, mother to seventeen-year old son Rufus, who separated from her husband Charlie seven months earlier. The Morgans seemed nice after Lena briefly met them, but later when she is setting up a microphone to record daytime noises for Rufus's film project, she accidentally picks up a disturbing private conversation they were having. This starts Lena covertly looking into the Morgans while simultaneously seeing suspicious behavior in their words and behavior while she is advised by those she tells to be careful.

The plot unfolds through multiple timelines and narrators. Chapters are from the point-of-view of Lena (who has some chapters set in the past), Henry (whose chapters start back in the 1980's), and an unknown woman named Natalie. The chapters set in the past provide the background information needed to understand. Lena is an emotionally conflicted character whose life, between Rufus going to the university and her separation, is heading toward a transition. 

This is a another well-written, entertaining domestic drama that reads like a soap opera. It might be easy to pick apart the character's actions and thoughts, and there are several things that could be targeted, but it is much more entertaining to set all disbelief aside and just follow the intricate plot and action to the exciting conclusion. Thanks to HarperCollins for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.  

Ashland

 

Ashland by Dan Simon
2/17/26; 208 pages
Europa Editions 

Ashland by Dan Simon is a highly recommended literary family drama following the intimate, accepting bonds built between mothers, sisters, and cousins, as well as the story of the small town of Ashland, New Hampshire.

Carolyn, born to an unwed teenager, grows up along side her mother Ellie, her aunt Jennie, who also had children as a teenager, and her cousins in the small declining town of Asland. The inclusive family love and support each other always and through everything over the years. Carolyn, who loves writing, audits writing classes at the local university taught by writing instructor, Geoff. Also told is the story of other characters, including Edith and Gordon, a couple who meet in a 1920s tuberculosis sanatorium. All the stories together tell not only her family's history but also the history of Ashland.

This beautifully written, poetic literary novel tells the desperate story of quiet lives, or perhaps demonstrates Thoreau's "The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation.” Carolyn herself finds contentment and peace in the present even while others wistfully recall the past and she writes about her experiences and the people she knows. The novel develops both the individual characters and the setting/place of Ashland.

The narrative unfolds in chapters through several first-person narrators who tell their own stories through their own thoughts. It also jumps around switching narrators and time periods throughout. This can feel a little disconcerting as if it holds the reader at arms length keeping a distance between them and the characters. It does cover a wide variety of experiences they endure over times. The ending ties all the stories together beautifully.

Ashland will be best appreciated by those who enjoy literary fiction told through multiple narrators. Thanks to Europa Editions for providing me with an advance reader's copy. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.   

Adrift

 

Adrift by Will Dean
2/17/26; 352 pages
Atria/Emily Bestler Books 

Adrift by Will Dean is an excellent, disturbing, and gripping domestic psychological thriller following a highly dysfunctional family. It is very highly recommended. My broken heart was in my throat and tears were in my eyes throughout most of this gripping tale of abuse and gaslighting. Adrift is most certainly going to be on my list of the very best books of 2026.

Drew and Peggy Jenkins, both aspiring writers, and their fourteen-year-old son Samson (Sammy), live an isolated existence on a deteriorating longboat in a canal near Cairo, Illinois. Drew forced them to sell Peggy's mother's bungalow after her death to buy the boat. Now Drew has complete control over Peggy and Sammy, including where the boat will dock for the night, and he uses this power to isolate, belittle, gaslight, sabotage, manipulate, threaten, and inflict psychological abuse on them. Drew has complete control over them, including what/if they eat. He requires their total silence when he sits down to write each night.

Peggy volunteers at the local library, because Drew won't allow her to earn her own money, but this also allows her the opportunity to work on writing her own book which will hopefully open up a way for her and Sammy to escape. Sammy is a scholarship student at a private school where he is relentlessly bullied and tormented daily for his physique and poverty. Every night the two don't know where the boat will be docked as Drew continually moves it. When Peggy finishes her book and it is accepted by a publisher, it sets off a rage in Drew followed by a disastrous series of events.

All of these characters are so well-written, so fully-realized as complicated individuals, that they come to life on the pages. While reading you will feel like you know them, which becomes increasingly heart-breaking as the plot unfolds. You will want Peggy and Sammy to escape and make it out alive, even while it seems impossible because Drew controls everything. Drew is a completely malevolent character. Anyone who has ever known someone who is an expert at gaslighting or desires complete control of others will have a deep empathetic understanding for Peggy and Sammy.

The writing is exceptional, eloquent, and vividly captures the gaslighting, abuse, and isolation Peggy and Sammy experience from Drew as he exerts complete control and subjects them to one cruel action or word after another. As Drew emotionally terrorizes his family while isolating them, the tension keeps rising throughout the novel and it became impossible to set it aside as the trepidation of what might happen next kept me glued to the pages, hoping they would find a way out. You will know what Drew is capable of and understand why Peggy doesn't just take Sammy and run for help.

Adrift is an outstanding, well-written domestic thriller which I very highly recommend. Thanks to Atria Books for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

Our Beautiful Mess

 

Our Beautiful Mess by Adele Parks
2/10/26; 448 pages
Park Row Books/Harlequin

Our Beautiful Mess by Adele Parks is a so-so, tedious family drama which is indeed both a mess and a miss. This one has soap opera vibes and not in a good way. Adele Parks has written much better novels.

Connie is thrilled to have all of her daughters home for Christmas. Her oldest, Fran arrives with her boyfriend Zak and surprises everyone with her obvious pregnancy. Connie is unsettled by Zak because he resembles a man she had an affair with years ago. Let the secrets be exposed and the slow moving family drama ensue.

I may be an outlier, but I found all the the characters supremely off-putting and annoying right at the start. Adding to that frustration is the very lethargic pace. Sure, drama was going on but it was stretchered out forever with internal monologues and predictable twists. Soon the drama requires you to set disbelief aside multiple times and the novel was no longer compelling or even enjoyable. Once it felt like a chore to continue reading I lost almost all my engagement with it. It does pick up toward the end but by then it was too late to redeem.

Our Beautiful Mess will likely best be enjoyed by those who enjoy romance mysteries mixed with a family drama and die-hard fans of Adele Park. Thanks to Park Row Books for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.   

The Replacement

 

The Replacement by Matt Brolly
2/10/26; 299 pages
Thomas & Mercer
DS Liam Kilshaw #2

The Replacement by Matt Brolly is a highly recommended procedural and the second book in the Detective Sergeant Liam Kilshaw series following The Lines. It can be enjoyed as a standalone novel. Kilshaw, a former Marine, is a intuitive investigator who also suffers from PTSD and has alopecia.

When a body in a hessian bag (burlap for US readers) washes up on Sennen Beach in Cornwall, DS Kilshaw is called out to investigate. The face of the man in the bag is so mutilated identification is almost impossible. Kilshaw takes note when a local man brings up the legend of Bucca Dhu, a sea monster who demands human sacrifice, but clearly this is the result of human depravity. When a second man's body is found on the shore also in a burlap bag with the face beaten beyond recognition, it is clear that a serial killer is at work. Kilshaw must use all his skills to find the perpetrator before another body is found.

The opening prologue will immediately attention grabbing and also provides the reader a brief glimpse into what may be related to what is currently happening. Set during the winter in Cornwall, the atmosphere in the novel is literally chilling in words and deeds. The narrative unfolds through the point-of-view of Kilshaw and another person, who's viewpoint will keep your attention focused even when the investigation slows the pace down in the middle of the plot. The anticipation over what may happen next is ever present in this even-paced procedural and there are several twists along the way. The ending is, as expected, action packed.

Kilshaw's character development continues in this second novel as he works on his interpersonal relationships, a skill with which he struggles. He is portrayed as a realistic, complicated individual with strengths and weaknesses. He has a good relationship with his boss, Maya, his ex-wife and tries to makes sure to see his son George. Additionally, thank you Matt for making sure the dog was okay, which may be a spoiler for some but other readers will want to know this.

The Replacement is a great choice for those who enjoy British procedurals and investigations set by the sea. Matt Brolly is always a dependable author who writes compelling stories. 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 Final Problem

The Final Problem by Arturo Pérez-Reverte
2/10/26; 320 pages
Little, Brown and Company/Mulholland Books
Frances Riddle, Translator  

 The Final Problem by Arturo Pérez-Reverte is a recommended locked-room murder mystery, highly for fans of Sherlock Holmes novels and movies. My review copy was translated from the original Spanish by Frances Riddle.

In 1960, Ormond Basil, a well-known actor famous for his portrayal of Sherlock Holmes in seventeen movies, is stranded due to weather along with other travelers at the only hotel on the Greek island of Utakos.  When Edith Mander, a British tourist, is found dead in a beach cabana, it looks like suicide but there are indications of foul play. 

With the island cut off from the police, the other guests turned to Basil, based on his powers of deduction on the big screen, to actually be the investigator and look into the details of the murder.  A Spanish mystery writer named Francisco Foxá, whom Basil met earlier, acts as his Dr. Watson for the investigation. What the two soon realize is that the killer is playing a deadly literary game and basing each crime on a story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. 

My initial impression was very favorable and I found it a fun locked-room mystery which was overtly a tribute to a certain period of time, the golden age of film, and Sherlock Holmes movies. After about half-way through I'll readily admit the name-dropping, the constant personal ruminating of Basil, and the plethora of quotes from and references to Sherlock Holmes' novels began to wear me down. The narrative felt like an over-the-top homage to things of the past and various troupes rather than an intriguing and compelling murder mystery. Additionally, all the characters were caricatures of a type of person.

The Final Problem is going to be best appreciated by those who revere all things Sherlock Holmes along with the golden age of cinema. Thanks to Mulholland Books for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

Ours Is a Tale of Murder

 

Ours Is a Tale of Murder by Nora Murphy
2/10/26; 384 pages
Sourcebooks Landmark

Ours Is a Tale of Murder by Nora Murphy is a highly recommended domestic psychological suspense novel following three different families.

Klara Martin and Troy Weston are both lawyers who have a whirlwind romance and quickly marry. Troy surprises Klara with a house in Hawthorne Heights where the two settle in after their honeymoon and Klara leaves her job. Their relationship becomes increasingly unsettling. 

In the same neighborhood Mary, a retired teacher, is clearing out her home to sell. She reminiscences about her beloved son Owen and her many regrets over her late husband Ed.   

Henry is a grown man living in the basement of his parents home after losing his job months earlier. He keeps watch on the neighborhood, especially watching Klara, Troy, and Mary. Henry has a long history of stalking women.

These three stories unfold, followed by a big twist in part two of the well-written novel which happens relatively late in the narrative, where the perspective of everything shifts. There is no doubt that the slow-burning novel does hold your attention from the start but following the three different stories/characters and their points-of-view is really telling three divergent stories until late in the novel where the big twist happens about 2/3rd the way through. At this point the narrative changes and events coalesce into the tale of murder. 

The novel is character driven, but none of the characters are particularly likeable. Their reliability is questionable, they all are flawed, dysfunctional, and secrets abound, which is all an essential part of the plot. The tone of the whole atmospheric novel is heavy, unsettling, and gloomy. Additionally, you will have to suspend some disbelief along the way. This may be a totally personal feeling, but in my opinion misandry pervades this plot and this left me with a dubious opinion early on while reading. In the end the opening warning and title of the book. "Ours is a tale of murder" comes to fruition. 

Ours Is a Tale of Murder is a good choice for those who enjoy slowly building psychological suspense novels. Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The Patient

 

The Patient by Tim Sullivan
2/3/26; 416 pages
Grove/Atlantic
DS George Cross Mystery #3

The Patient by Tim Sullivan is a very highly recommended procedural/mystery and the third novel in the series featuring Detective Sergeant George Cross with the Bristol Crime Unit which can also be enjoyed as a stand alone novel. This was originally published in Great Britain in 2022. Cross, who is on the autism spectrum, can be awkward, unemotional, and blunt, but he is also extremely perceptive, logical, tenacious, and intelligent.

After a discussion with Sandra Wilson outside the Bristol Crime Unit, DS Cross agrees to look into the death of her daughter Felicity (Flick). Her death had been ruled an accidental drug overdose, but Sandra is sure Flick was murdered. Flick had been clean for over two years and had a young daughter. After questioning police staffer Alice Mackenzie and pathologist Clare Hawkins, Cross is convinced that something else happened and decides to reopen the case. His partner DS Josie Ottey assists him in the investigation. There are several suspects, including her ex-boyfriend, Simon Aston, and Danny Stokes, the boss at the dry cleaner’s where she previously worked.

At the same time, Cross's father Raymond, who broke a hip, is about to be released from the hospital which poses a huge problem. He does not want to live with his son, for several reasons, but Raymond is a hoarder and his home must be cleaned out for his own safety. Cross comes up with a great solution and makes a contact at the same time.

This is a very well-written procedural which sets itself apart with the uniqueness of the main character and the twisty, complicated, intuitive, and analytical investigation into Flick's death. Cross, as well as Mackenzie and Ottey, is portrayed as a fully realized individual with strengths and weaknesses. The strong characterization, along with the complicated, well reasoned plot, helps propel the action forward and also serves to set this series apart from others with it's unique main character. 

The intelligent investigation which proceeds through logically and instinctively following the clues and putting the puzzle together made  The Patient an enjoyable procedural that is a pleasure to read. The final denouement held several surprises. Thanks to Grove/Atlantic for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

Impostor

 

Impostor by LJ Ross
2/3/26: 304 pages
Poisoned Pen Press
Alexander Gregory #1 

Impostor by LJ Ross is a very highly recommended investigative thriller. This is the first book in the series featuring psychologist and profiler Dr. Alexander Gregory. 

Psychologist Dr. Alexander Gregory is working at Southmoor Hospital for the criminally insane and has one particularly volatile patient called called Cathy Jones who troubles him. Alex previously worked for a criminal profiling unit so it isn't a surprise when he is called in as a profiler for a murder committed in the small town of Ballyfinny, County Mayo, Ireland. There he will be assisting the local Garda, brothers Niall and Connor Byrne, to find the killer. While Alex looks at the evidence for and delves into the mind of a cunning killer, his dreams are also haunted by Cathy Jones.

The opening prologue set in 1987 will immediately grab your attention and provides background information for the infamous Cathy Jones. This also sets the atmosphere for this extremely well-written, compelling, fast-paced, and tension-packed thriller. The mystery at the heart of the investigation begs the question for the local Garda, "How could this action be from one of own people?" Alex must use his skills to show them a glimpse into what is likely happening in the mind of the killer to help them figure out suspects.

Alex is a complex, intelligent and interesting fully realized character. The other characters are also developed and given depth beyond just the perfunctory information. They work together in the investigation, uncovering several surprises with some plot twists along the way to the surprising final denouement. There is also shocking reveal at the end of the novel that will insure readers will be anxiously awaiting the next installment. First published October 31, 2019, this is a review of the Poisoned Pen Press edition being released on February 2, 2025. 

Impostor is a great choice for readers who enjoy investigative thrillers that feature a profiler. 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.

Jigsaw

 

Jigsaw by Jonathan Kellerman
2/3/26; 256 pages
Ballantine Books
Alex Delaware #41

Jigsaw by Jonathan Kellerman is a very highly recommended investigative mystery. This is a satisfying 41st addition to the Alex Delaware series and those following the long-running series will welcome returning to check in with Alex, Milo, Robin and Blanche.

Psychologist Alex Delaware is contacted by Detective Milo Sturgis to assist with two cases. In the first case, Sophie Barlow, a young woman, is found dead at her kitchen table. DNA on cigarette butts indicate her ex-boyfriend, but he has an airtight alibi, so the investigation is stymied. The second case is of an old woman, Martha Joline Matthias, who was murdered and her mutilated body was found in a deep freeze.  She was a former police detective and Milo knew her. Martha was also a hoarder and her home is packed with things and envelopes of cash. During the investigation they find a tenuous connection between the victims, but the perpetrator is a mystery.

Reading an Alex Delaware novel is always a welcomed, comfortable experience. You appreciate the fact that the writing will be excellent, the characters are well-known, and the mystery/investigation will be compelling and hold your complete attention.  As fans of the series know, Milo always calls psychologist Alex Delaware, his best friend and a long-term consultant on “those cases.” The ones that are different, and these cases fit that expectation.

If you are new to the series, the character development may seem spare, but as installment 41 in the series, those who have been following the series for years deeply know these characters and their background. Reading a new installment of the series is returning to characters that are very well known while they must solve complex, unpredictable cases. 

The pace is fast, the page count low, the case intelligent, and the characters known so Jigsaw was a pleasant diversion. Thanks to Ballantine Books for providing me with an advance reader's copy via . My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

Good Intentions

 

Good Intentions by Marisa Walz
2/3/26; 336 pages
St. Martin's Press 

Good Intentions by Marisa Walz is a highly recommended psychological suspense novel. This slow-burning debut explores grief and obsession.

Cady has a luxury event-planning business and has been married to the man she's loved since she was seventeen. When her identical twin sister Dana suddenly dies after a car accident, Cady's life falls into a downward spiral. While deep in her grief she focuses on and becomes obsessed with Morgan, a grieving mother she briefly met in the emergency room who lost her twelve year-old son in a bicycle accident on the same day. Cady begins to stalk Morgan and deceptively inserts herself into Morgan's life. Cady's grief and obsession quickly threatens her marriage and business.

While this is a well-written novel the plot does proceed very slowly and the initial complete submersion into Cady's grief and constant internal dialogue to Dana can be overwhelming. This does allow the tension to slowly build along with trepidation over what will happen next. For anyone who has grieved the loss of a close sibling, at first Cady's grief is understandable, but quickly turns to something darker and disturbing as she obsesses over Morgan and helping her deal with her grief too. 

It is abundantly apparent that Cady is an unreliable, flawed narrator and that something unspoken is going on. The plot depends upon Cady's obsessive thoughts, which are unsettling, distorted, and untrustworthy, to create tension. Spending so much time in her mind is uncomfortable. The atmosphere becomes oppressive as the dread over what may happen next increases. The final chapter was shocking.

Good Intentions is a good choice for readers who appreciate psychological suspense novels with an unreliable narrator dealing with grief and obsession. 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.

We Were Never Friends

 

We Were Never Friends by Kaira Rouda
2/3/26; 288 pages
Poison Pen Press 

We Were Never Friends by Kaira Rouda is a recommended locked room thriller full of soap opera/popcorn thriller energy focused on the reunion of Theta Gamma Mu sorority sisters. 

Beth Harrison and her daughter are traveling to the luxurious renovated Palm Springs vacation home of Beth's sorority sister Roxy Callahan Gentry and her husband Ryan to celebrate the engagement of their son Zach to Beth's daughter Celeste. Also invited for the weekend are Jamie Vale, a double legacy pledge, now cardiologist and her husband Greer, and showing up uninvited is wealthy sister Amelia Dell with new boyfriend Brett. Amelia and Roxy are frenemies so a clash between queen bees is expected. Attending in spirit  is Sunny Spencer, best friend of Beth and beloved sorority sister who died their senior year.

Beth is very trepidatious about attending the orchestrated event planned solely by Roxy, and most certainly meant to affirm her reign as the queen. The first thing she notices, along with the other sisters, is how much the renovated estate resembles the resort where Sunny died twenty-five years ago. Once everyone arrives it quickly becomes clear that more is going on behind the scenes than just the engagement party and tensions along with secrets are clamoring to be released. 

I'll be the first to admit that this medley of pretentious people behaving badly is entertaining and totally held my attention. It is certainly written to be a fast-paced diverting soap opera/popcorn thriller full of people who really don't like or trust each other at all. It is full of secrets, bad behavior, tension, and a ghost or two from the past. Initially, I was surprised that only two Theta Gamma Mu sorority sisters were invited as Amelia invited herself. If it was a celebration of sorority sisters gathering for the engagement party of the children of two members, wouldn't there be a few more invited, even if they were just fodder for disasters?  

The characters are all caricatures of different types of people rather than individually developed characters. Obviously, we are supposed to support and like Beth and her daughter Celeste. Everyone else is suspect for some manner of bad behavior. We Were Never Friends was certainly written specifically for the over-the-top soap opera drama it amply provides. Thanks to Poison Pen Press for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

It's Not Her

 

It's Not Her by Mary Kubica
2/3/26; 352 pages
Park Row Books  

It's Not Her by Mary Kubica is a very highly recommended murder mystery/thriller. Don't miss this un-put-downable twisty thriller.

Courtney and Elliot Gray with their daughter Cass, 10, are staying in a lakeside cabin at a Wisconsin resort. Staying in a cabin up the hill are her brother Nolan and his wife and her best friend Emily, along with their children Reese, 17, Wyatt, 14, and Mae, 10. After Cass and Mae have a fun sleepover in the Gray's cabin, Mae heads up the hill the next morning. Courtney and Cass hear her scream and she runs back to Courtney. Courtney investigates and finds both Emily and Nolan murdered. The police are contacted and find the bodies along with Wyatt sleeping upstairs in the cabin. Reese is missing. This begins the investigation into who murdered Emily and Nolan and the search for Reese.

This fast-paced, well-written murder mystery will grab your attention immediately with Mae's scream and hold it throughout right to the twisty ending. The narrative is told in chapters from the point-of view of Courtney and Reese. Reese's viewpoint starts in the past, from the beginning of the vacation leading up to the murder and her disappearance, while Courtney's is present day, from the murder and through the investigation. 

Reese is a teenage girl who does not want to go on a vacation with her family. She is a fully realized character and we quickly learn her strengths and weaknesses. Reese also provides plenty of insight into her family. We know, through her, that Emily and Nolan are constantly fighting. We know Wyatt has gambling/betting problems. Reese's narrative provides plenty of character background and clues. Courtney is also a well-developed character and we can see her struggling and searching for clues concerning both the murders and Reese's disappearance.

Kubica does an exceptional job giving readers several suspects and casting doubt over almost everyone. The exceptional writing, isolated setting, unpredictability, twists, locked-room setting, overwhelming sense of foreboding, along with the mystery made this an engrossing thriller you will want to read. Thanks to Park Row Books for providing me with an advance reader's copy via Edelweiss. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The Flack

 

The Flack by Brad Parks
2/3/26; 384 pages
Oceanview Publishing 

The Flack by Brad Parks is a very highly recommended thriller/suspense novel following a reporter turned corporate PR representative.

Curt Hinton and Angel Reddish have been best friends since college, so when Angel encourages Curt to leave his job as reporter at a dying newspaper and apply for the job as head of corporate communications at Balco, the Bay Area Logistics Company, where Angel is chief operations officer, Curt applies. With Angel's backing, he gets the very lucrative job and he and his pregnant wife Page move to a company-supplied dream house. When he arrives at Balco headquarters for his first day he discovers Angel was killed in a carjacking.

Curt with his new team is now responsible for writing the various press releases about Angel's death. When he talks to the Oakland PD he discovers Angel's death was a murder disguised to look like a carjacking, which leaves him reeling as Angel was not only his best friend, but a gregarious man that everyone liked. As he begins to integrate into the Balco corporate leadership handling the various crises, he begins to recognize that there is more going on behind the scenes than he realizes and he may be in danger.

This is an intriguing, well-written thriller that will pull you into the plot immediately. The opening scene is Angel's last minutes where, as dying, he tries to text Curt "Don’t take the job. Just run." but the text does not get sent. While you may have to set some disbelief aside, many of the plot points seem based on headlines you could encounter today, including corporate corruption and coverups. On the job Curt has to handle a variety of problems, including the threat of unionization and a scandalous video. There are other things as well.

Curt is a realistic, well-developed, intelligent character with both strengths and weaknesses. As head of communications, his background as a reporter becomes very useful, sometimes in unexpected ways. Curt seemingly makes some enemies along the way. There are antagonists embedded in the corporation or it's allies that are incredibly evil and predatory.

The Flack is a great choice for those who enjoy thrillers that read like a movie. Thanks to Oceanview Publishing for providing me with an advance reader's copy via Edelweiss. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

Wolf Hour

 

Wolf Hour by Jo Nesbø, Robert Ferguson (Translator)
2/3/26; 400 pages
Knopf Doubleday

Wolf Hour by Jo Nesbø is a very highly recommended crime novel set in Minneapolis Minnesota during two time periods. Robert Ferguson is the translator of the English edition I read 

In 2016 Minneapolis police detective Bob Oz gets the call and meets his partner Kay Myers at the scenes of the attempted murder of a gun dealer. He determines the gunman is a sniper and his main suspect is Tomás Gomez, a former hit man who also has a tragic personal story.  Soon the investigation turns into the hunt for a serial killer but Oz is suspended as he deals with anger issues and trauma. His potential witnesses included Mike Lunde, a taxidermist, who Oz befriends.

In 2022 Norwegian crime novelist Holger Ruch travels to Minneapolis to research for his new true crime book. He is researching the Gomez case, and wants to get into the mind of a policeman of Norwegian descent, Oz. He is looking into all the places Oz went while investigating.

Nordic noir writer Nesbø has given us another extremely well-written, atmospheric, intelligent crime novel which encompasses both a psychological thriller and character study. Telling the story through the two timelines works well. The main timeline in 2016 is where most of the novel is set as the 2022 present day true crime writer looks back and relates the events that occurred then from the viewpoint of the narrator. The plot is engaging and compelling as a flawed man looks into the mind of a serial killer and actually finds similarities to his own life. 

Bob Oz is an antihero and deeply flawed. He has anger management issues, drinks too much, is lonely, has been sleeping with many women, and is suffering from a great trauma. He also has a strong sense of justice, even to the point of bending the rules. He gets suspended, but, nevertheless, he continues to work the case. The killer is intelligent and also suffering from loneliness and trauma. Bob's ex-wife Alice, a psychologist, tells him, “Trauma arises when you lose someone you thought you would be spending the rest of your life with.”and "The trauma is the wound. But the loneliness that comes with it locks you to your trauma.”

The plot is full of twists and there are some real surprises along the way. A minor note that Nesbø does judge American culture and politics in the plot, which Americans can easily ignore as he is Norwegian. He excels at portraying moody, lonely, and flawed, but intelligent characters in psychological thrillers so the cultural/political opinions are minor annoyances.

Wolf Hour is an excellent choice for those who enjoy Nordic Noir. Thanks to Knopf Doubleday for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.