Paper Ghosts

 

Paper Ghosts by Sarah Addison Allen
9/1/26; 288 pages
St. Martin's Press 

Paper Ghosts by Sarah Addison Allen is a recommended Southern Gothic ghost story permeated with generational family secrets and a hint of magic realism. It follows two grandmothers in the Wester family, one in 1976 and her granddaughter in the present day.

1976: In Hen Town, North Carolina, Alice Wester runs the town. She knows all the secrets and isn't hesitant about using them to her advantage. Living with her is her 18 year-old granddaughter Willamena (Wills) who will be graduating from high school soon and is then set to marry Terrence Wester, a fourth cousin chosen by her grandmother for Wills. When former resident Andy Smooth offers to give the high school a free concert, it results in Smooth kicking Jack Vaughn out of the band. Wills is immediately taken with Vaughn, which has repercussions and ends disastrously.

Present Day: Willamena is now the matriarch of the Wester family and she has taken her grandmother's position in the town. She has the same gift her grandmother had and has her own rules. Will's son Terrence (Tug) arrives with his daughter/her granddaughter Bailey after the death of her mother. Bailey is instructed to call Wills, "Mim." She lives there through high school, discovers she has the same gift her grandmother has, leaves after an "event." In the final part of the novel Bailey returns eight years later.

The opening section set in 1976 was intriguing and displayed potential for an interesting novel. Then the abrupt jump decades ahead in time left my interest behind, still yearning to complete the 1976 plot thread. This disjointed experience continued with Bailey, seeing her through high school and subsequently jumping ahead another eight years. A person as a child or at 18 is not the same person when they are 30, 40, etc. and have faced life, with all the dilemmas, consequences, struggles, and, hopefully, overcoming them. There are secrets and betrayals throughout. 

All of these jumps in time simply served to destroy the pacing, character development, and ultimately my interest. Wills was left as a husk of a character. Certainly Bailey learns long-buried secrets connected with the ghosts, but the price was the lack of character development and pacing. I'm not a huge fan of straight-up ghost stories, per se, but appreciate Southern Gothic fiction, and this seemed to veer too far into the ghost territory, leaving some more nuanced magical realism behind. In the end I realized that I am definitely not the target reader for this novel. 2.5 but rounded up for the prose and the book cover.

Paper Ghosts would be a good choice for those who enjoy supernatural 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.

Scion

 

Scion by James Islington
9/1/26; 240 pages
S&S/Saga Press 

Scion by James Islington is a highly recommended cyberpunk dystopian science fiction thriller following a hired assassin and, by all appearances, this novel is very likely the start of a new series. 

Living in a corporate dystopian world where the ultra-wealthy "lifers" can pay for immortality, Azure is an assassin whose revs (somatic and cognitive genetic revisions or enhancements) give him a significant edge in combat. He works for the Keres, who paid for his revs and now they assign him contracts/jobs to pay off his debt. After a job eliminating a lifer that required he first fights a biotech bipedal Argos with 6 clawed arms in order to get inside, Atti, his AI software assistant, gives Azure his next assignment. He has a 2 week contract to protect, Jasa, who is clearly one of the ultra-wealthy, but appears to be quite old, before other assassins kill her. 

This short novel is very tightly plotted and the pace is lightning fast. Above all else, it is very entertaining. It features non-stop action as the characters, especially Azure, move from one threat and one temporary solution to another. Azure is an interesting, morally ambiguous character. Much of his intuition, reactions, and the multiple twists are all handled in a rather causal, humorous way, even when they are deadly.  When he learns who Jasa really is, it adds an additional twist more than once.

Admittedly, the abbreviated length of the novel also resulted in a loss of complex explanations in the world building as well as the tech and advancements. Much of these things are simply mentioned rather than explained in the narrative as the plot propels itself forward. It seemed to be a very cinematic approach, which means if you can picture in your mind what you are reading, it will greatly improve your enjoyment. Actually, I thought this could be a great movie the whole time I was reading. It is great escapism.

Scion is a great choice for anyone looking for a fast-paced cyberpunk dystopian thriller that should be made into a movie. Thanks to Saga Press for providing me with an advance reader's copy via Edelweiss. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The Truth About Ruby Cooper

 

The Truth About Ruby Cooper by Liz Nugent
1/26/27; 336 pages; Gallery Books
Simon & Schuster Canada (3/12/26) 

The Truth About Ruby Cooper by Liz Nugent is a very highly recommended, twisty, psychological domestic drama following two sisters and the scandal that changes their lives and family forever. This is an incredible, compelling drama that unfolds over decades and is un-put-downable. 

Sixteen-year-old Ruby Cooper is jealous of her beautiful, intelligent eighteen-year-old sister Erin. They live in Brookline, a suburb of Boston. Their father, Douglas Cooper is an investment broker and the pastor over several churches. Their mother Maureen is Irish. In September 1999, an incident happens that results in immediate, major repercussions for the whole family. Ruby and her mother leave in a hurry for Ireland, to live with her grandmother in Dublin, while Erin and her father stay behind. Erin moves to her Aunt Rachel's house in Worchester.  

The novel then follows Ruby and Erin over 25 years and the impact the incident had on their lives for decades. Ruby and Maureen stay in Ireland. Ruby spirals into self-destructive actions and addiction. Erin focuses on her education at Harvard and a career. Erin also continually receives anonymous messages attacking and threatening her. Their parents divorce. Ruby studies drama and theater but ends up going to rehab. She has a daughter, father unknown. The two remain unreconciled and estranged.

The writing is absolutely perfect, as is the pacing. The plot is intelligent, layered, twisty and intricate. The questions raised are troubling as these characters traverse an uncharted course impinged by trauma, addiction, and long held resentment and trust issues, all while heading for an intense reckoning. It will hold your complete attention even while you know that there is no sugar coated resolution in sight as they head for a brutal fallout.

This is a novel that focuses on exceptional character development. They are all depicted in depth as complex, nuanced, fully realized individuals with strengths and weaknesses, and their emotional scars are many. These are not likable characters, but they are very much realistic characters. As the narrative alternates between Erin and Ruby’s perspectives over time, two very different women emerge based on what they are struggling with, but they are both damaged and their lives were totally changed.

The Truth About Ruby Cooper by Liz Nugent is an excellent choice for everyone who enjoys complex, twisty domestic dramas with flawed characters. Thanks to Gallery Books for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

Bring Them Home

 

Bring Them Home by Carolyn Arnold
8/27/26; 324 pages
Bookouture
Detective Amanda Steele #16

Bring Them Home by Carolyn Arnold is a very highly recommended procedural/crime thriller and the 16th book in the series set in Prince William County, Virginia, featuring Detective Amanda Steele. This is another excellent addition to the series.

A family disappears and evidence shows they have been kidnapped. Detective Amanda Steele and her partner Detective Trent Stenson are first alerted to the crime when officer Traci Cochran is called out to investigate a car that has been in a mall parking lot for several days. At the scene through the window is observe a purse with a phone on the front seat inside, something a person would not leave behind for days. It is determined that the missing family is Paul, Valerie, and their teen daughter Brooke Archer. (Their son Landon has been hospitalized for months.) A black van is filmed on security cameras holding those who abducted Brooke and Valerie at the mall, while is taken Paul at another location.

While investigating, the team is called out to a remote farm field where the remains of a body have been found. It is a gruesome scene as the vultures have been at the body. (It was not "charred" as written in the synopsis.) Their activity was the indication to the farmer that something dead was in his field. The body is that of Paul Archer, who also happened to be Amanda's adopted daughter Zoe's teacher, which opens up a whole other trauma. Then Amanda uncovers a connection to a woman who went missing ten years ago and the case becomes even more complicated.

This is another excellent, compelling addition to the series of well-written, fast-paced, and well-plotted procedurals. The tension increases as Amanda and Trent logically follow the clues and discoveries as the investigation uncovers several suspects, lines of inquiry are expanded, and unexpected information is revealed. Even though this is the 16th book in the series, it can be appreciated as a standalone novel, especially for fans of procedurals who enjoy carefully following logical, complicated investigations rather than personalities.

Detective Amanda Steel and her partner Trent Stenson are well developed and known to those following the series, but those new to it will appreciate the intelligent, likable characters. They are fully realized characters who always logically follow the clues and information they discover. Amanda is a strong woman and this time out she must also deal with Zoe being re-traumatized. There is some forward movement in the relationship between Amanda and Trent. 

Bring Them Home is a perfect choice for readers who enjoy fast-paced, engaging police procedurals. Thanks to Bookouture for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The Opposite of Murder

 

The Opposite of Murder by Sophie Hannah
8/25/26; 352 pages
Poisoned Pen Press 

The Opposite of Murder by Sophie Hannah is a recommended murder mystery which opens with a woman at the police station confessing to a murder she wants to commit, but hasn't yet done.

Jemma Stelling wants to murder her stepmother, Marianne Upton. She believes her confession to the police will stop her from committing the act, but the police are obviously questioning her mental stability. While Jemma is at the station, Marianne is found murdered, stabbed to death. This gives Jemma an excellent alibi, but begs the question did she plan the murder for someone else to commit. 

First, this is an evil stepmother tale, you really can't trust anyone and you will be required to suspend a huge dose of disbelief while reading. In this case, I wasn't entirely sure it was worth it, but the final reveal is satisfying. 

The strong opening is followed by the introduction to a large cast of unreliable and several unlikable characters. The narrative follows them from October 30th to November 7th through the points-of-view of mainly Jemma, but also Charlie, Gibbs/Sellers, Simon, and Sam. Also interspersed through the narrative are diary entries. The frequent shifting, and altogether unreliable perspectives in this very dialogue heavy narrative can become annoying.  The whole secret room/office red herring was also annoying.

It should be mentioned that the plot is complex and clues are present along the way which can piece together the mystery. If you enjoy closely following clues and don't mind just going with the flow, no matter how unbelievable it is, this novel may work well for you. However, this complexity combined with the shifting points-of-view can result in the direction of the plot feeling vague, off-putting, and occasionally overwhelming, especially if you are craving a more straightforward action-packed procedural or murder mystery. 

The Opposite of Murder may be a good choice for those who enjoy dialogue heavy mysteries and can suspend disbelief. 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 Silent Appeal

 

The Silent Appeal by Janice Hallett
8/25/26; 480 pages
Atria Books
The Appeal Series #2

The Silent Appeal by Janice Hallett is a highly recommended mystery which is presented in an epistolary novel. The series which began with The Appeal, followed by the novella The Christmas Appeal, returns readers to Lower Lockwood and the local theater group, The Fairway Players. This can be read as a standalone novel.

This year the Fairway Players drama society committee co-chairs Sarah-Jane and Kevin MacDonald have chosen to stage Agatha Christie’s The Hollow. A murder happens and lawyers Femi Hassan and Charlotte Holroyd are tasked with reviewing case documentation for Roderick Tanner QC, uncovering exactly what happened on the opening night of The Hollow and whether an appeal should be filed. The entire novel is told through an epistolary style via texts, WhatsApp messages, emails, interviews, articles, and diary entries. Readers won’t know who died or who killed them until late in the novel.

If you are confident in your ability to piece together clues and solve mysteries through snippets of information, this novel will certainly appeal to your inner investigator. It's really best, in my opinion, to start this novel with just the basics and follow along, meeting the characters, uncovering information, and gathering clues as you read. Some characters are frequently sending out and replying to emails, texts, etc., while others are only respond infrequently or just mention in the written materials. All crime novel enthusiasts will know to pay attention to every clue. Interspersed in the many documents are chat messages between Femi and Charlotte discussing what they think at that point in their investigation. 

Again, due to the format of the novel, character development is not straightforward at all for many of the characters, although you will develop an impression of almost all of them. Some are very present in the written material, others not so much. One picture or interpretation will develop and then quickly be replaced by another theory as the characters provide more information. This is a complex, intricate puzzle of a novel that is full of suspects and motives. I did feel like it was a tad bit too long at times, but it is clever and does hold your attention.

The Silent Appeals a wonderful choice for armchair detectives who enjoy piecing clues together and appreciate the epistolary style. Thanks to Atria Books for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

Not a Word

 

Not a Word by Linwood Barclay
8/25/26; 368 pages
William Morrow

Not a Word by Linwood Barclay is a highly recommended mystery/domestic thriller following a tragic crime scene in the family home which leads to a shocking conclusion.

Reece Chartwell stops by his parent's home outside of Toronto to return two books to his father, Brent, when he discovers his parents in bed, dead. It appears to be a murder-suicide and he immediately calls the police. Detective Janice McCabe questions Reece and as he waits for her to return after viewing the crime scene he receives a phone call... from his mother, Catherine. She was apparently at some luncheon. Reece immediately leaves to pick her up, and carefully break the bad news, but she is not waiting for him. It appears that the woman with his father was Leah Kennard, however, inconsistencies in the crime scene and lack of motive suggest his dad may not have shot himself.

The investigation uncovers a myriad of secrets starting with the crime scene. The secrets may also going way-back in family history, perhaps even to his father's very successful job in pharmaceutical sales of the highly addictive pain reliever, Oxy-Mirac, for Wiffel-Smith before he retired. Reece’s mother, Catherine, also seems to have more than her share of long-held secrets and dubious connections. Also involved in the events and investigation are Reece's wife Diana, son Gage (14), and brother Holden, a recovering addict. These people put the "dys" in dysfunctional family, especially Catherine.

This features a well-written, intricate, intelligent, fast-paced plot. The narrative has chapters jumping back in time to 1999 and the chapters are narrated by several different characters, including Reece, Gage, McCabe, Catherine, and a couple others (no spoilers here). The characters are developed as individuals with strengths and weaknesses along the way. As the secrets are exposed, the tension increases along side new clues which are logically followed up on in the plot. There are plenty of twists and surprises along the way. Everything works together to a satisfying conclusion. The final denouement is shocking and heartbreaking.

Not a Word is a great choice for everyone who enjoys domestic thrillers. Thanks to William Morrow for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The Shadow Friends

 

The Shadow Friends by Tess Gerritsen
8/25/26; 319 pages
Thomas & Mercer
The Martini Club #3  

The Shadow Friends by Tess Gerritsen is a very highly recommended spy thriller and the welcomed third book in the reliably excellent Martini Club series. The Martini Club in Purity, Maine, is composed of likeable, skilled former CIA agents, Ingrid and Lloyd Slocum, Maggie Bird, Declan Rose, and Ben Diamond.

After opening with a scene from a CIA operation Ingrid was a part of 28 years earlier, the action moves to the present day. There is a global affairs conference being held at the Cod Cove Resort in Purity which Ingrid is helping coordinate when her former ex-CIA colleague and lover Rodrigo Estrada shows up, hoping to recruit her for his private security agency Argus. Events escalate when Mikhail Maslov, a renowned disease expert and Russian defector mysteriously becomes very ill and later dies. 

When this is followed by the murder of a waitress at the conference hotel which has clue that is intrinsically connected with the disastrous operation from 28 years ago, Ingrid decides to join Rodrigo in an attempt to uncover the truth and they head to Amsterdam to track down the killer. The remaining members of the Martini Club Investigate and closely following on their own to protect Ingrid are Lloyd and Maggie. Involved in the local investigations is the intelligent and capable police chief, Jo Thibodeau, who is well acquainted with the members of the Martini Club.

This is another, excellent, well-written, intelligent, fast-paced, intricately plotted, and action-packed addition to the series. Nothing is exactly as it seems at first glance and some of the clues to help the present investigation are clues that were buried in the past. There are plenty of discoveries and twists along the way while all the clues are logically followed. The plots in every one of the books in the series are dependably interesting and compelling.  Honestly, every book in the series has been exceptional and The Shadow Friends is no exception. The series includes: The Spy Coast (2023), The Summer Guests (2025), and now The Shadow Friends (2026)

Another major reason this series excels is because all of the characters are so likable and portrayed as fully realized unique individuals with distinct personalities and experiences. They all have plenty of secrets in their past and with those secrets, a world of experience. Since the characters have been in three novels now, they were all well-known to me and I was thrilled to follow them on another investigation. It would be a mistake to not mention the long-suffering police chief Jo Thibodeau who has interacted with the club members from the start.

The Shadow Friends is an excellent choice for those who enjoy spy thrillers and everyone following the series. Hopefully we will see these seniors on another case soon. Thanks to Thomas & Mercer for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

God's Country

 

God's Country by William Kent Krueger
8/18/26; 256 pages
Atria Books
Cork O'Connor #21

God's Country by William Kent Krueger is a highly recommended thriller and the 21st addition to the Cork O'Connor series. This can be read as a standalone novel, but would best be appreciated by those following the series.

Cork O’Connor, former police officer in Tamarack County, has his whole family coming to visit for Memorial day. Planned is a father and son canoeing/camping trip, including Cork's two grandsons, out on the Boundary Waters. It will be the first trip for Luke, 7, while Waaboo, almost 8, has went once before. Before the trip both Waaboo and Stephen had a vision about Cork that seemed ominous. As Cork picked up the canoe, he learned his friend and guide Cordell Bishop went out with a group of suspicious men. 

As the trip starts, Cork finds signs that make him become increasingly concerned for his friend. Then when the group finds trash, blood and rope marks on a tree, Cork sends the rest to return home as he sets off to rescue Cordell. Soon the words given to him when they went to talk to elder, grandfather Henry Mishomis, become clear. Henry told Cork, "Maybe you are the wolf," as he ends up dealing with a pair of dangerous criminals, the Kennedy brothers, who are looking for something valuable their father hid.

The pace is fast, assisted by short chapters and abbreviated page count. Once the action takes off, it escalates quickly, and violently. Because Cork knows the Boundary Waters and what he's doing, he is able to negotiate with the duo to some extent, but there are still shots fired, people wounded, and several deaths along the way to the expected violent conclusion. Having actually canoed in the Boundary Waters many years ago, it was easy to picture what was going on and understand the effort needed to traverse the area and any portages.

There isn't a great deal of character development or subtle insights into anyone, especially the antagonists, the Kennedy brothers. Since this is the 21st book in the series, however, those following it know the characters, especially Cork, and background information. Krueger does a good job introducing the whole family at the opening, but then this information dump doesn't really matter for the majority of the plot which focuses on the current precarious situation and Corks ability to manage it with finesse.  

God's Country is a good choice for those already following and enjoying the series. Thanks to Atria Books for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

Nearshore

 

Nearshore by Steve Hawk
8/18/26; 352 pages
Penguin 

Nearshore by Steve Hawk is a so-so literary novel about homegrown nuclear terrorism. 

It starts when a small homemade nuclear device is set off in West Virginia claiming two lives. Then the action flips to the west coast where lifeguard Jamie Palmer responds to a boating accident where the victim turns out to be his good friend Alex “Boneyard” Bonnard, a Stanford University professor, and surviving is Bonnard's teenage son, Luca. As godfather to Luca, Palmer steps in to care for him as a guardian. This is when he meets Chelsea Wu, a doctoral student, who confides to Palmer, along with Luca who also knew what was going on, that she and the professor uncovered a connection between the founder of a Silicon Valley megacorporation with the bomb. Then a second device is detonated in Nevada, claiming eight lives and...

This is a well-written literary thriller which starts out very strong, shows promise, and then inexplicably the choice is made to ascribe political elements to the billionaire megalomaniac antagonists and their conspiracy. Yet again I need to caution an author to keep their personal political/social views to themselves as it diminishes the novel. It is well documented where the current violence originates, so no obfuscation is needed. FYI, ask any coder, billionaire owners of tech companies are not the ones writing code. They profit off of profit, not anger. Hawk gets an extra star because he can write, but I wouldn't recommend this novel. Thanks to Penguin for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

That Night

 

That Night by Gillian McAllister
8/18/26; 400 pages (originally published 7/8/21)
William Morrow 

That Night by Gillian McAllister is a recommended character driven mystery, for the right reader. This is a re-release of the novel which was originally published on 7/8/21 in the UK. 

While on vacation in Italy, three siblings, Cathy, Joe, and Frannie Plant, cover-up a death. Frannie calls her siblings late one night, they come running, and find her by a body that she just hit with her car. They then work together to clean up the crime scene and bury the body. It turns out the man was an English expatriate, but also a police officer. He was carrying a warrant that may have been for Joe. The story follows the aftermath and their emotional turmoil.

Normally I have very much enjoyed everything I've read by McAllister and she is a reliable, go-to author. This earlier novel by her was an exception. Right from the start it felt like such a familiar trope: a close group of people, siblings in this case, cover up the murder of someone to protect a member of their group, and then everything escalates and the fallout begins. The story could have been told in half the pages. McAllister does increase the interest somewhat with the format of “Then” and “Now” chapters following two different timelines. "Then" chapters follow the death and aftermath, while the shorter "Now" chapters are leading up to a trial. 

None of these characters are likable or relatable in any way, but the strength in the novel is the character development. Joe is full of anger. Frannie is a spoiled brat. Cathy is the closest to a sympathetic character as she deals with loneliness, low self esteem and guilt. The character development is most certainly there but still... I'm just going to go on record that there has been no time in my life when I would have covered up a crime and buried a body for my siblings, no matter how much they cried or whined. I would have called the ambulance and police asap, and let what happens to happen. Actions have consequences.

McAllister gets points for adding complications to the narrative, a few disclosures, and for character development, raising my score to 3 stars. I am still very much looking forward to her future novels. That Night will be enjoyed by those who enjoy popcorn mysteries with a familiar plot. Thanks to William Morrow for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The New Wife

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Under the Falls

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Secrets We Hide

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Tailor

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Canada's UFO Secrets

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Freight

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

Getting Away with Murder

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Good Girls Die Bored

 

Good Girls Die Bored by Elizabeth Little
8/4/26; 448 pages
Ballantine 

Good Girls Die Bored by Elizabeth Little is a highly recommended thriller which opens with: "My name’s Juno Hardwick—and I’m here to save your life."

Juno is an ex–military intelligence officer who is now working as a private security specialist in LA.  As she would tell you, "one woman's generalized anxiety disorder is this woman's superior situational awareness." Currently that means she is using her skills as a bouncer at Mr. Tansuman's bikini bar. She also cares for and stays with her sister Cassie, a tech specialist, at her home in Altadina. Cassie is in the midst of a breakdown/deep depression brought on by their father's death. Juno is watching a suspicious customer along with bartender Danny when Min-jung Ecklund, ex-CIA officer and her friend, shows up at the bar.

Min owns and runs a security firm with Gabe Haddad, formerly with the FBI. She wants to hire Juno to assist with a 3-day job at a charity gala. Circumstances open up her availability and Juno accepts the offer because she needs the paycheck. She joins her new teammates, Harry, Ethan, and Bianca to assist Min and Gabe on the job. They will be protecting first Amendment rights advocate and  Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Maelle Ruiz, who brings her own team that are filming all of them for a documentary. It becomes clear immediately that they are not prepared for this job, which quickly becomes more dangerous and escalates from there.

This well-written thriller is a highly character based and all the characters are portrayed as fully-realized unique individuals bring their own set of special skills and secrets to the job. Juno is the character who holds the whole novel together. She may not always be likeable, but you will understand that she is irascible, excels at situational awareness, is highly intuitive, has superior observational skills, and is trained in physical combat. You will also understand that Juno is the only character you can trust. She is highly flawed, but trustworthy.

This action-packed thriller starts out moving. When the security detail is in place and on the job it becomes clear that they aren't as prepared as they should be and the tension begins. As the action hits a high-octane pace, it keeps moving right up to the multiple surprising twists at the end. In some incidences toward the end the pace is so fast moving you may lose track of motives. The tension remains throughout due to immediate threats. Sometimes the threats are combined with suspicion over the motives of team members. The final denouement surprised me.  It would be wonderful to see Juno explode on the scene into another security detail someday, perhaps with the narrative tightened up a bit.

Good Girls Die Bored is a great choice for readers who appreciate fast-paced thrillers with a very flawed, but capable main character. Thanks to Ballentine for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

One of the Family

 

One of the Family by Mark Edwards
8/4/26; 336 pages
Atria Books

One of the Family by Mark Edwards is a very highly recommended psychological thriller set in the Scottish Highlands where a man meets his girlfriend's dysfunctional family along with a lifetime of their secrets. It is clear right from the start that this isn't going to be a warm, inviting family reunion. Mayhem and murder quickly follows.

Patrick Tolhurst, 36, is going to meet the wealthy, powerful family of his girlfriend Holly Grant, 36, at their palatial estate in Applecross in the Scottish Highlands during Hogmanay/New Years Eve. Holly and Patrick are the first to arrive, meeting Morag Hamilton, 36, the housekeeper who used to be friends with Holly's when they were all teens. She has a daughter, Avril, 18, and her mother is Brenda, the landlady of the Bay Inn Pub. Arriving soon after Holly are her siblings, Lewis, 37, and Miranda, 39, along with her husband Zack who works for their father and is treated like his son. Their mother passed away nineteen years ago. Their father, Charles Grant, 61, is the millionaire owner/founder of Gravitas, a computer hardware company.  

Charles arrives last with his fiancee, Jasmine, 34, who looks just like their deceased mother, and the hostility is palpable. The tense atmosphere is thick enough to cut with a knife at the start and then explodes.  Jasmine seems nice to Patrick, but Miranda has a sharp tongue, a bad attitude, and voices her aggravation to everyone. Patrick is thrust right in the middle of this viper’s nest so he escapes to the pub where he learns about the death of Samir Anand, who was found frozen by the caves. He is told by Brenda that there was another death at the caves when Holly was young. 

As an independent film maker, he is intrigued and considers making a film about the death of Samir, which was unsolved. When he talks to the one policewoman living there, Susan Williams, about the death, she warns him off noting that people around there have long memories and they bear grudges. At this point, the narrative begins to have some chapters which jump back in time to 2006, a consequential year on several levels. At the estate Patrick also overhears several conversations that indicate some nefarious plans afoot. And then someone is found dead.

This is a well-written, fast-paced psychological thriller focusing on a plot to murder the patriarch’s younger fiancée, but quickly expands to a nightmare encompassing all manner of sinister, toxic behavior. I figured out one twist early, and then quickly realized Edwards dangled that easy connection before uncovering the much more complicated, tangled web of deceit, lies, and history between these people. The setting, including the harsh weather and mysterious caves, add to the heightened sense of impending danger.

It seems all of the characters are portrayed as realistic, flawed individuals. They all have secrets and appear to be untrustworthy. The only one who seems guiltless is Patrick, simply because, other than Holly, he's never met any of these people before. The rest of them all have multiple reasons to resent and distrust each other. Dysfunctional families seem the norm among these complex characters. Patrick was easy to trust and support because of his position as an outsider. The novel starts out very good, and then the plot picks up, takes several twists, u-turns, surprises, and sudden discoveries, propelling it to excellence.

One of the Family is an excellent choice for those who enjoy psychological thrillers featuring very dysfunctional families. Thanks to Atria Books for providing me with an advance reader's copy via Edelweiss. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The Amateur

 

The Amateur by Chris Bohjalian
8/4/26; 336 pages
Knopf Doubleday

The Amateur by Chris Bohjalian is a highly recommended literary domestic drama and coming-of-age story following an accidental death.

In August of 1978 at the Tallmadge Country Club in Westchester County, N.Y., a small tear in the practice netting allowed a golf ball going 140-150 mph to rip through the netting and slam into the right side of the head of 17-year-old caddy Kenneth Foster causing an epidural hematoma and death. Mira Winston, an 18-year-old LPGA hopeful, was the one responsible for driving the ball that accidentally hit Kenny into the practice netting. While everyone initially agrees it was an accident, Mira is shaken to the core by the death and decides she will not be going on to attend Yale in a few weeks. In fact, Mira also never plays golf again. She is also having an affair that started when she was 15-years-old with a 47-year-old married man Theo Catton during this time

The novel is written in the form of a candid memoir by Mira as an adult looking back at that time of her life. She talks about her affairs with older men, and her mother's affair. She discusses what happens when Kenny's father discovered her affair with Theo and then told her parents. She claimed it started when she was already 18, but looking back now it is clear she was a victim. Mira honestly shares about her drug use, trying to escape reality. The news of the affair gets out and everyone seems to turn against Mira. Mira is eventually part of the civil case over Kenny's death.

Mira is an aggressively complicated and disagreeable character. It is extremely difficult to like her. She was being taken advantage of and abused by a predatory man whether she realizes it or not. In the novel she is currently an adult and author of over 25 books who is now looking back at events that happened many years ago. The narrative covers self-destructive behavior, a trial, abuse, post-traumatic stress, familial dysfunction, self-medication, and self-doubt. 

While the quality of the writing is exceptional, I'll admit while I was reading the novel was rated lower. The plot is a more even-paced character study, and Mira is an unlikable character throughout the novel. The focus on her affair didn't exactly ring true to what a teen girl would be thinking and feeling, so, in my opinion, you can easily tell a man wrote this story during certain scenes/descriptions.  What raised my rating was the final denouement and the epilogue in this morally complex narrative. 

The Amateur is a good choice for readers interested in a literary coming-of-age tale following a complicated, unlikable main character. 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 Women in White

 

The Women in White by Sarah Pekkanen
8/4/26; 304 pages
St. Martin's Press 

The Women in White by Sarah Pekkanen is a highly recommended historical fiction thriller with chapters set in the early 1960s and today. It focuses on four young women participating in fictional novel parapsychology experiments in 1964.

In 1964 the psychology department at Marquis University is run by professor Silas Trimble. The Trimble institute is conducting para-psychological experiments testing for four psychic abilities: precognition, telepathy, psychokinesis, and clairvoyance. Undergraduate Betty Sadler takes part in a study along with three other young women, Kathleen, Ivy, and Helen. As the experiments on their abilities continue they become increasingly intrusive, controlling, and abusive.

In the present day Riley Bell is a nurses aide, but her divorce left her broke and homeless. Riley accepts a caretaker job for an elderly wheelchair bound widow named Betty for the better pay and it's a live-in position. Betty's home decor is stuck in the 60's, and she clearly hasn't left it for years. Riley quickly learns that Betty is quite capable and simply needs help with shopping. When Betty asks Riley to help her find her old friends from years ago, it seems all the files from the Trimble Institute in 1964 are missing. Riley's inquiries open up secrets from years ago and, it seems, a present day danger.

There is no doubt that this is a well-written and compelling novel. The subject matter will grab your attention. Chapters alternate between the experiments conducted on the women in the 1964 and Riley and Betty in the present day. The experiments detailed in the book are loosely based on the secret psychological testing and parapsychology experiments really conducted years ago (think MK Ultra). Pekkanen opens each chapter with excerpts from real documents and journals, and also details them in notes at the end of the novel. I appreciated the research that went into the novel's subject matter.

Part of the challenge with the narrative is switching between two time periods. It might have made more sense to present the novel in two parts, with the first following the plot in the 1960s and part two set in the present day with Riley helping Betty uncover what happened to her friends. I felt like Riley was under developed as a character.

Following the women being controlled and abused by the misogynistic doctor in 1964 became increasingly annoying while reading. They all just listened to him, obeying orders, allowing him to do what ever he wanted without pushing back or just walking away. I understand that this is based on behavior of very young college aged women, late teens or early 20's, in the 1960's but not having at least one of the characters say no and leave is very hard to believe. Not everyone would have been a doormat during that time period. It's also a bit unbelievable that one of the husbands didn't step in and say enough. The endings in both time periods were a little too abrupt and/or predictable. 

The Women in White is a good choice for those interested in stories exploring early para-psychological experiments. 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.

A Perfectly Normal Childhood

 

A Perfectly Normal Childhood: (and other lies I tell myself) by Jason Ramshaw
3/30/26; 202 pages
Jason Ramshaw publisher 

A Perfectly Normal Childhood: (and other lies I tell myself) by Jason Ramshaw is a very highly recommended, entertaining collection of 33 essays organized chronologically. 

The first two parts into the third will find you laughing and smiling while reading them. The later essays are still entertaining but take a different, more thoughtful direction and pull everything together showing the patterns and systems in everyday life which emerged with more clarity as you get older. Actually observing, learning to read the room, and recognizing patterns can go a long way.

In these well-written essays Ramshaw demonstrates that he does indeed, much like David Sedaris, know how to tell a story and make it entertaining but also impactful. The collection is organized into four parts with a preface and an afterword. Part One: The Cul-de-Sac years, stories 1-9; Part Two: The High School Years, stories 10-16; Part Three: The college Years and Beyond, stories 17-25; and Part Four The Examined Life, essays 26-32.

The Cul-de-Sac years are delightful and hilarious. Ramshaw clearly demonstrates that he had the entrepreneurial spirit at an early age when, for example, at 9 years-old he started a newspaper with 11 subscribers or when he organized the Neighborhood Olympics. He showed his confidence to succeed winning the spelling bee (as someone who was out early with "vegatable" I'll admit jealousy) and writing a winning pro-life essay.  Even though he may have been called "kind of annoying" along the way, he persisted, even surviving the 8th grade experiment in absurdity.

Events turn more serious and real in the worst and best day of his life. He expounds in these stories on things like his open kiosk law, which requires seeing the door no one else is walking through and considering what his soul is asking, knowing the answer may be in pieces. This leads up to The Examined Life where life lessons are shared, for example on being fully present in conversations and listening, contemplating contributors and receivers, and the importance of language. There are a couple essays on personal annoyances (handkerchiefs and singing happy birthday.) The final piece brings it all home to a satisfying conclusion.

A Perfectly Normal Childhood: (and other lies I tell myself) is an excellent choice for those who enjoy reading essays/personal stories. Thanks to Jason Ramshaw for providing me with an advance reader's copy via LibraryThing. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The Girl Who Lived

 

The Girl Who Lived by Morgan Greene
7/31/26; 396 pages
Bookouture
Detective Alexandra Marshall #1

The Girl Who Lived by Morgan Greene is a highly recommended murder mystery/investigative thriller and is the first book in a new series featuring Detective Alexandra (Alex) Marshall from Washington states special investigations department.

The small town of Newport, WA, has two dead women with tarot symbols cut into their skin and their chief of police, Madeline (Maddy) Bell is missing. Alex Marshall requests the files and takes off for Newport, asking technicians Kevin Hsu and Dana Garcia to meet her there. Even though Alex's Captain Thomas (Tom) Doyle is concerned about her being on this specific case, she assures him that she will be able to handle it. His concern is because this could be the same killer who brutally tortured Alex twelve years ago, leaving her for dead with a tarot symbol carved into her skin too.

Once she arrives, Alex finds a small police department with young inexperienced officers Pendlebury, trench coat man, and Boon. The only experienced officer left is Tyler Hale who works with his dog Millie to track the killer. The two have found Maddy's jacket with a slash and blood on it but no sign of her.  John Bell, former police chief and Maddy's father, is ever present, clashing with Alex at every turn, and inserting himself into the investigation. The clock is ticking, the killer is intelligent, and Alex has a personal stake in finding him before he kills again.

The writing is excellent as it creates a sinister, oppressive atmosphere in the rain drench forests while keeping the tension high. The opening scene in the novel is chilling as it depicts a lone survivor, mortally wounded, barely alive, and dumped with other bodies. In between the action are documents relating to Alex's personal experience and recovery. As the investigation is underway it becomes clear that Pendlebury is contacting John Bell with information uncovered and what Alex is looking into. Hsu and Garcia are keeping Tom Doyle up to date on how Alex is doing.

Alex is an intelligent, insightful investigator but she is also a very troubled, damaged woman, both physically and mentally. This investigation is personal and she is determined to find the killer and bring him to justice at all costs. Since this is the start of a new series, I expect further character development of both Alex and the supporting characters in the next book.

The Girl Who Lived is a great choice for anyone who enjoys atmospheric murder investigations and would like to get in at the start of a new series. Thanks to Bookouture for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

Nebraska Avenue

 

Nebraska Avenue by Vincent Rubino
6/22/26; 246 pages
Atmosphere Press

Nebraska Avenue by Vincent Rubino is a delightful, nostalgic, very highly recommended coming-of-age novel set during the Bicentennial summer of 1976 and follows a group of paperboys.  I enjoyed every part of this excellent novel. 

Thirteen-year-old Artie Mooney and Wally Tazowski are best friends and Newsday paperboys who live on Nebraska Avenue in the neighborhood called "The States" because all the streets are named after U.S. states. It's located in North Bay Shore, Suffolk County, on Long Island. When a new family moves into a house on Nebraska Avenue (where the despicable Billy Sullivan used to live), the two meet their new neighbor, fourteen-year-old Vinny Perino. 

The three boys quickly make friends, add a third to practice baseball with and have Vinny sign up for an open route with Mr Raviola to deliver the Newsday newspaper. Artie and Wally help Vinny find a milk crate to strapped to his bicycle handlebars and hold the newspapers. Vinny, in turn, finds a group of friends with the paperboys, including Artie, Wally, Franco, Gabby, Lenny, and Curtis. When it seems a burglar is targeting homes on Vinny's route, Corporal Tim Benton and officer Jon Owens question Vinny. Benton believe Vinny, but Owens seems to have a grudge against paperboys.

This is a well-written, well-paced, wonderful, and enjoyable journey back to 1976 that can be humorous and nostalgic, but also includes some shenanigans and a crime to solve by the paperboys. I loved the way the characters interacted with each other and made plans. This is the perfect novel I needed to read this summer right before the 4th of July. Rubino includes all sorts of details based on the time period, when kids were out on their bikes or walking everywhere without a whole lot of supervision. (During this time I would have one of the older sisters annoyed by the kids.) 

The character are all portrayed as realistic, unique individuals with strengths and weaknesses. It is easy to tell them apart because they all have their own distinctive style and personality. The dialogue and discussions between them is realistic because Rubino is recalling his memories of the time period and his friends. He also captured the homesickness you can feel when moving into a new area, even as a child, which I totally understand. 

Nebraska Avenue is an excellent choice for everyone who enjoys coming-of-age stories in a historical setting that also include humor. I really love this novel. Thanks to Atmosphere Press for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

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.