Remember Me by D. E. White
HarperCollins: 2/6/19
eBook review copy; 384 pages
ISBN-13:
9780008322045
Remember Me by D. E. White is a recommended mystery/thriller.
Ava Cole is currently an LAPD detective but she has returned to the small Welsh village where she grew up, after moving there from the USA as a child. Her ex-husband, Paul, is dying, and she needs to reconnect with her son, Stephen. Ava returned to the states when Stephan
was just a toddler, leaving Paul to raise him. Paul married one of
their childhood friends, Penny, and the two raised Stephen as their own.
One of the reasons Ava left had to do with the death fifteen years ago of her best friend, Ellen
Smith. Ava is not sure exactly what happened, but none of them ever
said a word about Ellen's death and as far as Ellen's parents and
officials know, Ellen ran away from home and disappeared.
Secrets sometimes have a way of being told. The remaining group of
friends knows what happened and the cover-up in which they were all
complicit. Now Ava has been receiving text messages from an unknown
number taunting her, saying in Welsh, phrases like: "Remember me, Ava
Cole?"
or
"How will you remember me, Ava Cole." There is a private detective in
town too, looking into Ellen's disappearance all those years ago.
This is a mystery where all of the characters seem suspect, and you have to figure out whodunit. The cast of characters are introduced as Ava
reconnects with her previous group of friends. Then, as they are
introduced, the reader needs to start evaluating them as suspects based
on the information provided in the narrative.
The chapters
alternate between Ava's actions and thoughts told in the third person
and the first person thoughts of her stalker. This does set up a nice
contrast to increase the tension. The
characters are
well-developed, even though there are many of them between friends and
children and acquaintances from the village. It becomes clear that the
person is taunting Ava and is going to actively start targeting the
group of old friends, but the question of motive remains.
There are two main issues I had to overcome with Remember Me:
the rather slow pace of the action and a sense of incredulity that Ava
is a detective. First, if I'm yawning while reading any mystery/thriller
then it is a sure sign that the pace is a bit too slow. My interest in
what happened compelled me to keep reading, but at times it seemed a
slog. Secondly, there were several instances early on when I said aloud,
"She's a detective?" It is not a good sign if I'm skeptical and
questioning the competence of the detective skills of the main
character.
Disclosure:
My review copy was courtesy of HarperCollins.
What We Did by Christobel Kent
Farrar, Straus and Giroux: 2/5/19
eBook review copy; 320 pages
ISBN-13:
9780374288754
What We Did by Christobel Kent is a recommended psychological study with some aspects of a thriller.
Bridget Webster has kept the abuse the occurred in her past a secret
from everyone and keeps a tight control over her emotions and reactions.
Now she's happily married to Matt and they have a teenage son, Finn.
Matt works in IT at Rose Hill University and she owns a women's clothing
boutique in town. When her childhood violin teacher, Anthony
Carmichael, shows up in her shop with a young teen he wants to buy a
dress for, Bridget can barely keep her emotions under control. When
Carmichael later returns, having recognized Bridget after all these
years, the resulting actions seem inevitable and require even more
subterfuge on Bridget's part. Then Bridget's sister Carrie shows up and
becomes involved in the situation.
At the same time reporter
Gillian "Gill" Lawson has come to town to secretly seek out Carmichael.
She has been following him for years with the certainty that he is a
long-time pedophile who has somehow escaped being caught and she wants
to finally bring an end to his secret reign of terror. She recognizes
Bridget as someone who may have been one of his early victims, but
having a reporter snooping around is not what Bridget needs right now.
This is a slow-paced novel that creates suspense through Bridget
slowly revealing more information and insight about the secrets in her
past and why that would lead her to currently do what she did. Although
there is a violent reaction which leads to a pro-long period of trying
to cover up the results of her action, the incident loses its shocking
power due to the extended coverage of the story line. After this point
any suspense or tension is created through Gill's investigation and how
odd both Bridget and Matt are acting. The ending is a surprise that I
didn't see coming.
What We Did, while it has its moments when it is in the
territory of a thriller, is at heart more of a character study. As
Bridget reveals more information about her past and the inner torment
she endures, empathy for her will increase. Based on what is revealed in
her backstory, one does wonder why a case as severe and emotionally
fraught as hers didn't come to the attention of others earlier. The
scenes between her and Matt when they both are leaving a plethora of
things unsaid also create tension.
The writing is certainly good. As I mentioned, the pro-longed cover-up
and the many things left unsaid by all the characters results in
depleting much of the immediacy of the tension and suspense. The
exception is the ending when an increased pace and sense of urgency
amplifies the tension and all the plot elements come together.
Disclosure:
My review copy was courtesy of Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
When You Read This by Mary Adkins
HarperCollins: 2/5/19
eBook review copy; 384 pages
ISBN-13: 9780062834676
When You Read This by Mary Adkins is a very highly recommended, heart-breaking epistolary novel set in our current digital-age.
Iris Massey, 33, worked for four years helping clients perfect their
brands alongside Smith
Simonyi in his PR firm. Once she found out she only had six months
to live, she began blogging on Dying to Blog, a blogging platform for
the
terminally ill. Now, after Iris has died, Smith is surprised to
learn about her blog. She also had one final request for Smith: she
wants him to get her blog posts published as a book. Smith looks at
fulfilling this request with the help of his new intern Carl, while
trying to get approval from Iris's sister, Jade. Jade, however, is
adamantly opposed to this, but the two begin a correspondence and
relationship while trying to deal with their grief.
The chapters in this novel are all emails, blog posts, online therapy
sessions, text messages, legal correspondence, charts and graphs,
comments, instant messages, etc., that work together to create a montage
of interpersonal communication and relationships in the digital age. I
enjoy epistolary novels when they offer insight into characters and
situations. This one is an excellent example of the format. The
communications are charming, tragic, insightful, hilarious (yes, there
are some very funny moments), surprising, empathetic, belligerent, and
self-aware. They provide the platform for present day actions and part
of the backstory to the flawed characters.
Adkins did a great job keeping all the various correspondence from
the characters true to their personalities along with what they are
experiencing, feeling, and thinking. Carl is the impetus for much of the
humor, along with Smith's patience with him. There were also several
heartbreaking things shared, helping to further the development of the
characters through this modern format. While the layout of this novel
may not appeal to everyone, for those who can appreciate the format When You Read This is a real treat. Oh, and expect to cry.
Disclosure:
My review copy was courtesy of HarperCollins.
The Forgiving Kind by Donna Everhart
Kensington: 1/29/19
eBook review copy; 352 pages
ISBN-13:
9781496717009
The Forgiving Kind by Donna Everhart is a very highly recommended family drama set in 1950s North Carolina.
Twelve-year-old Martha “Sonny” Creech and her two older
brothers, Ross and Trent, work hard alongside their Dad on their
cotton farm. Sonny feels a connection to and loves the land as much as
her father does. She also inherited his ability for divining water. When
a devastating accident claims her father's life, Sonny and her family
are not only grieving, but heading for disaster and poverty if they
can't pay for the seed to plant their cotton crop.
When their weird, but wealthy, neighbor, Frank Fowler stops by and
suggests a deal to help finance their crop, Sonny's mom, Olivia, accepts
the deal even though she and Ross don't trust him. Neither does her
best friend, Daniel, who tells Sonny that the man must have ulterior
motives. Soon it becomes apparent that Fowler is a cruel, mean-tempered
bully who bosses the kids around and calls them names, but acts very
different around their mother. Sonny tries to tell her mom that he is no
good, but she doesn't see his dark side until it is too late.
This is a riveting, compelling, and emotionally complex story that
grips you from the start and doesn't let go. The narrative is
spellbinding, heartbreaking, beautiful, and tragic. It will make you
cry, feeling furious and impotent, as foreshadowing clearly indicates
that a violent disaster is in the making and you are waiting for the
tragedy to happen. I found myself raging silently at Sonny's mom,
Olivia, finding it hard to believe she couldn't see who Frank Fowler
really was through his fake facade.
The writing is absolutely excellent. Everhart decisively captures
time and place, placing her well-developed characters firmly in North
Carolina in 1955 as they deal with what seems like a situation that will
be impossible to escape. The well-paced plot raises the tension and
anxiety of the reader and then keeps you there, anticipating, knowing
something awful is going to happen. The descriptive prose depicts both
the beautiful and sordid in this coming-of-age story of abuse, violence,
prejudice, perseverance, endurance, friendship, and family. The
juxtaposition of the exceptional writing with the disclosure of the
ugliness within the narrative helps make the novel and its themes even
more poignant.
Disclosure:
My review copy was courtesy of Kensington.
Once a Liar by A.F. Brady
Park Row Books: 1/29/19
eBook review copy; 384 pages
ISBN-13:
9780778369974
Once a Liar by A.F. Brady is a highly recommended thriller.
Peter Caine is an eminent, successful Manhattan defense attorney. He
is handsome and charming to those he meets, those who could be some use
to him, but Peter is, in reality, a sociopath with no remorse, guilt, or
shame for any of his actions. His life and career have been carefully
constructed on a foundation of lies and the certainty that he deserves
more.
When his ex-wife, Julianne, dies, Jamie, the estranged son Peter
gave up custody of and has no relationship with, comes to live with
Peter and Claire, his current girlfriend. Peter has been living with
Claire for eight years while simultaneously having an on-going affair
with Charlie (Charlotte), the step-daughter of his arch nemesis, New
York County DA Harrison Doyle. In fact, it was his on and off affair
with Charlie that broke up his marriage. When Charlie is found murdered,
the evidence increasingly seems to point to Peter's guilt.
As the narrator of Once a Liar, Peter Caine is an intensely
dislikeable character. The story, through Peter's eyes, follows events
from the past and present and offers insight into his character, or lack
thereof. Peter is a very well-developed character, even as his
integrity is increasingly in question and his sociopathy becomes
progressively clear as the plot advances. He is an unreliable narrator,
but an honest one based on his point-of-view.
Once a Liar is a well-written novel, especially in terms of
the character development of Peter. Initially Brady doles out
interesting insight into Peter's back story and character, which grips
your attention, but then the pace of the novel slows for a bit in the
middle. Keep reading, however, because all the little insights will
matter and the pace quickly picks up again. The ending twist is great.
Some readers might guess parts of it, but probably not the complete
picture. This is a very satisfying thriller.
Disclosure:
My review copy was courtesy of Park Row Books.
The Golden Tresses of the Dead by Alan Bradley
Penguin Random House: 1/22/19
eBook review copy; 352 pages
hardcover ISBN-13:
9780345540027
Flavia de Luce Series #10
The Golden Tresses of the Dead by Alan Bradley is the very highly recommended 10th Flavia de Luce novel. Twelve-year-old Flavia has formed a
private detective agency with Dogger and the two take on their first case and client.
Arthur W.
Dogger & Associates, Discreet Investigations,
is now in business at Buckshaw. Flavia and Dogger discover their first
case at her sister Ophelia's wedding in the chapel at Bishop’s Lacey.
How did a severed finger end up in the wedding cake and who does it
belong to? Then they take on their first client when Anastasia Prill
asks them to find some stolen letters belonging to her father. The case
deepens when something happens to Miss Prill and two missionaries, Doris
Pursemaker and Ardella Stonebrook, end up staying at Buckshaw. While
Flavia and Dogger are applying their detective skills to the cases,
Flavia's cousin, Undine, seems intent to be in the way.
Flavia is well established as a chemistry prodigy in the series set in 1950s England. It's always nice to see a strong female character with a gift for science featured in a novel.
At this point she is a well-developed character and it is entertaining
to follow along the plot as she deduces clues, works in her lab, and
follows leads to solve the case. Flavia and Dogger work great together
and it's nice to see him gently helping Flavia. I would predict that
Undine is going to begin to play a much larger role in the books and
will take over Flavia's former bratty persona, as in this outing Flavia
is definitely maturing and growing up. It almost seems that she is older
now and might need another birthday soon.
These are all well-written novels and are Bradley inserts a fair
amount of humor in the narrative that makes these novels even more
enjoyable than simply a who-done-it. While not YA, all of the Flavia
novels are suitable for teens to adults. They should be read in order so
you have Flavia's whole backstory and family history. The word is the
Bradley will be continuing the series, so expect more cases for Arthur W.
Dogger & Associates, Discreet Investigations in the future.
Disclosure:
My review copy was courtesy of Penguin Random House.
I Invited Her In by Adele Parks
MIRA Books: 2/5/19
eBook review copy; 432 pages
ISBN-13: 9780778369219
I Invited Her In by Adele Parks is a recommended thriller.
Melanie Harrison is surprised to receive an email from her university
friend Abigail
Curtiz. They haven't been in contact with each other since 1999
when Mel became pregnant with her son after a one-night-stand and
dropped out of school. Seventeen years have passed and now Mel is
happily married to Ben, and living in Wolvney, England, with their three
children. Abi sends her an email explaining that she is in the midst of
a contentious divorce and is returning to the UK after living in
America. Abi is a minor TV personality who interviews celebrities for a
living, so Mel is surprised that she doesn't have other friends to
contact.
Mel ends up inviting Abi to come and stay indefinitely with her
family and is shocked and surprised when Abi accepts. Once Abi arrives,
Mel is consumed and infatuated with her every whim. Soon it becomes
quite clear to everyone but Mel that Abi does not mean well to Mel or
her family. Abi's stay is without an end point and the family is
beginning to crack under the strain of hosting this demanding guest.
First, the opening premise requires that the reader set aside a
healthy dose of disbelief. For me it remained ludicrous throughout the
novel and required a conscious effort to believe that anyone would
invite a famous someone they hadn't seen for years to come and stay
indefinitely in their modest home just because she showed some support
for her years ago. Sure, I'd exchange emails, maybe meet them somewhere
for coffee, but I would never invite them to stay for however long. That
is stupid. Mel's instant devotion to someone she really was never that
close to is odd.
Now, after you manage to set that huge MacGuffin aside, Parks does
get kudos for creating tension and suspense as the narrative switched
perspectives between Mel, Abi, and Ben. The narrative is a bit padded, but the plot is intriguing.
Neither Mel nor Abi are likeable characters, but if you read thrillers
and enjoy predicting plot developments, you'll keep reading to see if
your predictions are right. (You will be correct, btw.) Continuing to
read the story will be based on how engaged you are in seeing lives
disintegrate and plans for revenge take place.
There are some nice details and emotional insights about raising children and marriage. This isn't an awful book, but it is predictable.
In spite of my lack of surprises over any plot twists, I was engaged
with the plot, even if it was just to see the train wreck I knew had to
be coming at the end and I wasn't disappointed.
Disclosure:
My review copy was courtesy of MIRA Books
