Until Alison

Until Alison by Kate Russo
7/15/25; 304 pages
Penguin/Putnam 

Until Alison by Kate Russo is a explores adolescent angst and a college murder mystery. It is recommended. This novel will be appreciated more by New Adult readers

In Waterbury, Maine, Rachel Nardelli and Alison Petrucci were friends as children, had a fall out during middle school, and Rachel really hasn't talked to her since they were 14. Alison was bullied and considered the weird girl in grade school and middle school. She came from a wealthy family and later went to an exclusive high school due to the bullying. During their senior year at college, Rachel was drunk at her boyfriend Cam's party when Alison showed up and later left with a guy. Alison's body was found in a pond the next day.

Rachel is a journalism major and part of the college newspaper staff so she starts investigating the murder with her fellow journalists. She also privately reflects on her former relationship and interactions with Alison, but neglects to mention until much later her previous relationship with Alison or the fact that she saw her leave Cam's party with a young man.

For mature adult readers it should be noted that this is really a new adult novel. The narrative reads exactly like an immature college student ruminating about her past. Most college students have matured, move on, etc. and don't dwell on or deeply ponder events from middle school to this extent. They are usually looking toward the future, leaving their childhood and many of the people they knew from school behind them, in the past.

As the narrator of the story, Rachel is unlikable and a large part of it, for me, is her immaturity. Rachel mistakenly thinks because she saw Alison that night she could have prevented her murder. She was also so removed from Alison in the present that she should have easily shared the fact that she knew her from years ago. They had no current connection with each other. Alison is never really developed as a sympathetic character other than her oddness in middle school when she was the target for bullies.

The quality of the writing is good, but it also seemed like Russo wanted to write a social commentary about class, gender, political alignments, and violence against women rather than a mystery. These topics are present in the narrative but don't feel incorporated into the plot in a natural manner. The novel held my attention and Russo gets points for her writing ability but the presentation could have been better.

Until Alison would be a good choice for New Adult readers on the younger side. Thanks to Penguin/Putnam for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

 

Our Last Resort

Our Last Resort by Clémence Michallon
7/8/25; 320 pages
Knopf Doubleday 

Our Last Resort by Clémence Michallon is a very highly recommended mystery/thriller following two cult survivors embroiled in a murder investigation. This is an excellent second novel after her debut novel, The Quiet Tenant.

Frida and Gabriel are on a vacation at the luxurious Ara Hotel in the secluded desert of Escalante, Utah. The two shared a traumatic childhood as they live in a cult under fanatical leader Émile until they escaped fifteen years ago when they were 18. They consider each other brother and sister. Ten years earlier Gabriel's wife Annie went missing and was found dead. He was the main suspect. Nothing connected him to the crime, but tabloids had a field day trying to indict him. The two drifted apart after this but are trying to reconnect.

Late one night Frida overhears a fight between wealthy, aging tabloid tycoon William Brenner and his very young, beautiful wife, Sabrina. The next morning Sabrina is found dead. Frida tells a deputy about the argument she overheard. William is arrested but is soon released and the focus seems to be on Gabriel.

The writing is exceptional in this engrossing literary mystery/thriller which unfolds through Frida's point-of-view. The pace is fast, allowing the narrative to build suspense and tension with each page and each new twist. Chapters alternate between the present day murder investigation and Frida and Gabriel's life growing up in the cult. There are actually several different mysteries within the plot.

The dual timelines work very well, are equally compelling, and help develop and provide insight into the characters. Frida is a fully realized, complex character with both her strengths and weaknesses displayed. Growing up in the cult helped shape both Frida and Gabriel's personalities. Understandably, they are both deeply flawed individuals who had to overcome a lot to learn how to live in the world. The final denouement was a shocking surprise.

Our Last Resort is an excellent choice for those who enjoy a well-written mystery/thriller. 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 Woman in Suite 11

The Woman in Suite 11 by Ruth Ware
7/8/25; 400 pages
Gallery/Scout Press
Lo Blacklock #2 

The Woman in Suite 11 by Ruth Ware is a highly recommended thriller/mystery and a sequel to The Woman in Cabin 10 (2016). It can be read as a stand alone novel.

Lo Blacklock is now married to Judah and they have two sons. After taking several years off from writing full time, Lo, a travel writer, is ready to ready to reestablish her journalism career. She is surprised to receive an invitation to attend the press opening of a luxury hotel launch by the Leidmann Group on the shores of Switzerland’s Lake Geneva. Judah encourages her to go and she believes she can get a paying article or two out of it, especially if she can interview Marcus Leidmann, the reclusive billionaire who owns it. After the event she can visit her mother in England for a few days.

Immediately Lo is surprised to find that her plane ticket was upgraded to first class. When she arrives at the hotel she is shocked to run into three people from an event in her past, Ben; gourmet critic Alexander; photographer Cole. They were all on the Aurora with her and she wrote a best selling book about it (The Woman in Cabin 10).  Then she is left a note in her room to come to suite 11 as soon as possible. She does so, receives another shocking surprise, and commences to make multiple bad choices.

As expected, the writing is excellent, compelling, and the action held my complete attention, however, part of my immersion in the narrative involved scolding Lo for being so foolish and naive. So, yes, you need to set a large dose of disbelief aside in this one. If you are able to ignore Lo's dumb choices, expect plenty of twists and surprises along the way. The final denouement is heart stopping.

The main characters are well-written and have both strengths and flaws. (No names/no spoilers) I actually like Lo as a character because I believe she is kindhearted and thinks she's doing the right thing, but doesn't have a clue.

The Woman in Suite 11 is a great choice for fans of Ruth Ware and those who want to reacquaint themselves with Lo Blacklock. Thanks to Gallery/Scout Press for providing me with an advance reader's copy via Netgalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

 

The Blue Horse

The Blue Horse by Bruce Borgos
7/8/25; 368 pages
St. Martin's Press
Porter Beck Mystery #3

The Blue Horse by Bruce Borgos is a highly recommended investigative mystery and the third novel in the Porter Beck series. This is set during 2020, and features wild horse round-ups, murder, and Covid.

Lincoln County, Nevada, Sheriff Porter Beck and his deputy, Tuffy Scruggs are watching a helicopter pilot rounding-up wild horses for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) when the pilot is shot. Jolene Manning, who is coordinating the maneuver for the BLM, blames CANTER, a horse rescue group run by Etta Clay. Then Manning is found brutally murdered along with a young man working with her, and federal law enforcement gets involved. Beck's girlfriend, State Detective Charlie Blue Horse, also arrives to help with the investigation.

The pace is fast, the tension quickly rises, and a list of suspects grow in this well-written investigative mystery. Beck may have retinitis pigmentosa (degenerating night vision) but he still has keen insight and instincts. The FBI have a suspect in mind, but Beck thinks there is something else going on and he is correct. There is an alternate story line following Brin with a group of at-risk teens on a camping trip and a teen named Rafa. Borgos continues to write a compelling thriller and mystery

All the characters in the series are well-developed and portrayed as realistic individuals with strengths and weaknesses. Returning characters to the series are Beck's dog, Columbo/Bo, Beck’s 90 year old father who has dementia, his sister Brinley, his daughter Mercy, the identical twin deputies (Twin Peaks/Jolly Greens), and the podcaster named “X-Files."

The only drawbacks for me was setting this during 2020, including Covid in the plot and touching on politically sensitive topics. The first two books in the series were exceptional five star reads. This one gets four. I am looking forward to the next book in the series and expect it to be back to a five star read. 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 Obsessions of Harvey Usher

The Obsessions of Harvey Usher by David Putnam
7/8/25; 315 pages
Level Best Books

The Obsessions of Harvey Usher by David Putnam is a recommended thriller set in two timelines.

Harvey Usher, 80, is shocked when he wakes up and a young Rita Hayworth look-a-like named Dolores is making him breakfast. Harvey's beloved wife of 50 years, Sylvia (Lois) passed away years earlier. Now Dolores, who he starts calling Rita, is claiming they've been married for two years. She is concerned that he is losing his memory, and lovingly continues to care for him.

First Harvey calls the police, but Dolores has a driver's license with her married name and address as well as a marriage license. The police are wondering if Harvey needs to go into long term care. Then Harvey turns to his neighbor, Esther, and a PI named Eddie Gurski to help him prove who Rita is so he can determine what con game she is playing. Things get much more complicated when people start dying.

The plot unfolds in two timelines, 1968, when Harvey met Lois, and the present. There is a connection with organized crime dating back to the 1960s timeline. Events become complicated when past actions come forward years later and it is difficult to know who he can trust. There are some exciting moments and twists along the way. The narrative starts out intriguing but then began to lose my full interest when events from the past began to unfold.

I never really liked Harvey or any of the characters in the novel, which did make it difficult to care about what was happening in either timeline. Those who appreciate organize crime novels may like this one more. Thanks to Level Best Books for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

Vera, or Faith

Vera, or Faith by Gary Shteyngart
7/8/25; 256 pages
Random House

Vera, or Faith by Gary Shteyngart is a highly recommended family drama set in the future following a precocious ten-year-old girl in a struggling family.

Ten-year-old Vera is academically advanced, but has intense anxiety and is likely on the spectrum. She is making lists, lists of words, things she needs to know, ways to fit in at school, and reasons to keep her family together. The members of the Bradford-Shmulkin family, composed of Russian, Jewish, Korean, and blue blood New England heritage, is falling apart. Daddy is Russian and Jewish and a struggling editor. Vera is Korean, Russian and Jewish. Her mom-mom left her and Daddy is raising her along with Anne-mom, a blue blood New Englander. Their son, Vera's half brother, is Dylan. The family all love each other, but they all seem to be struggling, and Daddy and Anne-mom are fighting all the time.

This short, well-written story is set in an alternate future there are self-driving cars, AI chess sets, a controversial proposed constitutional amendment, and unrest in the country. The focus is on Vera while she is trying to make sense of her life and the narrative is told through her point-of-view. She doesn't always understand what she hearing, but she is a sympathetic character and you will wish the best for her and her family.

Vera, or Faith is a good choice for those who enjoy Shteyngart's writing and a novel that unfolds through the eyes of a child. Thanks to Random Hose for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

Fast Boys and Pretty Girls

Fast Boys and Pretty Girls by Lo Patrick
7/8/25; 336 pages
Sourcebooks Landmark

Fast Boys and Pretty Girls by Lo Patrick is a very highly recommended literary Southern mystery and coming-of-age story told in a dual timeline. I have read and loved every novel Lo Patrick has written.

Danielle (Dani) Greer moved back to North Georgia after a brief career as a teen model in NYC. Now she is a married mother of four daughters living in her childhood home. One afternoon her girls coming running back into the house saying they found bones in the ravine behind the house. Danielle knows who it couldn't be, but may know who it was. She calls local police officer Cady Benson.

Years ago when insecure teenage Dani, 17, came home from NYC for a visit she fell in love with motorcycle riding bad boy Benji Law, 15, and quickly became obsessed with him. Her modeling career may not be taking off as fast as promised, but her fixation on Benji is overwhelming, although seemingly not reciprocated in kind. He was killed in a motorcycle accident on the road in front of her family's house so she knows the body in the ravine isn't his and still recalls the events leading up to his death.

The extremely well-written literary novel held my complete attention throughout. The narrative unfolds through chapters following events in dual timelines set in 2004 and 2019. Danielle is the narrator and the novel follows her point-of-view. Even though it is a slow-burning novel, it is full of psychological insight, complex family dynamics, and tackles the emotional intensity of a first love. We have both a mystery and coming-of-age story, that follows the folly of a youthful and the realities of adulthood.

Danielle is portrayed as a fully realized individual, with strengths and flaws, especially since we meet her as a teen and later as an adult (who is likely suffering from depression). Her character development is carefully crafted and Patrick manages to capture the heartbreak, confusion, and resignation she experiences in pitch-perfect prose that is both insightful and poignant.

When the realization of what happened becomes clear toward the end with clues provided in the plot, it is both surprising and shocking, yet somehow understandable. I may be an outlier in my love and appreciation of Fast Boys and Pretty Girls, but I was completely immersed in the novel from start to finish.

Fast Boys and Pretty Girls is a perfect choice for those who enjoy literary novels, Southern fiction, mysteries, and coming-of-age stories. Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.