Two Kinds of Stranger

 

Two Kinds of Stranger by Steve Cavanagh
3/24/26; 400 pages
Atria Books
Eddie Flynn #9

Two Kinds of Stranger by Steve Cavanagh is an excellent, very highly recommended twisty psychological and legal thriller. This is another un-put-downable, riveting page-turner which follows two cases and is the ninth novel featuring Eddie Flynn. It can be enjoyed as a stand-alone novel.

Elly Parker is a social media influencer on TikToc known for her daily random acts of kindness who had misfortune to be filming when she discovered her husband James and best friend in bed together.  The video went viral before she could delete it. Even though her world has collapsed, Elly continued to do her acts of kindness without filming. When she helps a man with a broken leg get his suitcase down the stairs, it is actually part of a devious plan that results in Elly being charged for the murder of her husband and best friend. Elly hired Flynn to defend her, pitting him against an unknown sociopathic killer and master manipulator.

The second case is closer to home when Flynn's ex-wife Christine, her new husband Kevin, and his 16-year-old daughter are being threatened by con-man Arthur Cross and his associate. He is having the family watched and threatened with the intent on extracting  revenge after Kevin legally defeats his plot to inherit millions.

Two Kinds of Stranger is a well-written, outstanding, and entertaining addition to the series. The writing and plotting is exceptional. The tension remains high throughout this fast-paced engrossing thriller as Eddie and his team work out the defense. Eddie's plans are unpredictable and you likely won't know what he's planning until it's already accomplished, but it is entertaining and intriguing to follow Eddie's actions and clever plans come into fruition.

Eddie Flynn is a defense attorney and master strategist. He is also a former streetwise con-artist who thinks outside the box. The defense team include: legal partner Kate Brooks, office manager Denise, investigators Melissa Bloch and Gabriel Lake, and his mentor retired Judge Harry Ford. Eddie is known for using some questionable and creative tactics to uncover the truth. There are always complications along the way that put Eddie and his team under a constant threat.

All the members of Eddie's team work well together and they all have distinct personalities. It is engaging and sometimes amusing to see Eddie's encounters with the wide variety of contacts he has around the city. You might have to set a little bit of disbelief aside, which I gladly did because the whole novel is so well done.

Two Kinds of Stranger is absolutely very highly recommended for everyone who enjoys legal/psychological thrillers. Thanks to Atria Books for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.    

The Survivor

 

The Survivor by Andrew Reid
3/24/26; 336 pages
St. Martin's Press 

The Survivor by Andrew Reid is a highly recommended thriller set on a subway train while a secret killer menaces a young man with a past. 

Ben Cross is having a bad day. He has just been fired on the first day at his job with DataDyne Solutions in NYC. His mind is reeling as he manages to board the subway. Once on, he begins to receive anonymous text messages from a killer who sends him the picture of one victim and informs Ben that certain passengers will die when they get off at their stop. When the first man targeted dies, Ben knows his unknown tormentor is telling the truth. Even more disconcerting and alarming is the fact that this killer knows Ben's secret, hidden past. 

After setting up Ben's situation, chapters then alternate between Ben’s perspective and that of NYPD detective Kelly Hendricks, who investigates the first murder.  With Ben full of anxiety and trapped on the train while receiving the threatening texts, the opening chapters feel claustrophobic and ominous. Once the police enter the scene and Kelly manages to get on the train, the new information she learns changes the whole course of the narrative. Obviously Ben's past is involved in the present situation, but why and who?

Ben was a problematic character. Once readers learn his background, his anxiety and self doubt is more understandable. The plot improves once detective Kelly Hendricks is introduced. She is a great character and the novel benefits from her presence. The final scenes are actually a huge information dump of background story which leads up to the current situation and explain why Ben is being targeted. Setting some disbelief aside is required. 

The Survivor is a good choice for those who enjoy thrillers in a closed setting. 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 Lucky Winners

 

The Lucky Winners by K.L. Slater
3/18/26; 362 pages
Bookouture 

The Lucky Winners by K.L. Slater is a highly recommended suspense novel following a couple who have won a lottery to win a dream home and cash.

Merri and Dev are behind on bills and the bill collectors are always calling, so when Dev buys a ticket to win the house of their dreams, and gives it to her for their anniversary, she thinks it was a waste of the little cash they have. Then they actually win the home worth millions by Lake Windemere in the lake district along with $250,000 cash. It seems their troubles are over, or have they just begun? While Dev shines in the attention, Merri has a past that she hasn't told Dev about so being in the spotlight is uncomfortable. Making new friends also is uncomfortable for her.

Who hasn't dreamed of winning a life changing sweepstakes? That dream is what will initially pull you into the plot, although most people would choose to sell or a cash option rather than moving to an unknown area with a huge target on their heads from winning the lottery. That is Merri and Dev's first mistake and this quickly becomes clear as they try to settle in and make new friends while a shadowy person is watching them.

The pace is even through most of the plot and doesn't pick up until the end. While the present day chapters follow their win and trying to acclimate to the house and area, alternate chapters flash back to Merri's past, telling her story. Once the story of Merri's past is started, the direction it is likely going to take is predictable, especially with hints at her big secret throughout the novel. There are also some chapters from the watcher, a man who has a grudge against Merri and is planning to take retribution. It is a decent suspense thriller, well-written, and will hold your attention throughout. 3.5 rounded up

The Lucky Winners will be appreciated by those who enjoy novels of suspense. Thanks to Bookouture for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

A Better Life

 

A Better Life by Lionel Shriver
2/10/26; 304 pages
HarperCollins 

A Better Life by Lionel Shriver is an exceptional, very highly recommended domestic drama and fictional dystopian treatise on contemporary immigration issues. Shriver has always kept her own counsel and never shied away from controversial topics, which is appreciated by this reader. A Better Life will be on my list as one of the best books of the year. 

Gloria Bonaventura, 62, is a divorced mother of three living in Brooklyn. Both of her daughters, Palermo and Vanessa, are living on their own, but her son Nico, 26, is still living in the family home, and has never looked for employment after college. When NYC starts a program called 'Big Apple, Big Heart' that would pay people to take in a migrant as a boarder, Gloria is thrilled and applies. Martine Salgado, a Honduran immigrant, arrives and immediately ingratiates herself with Gloria, as well as Palermo and Vanessa, taking on household chore. Nico is skeptical and believes she has ulterior motives. When Martine's uninvited brother, Domingo, arrives things begin to go south and Nico's concerns become realistic.

This fictional account hits all the problems and nuances concerning open borders and immigration on both sides of the issue. Along the way there are some incredible human flaws, humor, and foolishness portrayed. Pointing out defects in a system or program is not anti- anything; it is using your mental acuity to examine an issue logically and realistically. There were times while reading that I wanted to yell at the characters, especially Gloria, to stop accepting the exploitation, realize that there are people who don't mean well, and take action, especially when Domingo showed up. This all begged the question, How much is one expected to tolerate to conform to ever changing arbitrary societal views?

What I have always appreciated about Shriver is that she is an incredibly gifted wordsmith. Her novels are intelligent, well-reasoned, impeccably written, and the correct word is always utilized. She also likes to tackle a specific topic in her books,  the plot is well researched, clearly presented, and believable.  Shriver never kowtows to the changing politically correct landscape, and I am all in for what ever topic she chooses. This would be a perfect choice for a book club that enjoys lively, perhaps heated, discussions.

The characters, likeable or not, are all presented as fully realized, complicated individuals with strengths and weaknesses. In this case, you will know these people or have met their doppelgangers on an almost daily basis. They can be foolish or perceptive, but they are all honestly portrayed as realistic individuals. 

A Better Life is a perfect choice for those who can appreciate novels on contemporary topics and enjoy Lionel Shriver's novels.  

Life: A Love Story

 

Life: A Love Story by Elizabeth Berg
3/17/26; 208 pages
Random House  

Life: A Love Story by Elizabeth Berg is the very highly recommended story of a life. This is a heart warming, intimate novel that captures the many forms love takes in a lifetime and will certainly be on my list as one of the best books of the year.

Ninety-two-year-old Florence "Flo" Greene has learned from her doctor that she has four-to-six-weeks left to live due to terminal cancer. In this novel she is writing a letter to Ruthie, the woman who grew up next door to her.  For Flo, Ruthie was like a daughter and she is leaving her house and everything in it to her in her will. In the letter Flo reminisces about events in her life and describes the items she is leaving Ruthie. 

In between excerpts from the letter, which Flo is working on writing throughout the novel, are events happening and people Flo is meeting right now, including neighbor Teresa, who is a death doula.The letter quickly becomes an autobiography of a life well-lived with plenty of ups and downs along with lessons Flo learned. It is uplifting and positive, while also being honest and everything shared is wrapped in warmth and wisdom. Even while knowing the end is near, Flo also takes a chance and tries something new.

The writing is exceptional in this short, lovely novel. Yes, it is clear from the start the Flo is nearing the end of her life, but Berg gives us a the chance to spend time with a character whose wisdom, kindness, warmth, and honesty are all traits to aspire to. May we all have a Flo in our lives or be the Flo for others.

Life: A Love Story is an exceptional, heartwarming story that would be a perfect choice for those who can appreciate a life well lived. Thanks to Random House for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley . My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

North of Ordinary

 

North of Ordinary by Sue Aikens, with Michael Vlessides 
3/10/26; 304 pages
Sourcebooks 

North of Ordinary by Sue Aikens is a highly recommended memoir covering the author's difficult childhood, coming-of-age alone in Alaska, starting a family in the Lower 48, and eventually life at Kavik River Camp in Alaska, 200 miles north of the Arctic Circle. Aikens was the star of National Geographic’s Life Below Zero.

There is no question that starting as a child Aikens's life has been a long fight for survival and her autobiography honestly covers it all. It was rather shocking when her mother abandoned her in Alaska at age twelve. The fortitude required to survive in Alaska on her own at that young age highlighted the personal strength and determination which is was evident throughout her life.  Aikens resilience and self reliance are a strength which serve her well and reflect the harsh reality of living in the wilds of Alaska, while also cementing her love for and connection with the land.

She does head south to the lower 48 states, marries twice, and has two children. When her children were teens, she felt she was losing part of herself in the busy life around her and she craved solitude. She moved back to Alaska and eventually became the manager/owner of the Kavik River Camp in Alaska’s North Slope, 200 miles north of the Arctic Circle. In this remote location she experienced brutal winters and the constant threat from wildlife. It is a harsh, unforgiving life of hard work and solitude that also provides a beauty of its own. The story of the bear attack is brutal. 

Aikens was the star of National Geographic’s Life Below Zero which ran for 23 seasons from 2013-2025. Admittedly, I do not watch much TV and did not know who Aikens was before agreeing to read an advanced review copy of her memoir. Anyone who enjoys survival stories or tales of rugged, remote living circumstances, as well as fans of the TV show, will definitely appreciate this memoir. I, however, did question some of her choices which were never adequately explained. 

North of Ordinary is a great choice for fans of the long running National Geographic TV series Life Below Zero. Thanks to Sourcebooks for providing me with an advance reader's copy via Edelweiss. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

Want to Know a Secret?

 

Want to Know a Secret? by Freida McFadden
3/3/26; 368 pages
Poison Pen Press 

Want to Know a Secret? by Freida McFadden is a highly recommended domestic psychological thriller with soap opera overtones. Originally published on January 5, 2021, new fans will be excited to read this earlier popcorn thriller by McFadden being released by Poisoned Pen Press.

April Masterson has a YouTube baking show called "April's Sweet Secrets." She is married to Elliot, a lawyer, and the two have a seven-year-old son, Bobby. Everything seems bright, shiny, and sweet in April's world. Her best friend is Julie, who has iron-clad control of the PTA, neighborhood HOA rules, and the book club. Julie's son Leo is the same age as Bobby. New neighbors, Maria and Sean, also have a son, Owen, who is seven and April immediately makes them her BFFs too. But someone is trying to sabotage April's perfect world. She is receiving anonymous texts pointing out her failings, as well as cruel comments on her YouTube show. Someone knows her secrets and that simply won't do.

This is one of those soap opera-esque novels that is an extreme take on suburban denizen's behaving badly while showing smiling faces or acting like Karens. Like any entertaining over-the-top drama, most of the characters are unlikable with exaggerated personalities. At first you will feel some sympathy for April. You would definitely not want her as a neighbor, but it does seem like someone is out to hurt her. Then the last quarter of the novel from another character's point-of-view will totally change your view and the plot gets twisty and wildly unpredictable.

McFadden excels at portraying characters who all have a plethora of secrets, with plenty of twists along the way. Really, I didn't like any of these characters, but it was entertaining to follow all their drama. Thanks to Poison Pen Press for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.