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Dirty Secret (Cole McGinnis #2)
8.0
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Loving Kim Jae-Min isn’t always easy: Jae is gun-shy about being openly homosexual. Ex-cop turned...
Contemporary MM Romance Crime Suspense Mystery
Black List, White Death
10.0
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In "Black List," the Amlingmeyer brothers ride into the Arizona Territory on a quest to unearth a...
Sue (5 KP) rated The Coroner in Books
Aug 13, 2018
Emily Hartford seems to be doing well for herself with a promising surgical career in Chicago and having been recently engaged to a third-year surgical resident. Her world is turned upside down when she receives a call telling her that her estranged medical examiner father has suffered a major heart attack and she must come home.
Upon arrival at her hometown of Freeport, which she fled over 12 years ago after the mysterious death of her mother, Emily is pulled into an investigation. With her ME father unable to assist, Sheriff Nick Larson (Em’s old high school flame) asks her help in finding out if the sudden unexplained death of a Senator’s teen daughter was an accident or murder.
This book is engaging with several different stories going on at once. The first story is the mystery of the Senator’s daughter who was an equestrian, good student, and all around loved individual. How and why was she killed? The second story is about the relationship between Emily and her father. They once were so close, but with the mysterious accident her mother suffered leaving her dead, daughter and father have a rocky relationship. The third story is of Emily and trying to find out what she really wants in life.
The is a true mystery-suspense drama with a very surprising ending.
Upon arrival at her hometown of Freeport, which she fled over 12 years ago after the mysterious death of her mother, Emily is pulled into an investigation. With her ME father unable to assist, Sheriff Nick Larson (Em’s old high school flame) asks her help in finding out if the sudden unexplained death of a Senator’s teen daughter was an accident or murder.
This book is engaging with several different stories going on at once. The first story is the mystery of the Senator’s daughter who was an equestrian, good student, and all around loved individual. How and why was she killed? The second story is about the relationship between Emily and her father. They once were so close, but with the mysterious accident her mother suffered leaving her dead, daughter and father have a rocky relationship. The third story is of Emily and trying to find out what she really wants in life.
The is a true mystery-suspense drama with a very surprising ending.
Celine
5.0
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From the best-selling author of The Dog Stars and The Painter, a luminous, masterful novel of...
Fiction crime mystery thriller female lead stand alone novel
Hit the Road Jack (Jack Ryder Book 1)
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The first heart-stopping, enthralling serial killer thriller in the million-copy bestselling Jack...
adult fiction horror series Jack Ryder Police Procedural
Natalie (23 KP) rated We Were Liars in Books
Nov 13, 2017
Page-turning suspense (2 more)
Some original narrative techniques
A decent twist
The slowest pacing/build-up I've ever experienced (1 more)
Passive/incomplete characters
A family mystery with a twist
Cadence Sinclair (Cady) comes from a rich, well-to-do family. So well-to-do, in fact, that they have the luxury of vacationing on their own private island every summer. It is this island, Beechwood, that is the heart of Cady’s narrative; the summers she spent there with her childhood companions. The inseparable foursome; Cady, Johnny, Mirren and Gat – affectionately termed ‘the Liars’ – treasure their Beechwood idyll, but when Cady has a mysterious accident during ‘summer fifteen’, the four become divided as Cady searches for the truth.
Though I enjoyed Lockart's technique and style overall and really enjoyed the twist, there were a few hang-ups that I couldn't get over. The suspense is there, but accounts for about 80% of the book, before we get to the substance. I have no problem with a book that is slow-paced in general, but this felt like much of the first two thirds of the book was inconsequential, then we quickly dealt with the nitty-gritty. Furthermore, Cady is so passive that it's frustrating and makes it no wonder that the narrative crawls along - we might get somewhere faster if Cady had any spark about her and could face a confrontation or two. By making Cady herself a writer, Lockhart has opened up a few other interesting techniques to get to know our protagonist better, though they unfortunately fall just short.
Though I enjoyed Lockart's technique and style overall and really enjoyed the twist, there were a few hang-ups that I couldn't get over. The suspense is there, but accounts for about 80% of the book, before we get to the substance. I have no problem with a book that is slow-paced in general, but this felt like much of the first two thirds of the book was inconsequential, then we quickly dealt with the nitty-gritty. Furthermore, Cady is so passive that it's frustrating and makes it no wonder that the narrative crawls along - we might get somewhere faster if Cady had any spark about her and could face a confrontation or two. By making Cady herself a writer, Lockhart has opened up a few other interesting techniques to get to know our protagonist better, though they unfortunately fall just short.
BookwormMama14 (18 KP) rated The Reckoning at Gossamer Pond in Books
Jan 2, 2019
I couldn't read this book fast enough! Jaime Jo Wright weaves such a tale of mystery and suspense that you won't want to put it down. Thankfully, when house duties called, I have SCRIBD, so I could listen to the book while I did dishes, vacuumed, and did the laundry.
Filled with so much agony for all that these characters go through, the empath in me had a rough go of it. But, all said and done, the author created the perfect balance with the tension, the hope, the suspense, and the romance. I am not sure how much more I can say without giving away the story! I couldn't figure out who the "bad guys" were for the longest time. I was trying so hard to figure out how everything all meshed together...But couldn't work it out on my own.
Annalise and Libby are two women that I think are incredibly strong, brave, and heroines of the best sort. Sure they have made mistakes (who hasn't), but the important thing is that they learned from them, grew, moved on, and are helping others.
I just want all of Jaime's stories in my hands right now! I could read them all year. Haha! I adore her voice and the vision she has behind her stories. They truly are remarkable and deserve the highest praise.
I received a complimentary copy of The Reckoning at Gossamer Pond from the publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
Filled with so much agony for all that these characters go through, the empath in me had a rough go of it. But, all said and done, the author created the perfect balance with the tension, the hope, the suspense, and the romance. I am not sure how much more I can say without giving away the story! I couldn't figure out who the "bad guys" were for the longest time. I was trying so hard to figure out how everything all meshed together...But couldn't work it out on my own.
Annalise and Libby are two women that I think are incredibly strong, brave, and heroines of the best sort. Sure they have made mistakes (who hasn't), but the important thing is that they learned from them, grew, moved on, and are helping others.
I just want all of Jaime's stories in my hands right now! I could read them all year. Haha! I adore her voice and the vision she has behind her stories. They truly are remarkable and deserve the highest praise.
I received a complimentary copy of The Reckoning at Gossamer Pond from the publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
The Next to Die
8.5
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The New York Times bestselling author of The Monogram Murders and Woman with a Secret returns with a...
Fiction Mystery Thriller Psychological
Midge (525 KP) rated The Winter Mystery in Books
Mar 18, 2019
Great & Humorous Cozy Mystery
Over recent months I've become a great fan of cozy mysteries so, when I saw this second book in the series featuring Jenny Starling being launched, I knew I had to read "The Winter Mystery." Also, it has a culinary theme which I love and a little light humour. The first book ‘The Birthday Mystery’ was so good, I knew it was likely that Faith Martin had written a winner with this book, too, and I was right!
Best-seller author Faith Martin has also written the ‘Detective Hillary Greene’ mysteries.
First, we are introduced to Jenny Starling who is spending Christmas in a snowed-in country house cooking all the traditional food she loves, however, the family she’s working for are not full of the seasonal spirit. On Christmas Eve, someone is found dead on the kitchen table and the head of the family is blaming Jenny! But with an incompetent detective called in, and seemingly no motive for the murder, Jenny will have to turn amateur sleuth again. She will stop at nothing to clear her name and find the perpetrator.
Faith Martin’s writing skills set the scene beautifully for this novel. The house is a large, charming, Cotswold-stone, Georgian farmhouse in rural Oxford, complete with stables, outhouses, a cobbled courtyard and a resident sheepdog.
Faith Martin’s character development is wonderful, particularly that of Jenny who is an impressive woman and in her late twenties. Curvaceous and sexy, she’s a modern single woman, living and loving life as a travelling cook. She is happy travelling the country catering for different events and cooking great food. She doesn’t like having to divert her attention from baking delicious cakes or creating a new sauce recipe by having to solve murders. She is great at reading people and unmasking killers, always with a good dose of humour.
There are many suspects in this mystery, with clues and lots of red herrings to keep the reader guessing. It was a thoroughly satisfying read and I often found myself asking the same questions as Jenny and I was kept in suspense to the end. The pacing in "The Winter Mystery" was very good and I never lost interest, as it wasn't long before something intriguing would happen. Things came together for a fulfilling finish and wrapped everything up very neatly.
I'm definitely looking forward to the next novel featuring Jenny Starling and other books by the author, Faith Martin. "The Winter Mystery" whets your appetite for more to come.
My thanks to #NetGalley, Joffe Books and the author for providing me with a free advanced copy of #TheWinterMystery.
Best-seller author Faith Martin has also written the ‘Detective Hillary Greene’ mysteries.
First, we are introduced to Jenny Starling who is spending Christmas in a snowed-in country house cooking all the traditional food she loves, however, the family she’s working for are not full of the seasonal spirit. On Christmas Eve, someone is found dead on the kitchen table and the head of the family is blaming Jenny! But with an incompetent detective called in, and seemingly no motive for the murder, Jenny will have to turn amateur sleuth again. She will stop at nothing to clear her name and find the perpetrator.
Faith Martin’s writing skills set the scene beautifully for this novel. The house is a large, charming, Cotswold-stone, Georgian farmhouse in rural Oxford, complete with stables, outhouses, a cobbled courtyard and a resident sheepdog.
Faith Martin’s character development is wonderful, particularly that of Jenny who is an impressive woman and in her late twenties. Curvaceous and sexy, she’s a modern single woman, living and loving life as a travelling cook. She is happy travelling the country catering for different events and cooking great food. She doesn’t like having to divert her attention from baking delicious cakes or creating a new sauce recipe by having to solve murders. She is great at reading people and unmasking killers, always with a good dose of humour.
There are many suspects in this mystery, with clues and lots of red herrings to keep the reader guessing. It was a thoroughly satisfying read and I often found myself asking the same questions as Jenny and I was kept in suspense to the end. The pacing in "The Winter Mystery" was very good and I never lost interest, as it wasn't long before something intriguing would happen. Things came together for a fulfilling finish and wrapped everything up very neatly.
I'm definitely looking forward to the next novel featuring Jenny Starling and other books by the author, Faith Martin. "The Winter Mystery" whets your appetite for more to come.
My thanks to #NetGalley, Joffe Books and the author for providing me with a free advanced copy of #TheWinterMystery.