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When the Stars Fall (The Sisters, Texas Mystery Series Book 2)
Book
Madison Reynolds is rebuilding her life, one obstacle at a time. But the building blocks aren’t...
romance adult mystery cozy mystery fiction series
True History of the Kelly Gang (2019)
4.0
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Movie Watch
A fictionalized re-telling of the life and crimes of infamous 19th-century Australian outlaw Ned...
Before the First Shots are Fired
Book
For the better part of the last half century, the United States has been the World's Police,...
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2271 KP) rated With Vics You Get Eggroll in Books
Aug 22, 2021 (Updated Aug 22, 2021)
Will Madison Be the Next Abduction Vic?
Several single women have disappeared around the Dallas suburb where Madison Night lives in recent weeks, so all the women in the area are on high alert. That alert only goes up when the body of one of those women is found. There is evidence next to her body pointing the finger squarely at her abductor – Lt. Tex Allen. Lt. Allen happens to be a friend of Madison’s, and she knows he couldn’t have done it. With Tex suspended from his job at the police department while the investigation is ongoing, Madison finds herself involved in his attempts to clear his name. That’s only made more complicated by the return of Hudson James, the handyman that Madison might have feelings for. Will Madison figure out who the kidnapper is in time? Or will she be the next victim herself?
This book really did grab me from the first page, and it kept me hooked until I reached the final page. There were plenty of twists that surprised me, but the book was perfectly paced, so we had time to digest the new information before everything changed again. The characters are fabulous as well, especially Madison, Tex, and Hudson. I loved the character development all three of them got. This was also perfectly balanced and never slowed down the story. Since Madison Night is a huge Doris Day fan, there are some nods to the actress, and especially With Six You Get Eggroll. If you are familiar with the film, it will be a bonus, but you won’t miss anything if you haven’t seen it. It had been a while since I read the previous book in the series, and I wish I hadn’t let it be so long since I didn’t remember all we’d learned about the characters in the first two books. Still, that’s a very minor complaint and certainly my own fault. This is an outstanding book, and I can’t wait to visit Madison again.
This book really did grab me from the first page, and it kept me hooked until I reached the final page. There were plenty of twists that surprised me, but the book was perfectly paced, so we had time to digest the new information before everything changed again. The characters are fabulous as well, especially Madison, Tex, and Hudson. I loved the character development all three of them got. This was also perfectly balanced and never slowed down the story. Since Madison Night is a huge Doris Day fan, there are some nods to the actress, and especially With Six You Get Eggroll. If you are familiar with the film, it will be a bonus, but you won’t miss anything if you haven’t seen it. It had been a while since I read the previous book in the series, and I wish I hadn’t let it be so long since I didn’t remember all we’d learned about the characters in the first two books. Still, that’s a very minor complaint and certainly my own fault. This is an outstanding book, and I can’t wait to visit Madison again.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Perfect Family in Books
Aug 26, 2021
A tense look at a family pushed to the brink
The Adler family looks perfect to outsiders. Good jobs for husband Thomas and wife Viv, two lovely children in Eli and Tarryn, and a gorgeous home. But things begin to crack when they wake up one morning and find that gorgeous home covered in eggs. They are sure it was just a prank by some neighborhood kids. But it's followed by a smoke bomb, punctured tires, and more. Thomas sets up cameras, but they only catch shadows. The police offer little help. As things escalate with each supposed prank, the family grows more and more fearful. Especially because every family member is keeping a secret--and as the violence against them grows, the secrets only get worse.
"But the people who lived there only looked perfect. They had done horrible things."
This is definitely a page-turner with some twists. There's a lot going on in THE PERFECT FAMILY--each family member has secrets and lies. It's an interesting premise, that dark secrets can pull everyone apart, even entire families. I was always expecting just a little bit more: a slightly bigger secret or surprise than what happened here. Still, the book offers an excellent commentary on keeping secrets and putting pressure on your children. It was difficult to find a character to root for, though the two Adler children were certainly sympathetic. I also found the ending to lack a bit of resolution.
"I realized that everyone in my family had secrets. And mine might be the worst of all."
Overall, though, this mystery offers thrills and twists. While it wasn't perfect (ha) for me, I enjoyed it. It's not my favorite Robyn Harding book, but it's worth a read. The twisted dynamics of the Adler family are intriguing and often terrifying, especially as the suspense ramps up. 3.5 stars.
I received a copy of this book from Gallery Books and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
"But the people who lived there only looked perfect. They had done horrible things."
This is definitely a page-turner with some twists. There's a lot going on in THE PERFECT FAMILY--each family member has secrets and lies. It's an interesting premise, that dark secrets can pull everyone apart, even entire families. I was always expecting just a little bit more: a slightly bigger secret or surprise than what happened here. Still, the book offers an excellent commentary on keeping secrets and putting pressure on your children. It was difficult to find a character to root for, though the two Adler children were certainly sympathetic. I also found the ending to lack a bit of resolution.
"I realized that everyone in my family had secrets. And mine might be the worst of all."
Overall, though, this mystery offers thrills and twists. While it wasn't perfect (ha) for me, I enjoyed it. It's not my favorite Robyn Harding book, but it's worth a read. The twisted dynamics of the Adler family are intriguing and often terrifying, especially as the suspense ramps up. 3.5 stars.
I received a copy of this book from Gallery Books and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
The Drop-Dead Temple of Doom (The Alvarez Family Murder Mysteries)
10.0
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Book
A MOUTHFUL OF POISON FROG…. WHERE’S THE LAW OF THE JUNGLE? Ace detective Lee Alvarez is...
Cozy Mystery archeology Private Detective
#TagMe for Murder
10.0
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Book
When murder trends too close to home, social media influencer Coco Cline will have to swipe through...
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2271 KP) rated Poison Pen in Books
Jul 15, 2022 (Updated Jul 15, 2022)
Was That a Suicide Note?
Back in college, Claudia Rose became friends with Lindsey Alexander. While the two had a falling out several years ago, Claudia is still upset to learn that Lindsey has died. Thanks to the note she left behind, the police have ruled it a suicide, but Ivan, Lindsey’s business partner, thinks that something happened to Lindsey. He hires Claudia, a forensic handwriting expert, to look at the note and determine if Lindsey really wrote it or not. Claudia does agree that it looks suspicious, but as she digs to find a hand writing sample she can use to make a definitive decision, she starts to uncover secrets that Lindsey and those around her were hiding. Break ins and attacks lead her to think something else is going on. Can she figure it out?
I’ve had this book in one form or another since it first came out, but I recently bought the 2021 reissue and read that. This is definitely darker than the cozies I mostly read, and it has the content to go with the darker themes. The plot was strong, with plenty to keep us engaged. There was one aspect I didn’t like, but it’s probably just me. I’ll still definitely give the series another read. That’s partially because of the characters. I really liked Claudia and her friends, plus some of the people she met along the way. I did find a few references in the version I read that dated when the book originally came out. Hard to believe how much things have changed in only 15 years. There are more than a handful of missing words – enough to be jarring but not enough to make the reading experience bad. I loved the LA setting and the celebrities who were name dropped. Hopefully, I can visit Claudia again sooner rather than later.
I’ve had this book in one form or another since it first came out, but I recently bought the 2021 reissue and read that. This is definitely darker than the cozies I mostly read, and it has the content to go with the darker themes. The plot was strong, with plenty to keep us engaged. There was one aspect I didn’t like, but it’s probably just me. I’ll still definitely give the series another read. That’s partially because of the characters. I really liked Claudia and her friends, plus some of the people she met along the way. I did find a few references in the version I read that dated when the book originally came out. Hard to believe how much things have changed in only 15 years. There are more than a handful of missing words – enough to be jarring but not enough to make the reading experience bad. I loved the LA setting and the celebrities who were name dropped. Hopefully, I can visit Claudia again sooner rather than later.
Laura Doe (1350 KP) rated The Appeal in Books
Aug 31, 2022
After having read The Twyford Code first, I was desperate to read The Appeal having heard rave reviews about it for the last year. I was apprehensive that it might not live up to the hype, but it didn’t disappoint me. I didn’t want to put it down and it kept me guessing until the very last page.
The Appeal is written as a series of correspondences: first as a letter from a lawyer to two of his students, then as messages between the two students and then the bulk of the book is emails, texts, handwritten notes and even police transcripts. It is interesting to try and work out what is happening when you only have some of the story (we don’t have all of the correspondence as some is quite obviously missing and we only have the replies) and there are so many layers and deceptions that you need to work through.
The bulk of the messages centre around a few main characters Issy, The Haywards: Martin and James, and Sarah-Jane and her husband Kevin. Trying to pick your way through their many messages between each other to try and work out what parts of their correspondence were real and which were fabrications was part of what kept me so enthralled in the whole book. Just as I thought I had it all worked out, we would go back to the lawyer and his two law students and it would make me rethink my theory and start all over again.
Janice Hallett has a great way of writing, and both of her books that I have read have been so different to anything I’ve ever read. I’ve read books were messages were included, but never one that was solely written in messages. I hope Janice Hallett has plans for more books, as I would like to see what else she can come up with that makes her books stand out.
The Appeal is written as a series of correspondences: first as a letter from a lawyer to two of his students, then as messages between the two students and then the bulk of the book is emails, texts, handwritten notes and even police transcripts. It is interesting to try and work out what is happening when you only have some of the story (we don’t have all of the correspondence as some is quite obviously missing and we only have the replies) and there are so many layers and deceptions that you need to work through.
The bulk of the messages centre around a few main characters Issy, The Haywards: Martin and James, and Sarah-Jane and her husband Kevin. Trying to pick your way through their many messages between each other to try and work out what parts of their correspondence were real and which were fabrications was part of what kept me so enthralled in the whole book. Just as I thought I had it all worked out, we would go back to the lawyer and his two law students and it would make me rethink my theory and start all over again.
Janice Hallett has a great way of writing, and both of her books that I have read have been so different to anything I’ve ever read. I’ve read books were messages were included, but never one that was solely written in messages. I hope Janice Hallett has plans for more books, as I would like to see what else she can come up with that makes her books stand out.
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Truly Dead ( Elise Sandburg book 4) in Books
Jun 20, 2022
Contains spoilers, click to show
110 of 230
Kindle
Truly Dead ( Elise Sandburg book 4)
By Anne Frasier
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
When a demolition crew uncovers several bodies inside the walls of a house where serial killer Frank J. Remy once lived, the discovery sends shock waves through the Savannah Police Department. All of the bodies were hidden before Remy’s imprisonment and subsequent death thirty-six years earlier—except for one belonging to a missing child.
Homicide partners Elise Sandburg and David Gould were the Savannah PD’s dream team, solving uncrackable crimes and catching killers. But their last case resulted in their termination from the squad, until the coroner calls them back to consult, unofficially, on a body found in the wall of a house once occupied by Remy, a killer Elise’s own father sent to jail—a killer who died in prison. The MO seems uncomfortably similar to that of a serial killer wreaking havoc in Florida.
Does Elise have a copycat on her hands? Is Remy’s influence reaching from beyond the grave? Or is Elise making connections where there are none? When her father warns her to back off the case, Elise’s shadowy family history threatens to swallow her once again. But whatever force is at work, she won’t rest until the killing stops.
Now at odds with everyone she cares about and forced to acknowledge her worsening emotional state, Elise struggles to protect the people she loves as the body count rises.
I have loved this series so much. From book one to the end of this I have laughed and cried with Elise and this book was just the perfect finish to the series! Elise finally got to find peace and hopefully heal those scars mentally and physically. I think the book itself I would have given it a 4⭐️ but decided on the 5⭐️ as it’s a fitting ending.
Kindle
Truly Dead ( Elise Sandburg book 4)
By Anne Frasier
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
When a demolition crew uncovers several bodies inside the walls of a house where serial killer Frank J. Remy once lived, the discovery sends shock waves through the Savannah Police Department. All of the bodies were hidden before Remy’s imprisonment and subsequent death thirty-six years earlier—except for one belonging to a missing child.
Homicide partners Elise Sandburg and David Gould were the Savannah PD’s dream team, solving uncrackable crimes and catching killers. But their last case resulted in their termination from the squad, until the coroner calls them back to consult, unofficially, on a body found in the wall of a house once occupied by Remy, a killer Elise’s own father sent to jail—a killer who died in prison. The MO seems uncomfortably similar to that of a serial killer wreaking havoc in Florida.
Does Elise have a copycat on her hands? Is Remy’s influence reaching from beyond the grave? Or is Elise making connections where there are none? When her father warns her to back off the case, Elise’s shadowy family history threatens to swallow her once again. But whatever force is at work, she won’t rest until the killing stops.
Now at odds with everyone she cares about and forced to acknowledge her worsening emotional state, Elise struggles to protect the people she loves as the body count rises.
I have loved this series so much. From book one to the end of this I have laughed and cried with Elise and this book was just the perfect finish to the series! Elise finally got to find peace and hopefully heal those scars mentally and physically. I think the book itself I would have given it a 4⭐️ but decided on the 5⭐️ as it’s a fitting ending.