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The Invisible Heiress
10.0
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A psychiatric patient with a dark secret Preston Blair, a blogger with a dark sense of humor, is...
crime fiction contemporary suspense thriller adult
Sophie Last Seen
8.3
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"A mother's psyche edges toward madness as she tries to solve the puzzle of her daughter's...
crime murder disappearance mystery thriller detective
I realized I need a book project to keep me reading the books on my shelves… so I’m turning to the ABCs again. This time, it’s authors. The only rule is the book can start with either the author’s first or last name, and I’m trying to prioritize BOTM books to meet my goal of reading twelve this year. Let’s see how I do!
My first choice was THE PUSH by Ashley Audrain (two As and a BOTM!). This was a mesmerizing psychological thriller about a woman, Blythe, who has always feared motherhood, based on her own childhood. After giving birth to Violet, she becomes convinced there’s something wrong with her. Violet doesn't act like other kids. Her husband Fox says it's all in her head. When their second child, Sam, is born, Blythe has a wonderful connection with him--motherhood is finally everything she's wanted. But then it all changes in a devastating moment, and Blythe must face the awful truth she's been fearing.
THE PUSH offers a very honest and brutal look at motherhood. It definitely kept me flipping the pages! It starts off with a bang, then dragged a bit for me in the middle. It's certainly serious and sad, and, at times, a mystery as well. THE PUSH will keep you thinking long after you've turned that last page. 3.5 stars.
My first choice was THE PUSH by Ashley Audrain (two As and a BOTM!). This was a mesmerizing psychological thriller about a woman, Blythe, who has always feared motherhood, based on her own childhood. After giving birth to Violet, she becomes convinced there’s something wrong with her. Violet doesn't act like other kids. Her husband Fox says it's all in her head. When their second child, Sam, is born, Blythe has a wonderful connection with him--motherhood is finally everything she's wanted. But then it all changes in a devastating moment, and Blythe must face the awful truth she's been fearing.
THE PUSH offers a very honest and brutal look at motherhood. It definitely kept me flipping the pages! It starts off with a bang, then dragged a bit for me in the middle. It's certainly serious and sad, and, at times, a mystery as well. THE PUSH will keep you thinking long after you've turned that last page. 3.5 stars.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2204 KP) rated Murder Off the Books in Books
Sep 15, 2023 (Updated Sep 15, 2023)
Grand Opening, Book Launch, and Murder
After months of work, Tess Harrow is ready to open her new bookstore and celebrate the launch of her latest bestselling thriller. However, her plans are changed when her mother, Bee, shows up unexpected. Trailing Bee is her latest boyfriend, Levi, who is a suspected serial killer preying on older women. Naturally, Tess doesn’t react well to that, but the next morning, Levi has been murdered. With as close to home as this hit, Tess can’t help but put her plans aside and start investigating. Can she figure out what happened?
Those who have read the first two books in the series will know what to expect here. We get a plot with some wackiness that fits this story and these characters perfectly. I did find some of the humor fell flat for me (might just be me), but I still laughed plenty. Yet the story comes together for a logical climax. The characters are all strong and entertaining as well. I did find a handful of political comments, which were superfluous to the story, threw me out of the story. The author does a good job of skirting spoilers for the previous books, which fans will know is a pretty big task. If you want a mystery filled with humor, you’ll be glad you picked this one up.
Those who have read the first two books in the series will know what to expect here. We get a plot with some wackiness that fits this story and these characters perfectly. I did find some of the humor fell flat for me (might just be me), but I still laughed plenty. Yet the story comes together for a logical climax. The characters are all strong and entertaining as well. I did find a handful of political comments, which were superfluous to the story, threw me out of the story. The author does a good job of skirting spoilers for the previous books, which fans will know is a pretty big task. If you want a mystery filled with humor, you’ll be glad you picked this one up.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) created a post
Oct 21, 2022
Hazel (2934 KP) rated The Innocent One in Books
Jan 8, 2023
I didn't realise this was a follow on from a previous book (The Guilty One) but I don't think it detracted too much from my reading enjoyment of this, the first book by Lisa Ballantyne I have read.
Eleven year old Sebastian was acquitted of murdering his friend and Daniel Hunter was his solicitor. Fast forward 10 years and Sebastian is studying at Cambridge when one of his tutors is brutally murdered. Sebastian is in the frame and he appoints Daniel as his solicitor once again.
The story focuses on Daniel, the difficulties he is experiencing with his marriage, reconciling a difficult childhood and the fallout from representing Sebastian previously as well as having to deal with the uncertainty surrounding Sebastian's innocence/guilt now.
This was a bit of a slow burn but I thought this worked quite well with this particular story especially as I hadn't read the previous one. There was definitely a growing sense of tension and unease from the start with me wondering where it was going and how it was going to play out and I wasn't disappointed.
Recommended to mystery thriller lovers and thanks to Little, Brown Book Group and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of The Innocent One and for introducing me to another author to look out for in the future.
Eleven year old Sebastian was acquitted of murdering his friend and Daniel Hunter was his solicitor. Fast forward 10 years and Sebastian is studying at Cambridge when one of his tutors is brutally murdered. Sebastian is in the frame and he appoints Daniel as his solicitor once again.
The story focuses on Daniel, the difficulties he is experiencing with his marriage, reconciling a difficult childhood and the fallout from representing Sebastian previously as well as having to deal with the uncertainty surrounding Sebastian's innocence/guilt now.
This was a bit of a slow burn but I thought this worked quite well with this particular story especially as I hadn't read the previous one. There was definitely a growing sense of tension and unease from the start with me wondering where it was going and how it was going to play out and I wasn't disappointed.
Recommended to mystery thriller lovers and thanks to Little, Brown Book Group and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of The Innocent One and for introducing me to another author to look out for in the future.
Acanthea Grimscythe (300 KP) rated The Cutaway in Books
May 16, 2018
I seem to be of a minority when it comes to those that have read Christina Kovac's debut novel The Cutaway. Tagged as a mystery, suspense, and thriller novel, it really doesn't feel like one to me. While there are elements of a typical thriller, the crime at hand and the persons of interest take a back seat to the main character's love life for nearly three-fourths of the novel. In fact, the missing woman is practically non-existent for much of the story. To me, that's a pretty big turn off. I nearly dropped it, actually.
The Cutaway is supposed to focus on Virginia Knightly's efforts of getting the scoop on a missing person. En route to tracking down the perpetrator, readers encounter the typical sort of motives: affairs, money, political intrigue. It's a pretty standard plot when it comes to suspense novels. The twists are predictable and the story remains dreadfully slow until the final twenty to thirty percent.
For the most part, the characters of The Cutaway are painfully flat. Most of the male characters, with the exception of the News Director, are handsome with exceptionally whiny personalities. The News Director, Mellay, is a stereotypical angry boss sort who only cares about his own pockets. Even worse, the female characters are all Mary Sues. Sure, they have their own troubling pasts, but for as much suffering as they went through in their childhoods, the effect it has had on their adulthood is fairly minor. All of the women are drop dead gorgeous, not counting one of the witnesses. Ugh - that's all I can really say about that.
It's also clear from reading the novel that Kovac's most familiar with the reporting side of an investigation, which is to be expected from someone who has spent much of their time in the same career as the main character. Unfortunately, it also lends a bit of blandness to the story telling.
Overall, The Cutaway was an extremely painful read. Many times I considered dropping it: I could not get into the characters and I feel that the novel is more suited to the romance genre. There are several questions left unanswered and parts of it feel either rushed or as if Kovac is simply grasping at straws.
I would like to thank Atria Publishing, the author, and NetGalley for providing me with a copy for review.
The Cutaway is supposed to focus on Virginia Knightly's efforts of getting the scoop on a missing person. En route to tracking down the perpetrator, readers encounter the typical sort of motives: affairs, money, political intrigue. It's a pretty standard plot when it comes to suspense novels. The twists are predictable and the story remains dreadfully slow until the final twenty to thirty percent.
For the most part, the characters of The Cutaway are painfully flat. Most of the male characters, with the exception of the News Director, are handsome with exceptionally whiny personalities. The News Director, Mellay, is a stereotypical angry boss sort who only cares about his own pockets. Even worse, the female characters are all Mary Sues. Sure, they have their own troubling pasts, but for as much suffering as they went through in their childhoods, the effect it has had on their adulthood is fairly minor. All of the women are drop dead gorgeous, not counting one of the witnesses. Ugh - that's all I can really say about that.
It's also clear from reading the novel that Kovac's most familiar with the reporting side of an investigation, which is to be expected from someone who has spent much of their time in the same career as the main character. Unfortunately, it also lends a bit of blandness to the story telling.
Overall, The Cutaway was an extremely painful read. Many times I considered dropping it: I could not get into the characters and I feel that the novel is more suited to the romance genre. There are several questions left unanswered and parts of it feel either rushed or as if Kovac is simply grasping at straws.
I would like to thank Atria Publishing, the author, and NetGalley for providing me with a copy for review.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Her Perfect Life in Books
Oct 14, 2021
A twisty and personal thriller
Lily Atwood is a famous television reporter known for being perfect. She has a gorgeous young daughter, Rowen, a lovely home, and multiple Emmys. But when Lily was young, her college-age sister, Cassie, just vanished. Then their grieving mother died, leaving Lily alone. Lily and her producer, Greer, have an anonymous source who has been feeding them tips that only increase Lily's popularity. But when the tips start getting personal, Lily begins to panic. Someone is ready to uncover her past and destroy all she holds dear--but why?
"At some point you have to stop looking, I told myself. But still. If she did something truly bad, how much did I want to know? How would that knowledge change my life? My career? Maybe it's better for me to pretend she never existed. But I know she did exist."
This is crazy page-turner with lots of wild plot twists. It certainly keeps you guessing. Lily has the "perfect" life and she and her producer are determined to keep it that way, so that Lily (and Greer) stay on top. It seemed a bit much that Lily's fans would drop her at the sign of one mistake, but I suppose we all understand cancel culture these days...
Neither Lily nor Greer seem particularly likable, with their desire to win at all costs, so I wasn't particularly attached to their characters. I did like Lily's young daughter Rowen. The format of the book, however, is very easy-to-read, with flashbacks to Cassie's life in college interspersed with Greer and Lily's present day narrative. Honestly, college-age Cassie may be the easiest character to root for! Ryan certainly weaves a compelling mystery.
There's a lot going on in LIFE... I can't go into all the threads due to spoilers, but there are a lot of various plot points and sometimes it all seemed like a bit much. The book ended a tad fast, too, considering all those different narratives.
Still, this is a gripping thriller that keeps you on your toes. It illustrates how life is not always perfect... but maybe it does not need to be? 3.5+ stars.
I received a copy of this book from the author's Super Reader club and Macmillan-Tor/Forge in return for an unbiased review.
"At some point you have to stop looking, I told myself. But still. If she did something truly bad, how much did I want to know? How would that knowledge change my life? My career? Maybe it's better for me to pretend she never existed. But I know she did exist."
This is crazy page-turner with lots of wild plot twists. It certainly keeps you guessing. Lily has the "perfect" life and she and her producer are determined to keep it that way, so that Lily (and Greer) stay on top. It seemed a bit much that Lily's fans would drop her at the sign of one mistake, but I suppose we all understand cancel culture these days...
Neither Lily nor Greer seem particularly likable, with their desire to win at all costs, so I wasn't particularly attached to their characters. I did like Lily's young daughter Rowen. The format of the book, however, is very easy-to-read, with flashbacks to Cassie's life in college interspersed with Greer and Lily's present day narrative. Honestly, college-age Cassie may be the easiest character to root for! Ryan certainly weaves a compelling mystery.
There's a lot going on in LIFE... I can't go into all the threads due to spoilers, but there are a lot of various plot points and sometimes it all seemed like a bit much. The book ended a tad fast, too, considering all those different narratives.
Still, this is a gripping thriller that keeps you on your toes. It illustrates how life is not always perfect... but maybe it does not need to be? 3.5+ stars.
I received a copy of this book from the author's Super Reader club and Macmillan-Tor/Forge in return for an unbiased review.
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Mother's Day Out in Books
May 10, 2018
**I received this book as a part of Goodreads Giveaways**
Margie Peterson is your typical stay at home mom. As if carpool lines, PTA fundraisers, and school newsletters weren't enough to keep her busy, she decides to take a part-time job to help with the family finances. The job she took is not one that is typical of a stay home mom, but it's one that is sending her on quite an adventure. She gets the opportunity to work for a private investigator. The job is simple, but could be dangerous at times. Her first case goes off without a hitch(almost). The second, on the other hand, get really complicated really fast when she finds a dead body in the bathroom of a gay bar!
Margie Peterson is the mom we all hope that we could be. She's strong, fearless, and is able to think quickly on her feet. All great characteristics of a private investigator, but it tends to also get her in trouble from time to time.
This book had me laughing out loud, and sitting on the edge of my seat. There is a twist around every corner and mystery that you have to get to the bottom of. I enjoyed this book, but only gave it three stars because even though it had me on the edge of my seat, it took a while for me to get there. It took me nearly a month to read this book. Some because my life has gotten busy and there is hardly any time to read. But books that are hard to put down find a time to get read.
I do recommend this book for mystery/thriller/chick-lit. And I will read more from this author and this series.
Margie Peterson is your typical stay at home mom. As if carpool lines, PTA fundraisers, and school newsletters weren't enough to keep her busy, she decides to take a part-time job to help with the family finances. The job she took is not one that is typical of a stay home mom, but it's one that is sending her on quite an adventure. She gets the opportunity to work for a private investigator. The job is simple, but could be dangerous at times. Her first case goes off without a hitch(almost). The second, on the other hand, get really complicated really fast when she finds a dead body in the bathroom of a gay bar!
Margie Peterson is the mom we all hope that we could be. She's strong, fearless, and is able to think quickly on her feet. All great characteristics of a private investigator, but it tends to also get her in trouble from time to time.
This book had me laughing out loud, and sitting on the edge of my seat. There is a twist around every corner and mystery that you have to get to the bottom of. I enjoyed this book, but only gave it three stars because even though it had me on the edge of my seat, it took a while for me to get there. It took me nearly a month to read this book. Some because my life has gotten busy and there is hardly any time to read. But books that are hard to put down find a time to get read.
I do recommend this book for mystery/thriller/chick-lit. And I will read more from this author and this series.
Billie Wichkan (118 KP) rated The Botanist in Books
May 22, 2019
In the heat of the desert, Detective Cody Oliver inadvertently stumbles upon a strange garden adorned with exotic flowers. Upon closer inspection, he finds the garden is but a cover for the scores of bodies buried below. Soon, the small town of Mt. Dessicate plunges into chaos as journalists, reporters, and cameramen from across the nation descend upon the tiny, desert town to get a piece of the murder mystery.
Along with the media, a mysterious woman appears. She may be the only person who has come face to face with the killer, dubbed the Botanist, and lived to tell the tale. If Cody can't piece together a timeline of the land the crime scene is located on, decipher how the woman's mysterious past is connected to the killer, and bring the Botanist to justice, he may finding himself standing alone in the midst of a desolate, desert graveyard...
Wow. This is an excellent read! Very creepy, and interesting, and with a buildup to the finale that was riveting.
The suspense and action was thrilling. The story line is good, it is well written and well plotted.
This is more than just a crime fiction book; it has mystery and thriller thrown in the mix too. The creepiness from the beginning doesnt let up and continues throughout the entire book.
Characters really well developed.
The main characters, Cody & Alex, were realistic & sympathetic. The ending was brilliant.
This is a crime novel. It's detailed and not for the faint of heart. I leave hoping this detective will continue on into a few more books solving crimes; in other words please let there be more!!!!!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Along with the media, a mysterious woman appears. She may be the only person who has come face to face with the killer, dubbed the Botanist, and lived to tell the tale. If Cody can't piece together a timeline of the land the crime scene is located on, decipher how the woman's mysterious past is connected to the killer, and bring the Botanist to justice, he may finding himself standing alone in the midst of a desolate, desert graveyard...
Wow. This is an excellent read! Very creepy, and interesting, and with a buildup to the finale that was riveting.
The suspense and action was thrilling. The story line is good, it is well written and well plotted.
This is more than just a crime fiction book; it has mystery and thriller thrown in the mix too. The creepiness from the beginning doesnt let up and continues throughout the entire book.
Characters really well developed.
The main characters, Cody & Alex, were realistic & sympathetic. The ending was brilliant.
This is a crime novel. It's detailed and not for the faint of heart. I leave hoping this detective will continue on into a few more books solving crimes; in other words please let there be more!!!!!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.