Tag: book-review

The Silent Appeal by Janice Hallett

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In the Silent Appeal, Janice Hallett has masterfully succeeded in telling a murder story without giving us a murder, victim or suspects until the end! Brilliant! To add to the delight and humor, some of the same characters return from her first book, The Appeal. Once again, the story is told via email and text and group chats.

This year’s Fairway Players theatre production is Agatha Christie’s The Hollow. It is being directed by Kevin and Sarah Jane McDonald. As the auditions begin and there are a couple of juicy women’s parts up for grabs everyone vies for the starring roles. But unfortunately, both Kevin and Sarah Jane were hoping Sarah Jane’s mother would help them out by babysitting, but she opts to audition at another playhouse leaving Sarh Jane as the babysitter in chief and Keven the director in confusion.

Sarah Jane’s sister Nicky Rose who has not been seen in these parts in years as she has been living in Barbados and who with a business partner owns an entertainment company which cruise ships hire talent from appears out of the blue. For what reason? No one knows.

She will not tell anybody why she has come back and acts very mysterious. But she has a knack for theater and Kevin immediately hires her to be his assistant. As the players receive their parts, some not very happy with the casting, one in particular drops out which unfortunately for Kevin leaves him and Sarah Jane searching for a substitute. And who they find is someone, well, the readers will know very well for stirring up trouble as well as being overly friendly. What a treat I may add!

The story takes the reader through the rehearsals, a stage accident and the very different personalities of the characters and the secrets most of them are keeping. Some, affairs, some blackmail and some obsessive. But not as shocking there are secrets, misunderstanding and a very unlikely heroine!

Until opening night when a theatre award critic is in the audience and lo and behold someone is murdered!

I truly don’t want to give anything of substance away as The Silent Appeal is so funny, enjoyable, mysterious and actually very surprising! The uniqueness of the plot and the twists and turns in the lives of the characters will keep you riveted until the last word! My one wish is this series continues.

Thank you #NetGalley #AtriaPress #TheSilentAppeal #JaniceHallett for the advanced copy.

Amazon.com: The Silent Appeal: A Novel (The Appeal Series): 9781668083710: Hallett, Janice: Books

Edit Review – The Silent Appeal (The Appeal, #2) | Goodreads

Heart of Glass by Jennifer Hillier

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Heart of Glass will have Bravo Housewife fans in a tizzy! But, for those who enjoy suspense murder mysteries you too will appreciate the inventive plot and Hillier’s ability to intertwine story subplots which ingeniously all come together to form a can’t put down book!

Years ago, Seaside had a visit from a serial killer. As teenagers, Barb, Nicolette and Lorelei were best friends. Until one day they unintentionally had an interaction with the killer known now as The Carnival Killer, Unfortunately Lorelei was killed by him. When Lorelei was killed, Nicolette left the small town to make it on her own and Barb stayed having to deal with her heartbreak, regret and feelings alone.

Now, years later and with a great deal of therapy, Barb is a newspaper reporter in Seaside. Very much an introvert she loves her job…sort of and can’t get enough of reality television. She has dealt with her past and the secrets left there. Until now.

She discovers The Carnival Killer has decided after decades in prison; yes, he was caught and yes, he admitted to killing five women including Lorelei, to cooperate and do a documentary about what happened all those years ago. But the first confession he makes will turn Barb’s life into a state of panic. He admits to killing four of the women, but not the killing in Seaside. Lorelei’s murder. Even though so many years have passed, Barb is again that scared teenager on that fateful night.

As this revelation comes out, a body washes up on the beach. It is a woman who was on a reality show who had disappeared a while ago. Coincidentally Barb has for years been looking into a woman who disappeared six years ago who was on a reality show. Could they be connected? But it’s been so many years…

As she deep dives into the recent murder, she discovers a connection between the two missing women and opens the door to a Pandora’s Box of murders.

Heart of Glass will have your mind working overtime as you begin to see the pieces of the puzzle put precariously together in this riveting, chilling psychological thriller.

Thank you #NetGalley #MinotaurBooks #JenniferHillier #HeartofGlass for the advanced copy.

Amazon.com: Heart of Glass: A Novel: 9781250763181: Hillier, Jennifer: Books

Edit Review – Heart of Glass | Goodreads

My Darling Boy by Helen Cooper

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My Darling boy is a riveting thriller/mystery about an accidental death which will tear two close families. During an argument between young best friends, one is killed. This death not only rips the two single parent mothers who are also best friends apart but divides their small English village. Although one was killed and the other put in prison, there are some secrets some hope will never see the light of day. And with the murderer on his way home after doing his time in prison, the two mothers must once again confront the memory of what happened those many years ago.

Chrissy and Alice were best friends as were their children Leo and Robbie. They spent all their time supporting each other and keeping each other’s secrets. Until one New Year’s Eve when the two boys begin to argue and there is a push and one of them dies.

Leo is horrified by what happened. While Chrissy and Alice are confused as to what the two close friends could have been fighting about. And in that one moment of anger needless to say, Chrissy and Alice never spoke again. But now, Leo is on his way home. The villagers anxious for is homecoming. Alice sends Chrissy a warning note, don’t come near us. But when Chrissy goes to pick Leo up from prison, he is not there. He had already been released and now is missing.

Chrissy, now frantic because Leo was supposed to come back to the village is terrified that he is already in violation of his parole. But she is more frightened that something has happened to him; that someone did not want him to come back has hurt him. Why? Who?

At the same time on the same day as Leo’s release, it was decided for some reason to have a memorial service for Robbie. But, with Leo missing, nobody feels safe. Where is Leo?

What we do know is that there are many, many hidden secrets, lies and mysteries and if they are exposed there will be more people who they love hurt. Leo must be found.

My Darling Boy is told between two timelines, the night of the killing as well as the day of Leo’s disappearance. As the timelines begin to merge, the secrets begin to spill out, and the story will grip you until every last secret is exposed…and then some!

Thank you #NetGalley #G.P.Putnam’sSons #HelenCoooper #MyDarlingBoy for the advanced copy.

Hodder Stoughton My Darling Boy A gripping psychological thriller with a heart-stopping twist you wont see coming.: Cooper, Helen: 9781399701082: Amazon.com: Books

Edit Review – My Darling Boy | Goodreads

Dreamers of the Full Moon Coffee Shop by Mai Mochizuki

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Dreamers of the Full Moon Coffee Shop is a magical, feel good, lessons to be learned from life story about love, loss and regret. Charming and heartwarming yet heartbreaking in some ways, this is the third in the Full Moon Coffee Shop series. I did not read the first two and had absolutely no trouble diving into the story, and its cast of characters. I actually yearn for more and will go back and read the first two.

As the cats ready the coffee shop, Neptune who becomes the human named Sala prepares to give their next visitors enlightenment, life lessons and guidance. Patient and kind Sala will walk them through their past in the hopes of encouraging them to see what their life truly was and could be.

The story begins when a young woman, an actress named Satuski comes home to see her mother after an absence of three years. With her is a man who loves her and wants to marry her. He wants to ask Santuski’s mother for her hand.

Santuski’s mother, Fujko has secrets she has kept from her daughter and perhaps in some ways from herself. A single mother she raised her daughter to be independent and to rely only on herself. Unfortunately, Fujiko’s life has been hard, lonely and filled with many regrets. She is the first to visit the Full Moon Coffee Shop.

Wataru was best friends with Fujiko since childhood. But their relationship ended years ago. Now a famous writer, the memory of his friend continues to haunt him. Their last meeting horribly regretful. Now, he is at a crossroads and must come to terms with the life he chose. He too will visit the coffee shop.

Fortunately for them they may be able to have a second chance, as the mysterious cat who turns human tries to point them in the life direction they possibly could have taken. where they could have still been in each other’s life with no regrets as to how they left their friendship.

Dreamers of the Full Moon Coffee Shop is a beautifully uplifting, delightful read with valuable lessons to be taken away by the reader thanks to such extraordinary mystical cats whose advice to all of us is “the only person who can make you happy is you”.

Thank you #NetGalley #BallantineBooks #MaiMochizuki #DreamersoftheFullMoonCoffeeShop for the advanced copy.

Amazon.com: Dreamers of the Full Moon Coffee Shop: A Novel eBook : Mochizuki, Mai, Taylor, Jordan: Kindle Store

Edit Review – Dreamers of the Full Moon Coffee Shop (The Full Moon Coffee Shop, #3) | Goodreads

The Women in White by Sarah Pekkanen

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The Women in White is an explosive psychological thriller which includes mystery, secrets and a deep dive into telepathic transmissions unbeknownst to four innocent, naive women during the 1960’s who were being used in psychological experiments. The story we will discover by Pekkanen’s impeccable research is something which has been happening for years. in the military, at colleges and even being used for assistance in missing person cases. Her afterward is jaw dropping!

The story jumps from the 1960’s to the present as we see what happens to four women who are recruited by a doctor because of their possible telepathic ability. What happens to them during the experiments the reader will see is inhuman.

All these women really wanted was to be married, cook, clean and take care of their husbands. But because of a doctor at Marquis University their lives will never be the same and they will become very close but, in the end something terrible occurs and they will never see each other again.

Betty Sadler was the first to be recruited because her husband worked for Dr. Silas Timble, whose research was on telepathy and extrasensory perception. Then three more joined her. But these experiments are not only exhausting for the women but will throw their lives into turmoil. Women during this time were supposed to stay home and take care of the household. These women had to do all that as well as “work” doing experiments sometimes overnight.

Jump ahead to the present and we meet Betty again, living a quiet life. Her wonderful husband has just passed, and she is looking for a caretaker/companion. When Riley comes for the interview, she is desperate for the job. Newly divorced and because her ex owed so much money she must somehow pay up. Betty immediately hires her which shocks Riley. When Riley walks into the house, she is immediately transported to the 1960’s. Nothing in the house has ever been updated or changed. She realizes Betty’s life has never moved from that era. She knows nothing about any changes which have occurred. What a cell phone is or even a microwave let alone a colored television or the internet.

As they get to know each other, Riley asks Betty if she has any regrets. Betty tells her the one regret she has is she never was able to reconnect with the women she became so close to. Her and her husband left the university so quickly she was unable to say goodbye to them.

Riley tells her she could look into what happened to them. But immediately Riley discovers there is no record of these women. How could that be? The more she goes down the rabbit hole, the more questions Riley has.

But once she visits Marquis University, she begins to understand something sinister was happening back then and it had been covered up. And someone now does not want the past exposed. And they will not stop no matter who they hurt.

The Women in White is mysterious, intriguing and very clever. These women were horribly taken advantage of and their lives shattered by people who only had nefarious ideas. The story so fascinating you won’t be able to put the book down!

Thank you #NetGalley #St.Martin’sPress #SarahPekkanen #TheWomeninWhite for the advanced copy.

Amazon.com: The Women in White: A Novel: 9781250349552: Pekkanen, Sarah: Books

Edit Review – The Women in White | Goodreads

The Reservation by Rebecca Kauffman

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The Reservation is a clever story about of a group of restaurant employees from a celebrated dining establishment who are preparing for an extremely famous writer’s reservation. Of course, as luck would have it, things begin to go downhill very fast on the day of the event including stolen very expensive steaks which are needed for the evening and someone posting horrible yelp reviews. Over the course of the day, we will get to know the staff, the owners and how they not only interact with each other, but how although they have worked together, some for many years, they really don’t know each other at all. This story is part mystery, part who is the culprit and why, and the misconceptions people have about each other without really knowing them.

When a famous writer books a dinner at Aunt Olsa’s restaurant, everyone is on a code red. The place must be in pristine shape, everyone on top of their game and the food must be perfect. But unfortunately, when Olsa’s nephew comes in the morning of the big dinner, he discovers someone has taken twenty-two rib eyes which were reserved for the big event. As the day wears on they all begin to see someone is sabotaging the restaurant as it is discovered very bad reviews are being left on their site. Strangely all this is happening in real time!

Thus begins not only the hunt for the stolen rib eyes, but a day of discoveries and secrets for those who have worked so hard at their jobs, not only about each other, but about what drives each of them and how they became who they are.

The suspects;

The Chef, The Lead Line Cook, The Busser, The Host, The Bartender, The Pastry Chef, The Wait Staff

Who would want to ruin this event and why?

Yes, the mystery will be solved. But more importantly the reader will get a peek at what all these laborers must endure not only at work, but how their lives outside the job formed them way before they ever stepped into the restaurant.

The Reservation was a wonderfully different read, with a bit of humor, warmth and sadness. Who is the important writer? Well, you just have to read this terrific book to find out!

Published by Counterpoint

The Reservation: A Novel: Kauffman, Rebecca: 9781640097483: Amazon.com: Books

Edit Review – The Reservation | Goodreads

The Secret of the Three Fates by Jess Armstrong

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The Secret of the Three Fates is book two in the Ruby Vaughn romance series. And just as the first, The Curse of Penryth Hall, it is mysterious, romantic and filled with intrigue. The second gives us more back story to our main characters. Not everything, but enough to keep you engrossed as to what else could happen in the series. In this story we learn more about our Ruby who also continues to prove our heroine can do just about anything a man can do!

Mr. Owens, Ruby’s employer takes Ruby on a journey to Manhurst Castle to look at manuscripts for his collection. But he is not telling Ruby why he is really there. She discovers they have been invited to a seance with three mediums. Mr. Owens is delighted, Ruby is not.

While much is learned during the seance, one of the mediums is later found dead by Ruby in water near a bridge. Although the death has been quickly ruled a suicide, Ruby does not believe the story. She sees things which certainly would not add up to suicide. So, she begins to investigate and she is shocked to discover it is possible that her beloved Mr. Owens seems to be the prime suspect! Then, another medium disappears…

Enter Ruan Kivell whom she just left a few weeks earlier. He somehow knew she was in danger. Ruby and Ruan will need all their strength together to fight off the evil that seems to be erupting all around them. No one is safe from dying.

Ruby will need all her brawniness and intelligence to figure out what is happening. She will also need to be creative in how she snoops into the devious lives of some of the others. And this time, the one who is always protected will become the protector.

The Secret of the Three Fates is a great story filled with surprises as well as an ending no one could ever have expected!

Thank you #NetGalley #MinotaurBooks #TheSecretoftheThreeFates #JessArmstrong for the advanced copy.

Amazon.com: The Secret of the Three Fates: A Ruby Vaughn Mystery: 9781250909886: Armstrong, Jess: Books

https://www.goodreads.com/review/edit/203578784-the-secret-of-the-three-fates

Massawa by Pam Webber

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Massawa is an incredible espionage story about a strong woman who is plucked from a small government position in America and hurled into a dangerous job of spying in a little country during World War II. Tough, smart but calm she is able to infiltrate a Nazi operation as well as figure out who seems to be stealing the payroll from the hard workers during a military operation. This story is a can’t put down thriller!

Kit Thomas has been assigned to help the United States spy agency to go to a small country called Massawa in Eritrea where the daily temperature reaches well above 100 degrees to help a British agent, Mark Williams figure out who is stealing the payroll money, where it is going and why they are doing it.

What they discover will help change the trajectory of the war, but more importantly show that a woman can be bright and unruffled in dire situations. Picked for the job as a carrier, Kit is able to assess the situations and aid both countries more than anyone could imagine.

Filled with drama, mystery and intrigue the story chronicles the team as Kit is able to put the pieces of the puzzle together and thwart an operation which was almost finished. Not only was she able to discover clues, but when push came to shove, literally, she was able to hold her own, fight and win…just as well as…a man.

Massawa is a wonderful story with a bit of romance thrown in about an underrated woman who took down not only thieves, but also through determination and perseverance assisted two governments working to save the world. What more could you ask for in a story? Well, perhaps a sequel?

Thank you #SheWritesPress #BooksForward #JackieKarneth #Massawa #PamWebber for the advanced copy.

Massawa: A Tale of Illusion, Espionage, and Love: Webber, Pam: 9798896360988: Amazon.com: Books

Edit Review – Massawa: A Tale of Illusion, Espionage, and Love | Goodreads

Mr. & Mrs. Dixon Hide A Body by Jennifer Holdich

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Mr. & Mrs. Dixon Hide A Body is a delightfully dark, funny, wicked story. The plot revolves around a miserable married couple, an accidental murder and the coverup which follows. With a subtle War of the Roses feel, it has mystery, humor and quirky characters who hate deeply, steal openly, and want each other dead. Let the cat and mouse game begin!

Daisy Dixon dreams of her husband, daily. She would like to kill him. Unfortunately, she can’t figure out a way which would not implicate her. But she will wait patiently. He makes her live in a dilapidated estate, keeps her on a very short leash both on where she goes and how much she spends…he gives her a paltry allowance, and watches what she eats. Her husband is a financier and is rich, very rich.

One night, they must go to an event neither of them wants to go to and Daisy, who was driving so her husband James could drink the night away are on their way home when she accidentally hits a man walking a dark road. She immediately wants to call the police, but James insists they would get into too much trouble, and he makes them take the body back to their property and store it.

As they watch the news and listen to the gossip both of them are questioned. But it seems James has a plan he never let Daisy in on. He wants her out of the picture. As she relays to the reader how they met, their courtship and marriage, she realizes something is very amiss.

She begins to fight back in her own way.

Can Daisy beat not only the system, but her husband to the finish line without revealing what she did. All in the hopes of getting the freedom she so rightly deserves.

Mr. & Mrs. Dixon Hide A Body is wonderfully satisfying while being evil to the core, funny as heck and extremely clever. Sometimes karma can bite you!

Thank you #NetGalley #SourcebooksLandmark #JenniferHoldich #Mr.&Mrs.DixonHideABody for the advanced copy.

Amazon.com: Mr. and Mrs. Dixon Hide a Body: A Novel: 9781464229817: Holdich, Jennifer: Books

Edit Review – Mr. and Mrs. Dixon Hide a Body | Goodreads

If Books Could Kill by Kate Eberle

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If you enjoy romance, intrigue, mystery and humor well, If Books Could Kill will check off all those boxes! The story is a wonderfully creative romp, as you literally fall into a book! It is clever, the characters funny and adorable…even the villains and the plot are well, magical.

When romance reader Roxie Mitchell meets a crazy man on the street and he asks her to make a wish and throws glitter all over her, well, she just figures it’s just the sign of the times. But she immediately wishes her favorite romance novelist, Anna Matthews who has not written a new romance in quite a while would do just that…right another book.

That same day she meets a tall, dark and handsome stranger in a library no less and hit it off! He asks her on a date, she accepts, and the date is magical, until it is time for the kiss….

Roxie realizes that perhaps Anna Matthews may have decided to change her style of writing and for some reason not only has her wish come true, but Matthews is actually writing a thriller, and she, Roxie is the protagonist and they are trying to kill her!

As Roxie tries to get away from said handsome stranger she jumps into an Uber with a passenger in the back. Another tall, dark handsome hopefully not as crazy stranger named Grant Hoffman. She starts the car and races away with a very frightened college professor in the back!

Now she must not only make Grant believe her crazy story, but she must also make him help her stay alive until she can figure out where Anna Matthews is writing and find her and tell her she has to stop because she is literally trying to kill HER!

That my friends is when the real fun starts!

Travel with Roxie and Grant as they must become superheroes, figure out who the bad guys are and oh yes, maybe fall in love. But wait! They are in a book being written and none of it is real so…

If Books Could Kill is delightfully amusing, suspenseful with so many twists and turns your head will spin!

Thank you #NetGalley #PenguinBooks #IfBooksCouldKill #KateEberle for the advanced copy.

If Books Could Kill: Kate Eberle: 9780241798867: Amazon.com: Books

Edit Review – If Books Could Kill | Goodreads