Tag: book-reviews

Do You See What I See? by Peter Swanson

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I did see what you see and did Mr. Swanson, and it was dark and so enjoyable all at the same time! Do You See What I See is a mysterious, eerie novella. The story takes a group of people, puts them in a lavish house on Cape Cod and dismantles their characters one by one. Yet even though you may think you know what is going to happen, trust me you won’t. Of course there may be a murder as well…

Author Nicholas Child has been asked by his agent to go and assist one of her clients, a popular author by the name of Marco Tavares who seems to be having a difficult time with writing his latest book. She is so desperate she is willing to pay him because he will have to spend the Christmas holiday there, but Nicholas has nowhere else to be and decides this will be perfect for him. A beautiful house working on the Cape with one of the premiere authors and he’s getting paid!

But his arrival is a bit strange. He is met by Marco’s wife Mauve, his sister and grandmother. He soon discovers Marco has also invited a few friends for the holiday as well. This was not exactly how he thought a writing session with Marco would go. He also finds out Marco seems to enjoy imbibing more than writing and spends most days at bars in town. There seems to be a great deal of tension, arguing (and drinking) by all and as he tries to convince Marco to work with him it seems to be a losing battle.

Then after a pretty bad night of drinking Marco is found dead and another body floating in the ocean. Murder is suspected. What could have possibly happened after everybody went to bed? It feels to Nicholas that everybody had a good reason to kill Marco.

So, Nicholas composes a list for the police with clues for them (and us).

What is discovered is no one is really who they seemed to be.

Did You See What I See is suspenseful, startling and the ending a complete surprise!

Thank you #NetGalley #WilliamMorrow #PeterSwanson #DidYouSeeWhatISee for the advanced copy.

Amazon.com: Do You See What I See?: A Novella – A Chilling Holiday Mystery Novella of a Celebrity Writer’s Christmas Party Gone Wrong: 9780063433670: Swanson, Peter: Books

Edit Review: Do You See What I See? | Goodreads

A Map to Murder by Michelle Chouinard

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A Map to Murder, although the third book in The Serial Killer Guide to San Fransico Mysteries which FYI I had not read any of the previous books was exciting, enjoyable and extremely thrilling. The story revolves around a popular serial killer tour guide in San Fransico who ends up agreeing to help a young girl whose mother is missing after she pleads for help when the tour is over. But the story evolves into a more complex murder mystery which encapsulates a cold case murder from the 1970’s and now the missing aunt of the victim who came to solve the murder.

The story which travels between the 1970’s-time frame where free love and communes were popular and where we meet the young girl who was killed who came to the area to get away from a bad home situation to try and become a writer. She is there to make money so she can bring her sister there. Unfortunately, she ends up living in a commune where drugs were made. But when she was found dead, she just becomes another statistic of the times.

Present day finds Capri Sanzio who owns a serial killer tour company is shocked when a young girl comes to her after a tour and pleads with her to help find her mother who came to San Fransico a few weeks ago to investigate the cold case of her sister, the young girl’s aunt. But no one in the family has heard from her in days and they all fear the worst. Capri reluctantly agrees and with the help of her police officer boyfriend they begin the task of attempting to follow the mother’s footsteps as well as look into the unsolved murder from years ago.

What follows are a series of clues, many witnesses from years ago no longer alive, some who seem to be hiding information and an abundance of possible suspects. And suddenly Capri finds herself being threatened. And so is her daughter. Clearly not everybody wants her to figure this out! But she seems to be getting close to something. Capris learns in order to solve this case she must figure out the crossover of what happened in the 1970’s with the latest missing person.

A Map to Murder is a wonderfully engrossing can’t put down story with an incredible surprising ending you won’t see coming!

Thank you #NetGalley #MinotaurBooks #MichelleChouinard #AMapToMurder for the advanced copy.

A Map to Murder (The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco Mysteries, 3): Chouinard, Michelle: 9781250432063: Amazon.com: Books

https://www.goodreads.com/review/edit/244967585-a-map-to-murder

Book Club Confidential by Julie Hatcher

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Book Club Confidential is an uplifting and inspiring story about three best friends who have been in a book club together since college. Now, older and not as wiser, they are the only ones left. All three are at a crossroad in their lives whether it be job, romance or fame. At their last book club meeting which was at a new restaurant books were not the only item on the menu. They come up with a fascinating idea as to how to jump start themselves and uplift each other. It sounded good at the time. But what may you ask could possibly go wrong? Well, everything!

Tessa, Kate and Hallie have been best friends since college. As they mull over their lives at their latest book club meeting, they come up with a brilliant idea as to how to make more of their lives and force themselves to do things they never could imagine. The premise? When faced with an issue, they are to ask themselves what would one of their favorite heroines do? And just do that. They eagerly agree.

Tess is a corporate marketer at a firm she has worked for since college. Unfortunately, her boss dismisses her and never seems to see how she holds the company together. Her clients love her, her coworkers adore her and she is exhausted from trying to please everybody. Now she is up for a promotion she is sure she will finally receive. Or so she thought…

Kate is a social fashion media influencer. What she truly would loves to post on social media is all the books she enjoys as well as what her real style of clothes she would really love to wear. She dresses for millions and yet feels so uncomfortable. Kate decides to change her brand.

Hallie is a foodie who loves to create and cook meals. She is a barista at a coffee shop whose boss is constantly berating her. Preparing to marry her boyfriend from college and his very wealthy uppity family whom she knows does not like her, she continues to procrastinate the wedding plans. Tessa and Kate try to help her make a few life changing decisions. Can she though?

Book Club Confidential is a wonderful, thoughtful, funny read about three women who are at turning points in their lives. Do they have the courage to challenge themselves and each other as they move into unknown territory and as they realize the power of change.

Thank you #NewGalley #LakeUnionPublishibng #BookClubConfidential #JulieHatcher for the advanced copy.

Book Club Confidential: A Novel: Hatcher, Julie: 9781662539718: Amazon.com: Books

Edit Review: Book Club Confidential | Goodreads

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

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

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

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