Eadie's 2024 reading log

January 2024
1. The Drowning Isle by Simon McCleave - 384 pgs. ***** 1/4/2024
On a remote island, there’s nowhere to run… Callum and his three best friends are celebrating their eighteenth birthdays with an epic camping trip to the mysterious Llanddwyn Island, off the coast of Anglesey. Then Callum disappears, and the others return to the mainland in a state of shock. When his body is discovered, DI Laura Hart is brought in to investigate. Is the murder the work of the Fair Men, a pagan group with a dark history who still hold their ceremonies on the island? Or were the boys less tight-knit than they would have Laura believe? Amongst all the mysteries and lies, Laura is sure about one thing: the island will not give up its secrets easily… This is an atmospheric mystery with DI Laura Hart uncovers ties with drugs snd crime. It is well-plotted and satisfying. The twists and turns kept me reading until the very end. If you like police procedurals then you will love this book. I would definitely recommend this book to others.

2. The Fury by Alex Michaelides - 320 pgs. **** 1/7/2024
This is a tale of murder. Or maybe that’s not quite true. At its heart, it’s a love story, isn’t it? Lana Farrar is a reclusive ex–movie star and one of the most famous women in the world. Every year, she invites her closest friends to escape the English weather and spend Easter on her idyllic private Greek island. I tell you this because you may think you know this story. You probably read about it at the time ― it caused a real stir in the tabloids, if you remember. It had all the necessary ingredients for a press a celebrity; a private island cut off by the wind…and a murder. We found ourselves trapped there overnight. Our old friendships concealed hatred and a desire for revenge. What followed was a game of cat and mouse ― a battle of wits, full of twists and turns, building to an unforgettable climax. The night ended in violence and death, as one of us was found murdered. But who am I? My name is Elliot Chase, and I’m going to tell you a story unlike any you’ve ever heard.
This is an atmospheric and suspenseful page-turner with an interesting cast of characters which kept me reading until the very end of the book. I enjoyed reading The Fury but felt that The Silent Patient is still my favorite read by Alex Michaelides. If you like reading a book with and unreliable narrator then you will love this book. It weaves elements of a dark and intricate love story and a gripping murder tale. I look forward to my next Michaelides book.

3. The Poet by Michael Connolly - 544 pgs. **** 1/17/2024
Denver crime-beat reporter Jack McEvoy specializes in violent death. So when his homicide detective brother kills himself, McEvoy copes in the only way he knows how--he decides to write the story. But his research leads him to suspect a serial killer is at work--a devious murderer who's killing cops and leaving a trail of poetic clues. It's the news story of a lifetime, if he can get the story without losing his life. The story moved a little slow in places and I had to extra focus on what the author was trying to convey and the length of the book. A few things lead to my guessing of the identity early on. I did not force the thread left dangling in the ending which I believe will be fodder for future books. I'm now looking forward to reading more Connolly in the near future.

4. Bronswood by Marissa Vanskike - 316 Pgs. **** 1/18/2024
Welcome to Bronswood. The most prestigious private elementary school in Windwood. Heather Hartford's life is finally looking up. She's traded an abusive relationship for an affluent second husband with connections and status in the community. His social standing opens Bronswood's great wooden doors for Heather's two kids. The Bronswood PTA royalty have taken Heather under their wings. Her children, Charlie and Theodora, will have every opportunity in life that she herself never had. But Heather's dream quickly becomes a living nightmare. When she goes to pick up Charlie from school, Heather's world is upended when his teacher informs her that she picked him up earlier that afternoon. Security camera footage confirms it. But Heather knows she hasn't picked him up, and she throws herself into an obsessive and dangerous search to find her son. As she sinks deeper into the mystery, she Charlie isn't the only child who's disappeared. Heather isn't sure who to trust. Police think her son ran away. Charlie's father is suddenly reappearing in Heather's life. And something sinister is happening inside the walls of Bronswood. Heather will stop at nothing to save her son. But first she has to find the answer. Where is Charlie Hartford?
This book was a little slow to start but before you know it, you are fully invested in the characters. There were great twists and turns and when I thought things were going well, it twisted again. This book kept me guessing until the very end. It had deep dark secrets and a very unpredictable ending. I am going to have to read the first book in the series. If you like books with dark secrets then you will love this book.

5. The Last Flight by Julie Clark - 350 pls. **** 1/22/2024
Two women. Two flights. One last chance to disappear.
Claire Cook has a perfect life. Married to the scion of a political dynasty, with a Manhattan townhouse and a staff of ten, her surroundings are elegant, her days flawlessly choreographed, and her future auspicious. But behind closed doors, nothing is quite as it seems. That perfect husband has a temper that burns as bright as his promising political career, and he's not above using his staff to track Claire's every move, making sure she's living up to his impossible standards. But what he doesn't know is that Claire has worked for months on a plan to vanish.
A chance meeting in an airport bar brings her together with a woman whose circumstances seem equally dire. Together they make a last-minute decision to switch tickets--Claire taking Eva's flight to Oakland, and Eva traveling to Puerto Rico as Claire. They believe the swap will give each of them the head start they need to begin again somewhere far away. But when the flight to Puerto Rico goes down, Claire realizes it's no longer a head start but a new life. Cut off, out of options, with the news of her death about to explode in the media, Claire will assume Eva's identity, and along with it, the secrets Eva fought so hard to keep hidden.
This was a highly suspenseful book. A bit like Strangers on the Train where they switch places to kill someone. In this book, they switch plane seats and one goes to Puerto Rico and the other one California. A couple of great twists kept me reading until the very end. The book had two POV's switching chapters between Claire and Eva. I found Claire's chapters to be much better than Eva's. I'm looking forward to the next Julie Clark book. If you like books that are thrillers with suspense then you will love this book.

6. A Cursed Inheritance by Kate Ellis - 361 pgs. **** 1/27/2024
The brutal massacre of the Harford family at Potwoolstan Hall in Devon in 1985 shocked the country and passed into local folklore. And when a journalist researching the case is murdered twenty years later, the horror is reawakened. Sixteenth century Potwoolstan Hall, now a New Age healing centre, is reputed to be cursed because of the crimes of its builder, and it seems that this inheritance of evil lives on as DI Wesley Peterson is faced with his most disturbing case yet. As more people die violently, Wesley needs to discover why a young woman has transformed a dolls house into a miniature reconstruction of the massacre scene. And could the solution to his case lie across the Atlantic Ocean, in the ruined remains of an early English settlement in Virginia USA? When the truth is finally revealed, it turns out to be as horrifying as it is dangerous.
The mass murder at Potwoolstan Hall in 1985 has a lot of characters that have changed their name in this modern day mystery which was never solved in 1985. The characters are a bit confusing and hard to keep straight. Wesley and Pam's marriage is going through a tough period as she is taking care of 2 children by herself and her husband is always at work. I'm hoping their marriage gets straighten out and Wesley and Pam stay together. If you like murder with lots of characters then you will love this book. I'm looking forward to the next installment of this Wesley Peterson book!

7. The Women by Kristin Hannah ***** 1/29/2024
Frankie McGrath chose to follow her brother, Finley, and joined the Army Nurse Corps and followed his path into the Vietnam War. Frankie is overwhelmed by the chaos and destruction of war. The real battle lies in coming home to a changed and divided America, to angry protesters, and a country that wants to forget Vietnam. Frankie would stop by the VA and go to discussion groups and be told that only men were in Vietnam and fought in the war. Even her parents told her not to talk about the war. Kristin Hannah has written a book about all the women who served in Vietnam. The book is a great tribute to these women and one that should be read by all. Her best friends, Barb and Ethel, she met in Vietnam. They help her as best they can to overcome her inability to get back to normal. There are many other parts of the book that I could write about but I think you should just get a copy and read it for yourself. It’s a great book and there are three words that stand out: WE WERE THERE!

8. The Lost Pope by Glenn Cooper - 384 pgs. **** 1/31/2024
A shocking message on an ancient papyrus. A man intent on destroying it. And a forgotten pope that could be lost to history. Cal Donovan, a theology professor at Harvard, receives an urgent message from a former graduate student, Samia Tedros. Now a museum conservator in Cairo, Samia has discovered a miraculous fragment of papyrus with three unknown lines from the Gospel of Mary Magdalene so explosive that a wealthy man is willing to kill to ensure no one ever sees it. At the Vatican, another drama is developing. The new Pope has defied centuries of tradition and appointed a nun, Sister Elisabetta Celestino, as his secretary of state. Powerful insiders are outraged that a woman now sits as the second most influential person at the Vatican, and they plot to destroy her. When Samia shows up at Cal’s doorstep in the dead of night, he is drawn into a deadly competition to possess a papyrus with the power to rescue Sister Elisabetta and change the course of Christianity.
Glenn Cooper, an excellent writer and researcher has written another novel full of intrigue. The Last Pope confirms that women played and important role in the early Christian Church. It tells that Mary Magdalene succeeded Peter as the second Pope in Rome. Pope John receives flack for appointing Sister Elizabeth Celestine as his Secretary of State. If you like books with themes of murder, love and betrayal then you would love this book. Looking forward to the next Cal Donovan novel from Glenn Cooper.

February 2024
9. The Patient's Secret by S.A. Falk - 323 pls. ***** 2/4/2024
Sharon Stevenson is a forensic psychiatrist. Her job is to decide whether a patient is of sound enough mind to stand trial, not whether they did or didn’t commit a crime. But Sharon is also a mother grieving the disappearance of her seventeen-year-old daughter, Maddie, who has never been found.
And what if the man sitting before her, who has been charged with the murders of several women, also claimed the life of her sweet girl? It’s time to find out the truth. An unputdownable psychological thriller about a dangerous cat-and-mouse game between a mother desperate for the truth and the killer she believes has the answers.
This was an awesome book. It held my interest all the way through until the surprise ending. The plot was excellent. Kevin was diagnosed with DID which is dissociative identity disorder. With the real killer in custody, Kevin is saved in the end and will be placed in a psychiatric hospital. If you like books about people with personality disorders then you will love this book. It's a great debut and I look forward to reading another book by this author.

10. A Murder in Hollywood by Casey Sherman - 304 pas. ***** 2/6/2024
This is a very interesting book about how a Hollywood star is discovered and all about her movies. Lana Turner is the star! It’s about her husbands and boyfriends. She had one daughter named Cheryl with her husband, Stephen Crane. When Cheryl was 14, Lana had a boyfriend named John Stampanato who was very jealous and who used to abuse Lana. Lana’s mood used to change and Cheryl saw how Lana was afraid of John. One night when John was at Lana’s house, they argued. Cheryl said she grabbed the kitchen knife and John ended up dead on the bedroom floor. Cheryl was only 14 at the time and was too young to be charged with murder. She became a law of the court and was made to live with her grandmother. If you like books about true crime, then you would love the book. Casey Sherman did an excellent job writing this book and I look forward to reading another book by him in the future.

11. Blood Lines by Angela Marsons - 388 pgs. ***** 2/8/2024
DI Kim Stone's, 5th installment is about the murder of Deanna Brightman and Maxine Wakeman. Their stab wounds were very similar so they knew it was the same killer. Dr. Alex Thorne, from the 2nd book in the series, is back in the picture from prison trying to bring Kim down. Kim's mother is attempting parole and Kim tells them she is not really to be released. These are the highlights of this book. You need to read this book in order to get the full picture of what is happening. The book is full of twists and turns which forces me to read until the surprise ending. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series. If you love thrillers that you have no idea who has done it then you will love this book. The reading is extraordinary and the writing is delightful!

12. Roses for the Dead by Jenny O'Brien - 352 pgs. **** 2/9/2024
This is the 2nd novel in the DS Alana Mack series set in Dublin. There are women being killed on a Dublin Dart train line. They only have fresh white sheets and a single rose on their bed at home. The novel is told in Alana's point of view. Sarah Buckenham is reported missing by her husband but her body has not been found yet. This is a real gripping read. Alana and Paddy, her partner, are great characters. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series. If you like thrillers that have an Irish setting then you will love this book. I would highly recommend this series.

13. Vegan Keto Cookbook: Quick and Easy Ketogenic Meal Plans by Jordan Riley - 104 pgs. ***** 2/13/2024
This book has an introduction to the Keto Diet and Vegan plan. It answers questions about How do I know I am in Ketosis. It has quick and easy Ketogenic Meal Plans for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It has recipes galore and beautiful pictures. It is a great a cookbook and one you can use while learning all about the Keto Vegan way for life.

14. Vegan Air Fryer Cookbook: 50 Quick and Easy Plant-Based Air Fryer Recipes by Jordan Riley - 104 pgs. ***** 2/13/2024
This is a great cookbook. It has beautiful color pictures and 50+ delicious air fryer recipes. It has a section on Air Frying which explains a brief history of the Air Fryer and how it works. if then goes into what you can cook and how you can cook Frozen Foods and how to roast vegetables and also how to bake. Last but not least, it tells you how to clean your air fryer and how to maintain your air fryer. It also gives you Breakfast, Lunches and Dinner recipes. Also gives you sides, snacks and desserts. As you can see this book gives you everything you need in order to use your air fryer for everyday use.

15. Zenith Man by McCracken Poston, Jr. - 320 pgs. ***** 2/17/2024
McCraken Poston, Jr. has written a book about a TV repairman who was a harmless eccentric or a bizarre killer in October 1997. Alvin Ridley, in the town of Ringgold in northwest Georgia reportedly had killed his wife. McCracken Poston, Jr, his legal attorney, pierced together the full story behind Virginia and Alvin's marriage and her cause of death. This is a true crime courtroom drama that shows how the Zenith man returned to his peculiar lifestyle, a free man. This is a great read that I will remember for a long time. Alvin was diagnosed as an autistic person. I have a granddaughter with the same diagnose and she is the sweetest person so I can understand the circumstances surrounding this case. If you like books about autism then you will love this book. Read it for yourself!

16. The Body in the Ice House by Kate Hardy - 273 pgs. **** 2/18/2024
Georgina Drake, taking pictures of the Hartington Hall, when she finds Karen Berry dead on the floor. Karen Berry had plenty of enemies. Karen had argued with her husband, alienated her two step-daughters, and fired the housekeeper for thief. This left Georgina wondering about her death. DI Colon Bradshaw put the household through interviews. While walking Bertie, her spaniel, digs up a human skeleton, and Georgina is once again in the middle of a mystery. What dark secrets at Hartingdon Hall connects the two crimes? Can Georgina unmask the killer before they strike again? This book is the 2nd in A Georgina Drake Mystery series by Kate Hardy. Georgina is a serious character along with Sybbie, her friend, as well. With twists and turns and reading to the end of the book, I'm looking forward to the next book in the series. If you like cozy mysteries then you would love this book.

17. The Rumor Game by Thomas Mullen - 368 pgs. ***** 2/24/2024
Reporter Anne Lemire writes the Rumor Clinic, a newspaper column that disproves the many harmful rumors floating around town. Tired of chasing silly rumors about Rosie Riveters safety on the job, she wants to write about something bigger. Special Agent Devon Mulvey spends his weekends preventing industrial sabotage and he spends his evenings wooing the many lonely women whose husbands are off at war. When Anne's story about Nazi propaganda intersects with Devon's investigation into the death of a factory worker, the two are led down a dangerous trail of espionage, organized crime, and domestic fascism. This is a powerful thriller by Thomas Mullen. There are alternate points of view by Anne and Devon. There are plenty of twists and turns that had me reading to a satisfying ending. I am now looking forward to the next novel by Thomas Mullen. If you like books about history, then you would love this book.

18. Ill Met by Moonlight by Rene Weis - 402 pgs. ***** 2/25/2024
On an August 4-5th night in 1952, a British couple and their 10 year old daughter, John, Anne, and Elizabeth Drummond were murdered in a lay-by in Provence, France. John was a scientist and a British biochemist who was knighted for naming of vitamins and British diet nutrition under wartime rationing during Second World War. His murder had been known as the Dominici affair but there is much speculation over the identity of the murderer and the motive behind the crime. This was a very interesting book and I enjoyed reading about the murder. The author, Rene Weis, did a great job with research and explaining everything that happened. A local farmer had been arrested as the murderer. He is Gaston Dominici, 73 years old, and was convicted, sentenced to death by guillotine. President Rene Coty commuted the sentence to life imprisonment and in 1959 President Charles DeGaulle ordered Dominici released on humanitarian grounds. He was not pardoned and did not received another trial. If you like true crime books then you would love this book. You need to read this for yourself and see what you think. Was John Drummond on a spy mission or was he a victim of the farmer?

19. Montana Murders: Notorious and Unsolved by Brian D'Ambrosio - 290 pgs. ***** 2/26/2024
Brian D'Ambrosio examines the most notorious murders in the state of Montana. Some are historical accounts from early Wild West history, but most are contemporary cases that shocked communities. Many remained unsolved. Some cases have been featured in national media, such as the famous murders of Patrick Duffy (Dallas) and the serial murders of the Unabomber. This is a riveting account of murder of unfortunate victims. Brian D'Ambrosio did a great job with the research and relating the stories. I plan to visit Montana soon and thought I would look into what crimes happened in Montana. I would be interested in reading another book by D'Ambrosio as I found this book well written. If you like true crime then you would love reading this book.

20. Unsolved Murders by Amber Hunt and Emily G. Thompson - 240 Pages ***** 2/27/2024
Explore the mysteries of 20 unsolved murders of the last century including the Black Dahlia, the Zodiac Killer and the JonBenet Ramsey case. This book is a great introduction to the famous unsolved cases. The authors have researched and related information and the book is well written. I'm sure if you found one or two crimes you were interested in, you could get other books about the murder and read further. I am looking forward to find more books about murder as I'm fascinated by these types of books. If you like books about true crime, this book is a great start.

21. The Dredge by Brendan Flaherty - 240 pages - **** 2/28/2024
Two estranged brothers must confront the violence of the past when they find out a pond where they played as children will be dredged. After some traumatic teenaged years in rural Connecticut, Cale and Ambrose Casey had nothing left to say to each other. Cale ran off to Hawaii to sell luxury real estate. Ambrose stayed behind and built up his construction company. Neither thought they’d be in touch again and were glad for it—until they learned of a real estate developer’s plan to drain and expand Gibbs Pond. Nearly 30 years before, the Casey brothers buried a secret in that pond, which fell somewhere between self-defense and family preservation. Lily Rowe, the contractor in charge of the dredging, can also trace her roots—and her trauma—to the banks of Gibbs Pond. After a childhood that saw her and her brother yanked across the country by her abusive father, it was here where she finally stayed put, even if they didn’t. But as ambitious as Lily is, and as much as she wants answers of her own, her family also has secrets to protect. Now, the haunted lives of Cale, Ambrose, and Lily collide once more as they reunite to unearth the devastation of the past.
This is a story of family secrets. The plot was good and well developed and the two main characters of Cale and Lily were nicely drawn too. All in all, the book was very well written with good dialogue that kept me reading until the end of the book. This is a debut novel but I am looking forward to his next novel as I found this book a very easy read. If you like novels about family secrets then you would love this book.

March 2024
22. The Inmate by Freida McFadden - 302 pages - **** 3/2/2024
There are three rules Brooke Sullivan must follow as a new nurse practitioner at a men’s maximum-security prison:
1) Treat all prisoners with respect.
2) Never reveal any personal information.
3) Never EVER become too friendly with the inmates.
But none of the staff at the prison knows Brooke has already broken the rules. Nobody knows about her intimate connection to Shane Nelson, one of the penitentiary’s most notorious and dangerous inmates. And they certainly don’t know that Shane was Brooke’s high school sweetheart—the star quarterback who is now spending the rest of his life in prison for a series of grisly murders. Or that Brooke's testimony was what put him there. But Shane knows. And he will never forget.
This is a great read from Freida McFadden. I have read almost all of her books and I have loved each and every one. I don't know how she does it but each one has a surprising ending that gets you every time. I am now waiting for the next Freida McFadden book. Love her books. If you like books that surprise you then you will love this book. You will just have to read it!

23. The Roadie Cartel by Phillip Kriz 453 pages ***** 3/3/2024
What lengths would you go to avenge your fathers death?
Would you take on a billion dollar empire?
What if that empire was the music industry?
In this new crime thriller fiction series, the vivid imagination of Phillip J Kriz brings the elusive backstage concert experience to life. The Roadie Cartel keeps you on the edge of your seat with a story that combines America’s love of going to concerts with its odd obsession with the lavish and dangerous cartel lifestyle.
This is a detailed journey of three immigrants forced to flee their small farm town in Czechoslovakia and start all over in the land of opportunity, America. This exciting tale spans multiple decades laying out just how these three siblings changed the live music industry and drug trafficking world forever. Come inside this wild ride of good and evil found in each person as these immigrants search to unlock the key to riches where they believe happiness is found.
The Roadie Cartel: A story that finally grants everyone that very exclusive ALL ACCESS pass where only your wildest dreams and fantasies had access before.
This is a great book if you are wondering about what goes on in the world of music. It discusses a billion dollar empire and the drugs and cartels that are apart of it. The characters are from a small town in Czechoslovakia and how they got started in America. The writing is crisp and I am looking forward to the next book by this author, Phillip Kriz. If you like books about the music industry then you will love this book.

24. People We Meet On Vacation by Emily Henry 382 pgs. ***** 3/6/24
Two best friends. Ten summer trips. One last chance to fall in love.
Poppy and Alex. Alex and Poppy. They have nothing in common. She’s a wild child; he wears khakis. She has insatiable wanderlust; he prefers to stay home with a book. And somehow, ever since a fateful car share home from college many years ago, they are the very best of friends. For most of the year they live far apart—she’s in New York City, and he’s in their small hometown—but every summer, for a decade, they have taken one glorious week of vacation together.
Until two years ago, when they ruined everything. They haven’t spoken since.
Poppy has everything she should want, but she’s stuck in a rut. When someone asks when she was last truly happy, she knows, without a doubt, it was on that ill-fated, final trip with Alex. And so, she decides to convince her best friend to take one more vacation together—lay everything on the table, make it all right. Miraculously, he agrees.
Now she has a week to fix everything. If only she can get around the one big truth that has always stood quietly in the middle of their seemingly perfect relationship. What could possibly go wrong?
This is a very good Romcom. Poppy and Alex are very good friends who go on vacation together. There is no love but just friendship for 12 years. After a few drinks one night, they start to share how they feel about each other. Love does then become a part of the equation. Read this book to find out what happens between Poppy and Alex. The book has funny parts that made me laugh but made me cry too. If you like Romcom then you will love this book!

25. The Mystery Writer by Sulari Gentill - 400 pages **** 3/12/2024
Theodosia Benton abandons her career as an attorney and shows up on her brother’s doorstep. She now wants to be a novelist. Her mentor is brutally murdered. The police begin looking at her brother, Gus, as their prime suspect. Gus finds a thread of the murder and follows it. Theo Benton is now missing and everyone looking for her will have to die. This is a rollercoaster ride of a book. It’s a literary thriller that Theo Benton will have to endure. The ending of the book was a complete shock as the truth finally came out. Read this book and discover who people are trying to protect. If you like stories that turn things upside down then you will love this book.

26. The Mind of a Murderer by Michael Wood - 454 pages ***** 3/19/2024
A DARK PAST
Dr Olivia Winter is a forensic psychologist whose job is to understand the minds of serial killers. There’s only one monster she can’t understand, her father.
A NEW IDENTITY
Notorious and brutal, he held a reign of terror until he was caught. His nine-year-old daughter was supposed to be his last victim, but she survived.
A SERIAL KILLER WHO WILL STOP AT NOTHING
Now, a serial killer is stalking the streets of London. As the body count rises, the police need Olivia’s help to profile him before he can strike again. But to do so, she will need to confront her own demons…
This was my first Michael Wood book but it won't be my last. I plan on reading his Matilda Drake books next. The minds of serial killers is what Olivia Winter is about. She is a forensic psychologist and the streets of London are where Olivia needs to focus. There is a serial killer roaming the streets and the police need Olivia to profile him. This book is a real page-turner and an interesting read. Her father was a serial killer who killed her mother and sister and attempted to kill Olivia when she was 9 years old but she got away. I am now looking forward to reading more from this author as I really like his writing. If you like psychological thrillers then you will love to read this book.

27. The Malta Exchange by Steve Berry - 576 pages - **** 3/19/2024
A deadly race for the Vatican’s oldest secret fuels New York Times bestseller Steve Berry’s latest international Cotton Malone thriller.
The pope is dead. A conclave to select his replacement is about to begin. Cardinals are beginning to arrive at the Vatican, but one has fled Rome for Malta in search of a document that dates back to the 4th century and Constantine the Great.
Former Justice Department operative, Cotton Malone, is at Lake Como, Italy, on the trail of legendary letters between Winston Churchill and Benito Mussolini that disappeared in 1945 and could re-write history. But someone else seems to be after the same letters and, when Malone obtains then loses them, he’s plunged into a hunt that draws the attention of the legendary Knights of Malta.
This was a very good book by Steve Berry. Cotton Malone is on the trail of letters between Churchill and Mussolini. He is also interested in finding the Nostra Trinita which the Church is very interested in too. The book is about WWII history, Catholic Church history, the Knights of Malta, and the process of electing a pope and the operations of the Vatican. The book takes us to the geography, scenery, and history of Northern Italy and the Island of Malta. The book is a bit different than the plot of his other books but has a few twists and turns to add to the enjoyment. I'm looking forward to the next installment from Steve Berry as I do like his books. If you like history then you will love to read this book.

28. The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters - 320 pages **** 3/24/2024
A four-year-old Mi’kmaq girl goes missing from the blueberry fields of Maine, sparking a tragic mystery that haunts the survivors, unravels a community, and remains unsolved for nearly fifty years.
July 1962. A Mi’kmaq family from Nova Scotia arrives in Maine to pick blueberries for the summer. Weeks later, four-year-old Ruthie, the family’s youngest child, vanishes. She is last seen by her six-year-old brother, Joe, sitting on a favorite rock at the edge of a berry field. Joe will remain distraught by his sister’s disappearance for years to come.
In Maine, a young girl named Norma grows up as the only child of an affluent family. Her father is emotionally distant, her mother frustratingly overprotective. Norma is often troubled by recurring dreams and visions that seem more like memories than imagination. As she grows older, Norma slowly comes to realize there is something her parents aren’t telling her. Unwilling to abandon her intuition, she will spend decades trying to uncover this family secret.
I read this book and found it very interesting. Joe and Norma were interchanging narrators. It is a story about the search for truth, the shadow of trauma and the persistence of love across time. The story drew me in a little at a time until I was fully engrossed in the story. I would highly recommend for you to read this book on your own and hope you enjoy it as much as I did. If you like stories about truth, trauma and love then you will love this book.

29. Six Miles to Charleston by Bruce Orr - 125 pages - ***** 3/25/2024
This is a very good book about a woman named Lavinia and her husband Joseph who were convicted of robbery and murder of thirty people in 1819. There is a legend and this book goes against the legend and proves it to be false. Great book that you should read. She was the first woman to be hanged!

30. The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz - 320 pages - **** 3/29/2024
Jean Hanff Korelitz’s The Plot is a psychologically suspenseful novel about a story too good not to steal, and the writer who steals it. Jacob Finch Bonner was once a promising young novelist with a respectably published first book. Today, he’s teaching in a third-rate MFA program and struggling to maintain what’s left of his self-respect; he hasn’t written—let alone published—anything decent in years. When Evan Parker, his most arrogant student, announces he doesn’t need Jake’s help because the plot of his book in progress is a sure thing, Jake is prepared to dismiss the boast as typical amateur narcissism. But then . . . he hears the plot. Jake returns to the downward trajectory of his own career and braces himself for the supernova publication of Evan Parker’s first novel: but it never comes. When he discovers that his former student has died, presumably without ever completing his book, Jake does what any self-respecting writer would do with a story like that—a story that absolutely needs to be told. In a few short years, all of Evan Parker’s predictions have come true, but Jake is the author enjoying the wave. He is wealthy, famous, praised and read all over the world. But at the height of his glorious new life, an e-mail arrives, the first salvo in a terrifying, anonymous campaign: You are a thief, it says. As Jake struggles to understand his antagonist and hide the truth from his readers and his publishers, he begins to learn more about his late student, and what he discovers both amazes and terrifies him. Who was Evan Parker, and how did he get the idea for his “sure thing” of a novel? What is the real story behind the plot, and who stole it from whom?
This is a slow burn of a unique story. The plot has many twists and turns which kept me reading until the very end of the book. It is a psychological suspenseful novel about an author who dies and his plot is stolen by his teacher. The book is an instant success. An email arrives and says, “You are a thief.” If you like books about a successful plot that is stolen then you will love this book. Read it for yourself and see how he handles the accusation.

April 2024
31. Hellburner by Mike Maden - 624 pages - ***1/2 - 4/15/2024
When Juan Cabrillo fails to capture the leader of Mexico’s most dangerous drug cartel and loses an Oregon crew member in the process, he’s determined to get revenge. Little does he know that the explosion he just narrowly escaped was merely the latest flash of violence from a machine of war that has existed for decades, dating from the bloodiest episode in Armenia’s history.
Cabrillo’s Corporation of mercenaries may have finally met its match in The Pipeline—a criminal syndicate passed down from father to son across generations. A group that sits with its finger on the trigger of a torpedo so deadly it could level entire cities. With millions of innocent civilians hanging in the balance, the Oregon’s crew must unravel a tangle of drug-smuggling routes and international conspiracies spanning from the Aegean Sea to the Indian Ocean, putting their lives on the line to find the weapon before its countdown hits zero.
This was a good book but a bit different spin than the other books in the Oregon files. It was written by Mike Maden but not with Clive Cussler. This changed the whole voice of the novel and I found it a bit distracting while reading the book. The characters of the crew did not work together and I did miss this in the book. Hopefully Mike Maden will correct this in his next writing of the book. I think the books should be a bit consistent with the other books as this book feels like a different series. I realize that it must be difficult to write a book following the author’s death but feel like it’s important to get it right or start a new series. Sorry for being so critical but this is just a suggestion to help the author with his next endeavor of writing the next book.

32. The Lady With The Dark Hair by Erin Bartels - 352 pages - **** 4/18/2024
Esther Markstrom and her artist mother have always been proud of their ancestor, painter Francisco Vella. They even run a small museum and gallery dedicated to raising awareness of his scandalously underappreciated work. But when Esther reconnects with her former art history professor, she finds her once-solid family history on shaky ground as questions arise about Vella's greatest work--a portrait entitled The Lady with the Dark Hair .
In 1879, Catalan orphan-turned-fugitive Viviana Torrens has found sanctuary serving in the home of an aging artist in Southern France. It is in his studio that she meets Francisco Vella, a Gibraltarian merchant who sells artists' pigments. When her past catches up to her, she is compelled to pose as Vella's sister and join him on his travels or be deported back to Spain to stand trial. Along the way she will discover that the many parts she has been playing in order to hide her identity have far-reaching implications she never could have foreseen.
This dual-timeline story from award-winning author Erin Bartels takes readers from the sleepy Midwest to the sultry Mediterranean on a relentless search for truth, identity, and the freedom to follow one's dreams.
I have read every book that Erin Bartels has written and have found them all different but very well written. This one is about painters and art about The Lady with the Dark Hair. This is a dual timeline-story that takes us to the Mediterranean. I found this book very interesting as I had no idea that Erin was an artist. I find her very intriguing and do look forward to what comes next from her. If you like art and painting I’m sure you would love this book. Pick it up and read it as you will be surprised as I was that the book is actually well worth the read!

33. Death in the Spires by K.J. Charles - 273 pages - **** 4/21/2024
The newspapers called us the Seven Wonders. We were a group of friends, that’s all, and then Toby died. Was killed. Murdered.
1905. A decade after the grisly murder of Oxford student Toby Feynsham, the case remains hauntingly unsolved. For Jeremy Kite, the crime not only stole his best friend, it destroyed his whole life. When an anonymous letter lands on his desk, accusing him of having killed Toby, Jem becomes obsessed with finally uncovering the truth.
Jem begins to track down the people who were there the night Toby died – a close circle of friends once known as the ‘Seven Wonders’ for their charm and talent – only to find them as tormented and broken as himself. All of them knew and loved Toby at Oxford. Could one of them really be his killer?
As Jem grows closer to uncovering what happened that night, his pursuer grows bolder, making increasingly terrifying attempts to silence him for good. Will exposing Toby's killer put to rest the shadows that have darkened Jem’s life for so long? Or will the gruesome truth only put him in more danger?
Some secrets are better left buried…
This book is not like the other books that K.J. Charles has written. It has a historical mystery and no romance. It is 10 years since the unsolved mystery of Toby’s death and the police have not been contacted. Jem is calling them together in order to figure out the crime. I loved this book and what it does to all the members when the murderer is announced. Read it for yourself and see if you can figure out who did kill Toby and why. If you love mysteries that are unsolvable then you will love this book.

34. The Murder Club by Sam Baron - 333 pages - **** 4/23/2024
She walked through the cabin, across the gleaming hardwood floor, past the beautiful fireplace and luxury kitchen. The view overlooking the lake was breathtaking until she stepped outside and saw the lifeless body in the chair – a silk scarf wrapped tightly around his throat, his gray eyes wide open.
FBI Agent Susan Parker’s fun afternoon go-karting with her daughter is interrupted when she’s called to the crime scene of a wealthy local man murdered in his home.
As she delves into his life, she discovers the man belonged to an exclusive yet sinister Murder Club obsessed with the mysterious ‘Clothesline killer.’ The previous victims were all single mothers being investigated for suspected neglect who bore the same chilling hallmark – each was strangled in her bed at night by a masked figure.
But the Murder Club aren’t the only ones who have been tracking his every move…
A local pizza delivery girl has been closely following the cases and building her own investigative report. Though dismissed as isolated crimes before, Susan unravels a shocking trail of clues from the girl’s scrapbook that lead to the forgotten women and orphaned children left in the killer’s wake.
Then another member of the club is found dead in his ranch house.
Determined to silence those who get in his way, and with his sights now set on Susan, can she stop him before she and her family fall prey to this elusive killer?
This is a fast-paced story with some good twists and a good plot. The characters were likable and the author had a great writing style. The captivating story was hard to put down until the very end of the book and the bad guy finally got the punishment that he deserved. If you like mysteries about FBI agents, then you will love this book.

35. Death and Glory by Will Thomas - 304 pages - ***** 4/24/2024
Private Enquiry agent Cyrus Barker, along with his partner Thomas Llewelyn, has a long, accomplished history - he's taken on cases for Scotland Yard, the Foreign Office, and even the crown itself, fulfilling them all with great skill and discretion. None of those cases, however, are as delicate and complicated as the one laid before him by a delegation of men who, thirty years before, fought for the Confederacy during the American Civil War. These men want to revive the Confederacy with a warship promised to the Rebels from the British Government in 1865. To get it now, they're threatening to reveal the long-secret treaty with the Confederacy. Barker is hired to use his connections to discreetly bring their threats to the Prime Minister.
With a web of prominent, if secret, supporters throughout England ready to through their support to their efforts to wage war anew on the United States, the delegates are just waiting for the warship to begin their plans. But some of the men are not who they claim to be, and the American government has their own team watching, and waiting, for the right moment to take action.
As this fuse on this powder keg of a situation grows ever shorter, it's up to Barker & Llewelyn to uncover the real identities and plans of these dangerous men.
This is the first book of the Barker & Llewelyn series that I have read. It has made me want to go back and read the whole series. It has showed us a relationship between the U.S. and Britain where a ship was bought by the Confederacy but never delivered because of the end of the Civil War. I now look forward to reading the series in order. If you love mysteries about U.S. and Britain relationships then you will love this book.

36. Her Best Friend's Secret by Deirdre Palmer - 360 pages **** 4/28/2024
On the hottest day of the summer, we wait for Molly on the riverbank, desperate to slip into the cool water. But as the sun starts to fade, it’s clear she isn’t coming. We’ll never see our friend again…
Years later, after an unexpected inheritance, Briony returns to her godmother’s grand countryside home where she spent her teenage years. Despite its idyllic appearance, the old stone house carries memories Briony would rather forget. To escape the controlling behaviour of her godmother’s son, Jeremy, Briony spent every possible moment with her best friends, Molly and Samantha, until the day Molly vanished without a trace.
Briony is certain Molly was keeping a secret in those final days. Why else was she acting so strangely? And why did Briony constantly feel like they were being watched? When Briony discovers Molly’s decades-old bathing suit in a locked part of the house, she begins to piece together what happened to her friend. But, as more skeletons come to light, is Briony ready to uncover the truth after so many years?
This is a slow-paced mystery that kept me curious and guessing from the start to the surprising ending. It is told in alternating timelines from the 1980's and present time. The characters are well-developed with an interesting plot. A good thriller with twists and turns and POV of several characters, mainly Briony. This was a very enjoyable book with a return to the past and how the events impacted the people they became. Briony, in the past, lived with her godmother, Alice, and her son, Jeremy. Briony has now inherited Summerdine and all of its secrets. While waiting for Molly to go swimming, Samantha and Briny realize that Molly goes missing. They figure that Jeremy must have something to do with Molly's missing. If you like secrets then you will love this book.

37. Last To Die by Doug Sinclair - 348 pages ***** 4/29/2024
On a cold New Year’s Eve night, a young woman lies slumped on a park bench. Snow gathers on her hair. If her glazed eyes were closed, she might be sleeping. Nobody will find her for hours…Thirty years later, in the Scottish town of Livingston, a retired police officer disappears from her home. A trail of blood leads from the pensioner’s doorstep to the edge of the nearby river, and as he follows it, DS Malkie McCulloch fears the worst. But at the end of the trail, instead of an elderly woman, he finds the body of a young man.The deceased is identified as a local criminal, and the case appears to be a robbery gone wrong. But Malkie isn’t convinced. How did the pensioner overcome the burglar? And where is she now? Digging into the former police officer's past, Malkie uncovers a connection with the tragic death of a young woman decades before – and the case is flipped on its head. Is the missing pensioner not as innocent as he’d assumed? Have skeletons in her closet come back to haunt her? Then another body is found, and the link between the crimes of the past and the present becomes chillingly clear.
This is the 2nd book in the series and can be read as a standalone. It's a fast-paced read that is set in Scotland. The plot and characters are enjoyable and the story pulled me in and kept me reading until the very end. DS Malkie and his partner DC Steph did an excellent job with the case serving up revenge."The past will always catch you" is written on the cover and how true was that! I am now looking forward to the next book in the series. If you like revenge in your mystery thriller, then you will love this book.

May 2024
38. The Girl Who Survived by Nichole Severn - 320 pages - ***** 5/3/2024
It’s been twenty years since Leigh found the murdered body of her twelve-year-old brother, Troy. Her father was arrested for the crime, but she never accepted that he did it. Her hunt for the real killer almost cost her everything…
Now working for the FBI, Leigh is called back to New Hampshire when a series of copycat crimes are committed. Only the killer has left a very specific calling card, a plastic army figurine, the same as the one she found on Troy’s body, and carved into its base: Leigh’s name.
This case is as personal as it gets, and this time, Leigh is determined to make the right person pay. But when another child goes missing, can she dig deep into her past to find the clue she missed years ago, and put a monster behind bars for good?
This is an addictive and unputdownable crime thriller. The edge of your seat twists that happen are unbelievable. I'm glad I kept reading until the end as I was shocked beyond my wildest dreams. I am now looking forward to the next book in the series. If you like thrillers that shock you to death then you will love this book.

39. Murder at Ravenswood House by Louise Marley - 388 pages - **** 5/9/2024
A gruesome murder in charming Raven’s Edge sends Milla Graham sleuthing to catch a killer, win back her detective ex, and dig up a decades-old secret along the way...
When a shocking murder rocks the picture-perfect English village of Raven’s Edge, erstwhile amateur detective Milla Graham finds herself right at the centre of the mystery. Still reeling from her recent breakup with local police officer Ben Taylor, Milla sets her sights on solving the case, hoping to win Ben back.
But when the evidence begins to point to Milla’s old friend and former paramour Lorcan Black, she must choose between her loyalties to the past and the possibilities of the future. Meanwhile, Ben is on a different trail – he’s begun to suspect that the murderer could be someone from his own family's dark history.
Further complicating matters are Milla's meddling grandmother, Ben's no-nonsense police partner Harriet, and David the surprisingly young and sexy new vicar. With shocking twists around every cobblestone corner, the truth refuses to stay buried for long in this quaint village, whose picture-postcard façade hides decades of buried grudges, plots, and betrayal.
Will Milla solve the mystery in time to rescue her relationship with Ben? Can Ben face the skeletons in his family’s closet before one of his own relatives meets the same bloody end?
Brimming with drama, intrigue, romance and quirky characters, this addictive tale will have cozy mystery fans racing through the pages long into the night.
This is the 2nd book in the series. It's about family history and the village's dark past. It has well-developed characters and plot. It's a fast gripping read with a surprised ending. It has multiple POV's (Milla, Ben, Harriet and David) and flashbacks to 15 years ago and a robbery and murder that happened. Great twists, turns and red herrings kept me reading until the very end of the book. If you like crime thrillers with history of the past then you will love this book. I am now looking forward to the third book in the series.

40. Cold As the Grave by James Oswald - 432 pages. **** 5/15/2024
Her mummified body is hidden in the dark corner of a basement room, a room which seems to have been left untouched for decades. A room which feels as cold as the grave.
As a rowdy demonstration makes its slow and vocal way along Edinburgh's Royal Mile, Detective Chief Inspector Tony McLean's team are on stand-by for any trouble. The newly promoted McLean is distracted, inexplicably drawn to a dead-end mews street... and a door, slightly ajar, which leads to this poor girl's final resting place.
But how long has she been there, in her sleep of death? The answers are far from what McLean or anyone else could expect. The truth far more chilling than a simple cold case...
This is the 9th book of the series. It is a cold case of a mummified girl with plenty of twists, turns and supernatural elements. It is a fast-paced page turner of refugees and how they are treated. Tony is promoted to Chief Inspector which doesn’t allow time on the street but Tony decides to investigate anyway. It has great characters and plot that has pushed Tony and Emma to their limits as Tony seems to get lost in his job and forgets to pay attention to Emma. Madame Rose and Mrs. Saifre return to the story. It is one dark and gritty book that you just have to read.

41. Think Twice by Harlan Coben - 368 pages **** 5/15/2024
Myron Bolitar and Windsor Horne Lockwood III​ reunite to find a dead man come back to life in this gripping thriller from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of I Will Find You.
Former basketball star Myron Bolitar has barely restarted his agency for sports stars and celebrities when two federal agents walk into his office, asking for answers. Assuming they want to talk about the highly publicized Callister murders—of which he and Win know nothing, other than what's been saturating the news lately—he's stunned when, instead, they demand to know where Greg Downing is.
Greg, a former NBA player-turned-beloved-coach, was an old client of Myron’s, one of his very first. The reason for Myron's surprise is simple: Greg Downing died three years ago.
But according to these federal agents, Greg is still alive—and somehow involved in the Callister case.
Before his death, Greg made some strange money moves, but nothing about his reappearance makes any sense. As Myron and Win investigate, they're also surprised to uncover a seemingly related case where someone was murdered. Then another. And another. Is Greg alive? And if he is, where is he? And ultimately, are they looking for Greg? Or are they looking for a dangerously clever serial killer?
This is the 12th book in the series. It is a fast-paced action packed story with twist after twist. It has an intriguing plot with characters that we have been following throughout the series. The whole gang is back, Myron, Win, Esperanza, Big Cyndi, Terese and Ellen. Federal agents show up and want to know where Greg Downing is. Myron and Win told them that Greg has been dead for three years. The ending was quite a surprise and I won't spoil it but you have to promise me that you will read this book. If you like surprised endings in you crime thrillers than you will love this book. I'm looking forward to the next book from Harlan Coben as I think he is a great writer.

42. Murder At Land's End by Sally Rigby - 248 pages ***** 5/16/2024
This is the 3rd book in the Cornwall Murder Mystery. It was a very enjoyable read and I loved the Cornish setting. The main characters DI Lauren Pengally and DS Matt Price work very well together and I really liked watching how their friendship is growing. Sophie Yates is a young fisherwoman who is found dead on the rocks with a fishing line tied around her neck and a poem in her mouth with the words: "Men must work and women must weep." Soon another body is found and the team is eager to get this solved before it turns into a serial killing. This fast-paced story had many twists and turns until finally the murder is solved. This book is a well-written police procedural and kept me guessing until the very surprised ending. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series. If you like a gripping crime thriller then you would love this book. I haven't read any other books in the series but this book worked well as a standalone.

43. The Liar's Bones by Morag Pringle - 336 pages ***** 5/17/2024
This is book #1 in the series A Rachel McKenzie Mystery. Ellen Hargreaves is found dead on the island of Uist in the Upper Hebrides. Her death was ruled an accident but Rachel is convinced there's more to the story. I loved the setting of the isle of Uist and the characters of Rachel and Selena. It was a fast-paced mystery that I read until the final page and surprised ending. I am looking forward to more books by this author. If you like gripping crime thrillers, then you will love this book.

44. College Girl, Missing by Shawn Cohen - 272 pages ***** 5/18/2024
This is a true crime story about a college girl who disappeared. Lauren Spieler vanished from Indiana University. She was seen in public by witnesses and security camera and ended up in a townhouse complex with several wealthy, well-connected male students - never to be seen again. The police investigation went nowhere and her body was never found. Was Lauren killed by her recent ex-boyfriend who was jealous? Was she killed by these new love interests who last saw her alive? Did an unknown person kidnap her as she walked home alone? Shawn Cohen has written this book with the ok from Lauren's parents. He is one of the original reporters from 2011.It contains information that was never released. Shawn has talked wth friends of Lauren and other people involved in the investigation. Hopefully this book will convince some people to come forward with answers to what happened to Lauren.

45. If Something Happens To Me by Alex Finlay - 336 pages ***** 5/19/2024
Ryan Richardson remembers the night Alison Lane was taken and a cloud of suspicion was over Ryan as everyone was suspecting him but he was never charged. Now he has entered law school and put his past behind him. Ryan gets a call from his father while traveling in Italy. He tells Ryan that Ali’s car has been found submerged in a lake in his hometown. Inside are two dead men and a cryptic note with five words written on the envelope in Ali’s handwriting: If something happens to me….
This story is told by different characters POV with a twist after twist which kept me guessing until the very ending. I have read all of the other books written by Alex Finlay and they just get better and better. If you like fast-paced thrillers then you will love this book. I am now looking forward to his next book as I think he is an excellent writer and I know you will enjoy reading him too.

46. Murder At Whiteadder House by Jackie Baldwin - 295 pages ***** 5/20/2024
Eliza Anderson goes to see Grace McKenna reporting that her sister, Beth, is missing. Grace and her team are led to Whiteadder House, a Scottish remote wilderness, where residents stay to be cured of alcohol and drug addiction. When a young woman's body is found on a nearby beach, Grace knows she must find out more before another life is lost. Could it be linked to the clinic? Are the police being silenced by Big Pharma? This is a fast-paced novel with twists and turns which kept me guessing until the very end. I enjoyed the main characters of the book. Grace owns a detective agency with her friend, Jean, and Connor's girlfriend, Hannah, and her dog Harvey. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series. If you like action-packed thrillers then you will love this book. Highly recommend!

47. The Girls on Floor 13 by Helen Phifer - 250 pages **** 5/22/2024
Can Maria Miller find out what is going on in the New York City hotel? There are signs of ghosts and girls are ding. Can Maria uncover the secret of the room on the 13h floor before she becomes the next victim? This is Detective Maria Miller #3 of Helen Phifer's novels. It is a supernatural case of a hotel with a creepy paranormal feeling. I enjoyed Maria's boyfriend, Harrison, and the adventures they went through. This book was so engaging as Maria and Frankie investigate a woman in blue who haunts the hotel. I'm now looking forward to the next book in the series. If you like paranormal mysteries then you will love this book.

48. How The Beatles Rocked The World by Stephen F. Kelly - 304 pages ***** 5/24/2024
This is a book about the 1960's and how the Beatles got started in the world of music. There is a lot going on in the book and the world of the 60's. It is a brand new decade and a new era. It was a real cultural revolution. There was a war raging in Vietnam and young men were being drafted. War demonstrations and marches in America. The Beatles were meeting in Liverpool at the Cavern Club and forming their little group. There were a lot of American bands playing too such as; Bob Dylan and The Rolling Stones. While the Beatles did concerts in Sweden in October 1963 and were coming home, Ed Sullivan was in Heathrow airport when thousands of screaming girls got him to thinking about booking them for his US show. February 9, 1964 they appeared on Ed Sullivan and thousands of screaming girls once again. They appeared on February 11, 1964 at the Coliseum in Washington D.C and 20,000 fans attended. The next day, they gave two back-to-back performances at New York's Carnegie Hall. America had seen nothing like it since the early days of Elvis. Their singles and albums sold in their millions and at one point in April 1964 all five best-selling US singles were Beatles songs. The Beatles were topping the hit parades in nearly every country in the world. This is a great book to reminisce with as the author was there from the start in Liverpool at the Cavern Club. If you love Beatles music then you will love this book. There is a lot of historical moments of things going on in the world during the 60's that you will enjoy reading about in this book. Highly recommended!

49. Guilty Mothers by Angela Marsons - 415 pages - ***** 5/23/2024
Did Katie Hawne kill her mother, Sheryl? That's what D.I. Kim Stone must figure out. Katie participated in beauty pageants as a child. Another woman is dead and with Katie locked up, she cannot be the killer. The second victim also entered her daughter in pageants. Kim vows to find justice for these women. This is the 20th book in the Kim Stone series. It investigates mother/daughter relationships. Angela Marsons did a great job of researching beauty pageants. It was a real surprise to find out who done it. The characters are all well-developed and the thought-provoking plot is one that had me reading to the very end of the book. I'm now looking forward to the next book in the series. If you like twisty thrillers then you will love this book.

50. The Nature of Disappearing by Kimi Cunningham Grant - 304 pages - *** 3/26/2024
This book was not what I thought it would be. I could not connect with what the book was saying. It turned out to be quite boring so I could not even finish reading it. I heard her other books were good so I thought I would try it. I don’t think it’s her writing that is so bad, I think the subject matter is the main item. Some people I noticed did actually like the book. So I say to just try it and see if you can like it.

51. Dead In The Water by Simon McCleave - 384 pages - **** 3/27/2024
DI Laura Hart and DI Gareth Williams relationship is now one of waiting to be married and it finally does happen at the end of this book. But first they need to solve 2 mysteries. Abby White, a 17 year old girl, is missing. Sheila Jones is killed at a nearby women's prison. She is under investigation for suspicious activity, drugs related. The decision is made to insert an undercover officer but nobody in the prison knows that. Both cases seem to be linked. Through twists and turns, Abby White's case is solved. I was really surprised at what happened with Abby's case. I am now hoping for another book in the Anglesey Crime series. If you like book with action then you will love this book. Highly recommended!

52. The Burning by Linda Castillo - 320 pages ***** 3/31/2004
This is the 16th book of the Kate Burkholder series. Kate is called away to an urgent midnight call of a suspicious fire in the woods. She discovers a charred body. It is an Amish man named Milan Swanz. He was chained to a stake and burned alive. Kate will have to dig into the Amish history in order to solve the case of the Anabaptist and some of their early rituals and beliefs. Kate finds her brother's involvement. Kate's own life is threatened and Thomasetti is protecting Kate form herself as she puts her own life in dangerous places at times. This is a great installment and I am looking forward to the next book in the series. If you like danger mixed with your thrillers then you would love this book. Highly recommended!

June 2024
53. Ladykiller by Katherine Wood - 368 pages ** 6/2/2024
Gia and Abby have been friends since they were girls. They kind of separated until recently when Gia invites Abby to Greece for the summer. Abby gets a mysterious email and when Abby and Benny arrive in Greece, Gia is missing. They find a manuscript detailing events leading up to Gia's disappearance and with more questions for Abby and Benny. I only read 1/2 of this book and then gave up on it. If you like books like this, then you would love it. But I didn't feel the book was for me.