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Release date: July 27, 2017

Publisher: Thomas and Mercer

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Blurb:

Dean Hudson didn’t look evil…so what could drive an ordinary boy to kill?

When the teenage son of Holly Gold’s school friend brutally murders his parents before killing himself, her sleepy home town is rocked by the sudden tragedy.

Appalled, Holly investigates. What could have caused the happy-go-lucky boy she remembers to commit such a heinous crime? When another teen commits suicide, she uncovers a horrifying link between the recent deaths and a dark conspiracy to hide the truth.

But someone doesn’t want Holly asking questions and, as she hunts for evidence to prove her theory, she’s dragged into a nightmare that threatens her life and her sanity. Then tragedy strikes again—and this time it’s closer to home…

Beneath the Surface is a gripping psychological suspense-thriller from the bestselling author of Duplicity, Look Behind You and Where the Memories Lie.

Review:

I've only recently become a fan of Sibel Hodge, I LOVED Duplicity and was so excited to see she had a new book coming out! The premise for this intrigued me, I love a good conspiracy, but I had no idea just how dark and devious this book would actually be.

This explores some really interesting and timely issues and I have to applaud Hodge for that. The main focus is unethical pharmaceutical companies, but she also touches on homelessness, teen suicide and mental health issues. I was floored by the lengths pharmaceutical companies will go just to make money, it was appalling and you can tell that the author did some heavy research. All of these issues were written about in a sensitive manner and were definitely eye opening for me.

I really like Hodge's style, but I have to admit that there was something missing for me here. I'm not sure exactly what it was, the pacing was a bit of a mixed bag. Some parts seemed to drag a little and others were super fast. It just didn't have the same great feeling that her previous psychological thriller and I also wasn't super connected to the lead character. Overall it was a pretty good read, there were surprises and great moments, just not my favorite from her.

Overall rating: 3.5/5

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Release date: July 27, 2017

Publisher: Trapeze Books

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Blurb:

A missing child. A broken mother. A sister who doesn't remember a thing.

After sixteen years apart sisters Jessica and Emily are reunited. With the past now behind them, the warmth they once shared quickly returns and before long Jess has moved into Emily's comfortable island home. Life couldn't be better. But when baby Daisy disappears while in Jess's care, the perfect life Emily has so carefully built starts to fall apart.
Was Emily right to trust her sister after everything that happened before?

Review:

Little Sister gripped me from the very first page and held me in it's grasp throughout the entire book. Baby Daisy is missing and the premise really pulled me in on an emotional level. Having a child go missing is a mothers worst nightmare and I could easily imagine the panicky, helpless feelings that would accompany this situation. It's told using dual narratives, that of both Jess and Emily and honestly, they both made me feel uneasy and wary. I was never quite sure which one was telling the truth and their versions of events were constantly at odds with each other. James is Emily's husband and I was suspicious of him as well, in fact I side eyed everyone of the characters at some point, which is exactly what I think is supposed to happen when I'm reading a good psychological thriller.

This entire book was twisty, but at the halfway mark things are really flipped on their head when Ashdown delivers a killer plot twist. The sisters have a complicated history that is slowly revealed and eventually you find out some dark secrets that added depth and intrigue. The relationship between sisters is always a fascinating dynamic to me and Emily and Jess definitely have a tangled past.

This was a really engrossing read that kept me on my toes and Ashdown's writing style was really crisp and effective. Full of dark moments and surprises galore, this was a very entertaining read. The ending was superb, just the type of conclusion that I appreciate, one that takes me off guard a bit, but in a good way.

Overall rating: 4.5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

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Release date: July 27, 2017

Publisher: Bantam Press

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Blurb:

Why would you run scared from a happy home?

You're waiting for your beloved husband to get home from work. You're making dinner, looking forward to hearing about his day.

That's the last thing you remember.

You wake up in hospital, with no idea how you got there. They tell you that you were in an accident; you lost control of your car whilst driving in a dangerous part of town.

The police suspect you were up to no good. But your husband refuses to believe it. Your best friend isn't so sure. And even you don't know what to believe . . .

Review:

Last summer I was raving about Lapena's debut, The Couple Next Door, so naturally I've been super excited about reading A Stranger in the House. I was thrilled to find that many of the things that I loved about TCND were found in this book, there was the same great addictive quality to her writing, there were secrets galore and the ever so popular untrustworthy narrators.

The premise of this is fantastic with just the right amount of creepy and it starts with a bang. Karen is driving like a bat out of hell and she gets into a terrible accident. She doesn't remember anything about where she was, why was she in a rough part of town? Who was she meeting there? There are SO MANY questions, but I'm going to stop here because this is one of those books you need to go into as blind as possible in order to have the best experience.

Detective Rasbach is back which was a pleasant surprise for me as I really liked him in TCND. It was a great addition, it gives the book a series vibe without actually being a part of a series so if you haven't read Lapena's first book, you're fine to start with this one. There are no alternating timelines or crazy switches in perspectives here, though you do see things through the eyes of Karen, her husband Tom, her neighbor Brigid and Rasbach.

This was a true page turner, I read it in one sitting and was glued to every page. I loved not knowing who to trust and I changed my mind several times about who was being honest. There were many twists and turns and again, like in her debut Lapena kept the twists coming all the way until the end. I just love when an author can still surprise me in the last few pages!

If you're a fan of Lapena you'll love this and if you've never read her before but enjoy thrillers with an unreliable cast of characters with secrets, check this out. I think this will be another huge summer hit, don't miss it.

Overall rating: 4.5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

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Release date: July 25, 2017

Publisher: Lake Union

Genre: Mystery/Domestic Suspense

Blurb:

In this intense, multilayered domestic drama, two families become entangled in a web of lies, secrets, and betrayal that results in an act of violence so shocking their love may not survive.
On the outside, Lily Isley’s life seems perfect: a wealthy husband, a ritzy gated community in Dallas, and a handsome son, AJ—a decorated marine about to be married to his love, Shea. But when a bridesmaid is murdered in AJ’s apartment and he can’t be found, Lily’s world collapses and a long-held family secret is at risk of exposure.
Dru Gallagher’s life took a different course. After her ex-husband, suffering from post-traumatic stress, threatened her and her daughter, Shea, with a shotgun, Dru was forced to leave her marriage and forge ahead as a working-class single mom. Now, the anger she sees in war veteran AJ’s eyes is heartbreakingly familiar—and makes Dru deeply afraid for her daughter’s safety…especially after Shea’s best friend and maid of honor is found dead.
With a killer on the loose and time running out, Lily and Dru, two very different women, unite in a single goal: to save their precious children from scandal, even from death. But will the mothers’ protection be enough, or will the fateful secret they expose—and the truth it reveals—destroy every hope of love?

Review:

I had high hopes for this book, I love a good domestic suspense and the premise for this captured my attention easily. I'm so torn about how I actually feel about The Truth We Bury, there were parts I liked and parts I didn't at all, so I'll just explain my stance and let you decide what you think.

There was something compulsive about this book, I read it really fast and it mostly held my attention. The authors writing style was solid and she clearly has a talent. This would be a great read for a book club as there are several themes and issues one could dissect and discuss. One that I really appreciated was the subject of PTSD. It explored how it effects not only those suffering from it, but also how it impacts their families and loved ones. The families whose lives intersect had plenty of secrets and what's a domestic suspense without loads of secrets?!

While all of what I mentioned previously was great, there was something lacking overall that made this an enjoyable read for me. This is told using dual narratives, that of two mothers whose children are engaged. I always like this style, I just felt there needed to be more distinction between their sections here. The characters also fell a bit flat for me, they needed to be more fleshed out and I didn't really care about them all that much which is always a sign that something is missing for me. The pacing was also on the slow side and I would've liked things to be more suspenseful than they were. The premise was solid, there just needed to be more meat, you know what I mean?

Overall, this wasn't a bad read, it just wasn't one of my favorites. It was light, an emotional mystery that I felt was lacking depth. I found it to be pretty predictable and was left wanting more in the end.

Overall rating: 2.5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads|Amazon
Release date: July 25, 2017

Publisher: Minotaur Books

Genre: Mystery/Thriller, Police Procedural

Blurb: 

When eighteen-year-old Chloe Emery returns to her West London home she finds her mother missing, the house covered in blood. Everything points to murder, except for one thing: there’s no sign of the body.

London detective Maeve Kerrigan and the homicide team turn their attention to the neighbours. The ultra-religious Norrises are acting suspiciously; their teenage daughter and Chloe Emery definitely have something to hide. Then there’s William Turner, once accused of stabbing a schoolmate and the neighborhood’s favorite criminal. Is he merely a scapegoat, or is there more behind the charismatic façade?

As a body fails to materialize, Maeve must piece together a patchwork of testimonies and accusations. Who is lying, and who is not? And soon Maeve starts to realize that not only will the answer lead to Kate Emery, but more lives may hang in the balance.

With Let the Dead Speak, Jane Casey returns with another taut, richly drawn novel that will grip readers from the opening pages to the stunning conclusion.

Review: 

My friend Renée at It’s Book Talk first brought this series to my attention with her amazing review and I just knew that I had to give it a try. Since I didn’t have time to start at the beginning, I just jumped in here. While it worked out great (I had no problems in doing so) I am going to add the earlier books to my TBR because this one was that good. I’m wondering how I ever missed this series to begin with?! I must’ve been buried under a pile of other books. 

This opens with a gripping first chapter, Chloe returns home to a gruesome scene, there is blood everywhere and her mom is missing. So naturally, I was all in right away and my attention never wavered once throughout this roller coaster ride of a book. I’m not going to discuss plot points any further, the blurb tells you just enough, but it’s safe to say that this was an awesome read. 

Two distinct things made this book stand out for me in a sea of police procedurals. First, the characterization is outstanding. Maeve is a beautifully crafted protagonist and is so multidimensional. Clearly her and Derwent have a complicated past and I’m definitely going to go back at some point and explore that angle. Their chemistry was fantastic and they have that kind of rapport with one another that makes you laugh while also feeling like you’re watching a genuine relationship between two people who are fond of each other. 

The second thing that made this a standout for me was that it’s a tightly plotted, multilayered mystery. At no time while I was devouring this did I have any idea what was truly going on or what would happen next. The twists were all shocking and unexpected and the pacing was dead on. The various subplots added to the story and provided an additional layer to peel back, it was just fantastic. 

This was one of the best police procedurals I have come across in quite some time. It was riveting and such an addictive read, I really can’t recommend it highly enough! If you’re like me and are new to the author, you can definitely jump into the series at this point. But remember, I regret not having read the earlier books, so you may want to do yourself a favor and just start at the beginning. 

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.