Goodreads

Release date: April 23, 2024

Publisher: St. Martin’s

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Synopsis:

For as long as they can remember, Jessica, Norah, and Alicia have been told how lucky they are. As young girls they were rescued from family tragedies and raised by a loving foster mother, Miss Fairchild, on an idyllic farming estate and given an elusive second chance at a happy family life.

But their childhood wasn’t the fairy tale everyone thinks it was. Miss Fairchild had rules. Miss Fairchild could be unpredictable. And Miss Fairchild was never, ever to be crossed. In a moment of desperation, the three broke away from Miss Fairchild and thought they were free. Even though they never saw her again, she was always somewhere in the shadows of their minds. When a body is discovered under the home they grew up in, the foster sisters find themselves thrust into the spotlight as key witnesses. Or are they prime suspects?

Review:

There is always something about the authors books that makes it really hard for me to put them down once I start and this had me hooked quickly. Having read most of her other books I know she goes dark with her subject matter but this went even darker than I was expecting it to. There are some major triggers surrounding child abuse so just fyi there and there are many parts of this that are really disturbing and difficult to read about. This was a slow burn with a crazy ending that was a huge payoff for me even though I really did enjoy the entire thing, but the ending kinda blew me away. I love a story about an old murder coming to light so the mystery surrounding that aspect had me captivated and the way things all came together was really good. Overall another really solid read from a trusted author.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: April 30, 2024

Publisher: Blackstone

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Synopsis:

After their mother passes, three estranged siblings reunite to sort out her estate. 

Beth, the oldest, never left home. She stayed with her mom, caring for her until the very end. 

Nicole, the middle child, has been kept at arm’s length due to her ongoing battle with a serious drug addiction. 

Michael, the youngest, lives out of state and hasn’t been back to their small Wisconsin town since their father ran out on them seven years before. 

While going through their parent’s belongings, the siblings stumble upon a collection of home videos and decide to revisit those happier memories. However, the nostalgia is cut short when one of the VHS tapes reveals a night back in 1999 that none of them have any recollection of. On screen, their father appears covered in blood. What follows is a dead body and a pact between their parents to get rid of it, before the video abruptly ends. Beth, Nicole, and Michael must now decide whether to leave the past in the past or uncover the dark secret their mother took to her grave.

Review:

I almost didn’t try this one because I really didn’t enjoy the authors last book but I decided to give her another chance. I’m really glad I did because I liked this one so much more, it’s actually kind of hard for me to believe it’s the same author because my experience was so different. Anyway, this was a solid domestic suspense that follows three siblings and their dynamic was so interesting. There is tons of bickering and hostility between them that added to an already tense situation. The pacing was quick and the premise was unique, I liked the nostalgia of the family finding a dark secret on an old VHS tape. The mystery itself was decent, I kind of had a feeling about the big twist but that didn’t take me out of the story too much. Definitely a fun popcorn thriller to binge read over a weekend!

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: July 9, 2024

Publisher: Emily Bestler

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Synopsis:

After experiencing a terrible loss, New York City psychiatrist Meredith McCall feels painfully adrift. When she crosses paths with a man with whom she has a tragic connection, she follows him, sparking an unhealthy obsession with Gabriel Wright. How is he doing so well while her life is in shambles?

But when Gabriel walks into her office as a patient, seemingly unaware of who she is, she knows it crosses all ethical and moral bounds to treat him. Yet, Meredith can’t bring herself to turn him away and becomes further entangled. With her life and career continuing to unravel, it appears that things could not get any worse…until they do.

Review:

Well that was a wild and fun ride! You know how every one in a while a book comes along that totally consumes you while you’re reading it? The kind that has you totally addicted and you basically don’t put it down until you’ve finished? That was exactly my reading experience with this one. It had me in a chokehold from the very beginning and it never let up for me until I finished it. The synopsis of this one is pretty vague and brief and that’s purposeful because you don’t really need to know more about this one before you start it. If it sounds at all good to you give it a try. Or if you like fast paced and intriguing reads that make you question everything try it. It’s so good, I had so much fun with it and I think if you enjoy domestic thrillers about obsession you will too.

Overall rating: 4.5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: April 16, 2024

Publisher: Berkley

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Synopsis:

After a tumultuous childhood, Christa Liddle has hidden away, both figuratively and literally. Happily studying sea snails in the middle of the Indian Ocean, Christa finds her tranquil existence thrown into chaos when her once-famous father—long thought dead after a plane crash—turns out to be alive, well, and ready to make amends. The world goes wild, fascinated by this real-life saga, pinning Christa and her family under the spotlight. As if that weren’t enough, her reunion with an old childhood friend reveals an intense physical attraction neither was expecting and both want to act on . . . if they can just keep a lid on it. When her father’s story starts to develop cracks, Christa fears she will lose herself, her potential relationship, and—most importantly—any chance of making it back to her snails before they forget her completely.

Review:

I have really enjoyed several of the authors books, her style is funny and charming and she always writes memorable characters with plenty of quirks and this was no exception. Everything about this one was unique, maybe to the point of some silliness but I didn’t even care because it was so much fun. A believable plot? No, not exactly. But believable characters and authentic reactions and family dynamics? I think so. I would say this is mostly a complicated family drama steeped in humor that doesn’t take itself seriously whatsoever with a side of romance. While all the quirky characters won me over at first meeting I was most charmed by Christa herself. She’s funny, a mess, introverted, nerdy, intelligent, interesting and self deprecating. As the sole narrator of the story she was wildly entertaining and the author did a great job of showing character growth with her by the end. Overall this one was a delight and I think it would make for a perfect vacation read.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: April 9, 2024

Publisher: Graydon House

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Synopsis:

When Anna Hartley’s husband, Henry, calls her with a terrible, guilty confession, she can’t believe what she hears. It has to be a bad joke—the mild, predictable artist she married would never hurt a fly, let alone commit murder. But her confusion turns to horror when police find his body washed up on the banks of the Rio Grande. 

Desperate for answers to the millions of questions his untimely death has raised, Anna checks in to The Sycamores, the run-down motel turned apartment Henry rented as an art studio. As she absorbs every bit of gossip the eclectic mix of residents are willing to share about her husband and each other, she begins to piece together a picture of a very different man than the one she married, and the life he led behind her back. The more she learns, and the less sense things seem to make, she finds herself wondering: Did she ever really know Henry at all? 

But Henry’s secrets aren’t the only ones; as Anna’s search for clues expands, Cass, the mysterious, jaded motel manager, seems more and more determined to keep Anna in the dark. And when threatening letters start appearing at her door, Anna has to decide what’s more important—the truth, or her own safety.

Review:

Ok this one was so damn fun! I know I can count on the author for a totally entertaining popcorn thriller that’s fast paced and addictive but this had something extra that made this wildly appealing to me. The something extra for me was the characters in this slightly wacky thriller. The majority of the book takes place at The Sycamores which was such an atmospheric and slightly depressing setting. The residents of the complex were something else, all kinds of down on their luck people with larger than life personalities, especially the pool moms. Those ladies cracked me up! You hear from Cass and Anna in alternating chapters and this really kept the plot moving for me in a fast paced manner. There were several great reveals throughout and I appreciated the way the author placed them, again it kept things swiftly moving along and I finished this in just a couple of sittings. Overall this was a blast, definitely pick it up if you want to be totally entertained and enjoy a well plotted mystery.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: March 26, 2024

Publisher: Park Row

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Synopsis:

The Best Friend. The Confidant. The Senator. The Boyfriend. The Executive. 

Five contestants have been chosen to compete for ten million dollars on the game show One Lucky Winner. The catch? None of them knows what (or who) to expect, and it will be live streamed all over the world. Completely secluded in an estate in Northern California, with strict instructions not to leave the property and zero contact with the outside world, the competitors start to feel a little too isolated. 

When long-kept secrets begin to rise to the surface, the contestants realize this is no longer just a reality show—someone is out for blood. And the game can’t end until the world knows who the contestants really are…

Review:

I am a huge reality TV fan, I love it all including competition style shows so the description of this was right up my alley. A game with such a huge prize meant the stakes were very high here and I knew that meant the contestants would be cutthroat and man was I right. Some of the challenges were terrifying and the lengths these people would go to in order to win was insane and it was such a fun premise for a truly entertaining thriller. From the start you know each contestant had secrets in their pasts but I really liked how the author worked it all together in the end. The pacing was a steady climb to an action packed ending and I was pretty gripped the whole time. It was a bit over the top and some things were kind of a stretch but I didn’t care because it was just a really fun read.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: March 19, 2024

Publisher: Graydon House

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Synopsis:

Iris Walsh saw her twin sister, Piper, get kidnapped—so why does no one believe her?

Iris narrowly escaped her pretty, popular twin sister’s fate as a teen: kidnapped, trafficked and long gone before the cops agreed to investigate. With no evidence to go on but a few scattered memories, the case quickly goes cold.

Now an adult, Iris wants one thing—proof. And if the police still won’t help, she’ll just have to find it her own way; by interning at the isolated Shoal Island Hospital for the criminally insane, where secrets lurk in the shadows and are kept under lock and key. But Iris soon realizes that something even more sinister is simmering beneath the surface of the Shoal, and that the patients aren’t the only ones being observed…

Review:

I have been a longtime fan of the author, she has written some of my favorite bat shit crazy thrillers so I knew I was going to be in for a wild ride here. I just wasn’t prepared for how bananas and off the rails things would get in the end and I can’t say I was a fan. There was a lot to like here though, you have a strong opening that hooked me and at first the timeline switches made sense for me. You also have a great setting with a remote island housing an institute for the criminally insane, that was actually probably the strongest aspect for me, so creepy and atmospheric. Where things went too far for me was in the very last bit, way too over dramatic and unbelievable in the vein of a bad soap opera. I just couldn’t get past the big twist, it just read as silly. Like I said before though I’m a huge fan of the author so I absolutely will read her again this was just a bit of a miss for me.

Overall rating: 3/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: April 2, 2024

Publisher: Park Row

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Synopsis:

An ICU nurse accidentally uncovers a patient’s frightening past in this chilling thriller.

Meghan Michaels is trying to find balance between being a single mom to a teenage daughter and working as a full time nurse. While on duty at the hospital one day, a patient named Caitlin arrives in a coma with a traumatic brain injury, having jumped from a bridge and plunging over twenty feet to the train tracks below. 

But when a witness comes forward with shocking details about the fall, it calls everything they know into question. Was Caitlin  pushed  and if so, by whom and why? 

Meghan has always tried to stay emotionally detached from her patients, but this time, she mistakenly lets herself get too close until she’s deeply entangled in Caitlin’s and her family’s lives. Only when it’s too late, does she realize that she and her daughter could be the next victims.

Review:

Every time I review one of the authors books I find it hard to review because even discussing the plot a little could give something away and I never want to do that. So I say go into this knowing as little as possible, trust that the author is excellent at what she does and just enjoy the ride because it was a really fun one. I will say that this is a slow burn but it was somehow still a binge worthy and pretty fast read. There’s a couple of different mystery threads running throughout and I was really impressed by the way the author pulled everything together. The city setting with some awful things happening to women made for some very uneasy reading and added an additional creep factor to the story. Add in some good twists with a super solid one that made me do a double take and this was a really well executed thriller that I throughly enjoyed.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: April 1, 2024

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Synopsis:

It was the perfect place to grow up…and the perfect place to die. 

After experiencing a personal tragedy, Carmen McKenna finds Hunter’s Hollow—a bustling campground in rural North Carolina—to be her new home and worst nightmare. 

Despite the promises of a chosen family and a safe place to grow up, living next door to the Hunters’ two sons comes with its own set of challenges. Jack and Dean introduce Carmen to a world she’s never known—one filled with young love, first heartbreak, and sinister secrets. 

When a body is found at Hunter’s Hollow, instantly shattering the tranquil façade that has surrounded the campground, the residents are forced to accept the truth: a killer is among them. As the police search for answers to no avail, Carmen leaves the campground in hopes of clearing her mind and healing her broken heart. 

Now, eleven years later and with the case still unsolved, Carmen returns to face the past and discover the truth about that terrible night. Before she can, a guest is reported missing from the campground and the circumstances are all too similar to the horror Carmen once faced. 

They say you can’t go home again, but when buried secrets call to Carmen from Hunter’s Hollow, she’s determined to learn the truth about what happened back then—and what’s happening now—if it’s the last thing she does. 

Returning to once again blur the edges between psychological thriller and romantic suspense, million-copy bestselling author Kiersten Modglin brings us a sun-soaked, nostalgic, and completely twisted romantic thriller.

Review:

This was a bit of a departure for the author, she’s well known (and really good at) writing super fast paced and twisty thrillers and this had a different vibe. It was slower and quieter, more of a coming of age story with some mystery elements and romance too. There’s dual timelines, both from Carmen’s POV one in the past when she first moves to Hunters Hollow and one in present day as she comes home. The past timeline is where the coming of age vibes comes into play as it follows her from being a new teenager through college aged. When the past collides with the present day things start to get more tense and the authors trademark suspense begins to shine through but at it’s heart this is about grief, loss and tragedy with romance playing a heavy roll, things even got a little steamy 🥵 I’m always in awe when an author does something a little different for them and this definitely impressed me.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the author for my copy.

Goodreads

Release date: March 5, 2024

Publisher: MTV Books

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Synopsis:

The summer before senior year of college has arrived, and Grace has been anticipating an important trip to Los Angeles with her boyfriend, Josh. But when he unexpectedly dumps her, she’s left with nothing but a broken heart and an empty schedule. 

Her best friends Tiff and Camille quickly come to her rescue by taking her on a post-break-up beach vacation in Cancun, hoping it will help her start to move on. Too bad neither of them knows that Josh will be there, too, along with his possibly-new girlfriend. 

Grace is determined to win Josh back at all costs. But when she keeps crossing paths with Daniel, a gorgeous soccer player from Hawaii, she starts to rethink her plan. Daniel is everything Josh isn’t—easygoing, unpretentious, unselfish in bed—and he gets what it’s like to be biracial, too. Grace can’t help but wonder if it’s possible for your entire life to change in just one wild week in this boisterous and witty celebration of friendship, forgiveness, and falling in love.

Review:

This was a huge letdown for me across the board. I expected a fun spring break romance that would get me excited for a new season and it ended up being a total flop for me. From the start I didn’t connect with Grace, she was annoying in her obsessiveness with her ex to the point she just looked pathetic. The secondary characters weren’t much better either, they were all one dimensional and just weren’t bringing anything of value to the story. Last bummer thing for me was the majority of the book was set in Cancun so I expected some great descriptions of the setting and to maybe even feel like I was there myself instead there was no culture, no great descriptions and just following the three friends as they got drunk and acted stupid and immature. Blah.

Overall rating: 2/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.