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Release date: May 3, 2018

Publisher: Trapeze

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Blurb: 

Catching him will make her career – and change her forever.

August, 1999

On the hottest day of the year, Assistant Commissioner Florence Lovelady attends the funeral of Larry Glassbrook, the convicted murderer she arrested thirty years earlier. A master carpenter and funeral director, Larry imprisoned his victims, alive, in the caskets he made himself. Clay effigies found entombed with their bodies suggested a motive beyond the worst human depravity.

June, 1969

13-year- old Patsy Wood has been missing for two days, the third teenager to disappear in as many months. New to the Lancashire police force and struggling to fit in, WPC Lovelady is sent to investigate an unlikely report from school children claiming to have heard a voice calling for help. A voice from deep within a recent grave.

August, 1999

As she tries to lay her ghosts to rest, Florence is drawn back to the Glassbrooks’ old house, in the shadow of Pendle Hill, where she once lodged with the family. She is chilled by the discovery of another effigy – one bearing a remarkable resemblance to herself. Is the killer still at large? Is Florence once again in terrible danger? Or, this time, could the fate in store be worse than even her darkest imaginings?

You may remember me raving about this book a few months ago and I’m resharing my review to celebrate paperback publication day!

Review: 

Last year Sharon Bolton had me raving about a book containing hot air balloons, nuns, human trafficking and peacocks, yes Dead Woman Walking took all of those elements and delivered a thriller the likes of which I’d never seen before. Until now. The Craftsman delves into witchcraft and clay effigies (think voodoo dolls) and has a supernatural undercurrent that normally wouldn’t work so well for me, but this? This was genius.

It’s starts in 1999 and Florence is attending the funeral of a killer she helped to catch back in 1969. It immediately jumps back to that time period and remains there until almost the end. Florence was exceptionally well developed, I loved seeing how she grew and matured between the late sixties and late nineties, she was such an interesting woman and the way she was mistreated as a female police officer at the start of her career was appalling but fascinating.

This was so immersive, the atmosphere was chilling and eerie and full of tension, both because of the missing teenagers and also because of the hostility that Florence experiences all because she’s a woman. The case was complex and kept me on my toes and the ending was outstanding, I never saw it coming! Bolton is at the top of her game, I can’t recommend this book and her work more, she’s a truly gifted author.

The Craftsman in three words: Intricate, Chilling and Dark. 

Overall rating: 5/5

About November Road

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow (October 9, 2018)

Set against the assassination of JFK, a poignant and evocative crime novel that centers on a desperate cat-and-mouse chase across 1960s America—a story of unexpected connections, daring possibilities, and the hope of second chances from the Edgar Award-winning author of The Long and Faraway Gone.

Frank Guidry’s luck has finally run out.

A loyal street lieutenant to New Orleans’ mob boss Carlos Marcello, Guidry has learned that everybody is expendable. But now it’s his turn—he knows too much about the crime of the century: the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

Within hours of JFK’s murder, everyone with ties to Marcello is turning up dead, and Guidry suspects he’s next: he was in Dallas on an errand for the boss less than two weeks before the president was shot. With few good options, Guidry hits the road to Las Vegas, to see an old associate—a dangerous man who hates Marcello enough to help Guidry vanish.

Guidry knows that the first rule of running is “don’t stop,” but when he sees a beautiful housewife on the side of the road with a broken-down car, two little daughters and a dog in the back seat, he sees the perfect disguise to cover his tracks from the hit men on his tail. Posing as an insurance man, Guidry offers to help Charlotte reach her destination, California. If she accompanies him to Vegas, he can help her get a new car.

For her, it’s more than a car— it’s an escape. She’s on the run too, from a stifling existence in small-town Oklahoma and a kindly husband who’s a hopeless drunk.

It’s an American story: two strangers meet to share the open road west, a dream, a hope—and find each other on the way.

Charlotte sees that he’s strong and kind; Guidry discovers that she’s smart and funny. He learns that’s she determined to give herself and her kids a new life; she can’t know that he’s desperate to leave his old one behind.

Another rule—fugitives shouldn’t fall in love, especially with each other. A road isn’t just a road, it’s a trail, and Guidry’s ruthless and relentless hunters are closing in on him. But now Guidry doesn’t want to just survive, he wants to really live, maybe for the first time.

Everyone’s expendable, or they should be, but now Guidry just can’t throw away the woman he’s come to love.

And it might get them both killed.

Review:

I generally don’t read a ton of historical fiction novels that have a mystery at the forefront, but like so many others I’ve always been fascinated by the Kennedy family so this one captured my attention immediately. I’m also enamored with the sixties and having the assassination of JFK as the catalyst for events in the characters lives was so interesting for me.

This switches back and forth from Frank and Charlotte’s point of view as they both escape demons in their lives and is such a classic game of cat and mouse written by a truly gifted writer. This is multifaceted with so many deep layers, it’s rich with history, both true and fictional and it’s also a crime novel, but you can’t downplay the romance either. The characterization is fantastic as well, love them or hate them they are highly memorable and authentic. Recommended for fans of books that leap across genres, there’s something for everyone here.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to TLC Book Tours and the publisher for my review copy.

Purchase Links

HarperCollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

© Brandon Michael Smith

About Lou Berney

Lou Berney is the author of three previous novels, Gutshot Straight, Whiplash River, and multiple prize-winning The Long and Faraway Gone. His short fiction has appeared in publications such as The New Yorker, Ploughshares, and the Pushcart Prize anthology. He lives in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Find out more about Lou at his website, and follow him on Facebook and Twitter.

Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: October 16, 2018

Publisher: Park Row

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Blurb:

A formidable matriarch learns the hard way that no family is perfect in this witty, sparkling debut novel

Dearest loved ones, far and near—evergreen tidings from the Baumgartners!

Violet Baumgartner has opened her annual holiday letter the same way for the past three decades. And this year she’s going to throw her husband, Ed, a truly perfect retirement party, one worthy of memorializing in her upcoming letter. But the event becomes a disaster when, in front of two hundred guests, Violet learns her daughter Cerise has been keeping a shocking secret from her, shattering Violet’s carefully constructed world.

In an epic battle of wills, Violet goes to increasing lengths to wrest back control of her family, infuriating Cerise and snaring their family and friends in a very un-Midwestern, un-Baumgartner gyre of dramatics. And there will be no explaining away the consequences in this year’s Baumgartner holiday letter…

Full of humor, emotion and surprises at every turn, Evergreen Tidings from the Baumgartners brings to life a remarkable cast of quirky, deeply human characters who must learn to adapt to the unconventional, or else risk losing one another. This is the story of a family falling to pieces—and the unexpected way they put it all back together.

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for Evergreen Tidings From The Baumgartners! If you would like to follow along with the tour please check out TLC Book Tours for the full schedule.

Review:

Ahh this is the perfect read to indulge in before the craziness of the holiday season begins, if anything it’ll make you feel better about your own family because The Baumgartners are crazy in a fun way and you will definitely laugh at some of their antics AND there are a few scenes that had me hysterical, which is always a bonus!

Violet is the matriarch of the family and she was insane in the best possible way. She’s a classic Midwesterner but she has her own unique quirks and above all else she adores her family even if she is over the top and extremely overbearing. You also see the perspective of Cerise, her only daughter and then Richard, her best friends husband. Interspersed between chapters are various forms of correspondence that were so fitting to the plot, this was my favorite aspect as it was so telling. The entire cast of characters was just a fun group of normal people caught up in some wacky situations and while I could most sympathize with Cerise, Violet was my absolute favorite simply because she was so wacky.

This was a family drama that was just plain fun, there was a tiny little mystery that I sussed out really fast, but that wasn’t a huge part of the story anyway, it was more about family and how they pieced themselves back together after falling apart. It also had a few tender moments between the hijinks and was written in a really heartfelt manner and had a good overall message about love and loyalty.

Evergreen Tidings From The Baumgartners in three words: Humorous, Quirky and Sincere.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to TLC Book Tours and the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: October 1, 2018

Publisher: HQ Digital

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Blurb:

The past is always watching . . .

Three people, leading very different lives, are about to be brought together – with devastating consequences . . .

John has a perfect life, until the day his daughter goes missing.

Maisie cares for her patients, but hides her own traumatic past.

Miller should be an innocent child, but is obsessed with something he can’t have.

They all have something in common, though none of them know it – and the truth won’t stay hidden for long . . .

A gripping psychological thriller for fans of Clare Mackintosh, Shari Lapena and Lisa Jewell. 

I’m so pleased to be one of the stops on the blog tour for Lies Between Us today!

Review:

What a dark and deceptive debut this was, I’m so impressed this is Turner’s first novel and I have to admit that she tricked me several times over! I like to think I’m a rather astute reader and can usually begin to guess (at least partially) correctly at the big twists but I can honestly say that I did not see this one coming ahead of time, so well done.

This is the sort of book where you have to pay close attention to while reading, it requires close focus. It’s told from three perspectives, Miller, John and Maisie and also via alternating timelines. I honestly had no idea how their stories would merge especially as they were all in different years, but I was very invested in each of their lives for different reasons. John was extremely likable and my heart broke for him as his daughter was missing and he was taunted by her kidnapper. Maisie was also relatable, but I struggled to see how her life would intersect with the others. Finally Miller was not the kind of character one can relate to (hopefully!) but I was still fascinated by him. While all three were very different they had one thing in common and that was that they were all incredibly well developed.

I don’t want to discuss the plot any further as I would be verging on spoiler territory, but I just want to end by saying again that this is such a strong debut. The writing was assured and fluid and had I not already known it was a debut I would’ve never guessed. I think fans of this genre will be pleased with this one, but remember to pay attention and don’t be surprised if you have to reread things towards the end because I absolutely had to!

Lies Between Us in three words: Deft, Complex and Tricky.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: June 26, 2018

Publisher: Unsolicited

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Blurb:

When Lavinia Starkhurst’s husband is killed in a freak accident, she takes to the open road and meets a number of strangers, all with struggles of their own. Through these unexpected and occasionally hilarious encounters, Lavinia reflects on her past deeds, both good and bad, explores her two marriages, her roles as caregiver and wife, hoping all the while for self-acceptance and something to give her new life meaning.

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for The Amendment. If you would like to follow along with the tour check out TLC Book Tours for the full schedule.

Review:

Based on the short blurb I assumed that this would be sad and while it definitely had some reflective moments, it was ultimately a story of hope and resilience. I love being surprised by the contents of a book and this one definitely did that and more.

I love a quirky and unique heroine and Lavinia delivered a highly usual point of view, she’s not some delicate widow she’s a strong woman who is grieving in her own way and on her own terms, which I love! Even when her family and friends think she’s crazy for embarking on a road trip all alone with no solid plan she doesn’t care and just lives her best life. Her brand of humor was dry and a bit dark which I also love so being privy to her inner monologue was so entertaining to me. The entire style of this was drool and sardonic and written in a really matter of fact, straightforward and simple way. Easily a book you can fly through in one sitting and that was enjoyable from the first page to the last.

The Amendment in three words: Unusual, Amusing and Effortless.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to TLC Book Tours for my review copy.

About the Author:

Parrish is the author of five previously published books of fiction: Women Within, a novel (Black Rose Writing, 2017); By The Wayside, stories (Unsolicited Press, 2017); What Is Found, What Is Lost, a novel (She Writes Press, 2014); Our Love Could Light The World, stories (She Writes Press, 2013); and All The Roads That Lead From Home, stories, (Press 53, 2011). She is the author of over forty-five published short stories, and numerous essays on the art and craft of writing. Learn more by visiting her website at http://www.anneleighparrish.com.

Connect with Anne

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

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Release date: October 1, 2018

Publisher: Hanover Square

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Blurb:

Rebecca’s on-again, off-again boyfriend, Ezra, has gone missing, but when she notifies the police, they seem surprisingly unconcerned. They suspect he has been playing the “stranger game,” a viral hit in which players start following others in real life, as they might otherwise do on social media. As the game spreads, however, the rules begin to change, play grows more intense and disappearances are reported across the country.

Curious about this popular new obsession, and hoping that she might be able to track down Ezra, Rebecca tries the game for herself. She also meets Carey, who is willing to take the game further than she imagined possible. As her relationship with Carey and involvement in the game deepen, she begins to uncover an unsettling subculture that has infiltrated the world around her. In playing the stranger game, what may lead her closer to finding Ezra may take her further and further from the life she once lived.

A thought-provoking, haunting novel, The Stranger Game unearths the connections, both imagined and real, that we build with the people around us in the physical and digital world, and where the boundaries blur between them.

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for The Stranger Game, if you would like to follow along with the tour check out TLC Book Tours for the full schedule.

Review:

I really liked the idea behind this one, getting followers on social media is an obsession for many people and seeing the follower phenomenon take place in real life fascinated me. There is something so creepy about playing a game where you follow random people while they go about their day, but we all do this on social media with no hesitation, yet there is such a big difference.

The style of this was a bit different, the writing is sparse but the prose is still hauntingly beautiful in an odd way. This has a strong literary vibe and was light on the thrills but it’s still very mysterious in its own unique way. At times it read like a social commentary about this social media obsessed society we’ve created but it was subtle, yet thought provoking. A bit different than what I expected but nonetheless an entertaining read that I would recommend for anyone looking for something unique.

The Stranger Game in three words: Unusual, Smart and Deep.

Overall rating: 3/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

About the Author:

Peter Gadol’s seven novels include THE STRANGER GAME, SILVER LAKE, LIGHT AT DUSK, and THE LONG RAIN. His work his been translated for foreign editions and appeared in literary journals, including StoryQuarterly, the Los Angeles Review of Books Quarterly Journal, and Tin House. Gadol lives in Los Angeles, where he is Chair and Professor of the MFA Writing program at Otis College of Art and Design. Visit petergadol.com for more info on his work.

Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: October 11, 2018

Publisher: Bookouture

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Blurb:

Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: October 1, 2018

Publisher: Park Row

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Blurb:

What if the nightmares are actually memories?

It’s been a year since Poppy’s husband, Jack, was brutally murdered during his morning run through Manhattan’s Riverside Park. In the immediate aftermath, Poppy spiraled into an oblivion of grief, disappearing for several days only to turn up ragged and confused wearing a tight red dress she didn’t recognize. What happened to Poppy during those lost days? And more importantly, what happened to Jack?

The case was never solved, and Poppy has finally begun to move on. But those lost days have never stopped haunting her. Poppy starts having nightmares and blackouts—there are periods of time she can’t remember, and she’s unable to tell the difference between what is real and what she’s imagining. When she begins to sense that someone is following her, Poppy is plunged into a game of cat and mouse, determined to unravel the mystery around her husband’s death. But can she handle the truth about what really happened?

I’m so thrilled to be one of the stops on the blog tour for Under My Skin today! If you would like to follow along with the tour check out TLC Book Tours for the full schedule.

Review:

Talk about a book that will make your head spin!! I will admit for the first bit I was slightly confused but I think that’s mostly due to the fact the Unger is such a fantastic writer that she just drew me into the tangled web that is Poppy’s life so wholly. Once I caught on I was utterly hooked, and found myself totally caught up and invested in this one.

I haven’t so strongly felt a characters paranoia and unease since The Woman in the Window, I had similar feelings while reading this especially as I could not for the life of me figure out if Poppy was insane or not. She teeters back and forth between seeming mostly sane and then she goes off the rails, she has crazy dreams and has problems separating her dreams from what’s actually happening and I couldn’t begin to figure out what was actually going on and what was part of her delusion. Add in a penchant for popping pills and she was one hot mess but she was sympathetic. She’s deep in the throes of grief and I couldn’t help but feel sorry for her even if her decision making skills were severely lacking.

This was just really well executed overall, the writing is top notch and the plot itself was gripping as well. Poppy was extremely well developed and highly complex, love her or hate her she was endlessly fascinating and I couldn’t wait to see how things would play out for her. Fans of Unger will be pleased and new readers will be happy to discover a talented new author.

Under My Skin in three words: Wild, Unnerving and Unreliable.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to TLC Book Tours and the publisher for my review copy.

About the Author:

Lisa Unger is the New York Times and internationally bestselling, award-winning author of sixteen novels, including the new psychological thriller UNDER MY SKIN (coming Oct 2!)

Her books are published in twenty-six languages worldwide, have sold millions of copies and have been named “Best of the Year” or top picks by the Today show, Good Morning America, Entertainment Weekly, Amazon, Indie Booksellers, Goodreads, and Sun-Sentinel to name a few.

Her essays have appeared in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, NPR and Travel+Leisure Magazine. Lisa Unger lives in the Tampa Bay area of Florida with her husband, daughter and labradoodle.

Connect with Lisa

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram