Goodreads

Release date: January 14, 2025

Publisher: Lake Union

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Synopsis:

When her estranged daughter asks to hear the one story she doesn’t want to tell, a woman spins lie after lie to protect her perfect life in this gripping novel.

Amy Linden has a loving husband, an adorable son, and a glamorous career as the hotelier of a grand mountain lodge. Then Ramona Crawford, the daughter she gave up for adoption twenty years earlier, pays her a surprise visit. Ramona wants to know the identity of her biological father—and Amy completely understands. There’s just one the truth would destroy Amy’s carefully curated life.

Amy shares a sad tale about a teenage romance with a boy named Freddy and the painful decision to give Ramona a better future than they could provide. At first, the pieces fit together and give Ramona both closure and a chance to get to know her odd but charming mother. But then Ramona gets a different story from Freddy, and Amy’s memories seem to change…and change again.

Will Amy ever reveal the full story of that fateful summer at the lodge? And if so, can Ramona live with the truth?

Review:

This is told in alternating viewpoints, you hear from both Amy and Ramona as Ramona tries desperately to reconnect with her birth mother and get answers about her past. There was definitely an emotional component here, I truly felt awful for Ramona and the author did a good job at showing how not knowing about her history really affected her life. I especially felt bad for when she was trying to deal with Amy, she was such a frustrating character! You figure out very early on that Amy has issues being truthful and sometimes she wouldn’t give Ramona a straight answer and others she would answer with a half truth or a total lie. As annoying as this would be in real life it sure made for a fun reading experience because I was never sure what would come out of her mouth next and it led to a bunch of twists and turns. The setting added a layer of mystery and intrigue to the story and it paired well with the domestic drama. It’s also a fairly short read that you can get through quickly, I raced to the end to get to the truth and I was satisfied in the end.

Overall rating: 4/5

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

Goodreads

Release date: February 4, 2025

Publisher: St. Martins

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Synopsis:

Kim and Grant are at a turning point. A couple for thirty years, their “separate but together” partnership is running up against the realities of late middle age: Grant’s mother has died, the college where he taught philosophy was shuttered, and their twin girls are grown and gone. Escaping the bitter cold of a Midwestern winter for the hot desert sun of Palm Springs seems as good a solution as any to the more intractable problems they face.

When they arrive at Le Desert, a quirky condo community where everyone knows everyone’s business, Kim immediately embraces the opportunity to make new friends and explore a more adventurous side of her personality. Meanwhile, Grant struggles to find his footing in this unfamiliar landscape, leaving Kim to wonder if their relationship can survive the snowbird season. But when Grant goes missing on a hike in the Palm Springs mountains, Kim is forced to consider two terrifying outcomes: either Grant is truly lost, or this time he’s really left her.

Is it ever too late to become the person we wanted to be—and is there still time to change into someone better? The exhilarating, but often confusing transitions of midlife are pitched against the promise and glamour of Palm Springs in this tender, honest story of what it takes to commit to someone for a lifetime. With compassion and humor, Clancy explores the redemptive power of finding ourselves, and of being found.

Review:

As much as this seems like it could be a classic missing persons story it’s actually much more about Kim and Grant’s relationship and how it’s evolved over the years. They are unconventional in the way they have never married but have been together for thirty years and they also spend lots of time apart. When they get an opportunity to spend the winter in Palm Springs many of their issues and traumas are forced into the light and they must examine their lives closely. I thought the author did a really great job at exploring middle aged issues and struggles and even though I’m a bit younger than Kim and Grant, I could relate to many of their woes. As much as this is a deep dive into their relationship, both past and present there is also a really delightful cast of supporting characters who brought levity to the story. I really enjoyed my time with this one and recommend it to anyone who likes family dramas and a light mystery.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: February 25, 2025

Publisher: Lake Union

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Synopsis:

Driven by past traumas and present hardships, two women face off over home turf in this twisty psychological thriller from Rebecca Hanover, author of The Last Applicant.

Emily Hawthorne lives in the well-heeled Noe Valley of San Francisco…but just barely. With less work than she would like at the yoga studio, a pile of debt, and a fraught past, she can no longer afford her tiny condo. When she meets the charming Penelope “Pip” Stone and her young daughter, also beset by financial woes, she agrees to take them in as roommates.

But Emily’s stroke of luck turns out to be another twist of the Pip is a professional squatter who has no intention of paying rent. And Pip doesn’t want to share the condo.

She wants the whole thing.

Their domestic standoff only intensifies when a downstairs neighbor is murdered. Both women become suspects, not to mention each other’s mistrustful alibis.

Emily feels the walls closing in. Is she trapped with a vulnerable grifter—who, like her, may have good reasons for making bad decisions—or is Pip just a cold-blooded killer?

Review:

I love when a book takes a seemingly mundane situation and adds a twist to it and that’s exactly what the author did here. Getting a new roommate shouldn’t be dangerous but it is when Emily allows Pip into her home. Forget the danger, the thought of someone being at my house and never leaving sounds like my worst nightmare as an introvert and I felt so awful for Emily. Yes, she was a little frustrating at times, her decision making skills were lacking and I don’t think I agreed with her choices one time, but no one deserves what Pip put her through. I don’t want to go further into the plot because this developed in ways I didn’t see coming and I love a good surprise. If you like unsettling books with unlikable characters and fast pacing try this!

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: February 25, 2025

Publisher: Willam Morrow

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Synopsis:

It is June 21, the longest day of the year, and the life of new mother Camilla is about to change forever. After months of maternity leave, she will drop off her infant daughter at daycare for the first time and return to her job as a literary agent. Finally. But when she wakes, her husband Luke isn’t there, and in his place is a cryptic note.

Then it starts. Breaking news: A hostage situation is developing in London. The police tell her Luke is involved—but he isn’t a hostage. Her husband—doting father, eternal optimist—is the gunman.

Review:

I feel like this will be a little tricky to review because I think it’s best you know very little before starting it, but if you like the sound of it based on the description I say try it! I really enjoyed it, I found it to be engrossing right from the start and it went in directions I never predicted. The premise was so great, I could easily play the what if? game as I was reading it. What if your partner went off the deep end and took people hostage? It’s an insane thought and made for such an interesting book and a really entertaining read. It did slow down a bit towards the latter half, but overall this was pacey, well written and original which is all I need in a thriller!

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: January 28, 2025

Publisher: Minotaur

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Synopsis:

Head Cases follows an enigmatic group of FBI agents as they hunt down a murderer seeking his own justice in this electrifying—and commercial—series debut.

FBI Agent Gardner Camden is an analytical genius with an affinity for puzzles. He also has a blind spot on the human side of investigations, a blindness that sometimes even includes people in his own life, like his beloved seven-year-old daughter Camila. Gardner and his squad of brilliant yet quirky agents make up the Patterns and Recognition (PAR) unit, the FBI’s hidden edge, brought in for cases that no one else can solve.

When DNA links a murder victim to a serial killer long presumed dead, the team springs into action. A second victim establishes a pattern, and the murderer begins leaving a trail of clues and riddles especially for Gardner. And while the PAR team is usually relegated to working cold cases from behind a desk, the investigation puts them on the road and into the public eye, following in the footsteps of a killer.

Along with Gardner, PAR consists of a mathematician, a weapons expert, a computer analyst, and their leader, a career agent. Each of them must use every skill they have to solve the riddle of the killer’s identity. But with the perpetrator somehow learning more and more about the team at PAR, can they protect themselves and their families…before it’s too late?

With an enigmatic case that will keep readers on the edge of their seats and a thoroughly engaging ensemble cast, John McMahon’s Head Cases is a triumph.

Review:

This was such a strong start to a new series, if you’re a fan of Criminal Minds or other shows like that this was excellent! This follows an FBI team of misfits called PAR as they race to solve a complex and tricky case. I really liked that the team wasn’t a bunch of super agents with stellar records, instead they’re made of up individuals who toe the line and have some behavioral issues and quirky tendencies. The concept of a serial killer hunting other serial killers was fantastic and lent to a fast paced and exciting ride. The characters were well developed, the case was complex and twisty and the entire thing was gripping, definitely recommended!

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: February 25, 2025

Publisher: Random House

Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Mystery

Synopsis:

In this spellbinding novel, a young mother is struck by a mysterious psychological affliction that illuminates the eerie dimensions of the human mind—and of love. A provocative literary puzzle from the New York Times bestselling author of The Age of Miracles.

In the first year after her child is born, Jane suffers a series of strange episodes: amnesia, premonitions, hallucinations, and an inexplicable sense of dread. As her psychiatrist struggles to solve the mystery of what is happening to Jane’s mind, she suddenly goes missing. A day later she is found unconscious in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park, in the midst of what seems to be an episode of dissociative fugue; when she comes to, she has no memory of what has happened to her.

Are Jane’s strange experiences related to the overwhelm of single motherhood, or are they the manifestation of a long-buried trauma from her past? Why is she having visions of a young man who died twenty years ago, who warns her of a disaster ahead? Jane’s symptoms lead her psychiatrist ever-deeper into the furthest reaches of her mind, and cause him to question everything he thought he knew about so-called reality—including events in his own life.

Karen Thompson Walker’s profound and beautifully written novel is a speculative mystery about memory, identity, and fate, a mesmerizing story about the bonds of love between a mother and child, a man and a woman, and those who we’ve lost but may still be alive among us.

Review:

This was a totally fascinating read for me, I’ve always been drawn to things dealing with psychology and Jane’s case was super interesting. The format really worked for me, there are sections from Dr. Byrd so you feel like you’re reading his file and case notes on Jane and I’m nosy so that appeals to me. With her case being a true medical mystery I wasn’t sure what would happen and it lent to a quiet and steady style of suspense that got under my skin. The character development was outstanding and I really cared for Jane and her son as well as the doctor. Jane was so complex and endlessly fascinating for me and the ending was satisfying and made me think. Such a unique read!

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: February 25, 2025

Publisher: Park Row

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Synopsis:

A woman’s confession about her husband sparks a dangerous cat-and-mouse game in this riveting domestic thriller

Gabby and Fred have just begun to adapt to their new life as empty nesters when Gabby makes a stunning realization: she can’t stand her husband.

One night at a bar, Gabby meets an enigmatic younger woman named Ellis, and in a haze of drunkenness, she confesses that she wishes Fred dead. Surely she didn’t expect anything to come of it, but when she tries to track Ellis down again, she realizes that Ellis might not have been who she said she was.

As Gabby begins to unravel the truth about Ellis, and what Fred might be hiding, she is thrown into a whirlwind of lies and manipulation. How much is she willing to risk to expose the truth? And who is the real target?

Review:

I’m normally not a huge fan of a slower burn with the intensity picking up in the end but it worked for me here. I liked the idea of Gabby confessing a dark secret to a total stranger, the whole concept of it being easier to be candid with someone you don’t know is interesting and I can see how it could be true. The suspense here was quieter, a sense of uneasiness, especially not knowing what Ellis goals and motivations were so maybe that’s why a slow burn made sense for me. There was something almost intoxicating about this book, enough so that even though the big twist wasn’t a surprise to me, I wasn’t bothered that much. If you enjoy books about secrets with a cat and mouse vibe try this!

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: February 25, 2025

Publisher: Minotaur

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Synopsis:

Newly minted child psychologist Mina has little experience. In a field where the first people called are experts, she’s been unable to get her feet wet. Instead she aimlessly spends her days stuck in the stifling heat wave sweeping across Britain, and anxiously contemplating her upcoming marriage to careful, precise researcher Oscar. The only reprieve from her small, close world is attending the local bereavement group to mourn her brother’s death from years ago. That is, until she meets journalist Sam Hunter at the grief group one day. And he has a proposition for her.

Alice Webber is a thirteen-year-old girl who claims a witch is haunting her. Living with her family in their crowded home in the remote village of Banathel, Alice’s symptoms are increasingly disturbing, and money is tight. Taking this job will give Mina some experience; Sam will get the scoop of a lifetime; and Alice will get better, Mina is sure of it.

But instead of improving, Alice’s behavior becomes increasingly inexplicable and intense. The town of Banathel has a deep history of superstition and witchcraft. They believe there is evil in the world. They believe there are ways of…dealing with it. And they don’t expect outsiders to understand.

Review:

This was an odd one for me, there were parts I really liked and others that just didn’t work for me at all. Initially I was intrigued, it was a unique premise with fantastic creepy and unsettling vibes and I wasn’t sure what would happen next. I couldn’t figure out if it was supposed to be horror or not, and I’m still not quite sure honestly. Where it lost me is there were so so many unanswered questions in the end leaving giant plot holes that were never explained. There were just too many things that either didn’t make sense or were entirely implausible for me to overlook so unfortunately this was a total miss for me.

Overall rating: 3/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: February 11, 2025

Publisher: Graydon House

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Synopsis:

Nothing ever happens in small towns…

When Shelby Dawson survives a harrowing attack that should have left her dead, she tries to move past it—for herself, and for her family. Fifteen months later, with the help of her best friend, Mackenzie, she finally feels safe again in the snowy Minnesota town she calls home. But when an anonymous note appears on her windshield bearing the same threats her attacker made, Shelby realizes that her nightmare has only just begun.

As new evidence surfaces, and a group of well-meaning senior citizens accidentally makes the case go viral online, the situation quickly goes from bad to worse. And with suspicious accidents targeting those closest to her happening all over town, Shelby can’t shake the feeling that she’s being watched. Fighting to stay one step ahead of disaster, she finds herself asking the question on everyone’s lips: Who attacked her that night?

But Shelby isn’t the only one with questions. Mackenzie’s husband, Leo, vanished without a trace on that terrible night, and over a year later, no one knows why. Until a deep dive into his finances reveals a history of debts, mismanaged funds, and hidden accounts—one of which is still active. Their suspicion that Leo is still alive only complicates things further, though, and when another person connected to Shelby goes missing, she’s caught in a race against time before her attacker becomes a killer.

Review:

I always enjoy the authors books and while this wasn’t my favorite from her, it was still a pretty solid read for me. I think it was a bit of a departure from the authors previous books so maybe that’s why I didn’t connect to it as much, but I appreciate that she did something a little different than usual. There’s a lot of characters to keep track of here, you have the main ones, Shelby and Mack and then the random residents in the small town, and my favorites, the seniors who all live together in a care home. I loved them all, especially Florence and her meddling ways and their podcast was hilarious! As much as I enjoyed that plot line I think it made things feel a little silly at times, especially next to such brutal crimes being committed. The central mystery was compelling though and I was definitely invested in Mack and Shelby’s lives and situations and I didn’t quite predict how things would play out. If you like thrillers with a side of humor try this, it was a pretty fun ride.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: January 28, 2025

Publisher: Dutton

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Synopsis:

An equal parts murder mystery and suspense novel delving into the mind of a serial manipulator who brings together a brother and sister looking to avenge the death of their mother and take back their sizeable inheritance

Hazel and Kagan Bailey aren’t on the best of terms when they’re informed of their mother’s untimely death under mysterious circumstances. When they reach out to their stepfather, a man they both aren’t fans of, they’re struck by his overwrought performance of grief. It’s obvious he’s putting on an act. To make matters worse he refuses to let the siblings get in touch with their mother’s lawyer to see about the family money Hazel and Kagan desperately need. Hazel is drowning in debt after being financially cut off, and Kagan never quite got his life together—his expensive habit isn’t much help.

The police seem to be more interested in interrogating the siblings instead of taking a closer look at their stepfather, whose airtight alibi has completely shielded him from further suspicion. Frustrated and increasingly headed toward financial ruin, the siblings take things into their own hands by tracking down their stepfather’s daughter, who he claimed died tragically years ago.

Ava, their stepsister, is unlike anyone they’ve ever met: an effortlessly gorgeous cyber genius with the psychological scars of being raised by an unrepentant conman. Both siblings are smitten and a tug-of-war over Ava’s affection ensues as the trio track down the man the siblings know as Perry. 
Trust Issues is a wonderfully complex suspense novel that will keep readers on their toes as the story unfolds in delightfully surprising ways.

Review:

This was another solid read from an author duo that I’ve enjoyed in the past. I liked the premise and how you never really knew who was trustworthy and since pretty much all of the characters are unlikable it’s easy to side eye them all. While there were some small surprises along the way the ending was really great for me and pretty unexpected. If you like con stories, domestic suspense, unlikable characters and vengeance thrillers try this!

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.