Goodreads

Release date: August 22, 2023

Publisher: William Morrow

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Synopsis:

After that night, nothing was ever the same again

Fifteen years ago, Sara Linton’s life changed forever when a celebratory night out ended in a violent attack that tore her world apart. Since then, Sara has remade her life. A successful doctor, engaged to a man she loves, she has finally managed to leave the past behind her.

Until one evening, on call in the ER, everything changes. Sara battles to save a broken young woman who’s been brutally attacked. But as the investigation progresses, led by GBI Special Agent Will Trent, it becomes clear that Dani Cooper’s assault is uncannily linked to Sara’s. 

And it seems the past isn’t going to stay buried forever.

Review:

Getting a new Karin Slaughter book every year is always super exciting for me but getting a new Will Trent book makes it all the better. This series is hands down one of the best crime fiction series around and every time a new book is released they get better. A question I always get when a new book in this series is released is can it be read on its own? Yes, technically you can because the author does an excellent job of providing any pertinent background information but the series as a whole is so incredibly good I always say read the whole thing if you have time.

If you’ve read the author before you know she is unflinchingly dark in the stories she writes and this was particularly harrowing as it deals with brutal instances of sexual assault. It’s definitely difficult to read about at times but at the same time I couldn’t stop reading because the writing is so damn good. As disturbing as certain scenes are to read I always feel like her books are such important reads as she gives a voice to voiceless women and she does so with a particular brand of care and consideration. Her writing is so bold that it’s not the type of book you finish and forget about. I finished yesterday and still cannot get the characters out of my head. Speaking of the characters it was so amazing to be back in this world and see what Will, Sara, Faith and Amanda were up to. I have such a strong attachment to this group of people and it’s always a treat to check in with them. If you like your thrillers dark this one is a must read, so well written, so disturbing and so gripping. Highly recommended.

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: July 11, 2023

Publisher: Berkley

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Synopsis:

She’s back in her affluent hometown for the first time in years and determined to unravel the secrets of her mother’s death hidden in the unpublished memoir she left behind…even if it kills her…

After her troublemaker mother’s mysterious death, Kira fled her wealthy Texas town and never looked back. Now, decades later, Kira is invited to an old frenemy’s vow renewal party. Though she is reluctant to go, there are things calling her back . . . like chilled wine and days spent by the pool . . . like her sexy childhood crush, Jack. But, more importantly, it’s the urgent texts from her grandmother who says she has something to give Kira. Something about her mother’s death, something that looks an awful lot like murder.

When her grandmother gives Kira a memoir that her mother had been working on before she died, she is pulled into the past and all of the sizzling secrets that come along with it. With few allies left in her gossipy, country club town, Kira turns to Jack for help. As she gets closer to what–and who–might have brought about her mother’s end, it becomes clear that someone wants the past to stay buried.

And Kira might be next.

Review:

I love the authors brand of writing catty Texas women with a side of scandal and drama and the fact that Kira was trying to get to the bottom of her mothers death years ago is like cat nip for me, I’m a sucker for a cold case being resurrected. Not gonna lie, Kira was kind of annoying but that didn’t stop me from enjoying the story. When she gets the memoir that her mother was writing and doesn’t immediately read the entire thing in one sitting I was like umm no mam that would never happen. BUT I get it was written that way to build suspense and tension so I just went with it even though no one would ever really do that. It truly made me binge read this because I wanted to know what the memoir revealed so well played May, well played. 😉 Overall this was a fun and juicy summer read with a few surprises along the way.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: August 1, 2023

Publisher: Blackstone

Genre: Thriller/Mystery

Synopsis:

From award-winning, internationally bestselling crime writer Catherine Ryan Howard comes The Trap: an unsettling mystery inspired by a series of still-unsolved disappearances in Ireland in the 90s, wherein one young woman risks everything to catch a faceless killer.

One year ago, Lucy’s sister, Nicki, left to meet friends at a pub in Dublin and never came home. The third Irish woman to vanish inexplicably in as many years, the agony of not knowing what happened that night has turned Lucy’s life into a waking nightmare. So, she’s going to take matters into her own hands.

Angela works as a civilian paper-pusher in the Missing Persons Unit, but wants nothing more than to be a fully-fledged member of An Garda Síochána, the Irish police force. With the official investigation into the missing women stalled, she begins pulling on a thread that could break the case wide open—and destroy her chances of ever joining the force.

A nameless man drives through the night, his latest victim in the back seat. He’s going to tell her everything, from the beginning. And soon, she’ll realize: what you don’t know can hurt you …

Review:

I’m a huge fan of the author and always look forward to reading her new releases, she has a great style and her books are always pacey and exciting for me to read. This one is set in the same world as The Nothing Man (which I think is her best book) and there are some super fun Easter Eggs for that and her other titles here that were clever. This is told via multiple POVs including that of the man who is abducting the women and of course his chapters were my favorites. You also hear from Lucy, whose sister is missing as well as Angela, who works for the Missing Persons unit and all of these perspectives made things move along swiftly. There were some really great and super surprising twists that I didn’t see coming and I was holding my breath at the end. As strong as this one was for me I was hoping for a more solid ending but overall this was great.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: July 4, 2023

Publisher: Harper

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Synopsis:

Defending an accused rapist, a high-powered lawyer learns firsthand the terrible truth about her client . . . a discovery that propels her on a quest for justice and revenge in this addictively readable thriller from the author of The Cage.

Kelly McCann is a fighter. She’s fought to build a successful legal career, fought for the special needs of her family, and tirelessly fought for her clients. Her specialty is defending men accused of sex crimes–falsely accused, she always maintains. Her detractors call her a traitor to her gender, but she doesn’t care. Badass and brilliant, Kelly simply loves to win, and as the story opens, she’s done it again, securing an acquittal for a renowned scientist accused of sexually assaulting his female employees.

But the thrill of her victory is short-lived. That very night she, too, falls victim of a brutal sexual assault. And almost as horrific as the attack is the fact that she can’t tell anyone it happened–not without destroying her career in the process.

Kelly has never backed down from a fight and she’s not about to start pulling her punches now. Joining forces with her rapist’s other victims, the shrewd lawyer plans to turn the tables on him. It’s not only about justice–these wronged women are out for revenge.

But someone, it seems, is out for them, and one by one, they find themselves facing even greater danger.

Review:

This was a powerful read in many ways and I can definitely see where the author was going but in the end I wanted more. It’s a pretty slow burn and given that it took a long time to get to the point it ended up being pretty predictable for me. Since it deals with sexual assault victims it’s very heavy and I think a faster pace may have helped more for me because since it was on the slower side it felt like I was living in a dark place alongside the characters almost too long. I had similar feelings with the authors last book so maybe it’s just that her style doesn’t quite work for me as well as I hope it will. Overall not a bad read though, very important and interesting topics covered just needed some more action. Definitely more of a lower suspense feel than a true mystery or thriller for me.

Overall rating: 3.5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: August 8, 2023

Publisher: Atria

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Synopsis:

Celebrating her forty-fifth birthday at her local pub, popular podcaster Alix Summers crosses paths with an unassuming woman called Josie Fair. Josie, it turns out, is also celebrating her forty-fifth birthday. They are, in fact, birthday twins.

A few days later, Alix and Josie bump into each other again, this time outside Alix’s children’s school. Josie has been listening to Alix’s podcasts and thinks she might be an interesting subject for her series. She is, she tells Alix, on the cusp of great changes in her life.

Josie’s life appears to be strange and complicated, and although Alix finds her unsettling, she can’t quite resist the temptation to keep making the podcast. Slowly she starts to realise that Josie has been hiding some very dark secrets, and before she knows it, Josie has inveigled her way into Alix’s life—and into her home.

But, as quickly as she arrived, Josie disappears. Only then does Alix discover that Josie has left a terrible and terrifying legacy in her wake, and that Alix has become the subject of her own true crime podcast, with her life and her family’s lives under mortal threat.

Who is Josie Fair? And what has she done?

Review:

Every time I read a Lisa Jewel book I feel like I’ve been hypnotized and spellbound by an author who is a master at her craft. I always think I don’t like slow burn suspense until I read one her books and then think, ok wait I actually do like it if it’s done as well as she does it. Not an easy feat but she’s so damn brilliant at writing books about everyday type of characters the end up in odd situations. There was a quiet sense of being unsettled the entire time I was reading this, waiting for the other shoe to drop and when it did drop things got really, really good. You hear from both Josie and Alix and there are also occasional excerpts from a Netflix documentary that left me totally dying to know where this twisted tale was headed. If you like dark thriller with well executed twists, fascinating characters and plenty of suspense and dread this was so good.

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: July 4, 2023

Publisher: Berkley Romance

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Synopsis:

Chandler Cohen has never felt more like the ghost in “ghostwriter” until she attends a signing for a book she wrote—and the author doesn’t even recognize her. The evening turns more promising when she meets a charming man at the bar and immediately connects with him. But when all their sexual tension culminates in a spectacularly awkward hookup, she decides this is one night better off forgotten.

Unfortunately, that’s easier said than done. Her next project is ghostwriting a memoir for Finn Walsh, a C-list actor best known for playing a lovable nerd on a cult classic werewolf show who now makes a living appearing at fan conventions across the country. But Chandler knows him better from their one-night stand of hilarious mishaps.

Chandler’s determined to keep their partnership as professional as possible, but when she admits to Finn their night together wasn’t as mind-blowing as he thought it was, he’s distraught. He intrigues her enough that they strike a deal: when they’re not working on his book, Chandler will school Finn in the art of satisfaction. As they grow closer both in and out of the bedroom, they must figure out which is more important, business or pleasure—or if there’s a way for them to have both.

Review:

I’m three for three with the authors books now, she seriously writes some of the most consistent enjoyable romances and I look forward to her new release every year. She blends so many aspects together to deliver the cutest and most heartfelt romances and this one was just as good for me as her last two books. Similar to her last book the representation here was amazing and somehow felt fresh and different even though the subjects covered were similar. You get Jewish rep and mental health rep and neither feel unnatural or forced into the story just to check some boxes but rather really compliment the characters and make them all the more relatable and authentic. I mean their one night stand is hands down the most cringe worthy sex scene I’ve ever read and somehow I was still rooting for them haha. Top notch wit and banter, eventual great chemistry, a mature and realistic relationship and a side of angst made this a pretty perfect read for me.

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: July 11, 2023

Publisher: St. Martins

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Synopsis:

Love isn’t blind, it’s just little blurry.

Sadie Montgomery never saw what was coming . . . Literally! One minute she’s celebrating the biggest achievement of her life—placing as a finalist in the North American Portrait Society competition—the next, she’s lying in a hospital bed diagnosed with a “probably temporary” condition known as face blindness. She can see, but every face she looks at is now a jumbled puzzle of disconnected features. Imagine trying to read a book upside down and in another language. This is Sadie’s new reality with every face she sees.

But, as she struggles to cope, hang on to her artistic dream, work through major family issues, and take care of her beloved dog, Peanut, she falls into—love? Lust? A temporary obsession to distract from the real problems in her life?—with not one man but two very different ones. The timing couldn’t be worse.

If only her life were a little more in focus, Sadie might be able to find her way. But perceiving anything clearly right now seems impossible. Even though there are things we can only find when we aren’t looking. And there are people who show up when we least expect them. And there are always, always other ways of seeing.

Review:

The day after I got home from vacation I was a little depressed so I knew it was time for me to read this one. The authors books are always like the warmest and softest hugs for me and this was no exception. While I love every aspect of her books where I think she really shines is in her great characters and Sadie was the most relatable and overall likable character I’ve read about in awhile. She made me laugh, I cried a little for her and I really admired her resiliency. I normally don’t like a love triangle but the author made me enjoy it here and that’s really saying something. Charmed was my overall takeaway here, I was charmed by Sadie from the moment she had a grocery store dance party by herself. I was also charmed by Joe after thinking there was no way he would ever win me over after his first scene and I was charmed by the amount of heart and passion this book emanated. Pure sunshine and delight here, loved it!

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Release date: June 27, 2023

Publisher: Berkley

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Synopsis:

An ex-cop sets out to find her missing sister and discovers the shocking truth about her family…

A traumatic experience in the line of duty forces thirty-year-old Avery Rogers to abandon both her relationship and her position as a Kentucky State Police officer. She retreats to a college town where she works an unfulfilling job as a security guard, breaking up fights between drunken frat boys. 

But a frantic phone call turns Avery’s life upside down. Her father—a retired cop who never fails to convey his disappointment in Avery—says her half sister is missing and in danger. Avery is sure Anna’s just crashing with friends, but her father strong-arms her into searching for the sister she barely knows.

Anna Rogers is fed up with her family—a half sister who resents her existence and a domineering father who thinks it’s okay for cops to shoot unarmed civilians. She hits the road to attend a protest against police brutality, unaware of the danger that awaits her there. 

Just after catching a glimpse of Avery at the protest, Anna receives a shocking text. Now she’s no longer road-tripping; she’s running, pursued by an older sister she doesn’t trust and a violent stranger who has been stalking her for weeks. 

When Avery discovers Anna’s hiding place near a remote cave system, she risks everything to save her. Little do the sisters know that a secret is catching up to them—a secret at the very heart of their family history.

Review:

I’m a longtime fan of the author and will read anything he writes but something about this one felt a little off for me. It wasn’t the writing, that was as strong as it always is so I guess maybe it was the plot and pacing. I was interested in the story but it was such a slow burn that I did start to lose interest at some points. I think it was a little drawn out and could have maybe been wrapped up a little sooner but the way it ended was satisfying even if the route to get there took a long time. Not my favorite from the author but still a decent read.

Overall rating: 3.5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.