Goodreads

Release date: October 10, 2023

Publisher: Lake Union

Genre: Mystery

Synopsis:

Astrid Johansen swore she would never return to Heron Bay, Washington. In that idyllic coastal town, her little sister, Nina, drowned in a reflecting pool under Astrid’s watch seventeen years ago. Though guilt has kept her away, Astrid can’t ignore her aunt Maude’s urgent plea to come back. Maude claims to have found a letter that will change everything about the past.

When Astrid arrives in Heron Bay, she finds Maude unconscious, perhaps the victim of an attack. As Maude lingers in a coma, Astrid uncovers alarming evidence that Nina’s drowning that tragic night was no accident. But in a town rife with secrets, and in a family still fractured by grief, who knows the truth?

Astrid’s investigation leads her down a trail of dark memories, lies, and betrayals that will shatter her perception of everyone she thought she knew—even herself.

Review:

I know when I picked up one of the authors books I’m getting an engrossing and fast paced read that I can finish in just a few sittings and this one delivered on the expectation. As much as the pacing was swift I would say this was more of a quieter style mystery with lots of long buried family secrets and drama that entertained. Tragedy fractured Astrid’s family with the death of sister and things splintered as a result. I love when an old case comes back to life and the merging of what really happened the night Nina died and present circumstances was interesting and surprising. The author always manages to trick me in the most subtle way and she did it again here, definitely pick this one up if you’re looking for a quick and satisfying read.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: October 3, 2023

Publisher: Sourcebooks

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Synopsis:

For fans of Verity and A Flicker in the Dark, this is a twisted tale of murder, obsessive love, and the beastly urges that lie dormant within us all…even the God-fearing folk of Bottom Springs, Louisiana. In her small hometown, librarian Ruth Cornier has always felt like an outsider, even as her beloved father rains fire-and-brimstone warnings from the pulpit at Holy Fire Baptist. 

Unfortunately for Ruth, the only things the townspeople fear more than the God and the Devil are the myths that haunt the area, like the story of the Low Man, a vampiric figure said to steal into sinners’ bedrooms and kill them on moonless nights. When a skull is found deep in the swamp next to mysterious carved symbols, Bottom Springs is thrown into uproar—and Ruth realizes only she and Everett, an old friend with a dark past, have the power to comb the town’s secret underbelly in search of true evil.

A dark and powerful novel like fans have come to expect from Ashley Winstead, Midnight is the Darkest Hour is an examination of the ways we’ve come to expect love, religion, and stories to save us, the lengths we have to go to in order to take back power, and the monstrous work of being a girl in this world.

Review:

I have to start by saying that I think that having the right expectations are super important before you read this book. Yes, it’s a thriller but it’s also part dark love story at its core and the mystery itself is somewhat quieter with a sinister edge than a true fast paced and exciting thriller. I also think this will be a polarizing read for most, you’ll either really like the unique way the story unfolds or you’re hate it and I fell on the side of really liking it. There are quite a few triggers but there are content warnings at the beginning of the book and if you like The Last Housewife this one wasn’t quite as dark. It explores religion, small town small mindedness, child abuse and sexual abuse alongside this dark and unsettling mystery that is very haunting. I don’t want to really dive into the plot but if you like really different thrillers with a strong atmosphere and a truly WTF ending this was great.

Overall rating: 4.5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: October 3, 2023

Publisher: St. Martins

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Synopsis:

A young Harvard law student falls under the spell of a charismatic judge in this timely and thrilling novel about class, ambition, family and murder.

Madison Rivera lands the internship of a lifetime working for Judge Kathryn Conroy. But Madison has a secret that could destroy her career. Her troubled younger brother Danny has been arrested, and Conroy is the judge on his case. 

When Danny goes missing after accusing the judge of corruption, Madison’s quest for answers brings her deep into the judge’s glamorous world. Is Kathryn Conroy a mentor, a victim, or a criminal? Is she trying to help Madison or use her as a pawn? And why is somebody trying to kill her? 

As the two women circle each other in a dangerous cat-and-mouse game, will they save each other, or will betrayal leave one of them dead?

Review:

This one started a little bit slow for me but once it picked up I was all in. You get two viewpoints, Madison and Kathryn and i enjoyed both characters. There are quiet a few side characters as well and it was complex but once I figured out who was who and what their purpose in the story was I understood the need for so many different threads and angles. Some aspects of the fairly complicated plot seemed obvious but I didn’t have everything totally figured out. The suspense factor was high throughout the story and the tension only ramped up in the end, exactly what I like in a thriller. Overall a fun cat and mouse type of thriller that kept me engaged.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: October 31, 2023

Publisher: Wednesday

Genre: Mystery/Thriller, YA

Synopsis:

Ten teen influencers come to a remote island to star in a reality show, but when one of them winds up dead, they realize that this time, the price of being “cancelled” could be their lives.

A reality show on a remote Caribbean island. Ten teen influencers. One dead body.

Welcome to “In Real Life,” the hot new reality show that forces social media’s reigning kings and queens to unplug for three weeks and “go live” without any filters. IRL is supposed to be the opportunity of a lifetime, watched closely by legions of loyal followers. But for these rising stars–including Elody, an Instagram model with an impulsive streak; Kira, a child star turned fitness influencer; Logan, a disgraced TikTok celeb with a secret; and Max, a YouTuber famous for exposés on his fellow creators—it’s about to turn into a nightmare.

When the production crew fails to show up and one of their own meets a violent end, these nine little influencers find themselves stranded with a dead body and no way to reach the outside world. When they start receiving messages from a mysterious Sponsor threatening to expose their darkest secrets, they realize that they’ve been lured into a deadly game…and one of them might be pulling the strings.

With the body count rising and cameras tracking their every move, the creators must figure out who is trying to get them canceled—like, literally—before their #1 follower strikes again.

Review:

This is the kind of book I would’ve been totally obsessed with when I was in high school. It’s juicy, scandalous and full of catty behavior and plenty of lies. I really liked the locked room style setting but make it a private island with a mansion and no way off the island. So the vibes were great as far as setting goes but it lost me a bit with trying to keep everybody straight when a few characters were very similar. There are four points of view but ten total characters and most of them were awful, think super privileged TikTok influencers with a slew of first world problems. Parts of it bordered on silly but I grabbed this when I wanted a popcorn thriller so I wasn’t mad at some of the ridiculousness but the overall mystery was wasn’t anything amazing. It was decent though, I just wish there was more suspense instead of them deciding to play spin the bottle while people are getting killed.

Overall rating: 3/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: September 26, 2023

Publisher: Bantam

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Synopsis:

A social media influencer with a secret past buys a murder house to renovate, but finds more than she bargained for behind the peeling wallpaper in this gothic psychological debut. 

Sarah Slade is starting over. As the new owner of the infamous Black Wood House—the scene of a grisly murder-suicide—she’s determined that the fixer-upper will help reach a new audience on her successful lifestyle blog, and distract her from her failing marriage.

But as Sarah paints over the house’s horrifying past, she knows better than anyone that a new façade can’t conceal every secret. Then the builders start acting erratically and experiencing bizarre accidents—and Sarah knows there’s only so long she can continue to sleep in the bedroom with the bloodstained floor and suffer the mysterious footsteps she hears from the attic.

When menacing notes start appearing everywhere, Sarah becomes convinced that someone or something is out to kill her—her husband, her neighbors, maybe even the house itself. The more she remodels Black Wood House, the angrier it seems to become.

With every passing moment, Sarah’s life spirals further out of control—and with it, her sense of reality. Though she desperately clings to the lies she’s crafted to conceal her own secrets, Sarah Slade must wonder . . . was it all worth it? Or will this house be her final unraveling?

Review:

There was a lot here that I enjoyed but there was also a lot that was iffy for me so I’m somewhere in the middle of the road for this one. I know it doesn’t matter but the cover is gorgeous and that’s initially what caught my eye and then the creepy house renovation sealed the deal. It was also fast paced and twisty even if many of the twists were pretty obvious for me but the combination kept me reading. Where things fell flat for me were in the characters, Sarah was just awful and hard to listen to at times and I usually do ok with unlikable characters but this was a little too much for me. It got a little repetitive too and maybe that’s because I feel like the tropes have been done before in a very similar way in other books. Overall just ok for me, but if you don’t read many thrillers it may work better for you.

Overall rating: 3/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: August 31, 2023

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Synopsis:

She thought she’d escaped her poisonous past…

Thirteen years ago, Maggie Ellis left her small town and vowed to never return. In her rearview mirror were two men she loved and an ominous secret that would forever haunt her.

Now, tragedy has brought her back, and she’s determined to forget that fateful night. But in a town like Myers, with familiar faces and chilling memories lurking around every corner, moving on is easier said than done.

Before the ink can dry on the closing documents for her new residence, Maggie begins to feel unsettled. In every room, there’s the unmistakable sensation she’s being watched. The strange sounds, odd smells, and bizarre occurrences only add to her paranoia.

There’s something sinister about her new home…

When she discovers the devastating truth about the house and its grim history, Maggie’s worst fears are realized. In order to survive, she must unearth the secrets she’d always planned to keep buried.

After all, they say that home is where the heart is, but as Maggie knows, home is also where the skeletons lie.

Seamlessly blurring the edges between psychological thriller and romantic suspense, million-copy bestselling author Kiersten Modglin brings us a dark and twisted romantic thriller, perfect for fans of Verity , Tell Me Lies , The Ghost Writer , and YOU .

Review:

This is a bit of a departure from the authors usual style of super fast paced thrillers, it’s more of a subtle slow burn and it’s also a romantic suspense which I have been obsessed with lately. There are two timelines, a now and then that switches back and forth in alternate chapters and almost every chapter ended with a new question making it impossible for me to stop turning the pages. There was an emotional component here too, definitely great for fans of angsty romance and the combination of that and a creepy house, the authors signature twists and an unsettling vibe just worked really well for me. Fans of the author will be pleased I think and if you’re new to her work this is a fantastic place to start.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the author for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: August 29, 2023

Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Synopsis:

Two women. An office filled with secrets. One terrible crime that can’t be taken back

Dawn Schiff is strange. At least, everyone thinks so at Vixed, the nutritional supplement company where Dawn works as an accountant. She never says the right thing. She has no friends. And she is always at her desk at precisely 8:45 a.m.

So when Dawn doesn’t show up to the office one morning, her coworker Natalie Farrell—beautiful, popular, top sales rep five years running—is surprised. Then she receives an unsettling, anonymous phone call that changes everything…

It turns out Dawn wasn’t just an awkward outsider—she was being targeted by someone close. And now Natalie is irrevocably tied to Dawn as she finds herself caught in a twisted game of cat and mouse that leaves her wondering: who’s the real victim?<

But one thing is incredibly clear: somebody hated Dawn Schiff. Enough to kill.

Review:

One thing I know when I pick up one of the authors books is that I’m going to get a story that is pure entertainment and just a blast to read. Her books are the very definition of popcorn thrillers and beg to be read in just a couple of sittings and that’s exactly what I did with this one. Fairly early on I knew where this one was probably going and I was right for the most part. The big twist that happened when it switched to part two was predictable for me but there were some smaller, but still fun twists that I didn’t guess that helped make this a pretty solid read for me. If you’re looking for a juicy book that is addictive this is it, I was definitely never bored despite having aspects figured out and I wanted brain candy when I started it and no one does that better than this author.

Overall rating: 3.5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Release date: September 19, 2023

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Synopsis:

From the author of the New York Times bestseller and #1 Netflix movie Luckiest Girl Alive comes an extraordinary novel inspired by the real-life sorority targeted by America’s first celebrity serial killer in his final murderous spree.

January 1978. A serial killer has terrorized women across the Pacific Northwest, but his existence couldn’t be further from the minds of the vibrant young women at the top sorority on Florida State University’s campus in Tallahassee. Tonight is a night of promise, excitement, and desire, but Pamela Schumacher, president of the sorority, makes the unpopular decision to stay home—a decision that unwittingly saves her life. Startled awake at 3 a.m. by a strange sound, she makes the fateful decision to investigate. What she finds behind the door is a scene of implausible violence—two of her sisters dead; two others, maimed. Over the next few days, Pamela is thrust into a terrifying mystery inspired by the crime that’s captivated public interest for more than four decades.

On the other side of the country, Tina Cannon has found peace in Seattle after years of hardship. A chance encounter brings twenty-five-year-old Ruth Wachowsky into her life, a young woman with painful secrets of her own, and the two form an instant connection. When Ruth goes missing from Lake Sammamish State Park in broad daylight, surrounded by thousands of beachgoers on a beautiful summer day, Tina devotes herself to finding out what happened to her. When she hears about the tragedy in Tallahassee, she knows it’s the man the papers refer to as the All-American Sex Killer. Determined to make him answer for what he did to Ruth, she travels to Florida on a collision course with Pamela—and one last impending tragedy.

Bright Young Women is the story about two women from opposite sides of the country who become sisters in their fervent pursuit of the truth. It proposes a new narrative inspired by evidence that’s been glossed over for decades in favor of more salable headlines—that the so-called brilliant and charismatic serial killer from Seattle was far more average than the countless books, movies, and primetime specials have led us to believe, and that it was the women whose lives he cut short who were the exceptional ones.

Review:

If you like complex and incredibly well written Literary style thrillers this one was really good. This one has depth and is not the kind of book where you’ll want to rush through in one sitting, it’s the kind of books that makes you want to slow down and really take your time with it in order to fully appreciate the story the way the intended to tell it. It’s not splashy and twisty, it’s deeper than that and is much more about the women affected by a serial killer than the exploitation of his victims and his heinous crimes. The dual timelines were equally intriguing to me and both Pamela and Ruth had such distinct and well developed voices that I was very engaged with them both. There were so many powerful themes here, sisterhood, womanhood in general, societal expectations and stereotypes and painful loss and grief. Everything about this one just felt so thoughtful and that left such an impact on me as a reader, the only other book I read recently that left me with the same feelings and overall impression was On the Savage Side. Highly recommended, there was so much to take from this book.

Overall rating: 4.5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: September 5, 2023

Publisher: Thomas & Mercer

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Synopsis:

On a weekend voyage, the power-hungry children of an aging billionaire are unprepared for a storm of deceptions in a novel about ruthless family ambition by USA Today bestselling author Kaira Rouda.

You are cordially invited to an overnight voyage on the Splendid Seas.

An invitation to Catalina Island from billionaire CEO Richard Kingsley. For his sons, Ted and John, and their wives, it’s an opportunity to curry favor, gain control of a real estate empire, and secure their family’s futures. For the controlling patriarch, succession is a contest. He and his newest wife won’t make it an easy win.

Then Richard’s estranged live-wire daughter, Sibley, crashes the party. She’s the least of the night’s surprises. As the stakes for the inheritance of the Kingsley legacy are raised, the beautiful waters of the Pacific look more like a menacing illusion.

Let the games begin for a family who has everything money can buy, and has used lies, deception, and more to keep it. This weekend one of them will be crowned heir. One is in line to lose everything. That’s the plan. But in the coming storm, so much can go dangerously wrong.

Review:

There’s something about the authors books that keep pulling me back year after year even if my ratings of them aren’t the best. I’m not sure what keeps me coming back exactly but something about her style always ends up speaking to me. Maybe it’s because I know what to expect from her, I know I’ll get unlikable characters that are just fun to read about alongside a plot that is total brain candy, they almost feel like taking a break and provide a much needed escape. This time around you get a family of narcissists who hate each other and they’re taking an overnight luxury cruise together. So the setup was fun, I like a locked room style mystery and the cattiness and drama this family provided was entertaining enough. Things did start to feel repetitive fairly quickly but I was interested to see where it would go and I have to say, I was kind of surprised with the direction it took. If you like dramatic stories about bickering families fighting over power and money this one was decent.

Overall rating: 3.5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: August 29, 2023

Publisher: Atria

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Synopsis:

Thirty-three-year-old Abby Stern has made it to a happy place. True, she still has gig jobs instead of a career, and the apartment where she’s lived since college still looks like she’s just moved in. But she’s got good friends, her bike, and her bicycling club in Philadelphia. She’s at peace with her plus-size body—at least, most of the time—and she’s on track to marry Mark Medoff, her childhood summer sweetheart, a man she met at the weight-loss camp that her perpetually dieting mother forced her to attend. Fifteen years after her final summer at Camp Golden Hills, when Abby reconnects with a half-his-size Mark, it feels like the happy ending she’s always wanted.

Yet Abby can’t escape the feeling that some­thing isn’t right…or the memories of one thrilling night she spent with a man named Sebastian two years previously. When Abby gets a last-minute invi­tation to lead a cycling trip from NYC to Niagara Falls, she’s happy to have time away from Mark, a chance to reflect and make up her mind.

But things get complicated fast. First, Abby spots a familiar face in the group—Sebastian, the one-night stand she thought she’d never see again. Sebastian is a serial dater who lives a hundred miles away. In spite of their undeniable chemistry, Abby is determined to keep her distance. Then there’s a surprise last-minute addition to the her mother, Eileen, the woman Abby blames for a lifetime of body shaming and insecurities she’s still trying to undo.

Over two weeks and more than seven hundred miles, strangers become friends, hidden truths come to light, a teenage girl with a secret unites the riders in unexpected ways…and Abby is forced to reconsider everything she believes about herself, her mother, and the nature of love.

Review:

I always know when I pick up a book by the author that it’ll be an enjoyable read, I truly just love her style and appreciate how she explores various topics in a way that feels important yet not heavy handed. While Abby is the main character here there are several switching viewpoints that brought some dimension to the story. I know next to nothing about cycling but I appreciated learning about it here especially as it’s importance to Abby us revealed along the way. The body positivity and acceptance piece here was well done and I think many people, especially women will relate to at least some piece of it. If you like books about friendships, love and relationships, and family alongside some hot button topics this was great.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.