Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: February 6, 2018

Publisher: Flatiron

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Blurb:

Five women go on a hike. Only four return. Jane Harper, the New York Times bestselling author of The Dry, asks: How well do you really know the people you work with?

When five colleagues are forced to go on a corporate retreat in the wilderness, they reluctantly pick up their backpacks and start walking down the muddy path.

But one of the women doesn’t come out of the woods. And each of her companions tells a slightly different story about what happened.

Federal Police Agent Aaron Falk has a keen interest in the whereabouts of the missing hiker. In an investigation that takes him deep into isolated forest, Falk discovers secrets lurking in the mountains, and a tangled web of personal and professional friendship, suspicion, and betrayal among the hikers. But did that lead to murder?

Review:

Last year The Dry was quite possibly one of my favorite reads of the entire year and along with everyone else I was completely blown away by Harper’s debut. Force of Nature was one of my most anticipated follow ups for 2018 so the pressure was most definitely on and I’m glad to say that it stacked up quite well.

One of the things that made The Dry a standout was the amazing atmospheric setting that Harper created. Things couldn’t be more different this time around as you go from a deadly type of heat to a rain drenched bush land with treacherous conditions. Once again, the sense of place is so strong and vivid that you can’t help but be caught up in the story feeling as if you’re there right next to the characters. A small group of women being lost in such a place is just about as terrifying as it gets for me and their fear was palpable. The true events of what happened during their weekend excursion are revealed slowly throughout the book with the pacing steadily increasing as you get further along creating an intensity that had me hooked.

Deceit and deception is the name of the game here and Harper led me down a rabbit trail full of red herrings and doubt that kept me engaged and eager to find out what happened to Alice. Catching up with Aaron Falk was a pleasure and learning more about what makes him tick made me an even bigger fan of him than I already was. I highly recommend this book and urge you to read The Dry first if you haven’t already because Harper is one hell of a writer.

Force of Nature in three words: Atmospheric, Tricky and Enthralling.

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: January 30, 2018

Publisher: Berkley

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Blurb:

The electrifying debut thriller that asks the question: To save the one you love, is there any price you wouldn’t pay?

His wife is sick.

He needs $200,000 to save her.

A mysterious man offers to give him the money with just one catch: He has to murder someone to get it.

Gary Foster’s life is finally heading in the right direction. After years of trying, his wife, Beth, is pregnant, and he recently opened a business with his brother. But one phone call changes everything….

After collapsing suddenly, Beth has been rushed to the hospital. Tests reveal a devastating diagnosis: an inoperable brain tumor. Their only hope is an expensive experimental treatment available abroad, with a cost that’s out of their reach. And Beth’s time is running out….

Then a strange man approaches Gary and offers the money he needs, on one condition: that he kill someone, no questions asked. End one life to save another.

In this nail-biting debut novel of domestic suspense, one man makes a choice that forces him to confront the darkest reaches of his soul and betray those closest to him. As he’s swept up in a nightmare of escalating violence, he must question his own morality—and determine just how far he’s willing to go to save the woman he loves.

Review:

I love books about ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances, the idea that far fetched scenarios could actually happen to an average Joe is both scary and fascinating. Killer Choice reminded me of a David Bell novel with more of an action thriller vibe, but Hunt’s protagonist was reminiscent of some of Bell’s leads, so fans of his work should definitely add this to their TBR.

The pacing of this was spot on, you immediately dive into the story with little time spent on background information though everything you absolutely need to know is shared. Gary faces a question that’s been asked many times before, how far would you go to save a loved one? There was a uniqueness to this though, it definitely wasn’t as straightforward as I assumed it would be, the entire book isn’t based on what decision Gary makes, instead there were many twists and turns that I never saw coming.

This is an excellent debut from a very solid writer, Hunt truly has skills and I’ll be curious to see what he has in store in the future. I devoured this one, I couldn’t wait to see what would happen next and though things seemed a little implausible, I was throughly entertained and didn’t care at all. This would make a great movie, there’s a nice balance between intense action and sedate family life that would appeal to a variety of people.

Killer Choice in three words: Explosive, Fervent and Tense.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: February 6, 2018

Publisher: Atria

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Blurb:

In the tradition of The Emperor’s Children and The House of Mirth, the forgotten granddaughter of one of New York’s wealthiest men is reunited with her family just as she comes of age—and once she’s had a glimpse of their glittering world, she refuses to let it go without a fight.

When Laila Lawrence becomes an orphan at twenty-three, the sudden loss unexpectedly introduces her to three glamorous cousins from New York who show up unannounced at her mother’s funeral. The three siblings are scions of the wealthy family from which Laila’s father had been estranged long before his own untimely demise ten years before.

Two years later, Laila has left behind her quiet life in Grosse Point, Michigan to move to New York City, landing her smack in the middle of her cousins’ decadent world. As the truth about why Laila’s parents became estranged from the family patriarch becomes clear, Laila grows ever more resolved to claim what’s rightfully hers. Caught between longing for the love of her family and her relentless pursuit of the lifestyle she feels she was unfairly denied, Laila finds herself reawakening a long dead family scandal—not to mention setting off several new ones—as she becomes further enmeshed in the lives and love affairs of her cousins. But will Laila ever, truly, belong in their world? Sly and sexy, She Regrets Nothing is a sharply observed and utterly seductive tale about family, fortune, and fate—and the dark side of wealth.

Review:

Raise your hand if you were a fan of Gossip Girl? Either the books or the TV series, I preferred to binge the series, but I digress. If you liked those books back in the day then She Regrets Nothing should be your next read. It’s a more adult version with a darker edge but still explores the glamorous side of the elite society in NYC. This was scandalous, juicy and full of family drama.

Laila never knew she had wealthy, albeit estranged family members until her mother passed away. When she finally meets her cousins she takes the opportunity and uses it to her advantage, the only thing she truly she wants is to be fabulously wealthy. Laila wasn’t likable at all but she sure was entertaining, this girl redefined the phrase social climber and took deceit and manipulation to a crazy level.,Most of the Lawrence family is pretty unlikable honestly, but Liberty was my favorite and not at all like the rest of the clan. She works in publishing and is a bookworm, what’s not to like?! Badly behaved characters are some of my favorites though and this had them in spades.

Books set in NYC always appeal to me and Dunlop brought the glittery backdrop to life. I mentioned a dark edge earlier and this part took me totally by surprise, for the majority of the book I figured this would be a three star read at best, nothing inherently bad, just a fun read about rich kids in the city. But things took a turn and I was pleasantly surprised and totally addicted. The ending was fantastic as well, one of those rare times where it was exactly what I wanted.

She Regrets Nothing in three words: Seductive, Dazzling and Dramatic.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: February 1, 2018

Publisher: Lake Union

Genre: Woman’s Fiction

Blurb:

Tabitha Brewer wakes up one morning to find her husband gone, leaving her no way to support herself and their two children, never mind their upscale Philadelphia lifestyle. She’d confess her situation to her friends—if it wasn’t for those dreadful words of warning in his goodbye note: “I’ll tell them what you did.”

Instead, she does her best to keep up appearances, even as months pass and she can barely put food on the table—much less replace a light bulb. While she looks for a job, she lives in fear that someone will see her stuffing toilet paper into her handbag or pinching basil from a neighbor’s window box.

Soon, blindsided by catastrophe, surprised by romance, and stunned by the kindness of a stranger, Tabitha realizes she can’t keep her secrets forever. Sooner or later, someone is bound to figure out that her life is far from perfect.

Review:

The premise of this one struck a chord with me right away I wondered what I would do if I were in Tabitha’s shoes? Would I pretend just to save face? Would I keep it quiet like she did and try to save my pride? Now I have no secrets my own husband could threaten me with, but the fact that if my husband did disappear I would be totally screwed both terrifies me and piques my curiosity. While I’m pretty confident I wouldn’t even think of doing half of what Tabitha did, I still found myself engaged in her story.

I really sympathized for Tabitha but at the same time I can’t say that I honestly liked her. There was something about her that was off putting, she doesn’t make it easy to like her but as a mom I could sense her desperation to provide for her family even if that means making several questionable decisions. I did have to suspend my disbelief because a woman in her situation would most likely not try and complicate her life further by getting involved in a romance, but it did make the book a little more fun!

This had a nice balance between the funny and the serious, there was an emotional component, especially in regards to Tabitha’s kids that hurt my heart. LaBan’s writing style is fluid and easy, I read this really fast, it was one of those reads you can get lost in because the story is so entertaining in a watching a train wreck kind of way. I was craving a lighter read and this delivered exactly that, if you don’t take it too seriously this is one to spend a weekend afternoon with.

Not Perfect in three words: Smooth, Undemanding and Pleasant.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: February 6, 2018

Publisher: Minotaur Books

Genre: Mystery

Blurb:

Swiss-American police officer Agnes Lüthi is on leave in Lausanne, Switzerland, recovering from injuries she sustained in her last case, when an old colleague invites her to the world’s premier watch and jewelry trade show at the grand Messe Basel Exhibition Hall. Little does Agnes know, another friend of hers, Julien Vallatton, is at the same trade show―and he’s looking for Agnes. Julien Vallatton was friends with Guy Chavanon, a master of one of Switzerland’s oldest arts: watchmaking. Chavanon died a week ago, and his daughter doesn’t believe his death was accidental. Shortly before he died, Chavanon boasted that he’d discovered a new technique that would revolutionize the watchmaking industry, and she believes he may have been killed for it. Reluctantly, Agnes agrees to investigate his death. But the world of Swiss watchmaking is guarded and secretive, and before she realizes it, Agnes may be walking straight into the path of a killer.

Tracee de Hahn’s next mystery, A Well-Timed Murder, is another magnetic mystery that will engross readers from the opening page to the stunning conclusion.

Review:

A Well Timed-Murder is the second book in a series that follows Agnes, a Swiss police officer. I regrettably haven’t read the first installment but I had no problem beginning the book here as the author did a fine job of providing the relevant background information that I missed. Having said that, I do wish I had the time to start at the beginning because what is mentioned about the past sounds dang good, so start with book one if you like the sound of this one.

I haven’t read many books set in Switzerland so this provided a unique and fresh point of view that I throughly enjoyed. I had NO idea that the Swiss watchmaking industry was so secretive, cutthroat and and surprisingly interesting, but it was truly fascinating. Agnes is a likable lead with a compassionate side that endeared her to me and I would love to see more of her character. I would recommend this for fans of classic murder mysteries that also like rich atmospheres and complex plots.

A Well-Timed Murder in three words: Notable, Engaging and Refined.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the author for my review copy.

Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: January 30, 2018

Publisher: Pamela Dorman Books

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Blurb:

Three little girls set off to school one sunny morning. Within an hour, one of them is dead.

Fifteen years later, Kitty can’t speak and has no memory of the accident that’s to blame. She lives in an institution, unlikely ever to leave. But that doesn’t keep her from being frightened when she encounters an eerily familiar face.

Art teacher Alison looks fine on the surface. But the surface is a lie. She’s struggling to make ends meet and to forget the past. When a teaching job at a prison opens up, she takes it, despite her fears. Maybe this is her chance to set things right. Then she starts to receive alarming notes; next, her classroom erupts in violence.

Meanwhile, someone is watching both Kitty and Alison. Someone who never forgot what happened that day. Someone who wants revenge. And only another life will do. . .

Review:

Blood Sisters is Corry’s second novel and although I’ve had her debut on my TBR for awhile, I’ve never quite managed to squeeze it in. Now I’m kicking myself because I liked this one so much that I’m quite sure that I’ll end up loving her other book as well!

This is told via two viewpoints, sisters Kitty and Alison, it starts in 2016 then goes back to 2001 when they were children before some sort of accident that isn’t clearly outlined until much later. Corry did an admirable job at giving each sister a strong, clear voice and I especially enjoyed Kitty’s chapters. Kitty can’t speak but getting a glimpse inside her mind was engrossing and her frustration at being able to understand what people were saying and not being able to converse was portrayed brilliantly.

This was a read full of startling surprises, SO many and this was the rare time where they all made sense instead of the dreaded twists just for the sake of shock value. I wouldn’t necessarily describe this as fast paced, though it wasn’t exactly a slow burn either. It was somewhere in the middle I suppose with sedate moments and others where the intensity was ratcheted up several notches, a nice balance. By the time I got to the end I was desperate to know the truth about the day the accident happened and Corry even threw a few extra curveballs in that caught me off guard. Overall, a very well written and well executed psychological thriller.

Blood Sisters in three words: Skillful, Absorbing and Unexpected

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: February 1, 2018

Publisher: Thomas and Mercer

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Blurb:

When family secrets are unearthed, a woman’s past can become a dangerous place to hide…

After the death of her adoptive mother, Ava Saunders comes upon a peculiar photograph, sealed and hidden away in a crawl space. The photo shows a shuttered, ramshackle house on top of a steep hill. On the back, a puzzling inscription: Destiny calls us.

Ava is certain that it’s a clue to her elusive past. Twenty-three years ago, she’d been found wrapped in a yellow blanket in the narthex of the Holy Saviour Catholic Church—and rescued—or so she’d been told. Her mother claimed there was no more to the story, so the questions of her abandonment were left unanswered. For Ava, now is the time to find the roots of her mother’s lies. It begins with the house itself—once the scene of a brutal double murder.

When Ava enlists the help of the two people closest to her, a police detective and her best friend, she fears that investigating her past could be a fatal mistake. Someone is following them there. And what’s been buried in Ava’s nightmares isn’t just a crime. It’s a holy conspiracy.

Review:

Anytime a books description references family secrets or old, unsolved cases I’m all in even before I start reading. The idea of a young woman who was abandoned at a church as an infant is just the type of storyline I enjoy and the addition of more current crimes just further piqued my interest. Twist of Faith was a steady build of intrigue and tension shrouded in a dark mystery that began decades before.

This wasn’t super fast paced like many typical thrillers and I would actually describe it as more of a straight up mystery and not really a thriller, though there is a dark edge and some suspenseful moments. There was a lot going on as far as the plot but only a fairly small cast of characters but that didn’t make it easier to figure out whodunnit. Green still managed to plant seeds of doubt, plenty of guessing and quite a bit of misdirection that made it hard to know what would happen next. In the end, I did predict the who but not too early on, so I still enjoyed it.

This was a really solid mystery right up until the very end. I’m not sure if this will be a series, which would be fine, I love several series where the author leaves things open ended and perfectly set up for the next book. But the resolution here just didn’t fulfill me mostly because I didn’t feel like the full truth was revealed. I know that’s super vague, but spoilers. I’m picky about endings though, it may not bother every reader so keep that in mind! Other than that, I really liked this one and would still read another book by this author, especially if it’s a follow up so I can get some solid answers.

Twist of Faith in three words: Skillful, Measured and Promising.

Overall rating: 3.5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads|Amazon

Release date: January 30, 2018

Publisher: Dutton Books

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Blurb:

Inspired by real-life serial killer Ted Bundy, an exhilarating thriller in which FBI profiler Caitlin Hendrix faces off against a charming, merciless serial killer

In southern Texas, on Saturday nights, women are disappearing. One vanishes from a movie theater. Another is ripped from her car at a stoplight. Another vanishes from her home while checking on her baby. Rookie FBI agent Caitlin Hendrix, newly assigned to the FBI’s elite Behavioral Analysis Unit, fears that a serial killer is roaming the dark roads outside Austin.

Caitlin and the FBI’s serial crime unit discover the first victim’s body in the woods. She’s laid out in a bloodstained, white baby-doll nightgown. A second victim in a white nightie lies deeper in the forest’s darkness. Both bodies are surrounded by Polaroid photos, stuck in the earth like headstones. Each photo pictures a woman in a white negligee, wrists slashed, suicide-style–posed like Snow White awaiting her prince’s kiss.

To track the UNSUB, Caitlin must get inside his mind. How is he selecting these women? Working with a legendary FBI profiler, Caitlin searches for a homology–that elusive point where character and action come together. She profiles a confident, meticulous killer who convinces his victims to lower their guard until he can overpower and take them in plain sight. He then reduces them to objects in a twisted fantasy–dolls for him to possess, control, and ultimately destroy. Caitlin’s profile leads the FBI to focus on one man: a charismatic, successful professional who easily gains people’s trust. But with only circumstantial evidence linking him to the murders, the police allow him to escape. As Saturday night approaches, Caitlin and the FBI enter a desperate game of cat and mouse, racing to capture the cunning predator before he claims more victims.

Review:

UNSUB, which is the first book in this outstanding series made my Best of 2017 list and while I was ecstatic to get my hands on the follow up novel, I was also nervous. When the first book in a series is as fantastic as UNSUB was I can’t help but be worried that the next won’t measure up, but rest assured this one was just as gripping, terrifying and all around amazing! Meg Gardiner is a master and I’ll follow this series as long as she keeps writing it.

I love that Caitlin is a full fledged profiler this time around, this picks up not long after the first book ended and the new FBI agent is raring to go. The case Caitlin and her team are working on is inspired by Ted Bundy and I have to say, it made for some chilling reading. This was once again diligently plotted and achieved brilliantly so I’ll be steering clear of the details that made this so superb. But suffice it to say that the intensity is at an all time high and I think my heart was in my throat for the majority.

I loved learning more about Caitlin as well as being introduced to her new coworkers as they were all very intriguing and I predict they’ll be much to explore as the series continues. Gardiner sets things up absolutely perfectly for the next book and I have no doubt that it’ll be another nail biting, high octane and exciting read.

Into the Black Nowhere in three words: Exhilarating, Incisive and Petrifying

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.