Who was Sylvia?: one woman's mission to discover what happened to her sister

Who was Sylvia? by Judy Gardiner is a story of one woman’s search for her sister. 1939, Barnard Castle, Durham, Sylvia Coryn is a hero to her younger sister, Kit. With warmth, infectious laughter and beauty, she was charming to all. On the brink of World War II, Sylvia leaves home and disappears. Kit is left confused, why would her sister leave with a goodbye? Her parents refuse to talk about Sylvia; but Kit is desperate to know what has happened to her sister. As she sits off on her own, Kit begins to trace her sister’s steps from their home to bombed streets of London and beyond. Each stop, Kit discovers a puzzling clue that raises more questions than answers. Will Kit find Sylvia? Will the answers she seeks bring her understanding? 

I found the premise interesting and looked forward to reading this story. I was surprised by how short the book is, only 10 chapters, but I eagerly dove in. The story started off great and set up the mystery of Sylvia's disappearance and Kit’s mission to find out what happened. However, I was bored. I felt the story did more telling than showing and I struggled to pay attention. The ending was a let down and left more questions than answers. It felt as if the author intended a sequel but didn’t write one. Kit was an interesting character and I admired her determination to discover the truth. Overall, I did not enjoy this story. It had so much potential. I do not recommend Who was Sylvia? 

Who was Sylvia? is available in paperback and eBook

Hide Away with You: when her fiancé disappeared, she will stop at nothing to find out what happened

Hide Away with You is the first book in the Kings of Eden Falls series by Judy Corry. When her family was killed, Addie’s brother’s best friend, Evan, took care of her and made sure she was protected. They never expected to fall in love. As they prepared for a future together, Evan goes on a trip and never comes back. Just vanishes without a trace. Addie is left heartbroken and confused but she never gave up hope that Evan would come home safe and sound. One year later, she discovers a clue that leads her on the right path. When she finds Evan, he is not the same man she knew and fell in love with. He is cold, powerful, dangerous and acts as if they are strangers. Is he truly Evan or someone else? By tracking Evan, did Addie put herself in danger? 

I read the second book in the series first and loved it. I quickly added Hide Away with You to my TBR list. Described as a “heart-pounding” romance, I was ready for an emotional story. The story starts off good as Addie is dealing with Evan’s disappearance and struggling to hold on to hope. When she discovers his journal, she learns more about Evan than she knew before. The story takes a turn when she tracks Evan to Italy and the mafia. I am not a fan of mafia stories. I avoid books and movies which feature the mafia. I loved Addie’s character however, I didn’t care for Evan. Overall, it was a decent story but pales when compared to the second book of the series. If I had I read Hide Away with You first, I’m not sure I would have read the second book. 

Hide Away with You is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Lies We Tell Ourselves: a psychological thriller where all may not be as it appears

Lies We Tell Ourselves by Steena Holmes is a psychological thriller where all may not be as it appears. Lies twist, taunt and tear apart lives. Paige Fischer hates lies and how destructive they are, at least on the surface. Deep inside, she is living the biggest lie of them all and she can feel it all falling away. Twelve years ago, Jessica, her identical twin sister, disappeared and Paige is to blame. As an adult, Paige is working to right the wrongs as best as she can and she can’t really move forward with her life. There is a dangerous cat and mouse game being played by someone close to Paige. Every step now needs to be taken carefully as one lie, one phone call, one twisted truth and lives could be in danger. 

I have read Ms Holmes’s books in the past and they have been compelling and intriguing. The book opens with an unidentified woman, badly beaten in the hospital, and takes readers into the past. Back and forth between Paige’s point of view and the woman in the hospital, readers are presented with the mystery as to her identity. Who is she? Paige presents the circumstances around Jessica’s disappearance and the present day events. Unfortunately, the story is not as gripping as I had hoped. The woman in the hospital was easy to figure out after a few chapters. There also were way too many minor characters in and out of the story and the “who did it” was anticlimactic. The ending felt rushed. Overall, I did not enjoy Lies We Tell Ourselves and I do not recommend it. 

Lies We Tell Ourselves is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Nobody Told Me: a crime hits closer to home

Nobody Told Me is the sixth book in the Hart’s Ridge series by Kay Bratt. Another crime in Hart’s Ridge hits home for Deputy Taylor Gray. She investigates the sudden disappearance of Jarret Clark, a young man who holds a special place in her life. She hopes for the best but fears the worst. Her sister, Lucy, is working on starting her life over with her son, Johnny. As she sets out on her path of self-discovery, Lucy realizes that it’s not as straightforward as she thought. Not only does she have to deal with her personal issues, she discovers someone is trying to destroy her life. While she thinks she knows who it is, she must decide when enough’s enough and confront her tormentor. Will Lucy find the strength to truly change for the better? Will she stand up and fight back? Will Taylor solve the mystery of Jarret’s disappearance before it’s too late?

The Hart’s Ridge series has it all: crimes inspired by true stories, family drama and a small town setting. It is important to read this series in order and I have enjoyed it since Hart’s Ridge (book 1). I’m not sure what it was; but the story in Nobody Told Me felt a little off. I can’t quite put my finger on it. It was fast paced. It held my attention but I wasn’t exactly wowed by it. I love that many characters who were featured in previous books made appearances. I loved the ending and the cliffhanger that I am, of course, eagerly awaiting book 7 to read the fallout. While Lucy’s stalker was a bit of a surprise, I kept expecting someone else from her past to pop up again. Maybe they will? Despite it all, I thoroughly enjoyed and recommend Nobody Told Me. I look forward to the next book in the series. 

Nobody Told Me is available in paperback and eBook

Borrowed Time: even picture perfect can hide darker secrets

Borrowed Time is the fourth book in the Hart’s Ridge series by Kay Bratt. This story asks the question “do you ever really know the person you’re in love with?” It’s about to be answered for Deputy Taylor Gray as she investigates the disappearance of her close friend, Sissy. The more she investigates Sissy’s life, the more she discovers that appearances can be deceiving and the most picture-perfect relationships can be hiding deeper and darker secrets. No one knows this more than Taylor’s sister, Anna. She is living the seemingly all-American dream with a successful husband, a nice house and two thriving children. But there is more behind the scenes. Her perfect life is spiraling out of control as she discovers the secrets that have been hiding behind the perfect façade. Will Taylor discover the truth behind Sissy’s disappearance? Will Anna be able to pull her life together again?

The Hart’s Ridge series keeps getting better and better. Borrowed Time touches very deep subjects with suicidal ideation and domestic violence. Readers: bring tissues. By the end of the book, I was in tears. I love Taylor and her sisters as well as their mother, Cate, as great women who have rebuilt their lives. In this story, we see more of the uppity Anna and her story. While the investigation into Sissy’s disappearance was the main story, I was hooked on Anna’s story and cheered for her as she found a way to fight back. I loved seeing Anna and Cate rebuild their relationship. I also loved the interactions between the sisters. Despite their differences in personality and life choices, they have each other’s backs. I thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend Borrowed Time and I am looking forward to the rest of the series. 

Borrowed Time is available in paperback and eBook

When I Meet You: a great new title in the Tree of Life series

When I Meet You is the third book in Olivia Newport’s Tree of Life series. Genealogist Jillian Parisi-Duffy is presented with the mystery of a trunk left at Denver’s Union Station over a hundred ago. Driven to the point of obsession, Jillian is determined to find out what happened to its owner, Lynnelle Bendeure. Did she meet with foul play? Why did she seemingly disappear? At the same time, Jillian is confronted with a trunk her late mother left behind for her, filled with her own maternal family history. Will she have the courage to look further into her mother’s family as they left Sicily and came to America? As a genealogist, she knows there may be something in her family’s history she may not like but as her mother’s daughter, will she be able to dig deeper?

I am thoroughly enjoying Ms. Newport’s Tree of Life series. Just as with the first two books, Lynnelle’s story connects with something or someone in the present. However, this time Jillian is confronted with the loss of her mother when she was a young girl and kept putting off looking into her mother’s trunk. Until the mystery of Lynnelle and her truck forced her finally open it. I also like how the connection between the past and present isn’t truly clear until the end. As a fan of genealogy and looking into my own family tree, I love seeing the connection of past and present. To learn about people who now are just names on a family tree. I look forward to future books in this series. I highly recommend When I Meet You as well as books 1 and 2, The Inn at Hidden Run and In the Cradle Lies.

When I Meet You

is available in paperback and eBook

The Inn at Hidden Run and In The Cradle Lies

are also available in paperback and eBook

How to be Lost: a family's recovery from the past

How to be Lost by Amanda Eyre Ward is the story of one woman’s journey to find her missing sister and repair her fractured family. The story follows Caroline as she tries to distance herself from her family as the disappearance of her baby sister, Ellie, still haunts the family gatherings after so many years. At Christmas, her mother approaches her with a request. Head to Montana and see if a woman in the photograph is Ellie and bring her home. Caroline refuses but its only after the sudden loss of her mother does Caroline decide to go. While she’s in Montana, she meets a people who are all running from something. Will she be able to find Ellie? If the woman in the picture is Ellie, can Caroline convince her to come home?

How to be Lost is a wonderful story about family past hurts and how it can still affect the present. I felt the story was very real and the pain and attitudes displayed by each character was heartfelt and realistic. The story also interjects letters from a woman named Agnes. While Caroline is on her journey, the reader is also wondering who is Agnes and how does she fit into the story? I highly recommend How to be Lost.

How to be Lost

Is available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble

Always: a love story

Always by Sarah Jio is the story of Kailey Crane who seems to have moved on after the love of her life disappeared from her life. Until one night, she stumbles across a homeless man who she is convinced is Cade. The narrative moves back and forth between the present of 2008 and the past and the events which led to Cade disappearance.

Kailey is a food reporter with the Seattle Herald and engaged to Ryan. Her life seems to be idyllic and happy. Until one rainy night, she sees a face which throws everything out of balance. She becomes obsessed with finding Cade and helping him regain his life. As Kailey investigates what happened to Cade, it becomes clear that he didn’t just leave and she wants to discover the truth. However, she is met with resistance from James, Cade’s best friend and former business partner, her best friend, Tracy and her fiancé. Is the homeless man Cade? Will she be able to find out what happened to him?

Always is an amazing book. From the first page to the last word, the story grips the reader in as Kailey searches the streets for the man who believes is Cade. She must fight against prejudices against the homeless as well as her own ideas about what she wants in her life. I loved the flashbacks to the love story of Kailey and Cade and I cheered her on as she was determined to find out happened to Cade. I highly recommend Always. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry and you’ll fall in love with a true love story.

Always

will be available on February 7, 2017

on Amazon in hardcover and on the Kindle

as well as

on Barnes and Noble in hardcover and on the Nook

Missing, Presumed: a mystery which will leave you guessing until the end!

Missing, Presumed by Susie Steiner is a mystery surrounding the disappearance of a young woman. While the police the searching for clues of her whereabouts, a new mystery arises. Are the two cases related? Edith Hinds is the only daughter of Sir Ian Hinds and his wife, Miriam. They discover she is missing when her boyfriend, Will, comes home to find the front door open and Edith is gone. Detective Sargent Manon Bradshaw and Detective Constable Davy Walker are assigned to investigate. Due to the high profile of the Edith’s family, the detectives are meant with rumors, innuendoes and a media frenzy. When the body of a young man is found, the search for Edith takes an unexpected turn. Is Edith alive? Who took her? Does her disappearance have any connection to a young man’s death?

I received an advance copy for the purpose of my review. I thoroughly enjoyed Missing, Presumed. It is a different take on a disappearance mystery. It is an interesting book with lots of twists and turns. It has an ending which will shock you and eager to fit the remaining pieces of the puzzle. I wish I could write about my favorite parts but due to their place in the story, I do not want to spoil the book for those who wish to read it. It is a fast pace, page turning mystery. I highly recommend Missing, Presumed.

Missing, Presumed

Is available for sale tomorrow, June 28^th

Hardcover $27.00 and Kindle/Nook $12.99

On Amazon and Barnes and Noble

The Girl on the Train: mysterious disappearance and a troubled eyewitness

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins is a mystery story told through the eyes of a lonely and recovering alcoholic, Rachel Watson, as she sees something while waiting on the train headed into London. She doesn’t know if what she saw was real but she must find out.

Rachel Watson rides the morning train into London. While the train stops at a light, she imagines the life of a young couple she calls “Jason” and “Jess.” She can see their house from her favorite seat.  Until one morning she sees “Jess” with another man. She is hurt that “Jess” would do that to “Jason” and she relives her own jilted relationship. When “Jess,” whose real name is Megan, goes missing, Rachel feels she must tell the police what she saw. When she feel the police don’t give her information any real attention, she feels she must find out on her own. She is soon drawn into a world of lies, affairs and secrets. Will ever overcome her sordid past? Will she ever happen to Megan? Can she trust her own eyes and memory in the events of Megan’s disappearance?

The story is told in three perspective, offering events in various points of the timeline. Rachel’s perspective as the current events while Megan provides the events leading up to her disappearance. I thought the book started out real slow and I was wondering what did Rachel really see or was it her alcohol fueled imagination. But the story speeds up quickly and the events leading to the identity of the person who was responsible for Megan’s disappearance happens at a dizzying pace. There was a couple times when I had to stop and go back a couple of pages to make sure I read it correctly. By the end of the book, I was thoroughly shocked and thrilled at the revelation of the person’s identity. I love a mystery in which the clues are subtle but when the dots are connected, they all make sense. I recommend The Girl on the Train as mystery thriller with so many twists, the final revelation is a shocker!  

Gone Girl: secrets and lies

Gone Girl is a 2012 best seller by Gillian Flynn which was turned into a 2014 film starring Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, Neil Patrick Harris and Tyler Perry. The book explores to the two sides to every story. Told in three parts, the story gives the present day events as well as flashback leading to the present as told in Amy’s diary.

Nick Dunne wakes on the morning of his fifth wedding anniversary and soon discovers that his wife, Amy, is missing. He finds the house ransacked and chores left in process of being completed. He calls the cops and waits for them. When the cops arrive, they find his behavior suspicious as he doesn’t try to contact any of their friends or family looking for his wife. Through Amy’s diary entries, we see how they met and their early marriage in New York City until layoffs and family illness takes them to Nick’s hometown in Missouri. Nick soon discovers blue envelopes with clues written by Amy, at first he thinks it’s some sort of romantic anniversary scavenger hunt but as the evidence mounts against Nick, he realizes that something more sinister is at work. Did Nick kill Amy? Where did she go? Is someone playing a sick game of cat and mouse? Will Amy ever return home?

Gone Girl is definitely a different story of who done it. As the book progresses, I started to question Nick’s innocence then I didn't then back and forward. When the truth behind Amy’s disappearance is revealed it was a big shock! It had a nice twist which left me feeling sad and angry at Nick and Amy at the same time. It is a story about secrets, lies and revenge. I can’t really reveal too much for those who haven’t read it. I would ruin the shocking twist. However, I highly recommend Gone Girl for those who love a mystery which leave you turning the pages to discover the truth. I am also looking forward to seeing the film to see have it compares to the book.