Off the Air: a journalist searches to solve a murder

Off the Air by Christina Estes is a murder mystery as a local reporter chases the story of her career. Jolene Garcia is a local TV reporter in Phoenix, Arizona. She usually covers general assignments from the monsoon storms to a newborn giraffe at the zoo. When word gets out about a death at a radio station, Jolene races to the scene as she and other journalists rush to report the facts first. As the victim is identified as the controversial talk show host, Larry Lemmon, Jolene realizes that she conducted his final interview, giving her and her station an edge for now.  The circumstances around his death are suspicious, the story heats up as the competition to be the first to report grows as well. Jolene is determined to solve this murder as it is the story that could make or break her career. 

Billed as “equal parts thought-provoking and entertaining,” Off the Air is the debut novel for former Emmy Award winning reporter Christina Estes. I was intrigued as the main character is a journalist which doesn’t cross my path often. I opened the book eagerly for a fast-paced mystery. However, it fell fast. It wasn’t thought provoking or entertaining. I was bored. I didn’t care about the characters, especially Jolene. She is unlikable from beginning to end and didn’t help put journalists in a positive light. The constant mention of politics, while I understand that it fits the story with the death of a controversial figure, it really bogged down my enjoyment. The mystery quickly becomes secondary to the story and the story quickly becomes more of a love letter to journalism. Overall, the story was okay. If you enjoy journalism centric stories, you may enjoy Off the Air. 

Off the Air is available in hardcover, eBook and audiobook

Witching for Murder: how can one Halloween party turn into a murder mystery?

Witching for Murder by Jamie Rutland Gillespie is the third book in the Bobwhite Mountain Cozy Mystery series. Fall has come to the mountains and the town of Bobwhite Mountain is ready for the Halloween season. A surprising weekend camping is filled with mishaps that Claire, Landry’s mom, Landry and her friends, wish they had stayed home. As the Halloween costume parties start, Mayor Cartwright and his wife, Barb, kick off the season with their party. It’s a great time until a body is found and evidence points to Annie, Landry’s best friend and new resident. Despite the evidence, Landry does not believe Annie could kill anyone and is determined to clear Annie’s name and find the real killer. Who could it be? 

Witching for Murder was so much fun to read. From the disastrous camping trip to a night of fun turning into a murder investigation, this story was intriguing with its quirky characters and outlandish events. In standard fashion, the first suspect is rarely the real killer; however, when Landry discovers the real killer, it was a gasp-inducing moment. It was a person that wasn’t on my radar at all. There is the added mystery as to why Claire is in Bobwhite Mountain in the first place. Landry definitely has her hands full in Witching for Murder. I have thoroughly enjoyed this series and it keeps getting better. I look forward to the rest of the series. I recommend Witching for Murder. 

Witching for Murder is available in paperback and eBook

Fatal Affair: murder mystery with a sexy, steamy romance

Fatal Affair by Marie Force is the first book in the Fatal series. Washington D.C. Metro Police Detective Sergeant Samantha “Sam” Holland needs to salvage her career as well as her confidence after a disastrous investigation that left her shaken. She needs a big case, a big win. Soon she will be assigned to the biggest case of her career.  Senator John O’Connor is found brutally murdered in his bed. Things get complicated when she discovers that O’Connor’s Chief of Staff and best friend is none other than Nick Cappuano, the man she had one memorable night together years ago and never heard from again. Nick always thought about Sam and their night together and wondered why she never returned his calls. They discover their chemistry is still hot but they need to stay focused. There’s a murderer to find. As the danger builds, can they deny their connection any longer? 

Fatal Affair is a suspenseful whodunit with the unexpected twists and turns as they get closer to the identity of the killer. From page one, the murder mystery grabs your attention and the steamy, sexy tension between Sam and Nick adds to the danger. From the political intrigue, suspects everywhere and the personal secrets that are threatened to be revealed, I thoroughly enjoyed the story. I enjoyed the relationship between Sam and Nick as well as her relationship with supporting characters. I loved that Sam had the bravado of a seasoned cop but also hides a fear of inadequacy and self-doubt. I enjoyed that I couldn’t figure out who the killer was and the reveal of his or her identity was a great suspenseful moment. I look forward to reading the rest of the Fatal series. If you enjoy a murder mystery with a sexy, steamy romance, I highly recommend Fatal Affair. 

Fatal Affair is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook

My Wife is Missing: a psychological thriller that asks who can you trust and what is even real?

My Wife is Missing by DJ Palmer is a psychological thriller when a woman disappears with her two children and her husband desperate to find them will do everything he can- even reveal the secrets he’s been hiding. A family vacation to New York City turns into a nightmare when Michael Hart discovers his wife, Natalie and their two children, Addie and Bryce, missing from their hotel room. Fearing they’ve been kidnapped, he frantically searches the hotel and calls the police. When security footage reveals that Natalie left willingly, the question becomes why? Natalie thinks she has Michael figured out and has hatched a plan to escape him. But her insomnia makes it difficult to trust what she knows and even what she sees. Are her fears and concerns valid? Will she escape Michael? Or is there an even greater danger she doesn’t consider? 

WOW! DJ Palmer has done it again! He has become a master of the psychological thriller. Stories that will keep the readers on their toes! With a man keeping secrets and a woman who suffers from hallucinations due to a lack of sleep, Michael and Natalie become characters readers won’t be sure who to trust and even ask what is real? Every character who crosses their paths may have agendas of their own but can they be trusted? My wife is Missing is a story that will keep readers guessing and even when you think you have it all figured out, DJ Palmer pulls the rug and reveals another twist. The beginning was a bit slow and reminded me of Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl (2012) but Mr. Palmer has a much exciting story to tell. If you are a fan of psychological thrillers, I highly recommend My Wife is Missing! 

My Wife is Missing is available in hardcover, eBook and audiobook. 

The Therapist: a psychological thriller that blurs the lines of who you can trust

The Therapist by BA Paris is a psychological thriller and one woman’s determination to find the truth. Alice Dawson moved in with her boyfriend, Leo, into a newly renovated house in The Circle, an exclusive gated community in London, it was everything they’ve dreamed of. But the perfect house holds a terrible secret. As Alice gets to know her neighbors, she discovers the devastating secret and begins to feel a strong connection with Nina, the therapist who lived there before. Alice soon becomes obsessed with trying to discover what happened in the house and to Nina, but no one will talk about it. She also discovers that someone is playing a sick game with her, can she discover who it is before it’s too late? Will she ever truly find out what happened to Nina? 

The Therapist is my first book by BA Paris and I wasn’t sure what to expect as I read. At first, I didn’t care for Alice. I thought she was a bit whinny, always going on about her late sister who just happens to share the same name as the house’s former resident. But as I read and the clues about what happened became clearer, I found myself scared for her. I read late into the night, desperate to find out what happened to Nina and if Alice would escape the nightmare her dream house had become. Overall, I enjoyed the story. It has all the elements of a psychological thriller: misdirected clues, the secretive neighbors and a boyfriend who may not be who he says he is. I recommend The Therapist. Once you read, you will want to discover the truth. 

The Therapist will be available tomorrow, July 13, 2021, in hardcover, eBook, and audiobook. 

Where The Crawdads Sing: an entertaining story but I wasn't blown away

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens is a story of survival set in the marshlands of North Carolina. The town of Barkley Cove, a quiet fishing village, heard rumors of the “Marsh Girl,” For the most part, it was just talk, as Kya Clark is barefoot, wild and clearly unfit for normal society. Until 1969, when Golden Boy, Chase Andrews, is found dead and Kya is immediately suspected. But Kya is not what the rumors claim. A born naturalist, she takes life’s lessons from the land. She has learned to live in solitude, only rely on herself to get what she needs to survive. As she gets older, she is drawn to two young men from town. Both men are intrigued by her wild beauty and Kya begins to open herself to the possibility of not being so alone anymore. It all falls apart when Chase Andrews dies and Kya is arrested for his murder. Told between two timelines, beginning in 1952 when Kya is introduced and 1969 with the police investigation, the story weaves a mystery that slowly unravels. Who killed Chase Andrews? Did Kya kill him? 

I have heard many rave reviews of Where the Crawdads Sing. I finally picked up a copy. I settled in to read and the opening chapter set a lyrical tone as the author describes the wildness of the marsh and the animals who live there. The first half of the book moved slowly. I knew there must be a connection to the death investigation and Kya, so I pressed on. The second half of the book moved more quickly as the trial began. When I finished, the mystery solved, I sat silent, underwhelmed. It wasn’t the book I expected. The “gotcha” moment fell flat for me. I liked the book. It was entertaining but I wasn’t wowed by it as I expected from hearing so many rave reviews. There is a movie in production based on this book, set to be released in 2022. After reading the book, I’m not sure I’m interested in seeing the film. Maybe that will change in time. Overall, I enjoyed the story. It was good and the descriptions of the landscape are beautiful. It’s not a “oh my gosh, you have to read this book!” But I recommend Where the Crawdads Sing. 

Where the Crawdads Sing is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook. 

Before He Kills: a great mystery with interesting characters

Before He Kills is the first book in the Mackenzie White series by Blake Pierce. A woman is found murdered in a cornfield of Nebraska. Strung up on a pole, the victim of a deranged killer. It doesn’t take long to realize that a serial killer is on the loose. Detective Mackenzie White is a young, tough, smarter than the aging, chauvinistic men on her local force. She finds herself called in to help solve it. As much as the other officers would hate to admit it but they need her. As she begins, she realizes that this case could be an impossible riddle, a riddle that she or the police force has ever seen. As the case heats up, Mackenzie finds herself battling her own demons as the hunt for this sadistic killer takes her to the darkest places of her mind and memories. Will she find the killer before he strikes again? Or will the psychological warfare inside her head be her downfall? 

Once again, Blake Pierce did not disappoint. Before He Kills is my third book by Pierce and it was a fast-paced, hold on to your seat mystery with a great leading lady. From the get-go, Mackenzie is a strong, intelligent detective but underneath her bravado is a flawed and broken woman who is haunted by the memories of her father’s murder. She is determined to find the killer before he kills again, even risking her career and her life to stop the madman in his tracks. The story is filled with other great characters like her reluctant partner, Walter Porter, to the police chief, Clark Nelson, who hate what Mackenzie represents but can’t help but admire her skills and tenacity. At the center is a great mystery that didn’t drag on with too many twists and false leads. If you love murder mysteries and need a weekend read, I highly recommend Before He Kills. 

Before He Kills is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook.