The Last Caretaker: a mystery suspense thriller which doesn't live up to its premise

The Last Caretaker by Jessica Strawser is a mystery suspense as one woman tries to move forward with her life. Katie needed a fresh start and her best friend, Bess, offered her a new start. The job is as a residential caretaker at a nature preserve. She wasn’t exactly a nature person but she is willing to try. From the moment she arrived, something was off. The farmhouse looks like the last caretaker simply disappeared and her belongings were left behind. When a frantic, terrified woman arrives late at night, Kate realizes that the caretaker job is much more than she realized. Unsure who to trust or where to turn, Katie begins to dig deeper into what the last caretaker left behind and she must decide how much she is willing to risk in order to do the right thing. 

I was intrigued by the premise and I looked forward to a spine tingly mystery. However, from the beginning, I was bored. Even after the woman arrives late at night and the mystery opens up, I was bored. There was no intrigue. It was so slow for a thriller suspense. The storytelling didn’t flow smoothly and I found my attention drifting. The writing style was choppy and some sentences were confusing and did not make sense. There was no suspense, no thrilling tension and the final twist fell flat. The characters weren’t people I wanted to root for or see to the end. I understand what the author was trying to do and cover an important topic; however, I feel it didn’t work well. I did not enjoy this story at all. I do not recommend The Last Caretaker. 

The Last Caretaker is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

The Girl at the Party: a thriller mystery of a young girl's death and someone wants to keep it unsolved

The Girl at the Party by Danielle Stewart is a thriller mystery of one girl’s death. Stephanie left the end of the year party and walked home alone. Some say she was crying while others heard an argument between Stephanie and someone else. However, no one would see her alive again. Four years later, Stephanie’s friends are still haunted by the events of that night. She was the perfect one, who stayed out of trouble and looked out for her friends. Where were her friends looking out for her? Laura is truly stuck as she cannot move past Stephanie’s death especially since her case went cold. All she wanted was to forget that horrible night. Until one day when another friend, Chris Mills comes to her with a proposal: help him investigate Stephanie’s death and discover the truth. Together, they start their investigation and it becomes clear that someone does not want them to discover the truth. Warnings and break ins meant to scare them off. Is Stephanie’s killer closer than they think? 

The Girl at the Party starts off interesting as readers see the final moments of Stephanie’s life However, as Laura and Chris start their investigation, the story slows and gets bogged down. The book is described as a slow burn mystery; unfortunately, it is so slow that almost nothing happens until the mad run to the ending. I didn’t care for the long winded paragraphs about the patriarchy, women being forced to be caretakers and ableism. While those topics are interesting and important to discuss, there is a better way to blend them into the story without being a lecture. The mystery of Stephanie’s death certainly became secondary and the personal lives of the other characters were the main focus. Even with Chris and Laura’s statements that Stephanie had been forgotten and they seem to forget why they are investigating in the first place. And the reveal about the details of Stephanie’s death was so disappointing. I did not enjoy this story. I do not recommend The Girl at the Party. 

The Girl at the Party is available in available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

The Women in White: thriller mystery with parapsychology experiments that go wrong and one woman's search for the truth.

The Women in White by Sarah Pekkanen is a thriller mystery as a woman searches for old friends and finds herself investigating a decades old mystery. In 1964, four young women at a respected university became subjects of parapsychology experiments by a visionary scientist. These women truly have a special gift whether it would be called extrasensory perception or a sixth sense. When something goes terribly wrong, the four women mysteriously disappear. Decades later, Riley Bell begins to work for an elderly widow, Betty, as her live-in caretaker. Betty’s home is trapped in another era with no television, no cell phones and no internet. Why would Betty live in such isolation and why does she need Riley now? When Riley innocently offers to find Betty’s friends that she hasn’t seen in decades, she finds herself chasing the truth of secrets long buried. What starts as a simple plan to reunite old friends becomes a life or death situation. 

The Women in White is a dual timeline between Riley in the present day and Betty in 1964 as the mystery unfolds with paranormal elements. From the opening chapters, I was intrigued as the story unfolded with questions. Why did Betty need Riley? Were the women truly gifted? The story also gave a clear picture of the unethical practices which were common at the time when dealing with human subjects. The beginning of the story was a bit slow as the mystery unfolded; however, once Riley was deep into her investigation, the story sped up and I was on the edge of my seat. Overall, I enjoyed this story. There were shocking moments and moments when I was angry at the treatment these women were receiving. I closed the story with a “wow” and I was satisfied with the ending. If you enjoy a dual timeline story with a thrilling mystery, I highly recommend The Women in White. 

The Women in White is available in hardcover, eBook and audiobook

Don't Forget Me: a mystery suspense

Don’t Forget Me by Rea Frey is a mystery suspense of murder and suspicion. All Ruby Knight wanted was a fresh start. Taking an early retirement, she moves to a tight knot community with her husband, Tom, and her daughter, Lily. However, their fresh start doesn’t last long. First, Lily goes missing and then her husband. In order to cope with her grief, Ruby turns to her neighborhood friends and new hobbies including a murder club where they try to solve cold cases. While on a run, Ruby Knight discovers a body in the lake. When the body is identified as Tom, every one is sure it is him except Ruby. As she digs into her own past and the lives of her neighbors, she realizes that there are secrets that raise more questions than answers. She must now find a way to clear her name and find the truth. 

I haven’t read anything by Rea Frey before but I was intrigued by the description that I wanted to give it a chance. The story started off well as a body is discovered that everyone says is her husband but she doesn’t recognize him. With great suspense and twists and turns, it would have made for a great mystery. However, I didn’t like the characters, the story and the twists were not truly shocking. There were jumps in time without any indication of where and when the characters were. A lot of the conservations that happen between neighbors in text form which would be a great device but it happened way too often. By the end, I didn’t care for the characters or what happened and the ending seemed sloppy. Overall, I did not enjoy this story. I do not recommend Don’t Forget Me. 

Don’t Forget Me is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

The Good Lie: a killer has been caught or has he?

The Good Lie by A.R. Torre is a crime mystery thriller as a killer has been caught or has he? Six teens have been abducted and found murdered. The last victim manages to escape and return home where he names his abductor. Defense attorney Robert Kavin is still traumatized after his teenage son was one of the six victims. However, when he sees that a victim has escaped and names a local school teacher Randall Thompson as his captor, he is convinced of Thompson’s innocence and takes his representation. While the evidence against Thompson is damning but Robert is still convinced they have the wrong man. He hires psychiatrist Dr. Gwen Moore, to create a psych profile of the killer. Gwen is an expert on killers. She spent a decade treating some of the most depraved predators and learning their motives. As Robert and Gwen work together, growing closer, the investigation raises more questions than answers. 

A.R. Torre is known for crime mystery thrillers and I was expecting a story of twists and turns and continued guesses until the final reveal. As a student of psychology, I enjoy the deep dive into why criminals, especially killers, follow the patterns that they do. The story started out interesting as I knew the named suspect was not the killer. However, as I read I felt the story slowing down and that the story dragged too much especially with Gwen and Robert’s relationship. It was more their relationship than the investigation and trial. I started to skim in order to just find out who the killer was and felt a little disappointed at the reveal. Some of the reveals were definitely surprising but underwhelming. Overall, the story wasn’t bad but I wasn’t wowed by the story or the characters. If you are a fan of crime mystery thrillers, you may enjoy The Good Lie. 

The Good Lie is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

The Fix: a survivor of a brutal attack has a chance to save another victim

The Fix by Mia Sheridan is a romantic suspense thriller as a survivor of a brutal attack has a chance to save another victim.  Eleven years ago, Cami Cortlandt’s mother and sister were killed in a violent home invasion. While the trauma and the notoriety still follows her, Cami has built a life in her hometown, trying to put it all behind her as best she can. Until one day, one phone call puts another life on the line. A distorted voice asking if she wanted a do-over. A video of a young boy trapped in a room with bars on the window. A boy who looks vaguely familiar. She has four days to find him. With the help of an old classmate, Rex Lowe, Cami races to find the boy and answer the questions racing through her mind. Where is he? Who is he? And why is Cami the only one who can save him? 

After reading Mia Sheridan’s previous books, I knew her stories would be a bit darker with twists and turns. However, as I closed the book, I was left with indifference. I wasn’t wowed by the story but I didn’t hate it either. I enjoyed Cami’s story and her resilience to rebuild her life. I also enjoyed Rex’s character. Their romance was subtle and didn’t overwhelm the mystery or suspense of the story. The twists and the turns of the story kept my interest as I wanted to know who was behind the boy’s kidnapping and why Cami was given the chance to save him. However, there were certain character injections that left me confused and wondering how they fit in the overall mystery. While it is revealed, it felt underwhelming, Overall, I did enjoy the story but I wasn’t wowed. If you enjoy romantic suspense thrillers, you may enjoy this book. I recommend The Fix. 

The Fix is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook

Lady Helena Investigates: family drama, mystery and a slow burn romance

Lady Helena Investigates is the first book in the Scott-DeQuincy Mystery series by Jane Steen. 1881, Sussex, Lady Helena Whitcombe has been left grieving as she buries her husband, Sir Justin Whitcombe. Her quiet country life was shattered as Justin was found dead in the river that overlooked their grand mansion. As she deals with family demands for her life as a widow and her own wishes to guide her life as she sees fit, Armand Fortier enters her life. The attractive and mysterious French physician who poses his theory of murder which leads to her starting her own investigation. During her investigation, she discovers her own family’s secrets. Can she navigate grief while standing up against her family’s demands for her life?  Where does the handsome doctor fit into her life and her investigations? 

I was intrigued at the premise and was looking forward to diving into a story of mystery, drama and family especially as the series was described as a “family saga and mystery-driven action with a slow-burn romance in seven unputdownable investigations.” The opening chapter was a jumbled introduction to Lady Helena’s situation and her large family. The introductions of who was who and where they fit in the family was so confusing that I gave up trying to keep everyone straight. I expected a murder mystery that never really materialized. The romance seemed out of place as well. Overall, I was bored and I did not care about Lady Helena, her situation or her investigations. I will not be continuing the series. However, if you enjoy historical drama with mystery and romance, you may enjoy Lady Helena Investigates. 

Lady Helena Investigates is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Ice Falls: a romantic suspense in an Alaskan small town

Ice Falls is the first book in the Firelight Ridge series by Jennifer Bernard. Molly Evans credits her three best friends for their support as she grew from a misfit to a successful attorney. When one of them suddenly goes missing, Molly makes it her mission to find her friend, Lila. She tracks Lila to Firelight Ridge, a small town in Alaska, and she immediately stands out in a town who stays out of each other’s business. It doesn’t take long before she finds herself in the middle of a local mystery and a reclusive group and must deal with a surly but very attractive pilot. Sam Coburn is the ultimate lone wolf; keeping to himself. When Molly steps onto his plane, he is intrigued by the feisty and fierce woman. Little does he know that she will provide a way to access the wilderness family he had tried and failed. A whirlwind of events will change their lives forever. 

I have read Jennifer Bernard’s books before and loved them. When I found Ice Falls, I was looking forward to this romance suspense. I liked that Molly was willing to jump on a plane to find her friend. Even though Lila was always a bit flighty, Molly felt enough intuition to think something was off and find her and make sure she is okay. Her first interaction with Sam was funny with great banter. From there, the story seemed to be all over the place introducing Lila’s new life in town, the mysterious family who Sam is trying to get information about and the mystery that is supposed to tie it all together. The pace was slow and lost my attention. Overall, I was bored and really didn’t care for the characters or the mystery. I am not sure if I will continue this series; however, if if you enjoy romantic suspense, you may enjoy Ice Falls. 

Ice Falls is available in paperback and eBook

The Bookbinder's Secret: one book's secret and one woman's journey to discover it

The Bookbinder’s Secret by A.D. Bell is a story of how one book tells a secret and one woman’s journey to discover it. Lillian “Lily” Delaney is an apprentice to a master bookbinder in Oxford in 1901 and feels trapped. Trapped by her father’s failing bookshop. Trapped by still being an apprentice. When she is given a burned book by a book collector, where she finds something hidden binding, a letter speaking of love, fortune, and murder. Lilly is pulled into a mystery of young lovers, forbidden love, and discovers there are more books with more hidden secrets. She quickly becomes obsessed with the story and that obsession becomes dangerous. She discovers someone is looking for the same books and is ready to kill for them. As she searches, sinister forces are closing in and her life begins to fall apart, she must decide if the truth is worth her life. 

The Bookbinder’s Secret is a slow moving train at first as Lilly discovers the hidden letter. As she innocently searches for the truth, she doesn’t realize she is being watched until it is too late. The train speeds up and I was hooked as Lilly is determined to find the truth, find the individuals in the letter, solve the mystery and restore her life as best she can. I loved the look into bookbinding and the cutthroat business of book collecting. The pieces to the mystery were intriguing as well. There is a cast of unsavory characters whom Lilly must trust despite the danger she is in and the reveal of who is behind it all was a shocker! Overall, I enjoyed this story and when I closed the book I sat in awe at the twists and turns. If you enjoy historical fiction with a mystery, I highly recommend The Bookbinder’s Secret. 

The Bookbinder’s Secret is available in hardcover, eBook and audiobook

The Guest in Room 120: a bit of mystery, history, romance and haunting

 he Guest in Room 120 by Sara Ackerman is a story of the mysterious death of Jane Stanford, co-founder of Stanford University. 1905, Jane Stanford is a woman with an iron will and has her share of enemies. After an attempted poisoning attempt in her San Francisco mansion. With medical advice for warmer climates, she flees to Honolulu with two companions to the new Moana Hotel. On the island, Iliahi Baldwin is a young girl working at the hotel as she takes care of her younger brothers. She forms an unlikely friendship with the intimidating Jane Stanford and witnesses events that would expose the truth. 2005, Zoe Finch is a bestselling author who attends a writer’s conference at the Moana Hotel. She soon begins to experience mysterious dreams and events which puts her on the path to discover the shocking events which occurred at the hotel one hundred years ago. 

I did not know anything about Jane Stanford before reading this story. I knew she and her husband created the university to honor their late son. I was intrigued as her death remains a mystery to this day. From the opening chapter to the final page, I was pulled into a story that was a bit of mystery, history, romance and a haunting without being overbearing or too much of one over the others. The story is told from the perspective of all three women as readers see the events leading to Jane’s death, the immediate aftermath and the experiences which lead Zoe to investigate. The haunting aspect was not scary or terrifying. I enjoyed reading about the island in 1905. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this story. It is a story of betrayal, secrets and a death that echoes and connects three women across time. I highly recommend The Guest in Room 120. 

The Guest in Room 120 is available in hardcover, paperback, eBook and audiobook

The First Time I Died: a spooky crime mystery with a supernatural twist

The First Time I Died is the first book in the Garnet McGee series by Jo MacGregor. Garnet McGee comes home to her small Vermont hometown for the first time in ten years. On her first day back, she dies in an accident and is brought back to life by the paramedics. Strange things begin to happen, she hears words when no one is around, seeing images that she could not know and odd sensations. At first pushed aside as possible post-traumatic stress disorder, she tries to focus on her recovery. As the experiences increase, she realizes that when she died, she did not come back alone. And now, she is determined to solve a murder that tore her life apart. As she probes into the past, she discovers a number of suspects and someone who doesn’t want her to discover the truth. When everyone seems to have a secret to hide, can Garnet discover the murderer? 

From the opening chapter to the closing page, The First Time I Died is a fast paced story with an interesting and engaging plot. It is spooky and mysterious. I enjoyed Garnet’s character as a woman who is struggling moving forward after the events of one winter and the reason she left her hometown and hoped to never come back. She is skeptical at first when these strange events begin as she describes herself as logical and rational. However, once she embraced what these events are trying to tell her, the story became a roller coaster that I could not put down! I closed the book with a sense of awe and amazement as the story had twists and turns I was not expecting. I am looking forward to reading the rest of this series. If you enjoy a suspenseful and haunting story with a supernatural twist, I highly recommend The First Time I Died. 

The First Time I Died is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

I Would Die for You: a slow burn thriller with twist and turns to keep you guessing

I Would Die for You by Sandie Jones is a slow burn thriller in which a woman’s past comes roaring back. Is she prepared to fight back? Nicole Forbes lives a quiet life in southern California with her husband and daughter. It is shattered when a journalist comes to her door and asks her for information about the downfall of Secret Oktober, the biggest British band of the 1980s. The same day, her daughter is picked up from school by her aunt. The only thing is her daughter doesn’t have an aunt! Nicole is faced with the threads of her life and hidden past that is quickly becoming unveiling. In 1986, sixteen year old Cassie is obsessed with Secret Oktober with an intense crush on Ben Edwards. She is determined to do anything she can to capture his attention among the cheering fans and groupies. What she doesn’t count on is Ben meeting her older sister, Nicole. What happened to Secret Oktober? What does Nicole know? 

Sandie Jones is a new author to me and I was intrigued by the synopsis of this book. A dual timeline story with multiple POVs as Nicole searches for the person behind the events of today and Cassie as her obsession with Secret Oktober and Ben grows taking her down a dangerous past. As events of today and yesteryear begin to shine light on the truth, the twists and turns were interesting and kept me hooked. However, as the mystery was revealed, the ending was confusing and a bit abrupt. My first thought when I closed the book was “what?!?” Throughout the story, I liked the character of Nicole and the mystery about who was bringing up the past and why was engaging and kept me guessing. Overall, I enjoyed the story. The mystery was engaging, the ending was just abrupt. If you like dual timeline, multiple POVs stories with a bit of suspense and mystery, I recommend I Would Die for You. 

I Would Die for You is available in hardcover, eBook and audiobook

So This is Christmas: the magic of Christmas is shattered by a horrifying crime

So This is Christmas is the eleventh book in the best selling Hart’s Ridge series by Kay Bratt. The small town of Hart’s Ridge is glowing with holiday magic as the quaint town is decked with festive lights and holiday cheer that draws visitors from all around. However, this year, Deputy Taylor Gray hopes for a quiet holiday as she recovers and learns how to enjoy her new role as the family celebrates. However, in another part of town, the peace and quiet of the Christmas spirit is shattered when four bodies are discovered. Detective Shane Weaver must solve this crime without Taylor as she becomes torn between her promise to Sam to stay out of the investigation and focus on her recovery and her sworn duty to keep the town safe. Who would do such a horrendous act at Christmas? And can Taylor keep her promise? Will Shane leave her out of it? 

The Hart’s Ridge series just keeps getting better and better! To say that I enjoyed this story would be an understatement. Inspired by real life crime stories, So This is Christmas takes readers on a journey into the unthinkable and asks the question what would drive someone to commit such a crime. So This is Christmas opens with the shocking crime as a family is gunned down and keeps readers on the edge of their seats as the twists and turns come at a fast pace. Intertwined with the case, Taylor is faced with a decision: when will she realize that taking time for yourself and your health isn’t selfish but necessary? It is a question that many caregivers must face. What will be Taylor’s breaking point? If you are a fan of the Hart’s Ridge series, I highly, highly recommend So This is Christmas! If you have not yet started the series, I highly, highly recommend it. 

So This is Christmas is currently available in eBook

The Moonflowers: a mysterious family history in a small Appalachian town

The Moonflowers by Abigail Rose-Marie is a story about one woman’s journey to unravel her mysterious family history and the dark hidden history in one small town. Tig Costello arrives in Darren, Kentucky as part of the celebration honoring her late grandfather, Benjamin. His contributions to the town and his honorable war service has made him a local hero. As an artist, Tig is commissioned to paint his portrait but he is relatively unknown to her. In order to discover more about him, Tig seeks out the one person still alive who knew him. Eloise Price, the woman who murdered him fifty years ago and confined to a state mental institution. Eloise agrees to tell her stories. About herself, Tig’s grandmother, and the other brave women through Benjamin’s orbit. She reveals secrets of Whitmore Halls, the silent mansion on the hill, that lead to the day that would change Eloise’s life forever.

With its beautiful cover and its premise of a “powerful and poignant novel,” I was ready to read a story of past and present coming together for healing. What I got was a very slow moving story which seemed to be all over the place with no direction. The story was very hard to get into and I could not connect with Tig, Eloise or any of the other characters of this small town. By the end, it became a heavy handed discourse on the importance of abortion and how it saves lives. Even with the topic of abortion, which is hidden and revealed as if a plot twist, the story dragged that I did not care why Eloise killed Benjamin or what painful past Tig is running from. I was just glad the book was over. Overall, I did not enjoy this story and I do not recommend The Moonflowers. 

The Moonflowers is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

A Scarlet Cord: a contemporary Christian fiction with a bit of romance and mystery

A Scarlet Cord by Deborah Raney is a contemporary Christian fiction with a bit of romance and mystery. Four years ago, Melanie LaSalle lost her husband and was left with a newborn daughter and a bleak future. With the help of her loving in-laws, she is now managing the family design firm and caring for her daughter, Jerica. Romance and falling in love again were the last things on her mind until he walked into her life. Joel Ellington is a new staff member at her church and draws Melanie with his warm and friendly demeanor. However, there is something troubling about Joel. Despite her doubts, the two become closer. Then Joel suddenly disappears, along with the church’s funds and she cannot ignore her doubts any longer. Torn between her feelings and the mounting evidence against Joel, Melanie must decide to forget Joel or find a reason to trust him with her heart. 

Deborah Raney is known for heartfelt stories with romance, inspiration and a bit of suspense. A Scarlet Cord starts off strong, then quickly loses its way and rushes to the end. The story is very slow moving with unbelievable plot points and overall, I was bored. I found myself not caring for Melanie and her dilemma. I did feel for her grief and her reluctance to love again. I loved that her in-laws were supportive and caring for Melanie and Jerica. Joel was likable with a hidden past that he was reluctant to share. The end reveals why and I rolled my eyes. Sadly, it was a let down. There was a plot line that involved Jerica that only added to the unbelievable turn of events. Overall, I did not enjoy A Scarlet Cord. However, if you are a fan of Deborah Raney or contemporary Christian fiction, you may enjoy A Scarlet Cord. 

A Scarlet Cord is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook

A Familiar Stranger: a mystery, psychological thriller with many twists and turns

A Familiar Stranger by AR Torre is a mystery, psychological thriller. Lillian Smith leads an ordinary life. She writes obituaries, posts tweets about mysterious deaths and deals with her inattentive husband and a disconnected son. When she meets David, a handsome stranger, in a coffee shop, she can’t help but invent a new persona and lures herself into an affair. With no strings and with the excitement she is missing and craves. She has never felt so reckless and wanted but as her affair intensifies, she begins to ignore everything else in her life. When her affair finds its way to her son’s social media, everything she has worked for is at risk. With lie after lie, her world spins out of control. What she doesn’t realize is she isn’t the only one leading a double life. 

A Familiar Stranger is an interesting mystery with a few twists and turns that lead to an unexpected culprit. Every character is hiding behind walls of lies and deceit. And no character being worthy of redemption with their comeuppance waiting in the wings, there were many moving parts and secrets at play. The timeline follows before, during and after a death, it is a slow burn at first until the victim and the suspects spin at high speed to cover their tracks. Who is the victim? Why were they killed?  Who is the killer? Will they be discovered or will they get away with the murder? The ending was surprising. Overall, I enjoyed this story and look forward to other works by Ms. Torre. If you enjoy mystery, psychological thrillers, I recommend A Familiar Stranger. 

A Familiar Stranger is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook. 

Looking for Smoke: a story of murder, mystery and a stark reality for Native women

Looking for Smoke by KA Cobell is a young adult fiction of murder, mystery and a very real situation plaguing young Native women. Mara Racette recently moved to the Blackfeet Reservation with her parents and is on the outside looking in. When Loren Arnoux includes her in a traditional Blackfeet giveaway to honor her missing sister, Rayanne, Mara thinks she is finally making friends. However, when Samantha White Tail, another girl from the giveaway, is found murdered, everyone who was a part of the giveaway becomes a person of interest. Each one may have had a motive. From Mara and Loren to Brody Clark, the class clown, and tough guy Eli First Kill, each with a deep mistrust of each, take the matter into their own hands to clear their names. Can they discover the truth? Is one of them a murderer?

I love stories about Native Indigenous people and their culture and struggles. So when the opportunity to read Looking for Smoke came up, I jumped at it. In a powerful debut novel, Ms. Cobell weaved a story of loss, betrayal and mystery that was engaging with a shocking twist and surprise that had my jaw on the floor! Weaved through the story is the very real nightmare of missing and murdered native women. The statistics the author discussed at the end of the book were heartbreaking and horrifying! The characters were complex and the growth throughout the story was great. The imagery and the descriptions of the festivals and rituals were breathtaking. I could not put this story down and read well into the night. I am looking forward to reading more stories by KA Cobell. I highly, highly recommend Looking for Smoke. 

Looking for Smoke will be available in hardcover, eBook and audiobook on June 4, 2024

The Keepers of Metsan Valo: a mix of Nordic folklore, family traditions and mystery

 The Keepers of Metsan Valo by Wendy Webb is a mix of Nordic folklore and family traditions and finding a new future. In Metsan Valo, on the shores of Ile de Colette in Lake Superior, Anni Halla’s family home has been a place of happy memories, where she and her twin brother, Theo, explored the vast forests and listened to their grandmother’s folk stories. She comes back after the sudden death of her beloved grandmother and finds herself learning there is more to the family stories than just entertainment. As the family gathers for the reading of her grandmother’s will, there is tension in the air and not just between the family members. There are whispers in the wind, bursts of laughter when no one is around and nights filled with strange dreams and visions. As she investigates the strange occurrences, Anni learns there is more truth to her grandmother’s stories than she realized. 

Wendy Webb is one of my go-to authors for thrillers. The Keepers of Metsan Valo is a sleeper thriller with a mix of folklore, family drama and mystery. The story was engaging and mysterious. It was spooky enough to keep me reading and looking forward to more but not so spooky that I was frightened. The way Ms Webb incorporates forests and the animals into the story adds to the eeriness and atmosphere. I enjoyed the incorporation of Nordic folklore which isn’t used in literature very often. I enjoyed all the characters and how they interact with each other throughout the story. I also enjoyed the theme of staying connected to the family, the past and ancestors, remembering their stories and who they were. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this story and I am looking forward to more books by Ms Webb. If you enjoy sleeping, gothic type thrillers, I highly recommend The Keepers of Metsan Valo. 

The Keepers of Metsan Valo is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Barefoot in the Sand: a heartfelt story weaving past and present as secrets are revealed

Barefoot in the Sand by Holly Chamberlain is the first book in the Eliot’s Corner, Maine series. There are moments that define your life and can drastically change its course. Arden Bell has had those moments. Now she lives a quiet life as the owner of a bookstore in the small seaside town of Eliot’s Corner. She never thought the day would come when her life would take another turn until she opens her door to the daughter she gave up for adoption so many years ago. Laura Huntington is on the hunt to find her birth parents after the deaths of her adoptive parents and the end of her bitter marriage. Her appearance in Maine opens doors to the past and questions that everyone has been afraid to ask. Will the truth be revealed and the ghosts of the past finally put to rest? 

This book is my first by Holly Chamberlain and it probably won’t be my last. Barefoot in the Sand is a heartfelt story of past and present intertwining in a summer of new beginnings for a mother and daughter. Switching perspectives between Arden and Laura, readers learn about the summer that shaped their lives and a mystery that haunts them. From the opening chapter to the closing pages, this fast paced story hooks you in as a young woman fights against the strangling ties of her parents and the young man who sets her free. It is a story of a reunion between mother and daughter with a bit of a mystery and intrigue. My only complaint is the confrontation between Arden and a couple characters that fell flat for me. I look forward to reading more in this series. I recommend Barefoot in the Sand. 

 

Barefoot in the Sand is available in paperback and eBook

Call the Canaries: three estranged sisters confront their past and reconnect

Call the Canaries Home by Laura Barrow is the story of three estranged sisters who reconnect and face an unresolved past. Savannah was only four years old when her twin sister, Georgia, went missing from their small Louisiana town. Twenty-eight years later, she convinces her older sisters, Rayanne and Sue Ellen, to honor their pact and retrieve a time capsule from their old backyard. Going home would mean confronting their painful past and their stubborn grandmother. As they sift through the artifacts from the capsule, they come across a photograph and see a familiar face in the background. Savannah believes this woman could hold the answer to what happened the day Georgia disappeared. Old tensions, rivalries and memories resurface, each sister must confront what they remember about that day, what they know about each other and themselves. Will they finally learn the lesson that Meemaw has been trying to teach them? That family is everything. 

Touted as “a heartfelt novel about family, grief, secrets, and forgiveness” I expected Call the Canaries Home to be a profoundly emotional story of sisters, the past and family. Unfortunately, it was not as profound as I expected. The story is told from the perspectives of the three sisters in the present and Meemaw in the past. The plot itself was not interesting with twists and turns that were left wanting. The sisterly drama dragged on and seemed without real resolution. I couldn’t identify or feel for any of the sisters. I feel the author really didn’t give any reason to care for these sisters who had lived through horrible situations. The setup was about the mysterious disappearance of their sister and then it became an afterthought and a disappointment when the mystery is solved. Overall, this story was drawn out with way too many points of view to follow. I do not recommend Call the Canaries Home. 

Call the Canaries is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook