Author: Jolie

I love to read. My favorite genres are women's fiction, romance, psychological thrillers, fantasy, young adult, steampunk, dystopian, LGBTQIA, and paranormal.

Rednecks by Taylor Brown

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Date of publication: May 14th, 2024

Genre: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Adult, Literary Fiction, Adult Fiction, Southern, Drama

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

A historical drama based on the Battle of Blair Mountain, pitting a multi-ethnic army of 10,000 coal miners against mine owners, state militia, and the United States government in the largest labor uprising in American history.

Rednecks is a tour de force, big canvas historical novel that dramatizes the 1920 to 1921 events of the West Virginia Mine Wars—from the Matewan Massacre through the Battle of Blair Mountain, the largest armed conflict on American soil since the Civil War, when some one million rounds were fired, bombs were dropped on Appalachia, and the term “redneck” would come to have an unexpected origin story.

Brimming with the high stakes drama of America’s buried history, Rednecks tells a powerful story of rebellion against oppression. In a land where the coal companies use violence and intimidation to keep miners from organizing, “Doc Moo” Muhanna, a Lebanese-American doctor (inspired by the author’s own great-grandfather), toils amid the blood and injustice of the mining camps. When Frank Hugham, a Black World War One veteran and coal miner, takes dramatic steps to lead a miners’ revolt with a band of fellow veterans, Doc Moo risks his life and career to treat sick and wounded miners, while Frank’s grandmother, Beulah, fights her own battle to save her home and grandson. Real-life historical figures burn bright among the hills: the fiery Mother Jones, an Irish-born labor organizer once known as “The Most Dangerous Woman in America,” struggles to maintain the ear of the miners (“her boys”) amid the tide of rebellion, while the sharp-shooting police chief “Smilin” Sid Hatfield dares to stand up to the “gun thugs” of the coal companies, becoming a folk hero of the mine wars.

Award-winning novelist Taylor Brown brings to life one of the most compelling events in 20th century American history, reminding us of the hard-won origins of today’s unions. Rednecks is a propulsive, character-driven tale that’s both a century old and blisteringly contemporary: a story of unexpected friendship, heroism in the face of injustice, and the power of love and community against all odds.

First Line:

Doc Moo was up at the coal camp above town, checking on an elderly patient of his, when the Baldwins came rattling up the road in a pair of tin lizzies, their rifles and shotguns prickling from the windows, like hackles and spines.

Important details about Rednecks

Pace: Medium

POV: 3rd person (numerous characters)

Content/Trigger Guidance: Rednecks contains themes that include bullying, classism, homelessness, poverty, racism, terrorism, alcohol consumption, blood, gore, body horror, dead bodies, body parts, decapitation, dismemberment, loss of limb, medical treatment, medical procedures, mutilation, physical injuries, scars, death, grief, explosions, fire, arson, gun violence, murder, physical assault, police brutality, police violence, torture, mass murder, war themes, and military violence. Please read carefully if any of these triggers you.

Language: Rednecks contain moderate swearing and language that might offend some people.

Sexual Content: There is nongraphic sexual content in Rednecks.

Setting: Rednecks is set around Blair Mountain, West Virginia.

My Review:

The storyline of Rednecks is centered around a conflict called the West Virginia Miner Wars (1920-1921). These wars were the most significant armed conflict on American soil since the Civil War, but little is known about it because politicians and coal mining executives covered it up. I will warn you: this book is bloody, violent, and is not an easy read. But people need to read because this is a part of American history.

Another thing that I liked about this book was how the author incorporated actual events and people into the timeline. Everyone (and every event) in this book is real, except for Dr. Muhanna (Doc Moo), a Lebanese-American doctor based on the author’s great-grandfather. It made the book stand out more to me. 

I do want to explain the book’s title. The miners wore red kerchiefs tied around their necks, identifying them to the police and army they were fighting against. The police and army started using this as a derogatory statement, and it has stuck to this day.

I was irritated by the end of the book. I thought people would have been up in arms over what happened (a year of war in Appalachia). But instead, people who were sympathetic to the coal miners (mainly politicians) started denouncing everything that happened. And the reason the coal miners went on strike (working conditions and wanting shorter days) was forgotten.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley, and Taylor Brown for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Summers at the Saint. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to Rednecks, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Taylor Brown

Summers at the Saint by Mary Kay Andrews

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Date of publication: May 7th, 2024

Genre: Romance, Mystery, Fiction, Contemporary, Chick Lit, Womens Fiction, Adult Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Adult

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

Welcome to the St. Cecelia, a landmark hotel on the coast of Georgia, where traditions run deep and scandals run even deeper. . . .

Everyone refers to the St. Cecelia as “the Saint.” If you grew up coming here, you were “a Saint.” If you came from the wrong side of the river, you were “an Ain’t.” Traci Eddings was one of those outsiders whose family wasn’t rich enough or connected enough to vacation here. But she could work here. One fateful summer she did, and married the boss’s son. Now, she’s the widowed owner of the hotel, determined to see it return to its glory days, even as staff shortages and financial troubles threaten to ruin it. Plus, her greedy and unscrupulous brother-in-law wants to make sure she fails. Enlisting a motley crew of recently hired summer help—including the daughter of her estranged best friend—Traci has one summer season to turn it around. But new information about a long-ago drowning at the hotel threatens to come to light, and the tragic death of one of their own brings Traci to the brink of despair.

Traci Eddings has her back against the pink-painted wall of this beloved institution. And it will take all the wits and guts she has to see wrongs put to right, to see guilty parties put in their place, and maybe even to find a new romance along the way. Told with Mary Kay Andrew’s warmth, humor, knack for twists, and eye for delicious detail about human nature, Summers at the Saint is a beach read with depth and heart.

First Line

The first time Traci Eddings saw the Saint she was six or seven.

Important details about Summers at the Saint

Pace: Fast

POV: 3rd person (Traci, Olivia, Shannon, Felice, Garrett)

Content/Trigger Guidance: Summers at the Saint contains themes that include drug use, fatphobia, homophobia, rape, sexual assault, murder, child death, classism, alcoholism, death, drug abuse, infidelity, violence, fire, fire injury, adult/minor relationships, gaslighting, workplace harassment, divorce, abandonment, anxiety & anxiety attacks, drugging, teen pregnancy, terminal illness, hospitalization, physical injuries, death of a parent, death of a spouse, grief & loss depiction, and car accident. Please read carefully if any of these triggers you.

Language: Summers at the Saint contains mild swearing and language that might offend some people.

Sexual Content: There is mild, nongraphic sexual content in Summers at the Saint.

Setting: Summers at the Saint in the fictional town of Bonaventure, Georgia, at a hotel called the Saint.

My Review:

When I think of Mary Kay Andrews, my mind immediately goes to beach reads. I have read several books by her, and they all have the potential to be such books. So, when I read the blurb of Summers at the Saint, I thought that it was a given that this book (being set in a hotel, in the summer, and on the beach) would be one of those books. Well, color me surprised because I was wrong. Summers at the Saint isn’t a beach book. Instead, I got a fast-paced mystery that kept me glued to the book.

The main storyline of Summers at the Saint centers around the hotel, Traci Eddings, two murders (one from the mid-90s and one in the present), and drama with Traci’s in-laws. Numerous secondary storylines feed into and flesh out the main storyline.

I do want to warn you that this book has several POVs. I don’t like more than two because I feel that switching back and forth can get bogged down. But in this case, it worked. Backgrounds were explained (or alluded to), and storylines were given more depth.

I liked Traci, but she was so busy with everything happening at the hotel and in her personal life that she missed some blatant things happening in and around the hotel. Stuff that was so blatant and so obvious that these people were waving a red flag in front of her, and she didn’t see it. Not that I blamed her because she was dealing with so much.

Other characters in the book get a lot of page time, but if I went through them all, this review would be huge. Each character added depth and background to the primary (and secondary) storylines.

The mystery angle of Summers at the Saint was terrific. The big mystery (the murder) was very twisty and very turny. The author had me in knots trying to figure out who the killer was, and I was shocked by who it was. I was also surprised at the reason why. The death of a small boy nineteen years earlier was also a significant part of the storyline. That mystery led to one of the saddest scenes I have read and gave some much-needed background on why Traci and Shannon stopped being friends.

The end of Summers at the Saint was a feel-good ending. I liked that the author gave all the major players HEAs, and justice was dealt to the bad guys. I liked seeing everyone a year in the future and happy!!

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley, and Mary Kay Andrews for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Summers at the Saint. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to Summers at the Saint, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Mary Kay Andrews

Nonna Maria and the Case of the Lost Treasure (Nonna Maria: Book 3) by Lorenzo Carcaterra

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Bantam

Date of Publication: May 7th, 2024

Genre: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Italy, Mystery Thriller, Amateur Slueth, Italian Literature

Series: Nonna Maria

Nonna Maria and the Case of the Missing Bride—Book 1

Nonna Maria and the Case of the Stolen Necklace—Book 2

Nonna Maria and the Case of the Lost Treasure—Book 3

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

Nonna Maria, “one of the most charming amateur sleuths ever created” (Tess Gerritsen), dodges assassins and hunts for hidden treasure in this transporting mystery from #1 New York Times bestselling author Lorenzo Carcaterra.

As Nonna Maria’s longtime friend and sometimes colleague, Captain Murino of the Ischian caribineri never wanted to see harm brought to the doorstep of everyone’s favorite espresso-brewing, counsel-giving amateur sleuth. But when you live a long life, you’re bound to make a few enemies. And when those enemies come calling, you have to rely on friends. Faced with an assassin seeking revenge for a decades-old grudge, Captain Murino has no choice but to turn to Maria, who must use all her neighborly resources, clever faculties, and web of connections to save him from his perilous predicament.

On the other side of the island, a second mystery begins to unfold from the deathbed of another of Maria’s old friends, when he hands his granddaughter a yellowed map and tells her of a treasure to be found in one of Ischia’s secret caverns, known as the Magician’s Cave. There are traps and pits. There will be others with sinister motives who will do all they can to make the treasure their own. But this map is a guide—the only gift he has to give. When the granddaughter needs help cracking the code, she turns to her grandfather’s most trusted Nonna Maria.

From battling foes in medieval castles to exploring the notorious caverns where smugglers hid their goods, Nonna Maria and her friends—some old, some new—embark on their most swashbuckling adventure yet.

First Line

The man pulled a chair from a small outdoor table and sat down.

Important details about Nonna Maria and the Case of the Lost Treasure

Pace: Medium

POV: 3rd person (Nonna Maria, Captain Murino)

Series: 3rd book in the Nonna Maria series

Content/Trigger Guidance: Nonna Maria and the Case of the Lost Treasure contains themes that include alcohol consumption, blood, physical injuries, death of a grandparent, grief & loss depiction, death of a spouse, attempted murder, organized crime, physical assault, and violence. Please read carefully if any of these triggers you.

Language: Nonna Maria and the Case of the Lost Treasure contains mild swearing and language that might offend some people.

Sexual Content: There is no sexual content in Nonna Maria and the Case of the Lost Treasure.

Setting: Nonna Maria and the Case of the Lost Treasure on the island of Ischia, which is off the coast of Italy in the Bay of Naples.

My Review:

I had a brain fart when I first read the blurb for Nonna Maria and the Case of the Lost Treasure (side note: for your sanity and to keep this review somewhat short, I will be using NM as an abbreviation). I quickly read the blurb and assumed that it was a middle-grade mystery. Please don’t ask me why because I don’t have an answer. My best answer is that my kids were asking me questions or fighting (more likely the latter), and I didn’t fully pay attention to the blurb. Anyway, I accepted, and I am glad that I did. NM was a good read.

NM is the third book in the Nonna Maria series. You can read it as a standalone, but as I always do, I recommend reading the first two books first. That way, you get a better understanding of the characters and their relationships.

I have a new location to add to my list of places to go. NM is set on the island of Ischia. I did a quick Google search, and oh boy, do I want to go there. The watercolor is fantastic, and I couldn’t get over how the beaches looked in the pictures. Plus, there is the castle (which does make an appearance in this book).

NM has two main storylines. One storyline centers around Nonna Maria, Captain Murino, and the assassin working for an outside mob boss. The other storyline centers around Nonna Maria, the map her deceased friend left his granddaughter, and the search for that. Each storyline was exciting and well-written. When the author merges them at the end of the book, it is almost seamless.

The storyline that centers around Nonna Maria, Captain Murino, and the assassin is interesting. The author goes back to years earlier when Captain Murino was part of an operation to bring down the mob in Florence. I got confused and had to reread the first couple of paragraphs to figure out what was happening. But that didn’t last long, and it was the only time in the book that it happened, so I let it slide. I wasn’t a big fan of Nonna Maria being put in the middle and used almost as bait. But it did lead to an exciting ending to that storyline.

The storyline that centers on Nonna Maria, the map, and the search for the treasure was also exciting. I did get a crash course on the island’s history and how the caves were used. The author also introduced two colorful characters, the Pirate and the Magician, and an American treasure hunter and his assistant. I couldn’t get enough of this storyline and was eager to see if the treasure was uncovered. Of course, there were hijinks (which Nonna Maria was left out of) that led to a race for that group to find the granddaughter’s treasure. Those hijinks were amped up to almost a fever pitch when this group figured out where the treasure was. The end of this storyline was interesting because it didn’t end. It was left up in the air and gave me a feeling that these characters and at least some of this storyline will appear in another book.

I liked Nonna Maria. She had eyes and ears everywhere and often got news faster than Captain Murino. She didn’t let her age slow her down. I also got a laugh that she only drank expresso and wine. But, most of all, I liked the devotion she had and that she inspired in other people.

The end of NM was interesting. While the two mysteries were solved, enough was left open on both to make me wonder if any of these storylines/characters would be reintroduced in another book.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Bantam, NetGalley, and Lorenzo Carcaterra for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Nonna Maria and the Case of the Lost Treasure. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to Nonna Maria and the Case of the Lost Treasure, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Lorenzo Carcaterra

Winter’s Reach (Revanche Cycle: Book 1) by Craig Schaefer

This is a weekly meme where anyone can choose and highlight a random book from their Goodreads TBR. This meme was formerly featured on LaurensPageTurners and was taken over by Budget Tales Book Blog.

Pope Benignus is dying, and the man who takes his throne will hold the reins of an empire. Conspiracies swirl like shadows around Livia, the pope’s daughter, who refuses to be anyone’s pawn: chasing the whispers of a deadly coup, she vows to expose the truth and save her church from disaster. Livia has secrets of her own, though, and one wrong move could cost her life and her soul.

Felix is the scion of a dying merchant house, a man with just one chance to save his family and the woman he loves. His last hope lies in the snowbound hell of Winter’s Reach, a former prison colony turned “free city” under a brutal tyrant’s reign.

Livia and Felix have never crossed paths, but they’ve both been snared in a far greater web than they can imagine. They — along with a pair of veteran bounty hunters, an exiled politician, and a sadistic coven of witches — are cogs in one man’s apocalyptic plan for revenge. A plan which, if it succeeds, will leave an entire nation in flames.

The Deepest Lake by Andromeda Romano-Lax

Publisher: Soho Press, Soho Crime

Date of publication: May 7th, 2024

Genre: Thriller, Mystery, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Suspense, Adult, Contemporary, Travel, Adult Fiction

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | Kobo | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

In this atmospheric thriller set at a luxury memoir-writing workshop on the shores of Lake Atitlán, Guatemala, a grieving mother goes undercover to investigate her daughter’s mysterious death.

Rose, the mother of 20-something aspiring writer Jules, has waited three months for answers about her daughter’s death. Why was she swimming alone when she feared the water? Why did she stop texting days before she was last seen? When the official investigation rules the death an accidental drowning, the body possibly lost forever in Central America’s deepest lake, an unsatisfied Rose travels to the memoir workshop herself. She hopes to draw her own conclusion—and find closure.

When Rose arrives, she is swept into the curious world created by her daughter’s literary hero, the famous writing teacher Eva Marshall, a charismatic woman known for her candid—and controversial—memoirs. As Rose uncovers details about the days leading up to Jules’s disappearance, she begins to suspect that this glamorous retreat package is hiding ugly truths. Is Lake Atitlan a place where traumatized women come to heal or a place where deeper injury is inflicted?

Perfect for fans of Delia Owens, Celeste Ng, and Julia Bartz, The Deepest Lake is both a sharp look at the sometimes toxic, exclusionary world of high-class writing workshops and an achingly poignant view of a mother’s grief.

First Line:

I should be terrified stepping into the rowboat, but for the first adrenaline-spiked moment, I’m not.

Important details about The Deepest Lake

Pace: Fast

POV: 3rd person (Rose), 1st person (Jules)

Content/Trigger Guidance: The Deepest Lake contains themes that include bullying, classism, gaslighting, emotional abuse, depression*, alcohol consumption, drug use, miscarriage*, SIDS-related death*, blood, lack of medical treatment, physical injuries, dehydration, death of a child, grief & loss depiction, captivity & confinement, disappearance of a loved one, fire, attempted murder, physical assault, and mental illness*. Please read carefully if any of these triggers you.

  • Depression: It is revealed that Jules suffered from depression during college.
  • Miscarriage: Eva reveals to Jules that she had a miscarriage at 24 weeks.
  • SIDS-related death: In Eva’s memoir, she tells how her child died from SIDS at 13 days old.
  • Mental Illness: Eva had an undisclosed mental illness. It became more pronounced at the end of the book. The author never tells what the mental illness is (only that people had to walk on eggshells around her, and she became erratic).

Language: The Deepest Lake contains mild to moderate swearing and language that might offend some people.

  • Both Jules and Rose speak fluent Spanish, and they converse with the locals throughout the book. The author does include an English translation, but it was easy enough to guess what they were saying from the context of their conversations. There were only a couple of times I had to use the translation feature on my Kindle.

Sexual Content: There is no sexual content in The Deepest Lake.

Setting: The Deepest Lake is set on a resort bordering a small village (San Felipe) and a lake (Lake Atitlan) in Guatemala. There is also an epilogue set in Chicago, Illinois.

My Review:

Thrillers have always been one of my favorite books to read. Besides romance, they were one of the most reviewed genres on this blog. When I read the blurb for The Deepest Lake on Soho Press’s NetGalley page, I became very interested in it. The storyline caught my attention, but the location also made me double-take. I haven’t read many books set in Central America, and I have read no books set in Guatemala. I hyped this book up in my mind, and in most cases, the book falls short. But not in this case. I enjoyed reading The Deepest Lake.

The Deepest Lake is a dual storyline, dual POV book. In my years of reading, I have noticed that books that go between characters and POVs become choppy towards the end (when the author tries to merge the storyline for the ending). But not in this case. The transition between Rose and Jules was smooth. The author marked whose chapter it was and when it was happening (this is very important towards the end of the book). And the merge of the storylines was seamless. All of this made the book very enjoyable to read.

There are two storylines in The Deepest Lake. One centers on Jules and her experiences working for Eva. The other storyline centers on Rose’s quest for answers about Jule’s disappearance/drowning. Both storylines were well-written and kept my attention focused on the book.

Jules did rub me the wrong way at the beginning of the book. She came across as a brat (for lack of better words) who felt suffocated by her parents. She also suffered from a severe case of hero worship, which lasted until the middle of the book. However, a significant scene in the middle of the book opened her eyes to everything and set up the events at the end of the book.

The depth of Rose’s grief crushed me. All she wanted was answers; the one person who had them (or she thought had them) was Eva. I got why she joined the writer’s workshop. I also got why she kept quiet about who she was and her relationship with Jules. I also loved that she was determined to figure out what happened to Jules, even though her ex-husband had already been to San Felipe and the resort looking for her.

Eva was a great villain. The more page time she got, the more unhinged she became. It was apparent early on in Rose’s workshops. But with Jules, it was evident when, well, the spa scene and after that scene, it just snowballed. I want to say grief was a significant factor behind everything, but you know what, I don’t know. And that is what made her such a great villain. You didn’t know the real reasons of what drove her and why (there were reasons given, but I took them with a grain of salt). I was also shocked by what was revealed at the end of the book about her (on so many levels).

The thriller and mystery angle of the book was good. The author was able to keep me on tenterhooks with both Rose and Jules. She would end chapters a certain way, go to the other POV, and I’d have to wait to see what happened. Also, two massive twists and a few smaller, more insignificant ones were thrown into the storyline. The big twists did surprise me. I did not expect what was revealed and what happened actually to happen. The more minor twists didn’t surprise me, but they added extra padding to what was revealed by the more significant twists.

The end of The Deepest Lake was one of the best endings to a book I have read. I loved how the author wrapped everything up. There was a surprise that the author included at the very end that surprised me, mainly because of who was involved and where that person was.

Many thanks to Soho Press, Soho Crime, NetGalley, and Andromeda Romano-Lax for allowing me to read and review this ARC of The Deepest Lake. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to The Deepest Lake, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Andromeda Romano-Lax

Death of a Master Chef: A Brittany Mystery ( Kommisar Dupin: Book 9) by Jean-Luc Bannalec

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books

Date of publication: April 30th, 2024

Genre: Mystery, Crime, France, Mystery Thriller, Food, Thriller, Fiction

Series: Kommisar Dupin

Death in Brittany—Book 1

Murder on the Brittany Shores—Book 2

The Fleur de Sel Murders—Book 3

The Missing Corpse—Book 4

The Killing Tide—Book 5

The Granite Coast Murders—Book 6

The King Arthur Case—Book 7

The Body by the Sea—Book 8

Death of a Master Chef—Book 9

Purchase Links: Kindle | AbeBooks (in German only) | WorldCat (German title only)

Goodreads Synopsis:

Jean-Luc Bannalec’s internationally bestselling series starring Commissaire Georges Dupin returns with Death of a Master Chef.

Commissaire Georges Dupin is certain these first beautiful summer days in June would be perfect for a fun trip to Saint-Malo. In a region known as the culinary heart of Brittany, the paradoxical city is known for being a uniquely Breton, yet un-Breton, place. Their cuisine’s moto is voyages et aventures. Travel and adventure. Dupin would love to explore the internationally renowned cuisine one bite at a time. But to his chagrin, Dupin is there instead to attend a police seminar dedicated to closer collaboration between the Breton départements.

To prepare himself for what’s to come while in Saint-Malo, Dupin wanders through the halls of a local market—stopping to sample its wares as he goes—while admiring its aromatic orchestra. But Dupin’s morning is derailed when there’s a murder at a nearby stall. He quickly realizes this case is unlike any he’s worked on before. The police know the victim: Blanche Trouin, a grand chef of the region. They know the perpetrator: Lucille Trouin, Blanche’s sister and fellow successful chef in the area. The two had a well-known and public feud. After a bit of searching, Lucille is even in custody. The only thing they’re missing is the motive. And Lucille refuses to talk.

Saint-Malo doesn’t want any help from the visiting commissaires. Even Dupin’s assistant, Nolwenn, is telling him to stay out of it. But Dupin, along with a few of his Breton colleagues, can’t help but begin an investigation into why a chef killed her sister in the middle of a crowded market.

First Line

“A piece of the Brillat-Savarin, please.”

Important details about Death of a Master Chef

Pace: Slow but does pick up to medium by the end of the book.

POV: 3rd person (Dupin)

Series: Death of a Master Chef is the 9th book in the Kommissar Dupin series and can be read as a standalone.

Content/Trigger Guidance: Death of a Master Chef contains elements that include Alzheimer’s disease, alcohol consumption, blood, gore, body horror, dead bodies, death from falling, grief & loss depiction, death of a partner, death of a sibling, knife violence, suicide, and murder. Please read carefully if any of these triggers you.

Language: Death of a Master Chef contains mild swearing and language that might offend some people.

  • The author also uses French phrases (with English translation) throughout the book and sayings exclusive to the Brittany region.

Sexual Content: There is no sexual content in Death of a Master Chef.

Setting: Death of a Master Chef is set in present-day Saint-Malo, France (in the Brittany region).

My Review:

I haven’t read many books set in present-day France. However, I have read more than enough WWII-era books that described what Paris and the surrounding regions looked like at that time. My decision to read wasn’t solely based on that, though. The blurb definitely caught my attention, and being set in present-day France was also part of my decision.

Death of a Master Chef is the ninth book in the Kommissar Dupin series. It can be read as a standalone, but I suggest reading books 1-8 first. That way, you get background on Dupin and other police mentioned in the book.

This series (up to book 9) has been translated from German. If you look at the series listing above, I included all of the English versions. A few books haven’t been translated yet (it seems like St. Martin’s Press is working on that). If you read German, you’re good to go; if you want an English version, you might have to wait for the upcoming books.

The main storyline in Death of a Master Chef follows Dupin as he investigates the murder of a famous chef by her sister (and no, these are not spoilers; the author lets that be known in the first chapter). Dupin, who is in Saint-Malo for a police seminar, was in a farmer’s market when the victim (Blanche) was stabbed to death by her sister (Lucille). He is warned not to get involved but can’t help himself. Eventually, he gets assigned a team consisting almost entirely of Breton police. As Dupin follows the clues, more bodies are found. How are the bodies found connected to Blanche’s murder? The closer he gets to an answer, the more he gets stonewalled by the suspect, her friends, and her lawyers. The answer to why Blanche was killed will stun even Dupin.

I loved that the author laid everything out initially, except for the motive. Seeing the police go through their investigation, interview suspects, and eventually narrow down their motives was fascinating to me. I can see things like why the person did it and the reasons behind it fairly early in the book. But in this case, everything was revealed at the end of the book. 

I liked Dupin. His mind went a thousand miles a minute (and we were subjected to it all). He wrote everything down in his notebook and questioned when something seemed wrong. He also was fearless in tracking down leads that didn’t seem necessary. I also loved that he was a foodie. He relished every single bite of food and drink of petit cafe (small coffee) that he got. It opened my world to new food ideas (except for the seaweed butter, which I will never try).

The end of Death of a Master Chef was interesting. Lucille’s reason for what she did was heartbreaking. I was also surprised at what set off that final confrontation. If only that phone call had not been made (and that’s all I will say about that).

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books, NetGalley, and Jean-Luc Bannalec for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Death of a Master Chef. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to Death of a Master Chef, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Jean-Luc Bannalec

Love You, Mean It by Jilly Gagnon

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Dell

Date of publication: April 30th, 2024

Genre: Romance, Fiction, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Chick Lit, Adult, Adult Fiction, Womens Fiction, New Adult

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

A playful romantic comedy featuring dueling delis, fake dating, a shockingly awesome ex, and just the right amount of amnesia.

Ellie Greco wishes she weren’t stuck in Milborough. For a few brief, shining years, she escaped her hometown to pursue her dream career—designing beautiful, elaborate costumes for theater—until her father’s death five years ago called her home to run the family’s decades-old deli. Yes, she loves the place, but she’d always thought she was meant for more exciting things than stocking the right tinned fish. But when Ellie hears that a local landlord is planning to rent to Mangia, the glitzy gourmet food department store, Greco’s Deli’s very existence is suddenly in jeopardy.

She tries to plead her case to Theo Taylor, scion of the property management firm about to put her out of business, but their meeting goes from bad (it’s not her fault he’s infuriating) to worse (no one expects the ceiling to literally fall in).

With Theo out cold, Ellie panics and claims to be his fiancée… and almost passes out herself when amnesia means Theo seems to actually believe her. Soon, the effects of the head injury wear off, but Theo proposes that their “engagement” stick around. If they manage to convince enough people they might both get what they an end to the Mangia deal. Ellie doesn’t trust him (after all, if Theo Taylor wants it, how can it be good for her?) but seeing no other option, reluctantly agrees.

And miraculously, the fake engagement seems to be working—even Ted, Theo’s shrewd, cold father seems convinced—that is until Sam, Theo’s ex-fiance, reappears on the scene. Not only does she see through their ruse, she proposes an arrangement of her own, forcing Ellie to decide between blossoming friendship, her family legacy, and the burgeoning romance she frankly never asked for.

First Line:

“Oh, but what about the mortadella? I hadn’t even thought about that. Though I suppose you don’t carry a good mortadella, do you, Ellie? Rose never will buy it here…”

Important details about Love You, Mean It

Pace: Medium

POV: 1st person (Ellie)

Content/Trigger Guidance: Love You, Mean It contains grief, death of a parent, child death, death, alcohol consumption, classism, gentrification, sexism, misogyny, emotional abuse*, hospitalization, medical treatment, death of a sibling, and death from falling. Please read carefully if any of these triggers you.

  • Emotional Abuse—Theo’s father was very emotionally abusive towards Theo and, at times, towards Ellie.

Language: Love You, Mean It contains moderate swearing and language that might offend some people.

Sexual Content: There is explicit sexual content in Love You, Mean It.

Setting: Love You, Mean It is set in present-day Milborough, Massachusetts.

My Review:

I am a massive fan of the saying, “Three times is a charm.” I like to apply to almost everything in my life, including reading. I have read (and reviewed) two previous books by Jilly Gagnon. Saying I wasn’t impressed with them is an understatement. Keeping that saying in mind, I read and reviewed Love You, Mean It. Well, the saying worked. The third time is the charm. I enjoyed reading Love You, Mean It.

The main storyline of Love You, Mean It is centered on Ellie, Theo, and their plan to stop Theo’s father from building a Walmart-type store in downtown Milborough. That would mean a slow death for the small businesses (including the deli that Ellie runs), and Ellie is determined to find a way to stop it. I found the storyline to be heart-grabbing, well-written, and poignant. Love You, Mean It kept me glued to the book until the wee hours of the morning.

I wasn’t a huge fan of Ellie but she did grow on me. She was a freaking mess at the beginning of the book. Her attitude sucked, and she couldn’t keep her mouth shut. She gets more bearable after Theo regains his memory and goes along with her fake fiancee scheme (all to get his father to stop his plans). But even then, she was forced to act a certain way towards a man she despised (Theo’s father). I felt that the only authentic glimpses of Ellie were given during her family dinners, certain moments with Theo and Sam, and when she was remembering what it was like before her father died.

I did like Theo. There was a brief moment when I wondered if he wouldn’t regain his memory, but the author pretty much takes that idea and stomps on it. Theo’s reasons for not wanting the business downtown were very personal. But I was surprised when he decided to team up with Ellie to stop his father. Also, Theo wears his heart on his sleeve, and I guessed his true feelings toward Ellie early in the book. Well, not so much guessed, but called it.

Theo’s father was the ultimate villain in this book. He used his wealth and upper-class manners to try to intimidate Ellie. He had the audacity to ask Theo if Ellie was pregnant during their first meeting and then inferred she was a gold digger. Both were shot down by Theo and Ellie, but still, I felt the need to clean my Kindle every time he appeared on a page.

Sam became a considerable part of the book fairly early on. While I liked her, what she asked Ellie to do was pretty low (knowing the circumstances of Theo and Ellie’s fake relationship). Also, I wouldn’t say I liked how Sam treated Ellie after the engagement party or when Ellie went to Theo’s house to make up. The whole I want to be your friend now so you can have him vibe at the end of the book frustrated me to no end because it wasn’t needed!!!

The romance angle was cute. I liked how Ellie was dragged, kicking and screaming, into having feelings for Theo. Of course, those feelings made Ellie’s mouth run, and I thought she had ruined her chance with him for a hot minute. I also do need to discuss the sex. Ellie and Theo have mind-numbly hot sex from the middle of the book on. I honestly wasn’t expecting the sex scenes to be so good.

The end of Love You, Mean It was a happily ever after for now ending ( so, HEAFN?). I liked how Ellie and Theo ended up back together. I also hope the author has more books written in this universe. A few people were featured (secondary characters) that I want to see have their HEA.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Bantam, Dell, and Jilly Gagnon for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Love You, Mean It. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to Love You, Mean It, then you will enjoy these books:

Other Books by Jilly Gagnon

Cast a Cold Eye (Jimmy Dreghorn: Book 2) by Robbie Morrison

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine, Bantam

Date of Publication: April 9th, 2024

Genre: Thriller, Mystery, Historical Fiction, Crime, Historical, Fiction

Series: Jimmy Dreghorn

Edge of the Grave—Book 1

Cast a Cold Eye—Book 2

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

In 1930s Glasgow, partners Jimmy Dreghorn and Archie McDaid face a danger that threatens to set their city aflame—the second novel in the acclaimed mystery series that began with Edge of the Grave .

Glasgow, 1933. Murder is nothing new in the Depression-era city, especially to war veterans Inspector Jimmy Dreghorn and his partner “Bonnie” Archie McDaid. But the dead man found in a narrowboat on the Forth and Clyde Canal, executed with a single shot to the back of the head, is no ordinary killing.

Violence usually erupts in the heat of the moment—the razor-gangs that stalk the streets settle scores with knives and fists. Firearms suggest something more sinister, especially when the killer strikes again. Meanwhile, other forces are stirring within the city. A suspected IRA cell is at large, embedded within the criminal gangs and attracting the ruthless attention of Special Branch agents from London.

With political and sectarian tensions rising and the body count mounting, Dreghorn and McDaid pursue an investigation into the dark heart of humanity—where one man’s freedom fighter is another man’s terrorist, and noble ideals are swept away by bloody vengeance.

First Line:

At first it’s like a prison, an iron fist around my head, but as the horror goes on, it becomes a shield and I raise my hands, pulling it tighter.

Important details about Cast a Cold Eye

Pace:  Mostly slow but the pace does pick up towards the end.

POV: 3rd person (Jimmy, Archie)

Series: 2nd book in the Jimmy Dreghorn series

Content/Trigger Guidance: Cast a Cold Eye contains themes of bullying, classism, poverty, sexism, misogyny, terrorism*, attempted rape, dubious consent scenario*, post-traumatic stress disorder, alcohol consumption, alcohol abuse, blood, gore, dead bodies, body parts, physical injuries, scars, grief, loss depiction, confinement*, explosions, fire, arson, gun violence, knife violence, murder, attempted murder, organized crime, physical assault, police brutality, police violence, stalking*, torture, blackmail, war, riots, military violence, and animal death. Please read carefully if any of these triggers you.

  • Terrorism—There is talk of the IRA in Glasgow.
  • Dubious Consent Scenario—There is a scene where Jimmy and Archie walk in on a lawyer having sex with a woman. The lawyer tells them that she was using sex to pay a bill. But it didn’t seem like she was there voluntarily.
  • Confinement—Archie remembers how Jimmy saved his adopted daughter from being burned to death in a wardrobe that was barred from the outside.
  • Stalking—Jimmy expresses concern for Ellen, a young WPC, after being made to work with Strachan. Strachan stalked and harassed Ellen in the previous book and continues to do so in this one.

Language: Cast a Cold Eye contains moderate swearing and language that might offend some people.

  • The author also uses slang that is only used in Glasgow. My phone got a workout googling the different terms they used.

Sexual Content: There is mild nonconsensual sexual content in Cast a Cold Eye. There is no consensual sexual content.

Setting: Cast a Cold Eye is set in 1933 Glasgow, Scotland.

My Review:

I was surprised when I got an email saying that my wish for Cast a Cold Eye had been granted. I honestly don’t remember wishing for it on NetGalley, and I also don’t usually read historical police mysteries. But since I had pushed that button and it was granted, I downloaded the book. Now that I’ve read it, I was pretty impressed with what I read.

Cast a Cold Eye is a slow book. But it is not one of those taking forever to get to the next scene of the book. It is slow in the way that the author takes his time with the murder storyline and the secondary storylines in the book. He takes his time building everything up. I liked it because it allowed me to fully understand what was going on in Glasgow, how that affected people (including Jimmy), and how it related to the storyline.

Cast a Cold Eye is the second book in the Jimmy Dreghorn series. It can be read as a standalone. There are references to the first book sprinkled throughout this one, but—and I stress this—those references did not take over the main storyline.

The main storyline in Cast a Cold Eye is the murders of four seemingly unrelated people and the police investigation into them. I was caught by surprise when the author mentioned forensics being used. I didn’t know that people in the 1930s used forensics (I do want to note it was only for the bullets). I enjoyed seeing Jimmy and Archie’s investigation into those murders. I was a little surprised at the connection between the murdered people. I was even more astonished at why those people were killed. What I wasn’t surprised by was who did it. The author didn’t keep that secret. The person was named several times during the book.

Some more minor storylines feed into the main storyline. The most major of those secondary storylines was the one with Ellen, Strachan, their investigation, and their attempted murder. This storyline is connected to the main one, but the author doesn’t reveal how until almost the end of the book. I was shocked at who tried to kill them, and I was surprised by why once Jimmy got that person’s confession. Ellen and Strachan’s relationship is also the main focus of this storyline. Strachan was obsessed with her, and the events immediately leading up to their attack were proof of that. Of course, I do like how Jimmy took care of that.

I liked Jimmy. He was a former boxer and ex-solider who became a police officer. He did his best to uphold the law in Glasgow. His and Archie’s methods were brutal (dunking a suspect in horse manure to get him to talk is one example), but they got results. He and Archie also had one of the best bookish bromances that I have read to date.

The book had many memorable secondary characters, but the two Special Branch operatives, the priest and the female magistrate, stood out the most. The author also connected those individuals directly to the murders and the events that led up to them years before.

The mystery angle of Cast a Cold Eye was wonderfully written. As I stated above, the author did reveal who was behind three of the murders. The reason why those men were murdered was horrific. Why was it terrible? Because of what they did. I didn’t blame that person for wanting vengeance. But, there was one other murder and an attempted murder of two police officers that were not tied to that person. I wasn’t shocked at who was behind the first murder. But the person behind the attempted murder did surprise me. There were also two innocent people in this whole mess. One was severely hurt by the person who tried to kill Strachan. The other person, unfortunately, was going to pay for who this person was related to and their crimes (which was a shame).

The end of Cast a Cold Eye left me wanting more. I wanted to learn more about Jimmy, see more of Archie, and see if there was going to be a resolution to the beef between Jimmy and Strachan and if Elle was going to be collateral.

I want to add that the author did write a note and explain that he did take liberties with places and items.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Bantam, NetGalley, and Robbie Morrison for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Cast a Cold Eye. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to Cast a Cold Eye, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Robbie Morrison

Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Date of publication: April 23rd, 2024

Genre: Thriller, Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Fiction, Suspense, Adult, Contemporary, Crime, Australia

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

SISTERS, SECRETS, LOVE, AND MURDER… Sally Hepworth’s new novel has it all.

For as long as they can remember, Jessica, Norah, and Alicia have been told how lucky they are. As young girls they were rescued from family tragedies and raised by a loving foster mother, Miss Fairchild, on an idyllic farming estate and given an elusive second chance at a happy family life.

But their childhood wasn’t the fairy tale everyone thinks it was. Miss Fairchild had rules. Miss Fairchild could be unpredictable. And Miss Fairchild was never, ever to be crossed. In a moment of desperation, the three broke away from Miss Fairchild and thought they were free. Even though they never saw her again, she was always somewhere in the shadows of their minds. When a body is discovered under the home they grew up in, the foster sisters find themselves thrust into the spotlight as key witnesses. Or are they prime suspects?

A thrilling page-turner of sisterhood, secrets, love, and murder by New York Times bestselling author Sally Hepworth.

First Line

Dr. Warren sits in a gray folding chair, one ankle resting on the opposite knee.

Important details about Darling Girls

Pace: Fast

POV: 3rd person (Jessica, Norah, Alicia), 1st person (Miss Fairchild)

Content/Trigger Darling Girls contains themes of child abuse, child death, emotional abuse, drug abuse, gaslighting, murder, confinement, sexual assault, physical abuse, drug use, addiction, domestic abuse, death, mental illness, death of a parent, violence, kidnapping, bullying, toxic relationship, pregnancy, grief, abandonment, suicide attempt, panic attacks & disorders, body shaming, rape, sexual violence, alcohol consumption, alcoholism, torture, adult/minor relationships*, injury and injury detail, suicidal thoughts, vomit, medical content, sexual harassment, self-harm, pedophilia*, chronic illness, forced institutionalization, incest*, suicide, trafficking, sexism, misogyny, blood, schizophrenia/psychosis*, ableism, medical trauma, dysphoria, body horror, sexual violence, fatphobia, excrement, lesbophobia, infertility, and abortion*. Please read carefully if any of these triggers you.

  • Adult/Minor relationships—Miss Fairchild goes into detail about her relationship (both personal and sexual) with her stepfather.
  • Pedophilia—Again, Miss Fairchild and her stepfather (I assumed she was a tween/teenager when she was being raped). Norah recounts several instances (in different foster homes) where she was forced to touch foster fathers/brothers sexually.
  • Incest—Miss Fairchild was being sexually abused and raped by her stepfather.
  • Schizophrenia/Psychosis—The author never gives a name to Miss Fairchild’s mental illness (which was apparent very early in the book). But I assumed it was either of those two.

Language: Darling Girls contains moderate swearing and language that might offend some people.

Sexual Content: There is moderate nonconsensual sexual content in Darling Girls. There is no consensual sexual content (other than kissing).

Setting: Darling Girls is set in Melbourne and Port Agatha, Australia.

My Review:

I am a big Sally Hepworth fan and have reviewed several of her books. If she has a new book coming out, I add it to my Goodreads “Want to Read” list. And that was the case with Darling Girls. So, when St. Martin’s Press reached out with a widget, I immediately accepted. I was so excited and couldn’t wait to read this book. Thankfully, it didn’t let me down.

The main storyline of Darling Girls is told in three parts. The first part contains chapters that show how Jessica, Norah, and Alicia dealt with growing up in foster care. The author labeled those chapters with the name of who the chapter was following, and all of these chapters started with just their name. The second part details how each girl ended up at Miss Fairchild’s, the abuse they suffered, and what happened when Amy came into the picture. These chapters also start with the girls’ names, but “before” is written underneath. These are significant chapters because everything is explained, and I mean everything. The third part is told in first person by an individual (revealed to be Miss Fairchild) during sessions with a psychiatrist. Those chapters (labeled The Office of Dr. Warren, Psychiatrist) are also critical because they reveal how and why Miss Fairchild was shaped into who she was.

At the end of the book, the author states that Darling Girls’s idea came from speaking to women raised in the foster care system in Australia. She also spoke to foster parents and social workers. I will assume that some of the more awful scenes were those that actually happened. She also acknowledged that villains (such as Miss Fairchild and Scott, the social worker) in the foster care system need to be fixed. I agree wholeheartedly with her.

This is not an easy book to read and it was not an easy book to process. Norah’s trauma, how she processed it, and how it affected her as an adult particularly struck a nerve with me. I read her chapters with tears in my eyes because of what she went through. Now, I know that she is a fictional character, but I couldn’t help but want to reach through the book, hug her, and put her in freaking therapy like yesterday.

The storyline with the body of an infant found under the house was compelling. We are introduced to Amy through the girls’ “before” storyline. How and why Amy was brought to Miss Fairchild wasn’t disclosed (remember, these girls were in their early teens). The treatment that they went through and what they saw Amy going through prompted all three to do something that would affect them for the rest of their lives. I felt so awful about the aftermath of that and what the police/Miss Fairchild implied. What is even worse is when, in the present-day chapters, the police were willing to entertain their story because a body was found.

I am not going to go into each girl’s backstory. But I will highlight what I thought was interesting. As an adult, Jessica was super uptight and had a type A personality. She ran a successful business. But Jessica was also a benzo addict and would steal them from her client’s houses. Norah had a temper on her, and she wasn’t afraid to use her fists to make her point. Because of her past, Norah has a hard time connecting with people. She used her temper and sex to keep everyone but her sisters at arm’s length. Lastly, there is Alicia. Out of the three, she has the most minor trauma. But, she does have body issues and low self-esteem due to the abuse she endured during her time with Miss Fairchild.

I loathed Miss Fairchild. The author truly wrote a villain who got under my skin. But, for a little bit, I felt bad for her. She also endured awful things, and they shaped her into who she became. Still, reading what she said to the girls and her treatment of them slowly stole away any pity I had for her. Even years later, she still got such reactions from the girls. She also got what she deserved in the end.

The mystery angle of the book was excellent. I liked how the author brought the bones of the infant found under the house and what happened that last day with Miss Fairchild together. It was freaking explosive. There were a couple of twists in that storyline that dropped my jaw. I also loved that Miss Fairchild finally got what was coming to her. Her lies collapsed on top of each other.

A twist at the end of the book took my perception of Miss Fairchild in another direction. I couldn’t believe what I read and the implications that were hinted at. I also loved seeing how Jessica, Alicia, and Norah were starting to heal from their childhood.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley, and Sally Hepworth for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Darling Girls. All opiniond stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to Darling Girls, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Sally Hepworth

Thorn Tree by Max Ludington

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Date of Publication: April 16th, 2024

Genre: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical

Purchase Links: Kindle | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

“Terrifically vivid…Remarkable.” —The New York Times Book Review: A beautifully wrought novel on the aftershocks of the heady but dangerous late 1960s and the relationship between trauma and the creative impulse.

Now in his late-sixties, Daniel lives in quiet anonymity in a converted guest cottage in the Hollywood Hills. A legendary artist, he’s known for one seminal work—Thorn Tree—a hulking, welded, scrap metal sculpture that he built in the Mojave desert in the 1970s. The work emerged from tragedy, but building it kept Daniel alive and catapulted him to brief, reluctant fame in the art world.

Daniel is neighbors with Celia, a charismatic but fragile actress. She too experienced youthful fame, hers in a popular television series, but saw her life nearly collapse after a series of bad decisions. Now, a new movie with a notorious director might reignite her career.

A single mother, Celia leaves her young son Dean for weeks at a time with her father, Jack, who stays at her house while she’s on location. Jack and Daniel strike up a tentative friendship as Dean takes to visiting Daniel’s cottage–but something about Jack seems off. Discomfiting, strangely intimate, with flashes of anger balanced by an almost philosophical bent, Jack is not the harmless grandparent he pretends to be.

Weaving the idealism and the darkness of the late 1960s, the glossy surfaces of Los Angeles celebrity today, and thrumming with the sound of the Grateful Dead, the mania of Charles Manson and other cults, and the secrets that both Jack and Daniel have harbored for fifty years, Thorn Tree is an utterly-compelling novel.

First Line

Dean was asleep on the carpet in Daniel’s bedroom, a yellow truck in his hand, when Daniel woke.

Important details about Thorn Tree

Pace: Alternated between medium and fast

POV: 3rd person (Jack, Daniel, Celia, Dean)

Content/Trigger Guidance: Thorn Tree contains themes of bullying, sexism & misogyny, racism*, terrorism, statutory rape/assault*, abandonment, adoption, cheating, child abuse, divorce, emotional abuse, infidelity, addiction, alcoholism, anxiety & anxiety attacks, depression, dissociation & dissociative episodes, hallucinations*, sex addiction, substance addiction, alcohol consumption, alcohol abuse, drug abuse, drugging*, overdose, blood, head trauma, dead bodies, grief & loss depiction, death of a partner, captivity & confinement, cults, imprisonment & incarceration, kidnapping, murder & attempted murder, physical assault, stalking, animal attack*, attempted suicide *, suicide*, and homophobia. Please read carefully if any of these triggers you.

  • Racism—Daniel’s girlfriend and her two sons are black. One of her sons, a former student of Daniel, refers to how two black kids in Beverly Hills would be treated (i.e., the cops called) if Daniel wasn’t at his house.
  • Statutory Rape/Rape—Rachel, Jack’s ex, was possibly raped by Jack’s friend when he was holding her captive at his house. She was also fifteen when this happened and presumably had consensual sex with Jack, who was over eighteen at the time. At another point in the book, a woman accuses Jack of raping her when she was sixteen.
  • Hallucinations—Daniel, Rachel, and Jack take LSD and have hallucinations due to that. Chris, towards the end of the book, suffers from hallucinations.
  • Drugging—Jack remembers the leader of his cult drugging underage children.
  • Animal Attack—Jack is attacked by a mother coyote while running from Daniel’s house.
  • Attempted Suicide—Chris remembers Hunter attempting suicide when he sees the scars on her arms.
  • Suicide—Jack walks into the aftermath of his father’s suicide. Chris commits suicide but there are no details given.

Language: Thorn Tree contains explicit swearing and language that might offend some people.

Sexual Content: There is moderate sexual content in Thorn Tree.

Setting: Thorn Tree is set in Los Angeles, California (1960s, 1970s, and 2017).

My Review:

I didn’t know what to expect when I started reading Thorn Tree. From the blurb, I was expecting some insight into 1960s drug culture, and well, I don’t know what I was expecting after that. So, I went into reading Thorn Tree with an open mind. I mainly felt neutral toward the book.

The main storyline of Thorn Tree focuses on Daniel, Jack, and Celia. The storylines were well-written but flat. I also had the same feeling with the secondary storylines. They were flat and didn’t add much to the main storyline. Also, in certain parts of the storyline, the storyline is almost fever-dream-like. I also was not a fan of how the author would switch from 2017 to the past without giving a heads-up. It made for a lot of backtracking, which I prefer to avoid.

Out of the four characters, Daniel was the most relatable. Yes, he had some pretty crappy things happen to him. And yes, Daniel did some pretty crappy things, too, but he had turned his life around. He became an educator who valued his students. He was trying to mend fences with his son and reconnect with his ex while helping out her seventeen-year-old son. He was just a good guy overall.

Jack, on the other hand, I detested. From the minute he was introduced in the book, I felt that he was off in a way. And, oh boy, was he. I felt dirty after reading his chapters as if I needed a shower. Like Daniel, he had some crappy things happen to him. But, he took the trauma of those things and let them control him. He did love Dean in his way, and I didn’t doubt that. But, the events in the second half of the book disgusted me.

I did like Celia, but I felt terrible for who she had as a father and what she was being forced to do on set. Unlike Jack, who tried to hide who he was, Celia knew precisely what type of person she was and what kind of person she wanted to be. I wasn’t a big fan of how her relationship with Leo started. But, the conversations that she and Leo had were thought-provoking and soul-searching. I also never doubted her feelings for Dean. She loved her son, and everything she endured on that set was to give him a good life.

I also liked Dean. However, as the book went on and Jack became more interested in his ex-cult (I will explain below), Dean became more damaged. He went from an outgoing, vibrant child to one who shut down to everyone except for Jack, Celia, and Daniel. Jack was sucking the childhood right out of him, and it was painful to watch.

The storyline with Daniel broke my heart. It was interesting to see Daniel evolve into the man he was in 2017. I liked that the author had him trying to rectify past mistakes and express regrets over things he did in the past (the blowing up of his tree, though, was not a regret of his). I was not expecting his storyline to end as it did, and I was a little grumpy about that.

The storyline with Jack was interesting, even though I didn’t like him. The author didn’t even pretend he was a good guy; I liked that he did that. I wish the author had spent more time on Jack’s time in the death cult. It would have explained why he was so fixated on it in 2017 and why he put his grandson through the events that he did.

The storyline with Celia and the one with Dean (up to almost the end of the book, where his storyline became the only one) were fascinating. But they didn’t hold my interest (it was more about Daniel and Jack). That is until the last half of the book. Then Dean’s storyline became very interesting. I am going to repeat what I said above; Jack was sucking away Dean’s childhood. It was so evident by the last chapter, which I can’t go into.

There was a secondary storyline that involved two teenagers (Chris and Hunter) and a pamphlet that contained the works of Jack’s long-dead cult leader. While I didn’t feel that it added any depth to the main or Jack’s storyline, I did find it fascinating to see how Chris got swept up in the whole cult idea. I also found it fascinating that Jack seemingly got swept up, too.

I liked that the author went a little in-depth into the counterculture of the late ’60s. I found those chapters fascinating and wished that the author had spent a little more time there.

The end of Thorn Tree was a bit bland. The author did bring everything together, but I wasn’t happy with any of the outcomes. Jack’s confession to Daniel, while needed, did not need to turn into what it did. Also, I wouldn’t say I liked how the whole Dean storyline ended. I was shaking my head in disbelief and dsiappointment.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley, and Max Ludington for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Thorn Tree. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to Thorn Tree, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Max Ludington