Phantom Reunion (Hailey Arquette Murder Files: Book 4) by Reily Garrett

Publisher:

Date of publication: December 29th, 2023

Genre: Paranormal, Mystery, Thriller

Series: Haily Arquette Murder Files

Perfect in Death—Book 1 (review here)

Deceptive Silence—Book 2 (review here)

Unlikely Justice—Book 3 (review here)

Phantom Reunion—Book 4

Purchase Links: Kindle | B&N

Goodreads Synopsis:

Casper Decuir’s psychic gift allows her to communicate with spirits, all fine and good until one wakes her up in the middle of the night to demand her time as intermediary with the police. As the younger half of H&C Investigations, she is tasked with finding an assassin who leaves no trace of his presence other than a corpse.

When a student at the Gifted Elite School is threatened, Casper’s first lead takes her to a shifter with a mysterious connection to the murder victim.

Whispers of Hailey Arquette’s heritage includes Vodou priestess, psychic, and all around pain in the butt. When a group of shifter assassins targets her partner, she must choose those worthy of trust and those most likely to betray them all.

First Line:

“Go to Texas,” they said. “It’ll be exciting and open your life to new adventures.” Casper ignored the spirit’s impatient hand gestures to exit her sleek Camaro in favor of finishing her breakfast sandwich.
Phantom Reunion by Reily Garrett

Important things you need to know about the book:

Pace: Phantom Reunion’s pace is medium fast.

POV: Phantom Reunion is told mainly from Hailey and Casper’s 3rd person POV. There are also snippets from Trenton and Dante’s POV in the book.

Trigger/Content Warning: Phantom Reunion has trigger and content warnings. If any of these triggers you, I suggest not reading the book. They are:

Foster Care (mentioned)
Classism
Blood
Dead Bodies
Gun Violence
Murder & Attempted Murder
Organized Crime
Physical Assualt

Sexual Content: There is no sexual content in Phantom Reunion.

Language: There is light to moderate swearing in Phantom Reunion.

Setting: Phantom Reunion is set in and around Hamchet, Texas.

Age Range: I recommend Phantom Reunion to anyone over 16.

Plot Synopsis (as spoiler-free as I can get):

Casper’s psychic gift of communicating with the dead didn’t bother her until a very insistent spirit woke her up. One who only wants Dante and who refuses to talk to Hailey when she arrives at the murder site. Both Casper and Hailey are surprised to see that there is no trace of a killer left behind.

While they are looking into that murder, Casper follows a lead that takes her straight to her school: the Gifted Elite school. When the niece of a top donor is killed, Casper follows the clues the spirit has given her to a pack of shifter assassins.

But what is the connection between the first murder and the murder of Casper’s classmate? And how do the shifter assassins, Dante and Casper’s mysterious past, figure into everything?

Main Characters:

The main characters of Phantom Reunion are Casper and Hailey. But, this book focuses more on Casper and her investigation into the two murders. Hailey, Trenton, and Dante, while a big part of the book, are more in the background.

My review:

I enjoyed reading Phantom Reunion. While the ongoing storyline and the two murders are the book’s focal point, I liked that the attention was on Casper and her search for her parents. I loved how it was woven into the storyline.

Phantom Reunion’s storyline was a filler book. Don’t get me wrong; it is well written and filled with Casper’s snarky humor and her and Hailey’s habit of getting into trouble. But, it was also a book explaining and revealing the answers to questions in storylines from The Guardian Series (mainly: who are Casper’s mother and father and what happened to them).

Call me crazy, but I was thrilled that the author added other types of animal shifters to this universe, not including Casper’s boyfriend (who can shift into any animal). There were coyotes, cougars, and tigers. There might have been bears, too. I was over the moon about that. The shifter angle of this series and The Guardian series (it came later on in that series) was always a favorite of mine. I can’t wait to see if the author expands on this!!

I was puzzled as to why Dante didn’t tell Casper upfront about her parents. Several times, she had made it clear that she wanted to know names and reasons. But once he explained everything, I understood. I felt horrible for him, and the guilt must have been overwhelming.

I was intrigued by the tease of another group of psychics in this universe. I hope the author expands on that also (as well as Hailey’s developing psychic abilities).

The mystery and thriller angle of Phantom Reunion was well written. I liked how the author tied both murders together. I feel we will be seeing more of the person behind everything fairly soon.

The end of Phantom Reunion did pull at my heartstrings. But it also got me very excited for book 5. It should be one heck of a ride!!

Many thanks to Reily Garret for allowing me to read and review Phantom Reunion. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

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

Other books by Reily Garrett:

Only If You’re Lucky by Stacy Willingham

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books

Date of publication: January 16th, 2024

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

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

Lucy Sharpe is larger than life. Magnetic, addictive. Bold and dangerous. Especially for Margot, who meets Lucy at the end of their freshman year at a liberal arts college in South Carolina. Margot is the shy one, the careful one, always the sidekick and never the center of attention. But when Lucy singles her out at the end of the year, a year Margot spent studying and playing it safe, and asks her to room together, something in Margot can’t say no—something daring, or starved, or maybe even envious.

And so Margot finds herself living in an off-campus house with three other girls, Lucy, the ringleader; Sloane, the sarcastic one; and Nicole, the nice one, the three of them opposites but also deeply intertwined. It’s a year that finds Margot finally coming out of the shell she’s been in since the end of high school, when her best friend Eliza died three weeks after graduation. Margot and Lucy have become the closest of friends, but by the middle of their sophomore year, one of the fraternity boys from the house next door has been brutally murdered… and Lucy Sharpe is missing without a trace.

A tantalizing thriller about the nature of friendship and belonging, about loyalty, envy, and betrayal—another gripping novel from an author quickly becoming the gold standard in psychological suspense.

First Line:

One day we were strangers and the next we were friends. That’s usually how it works with girls.
Only If You’re Lucky by Stacy Willingham

Important things you need to know about the book:

Pace: Only If You’re Lucky had a medium-fast pace.

POV: Only If You’re Lucky is told from Margot’s 1st person POV.

Trigger/Content Warning: Only If You’re Lucky has trigger and content warnings. If any of these triggers you, I suggest not reading the book. They are:

Death
Grief
Murder
Toxic Friendship
Infidelity
Vomit
Alcohol
Drug Use
Stalking
Gaslighting
Animal Death
Domestic Abuse
Eating Disorder
Emotional Abuse
Misogyny
Rape
Toxic Relationship
Injury/Injury Detail
Mental Illness
Physical Abuse
Sexual Assault
Violence
Blood

Sexual Content: There is moderate sexual content in Only If You’re Lucky.

Language: here is moderate swearing in Only If You’re Lucky. There is also language used that might make some readers uncomfortable or offend them.

Setting: Only If You’re Lucky is set in and around the college town of Rutledge, South Carolina. There are also some scenes set in The Outer Banks.

Age Range: I recommend Only If You’re Lucky to anyone over 21.

Plot Synopsis (as spoiler-free as I can get):

When her best friend, Eliza, dies three weeks after graduation, Margot can barely function. She spends her freshman year hiding in her dorm, studying and playing it safe. That is until Lucy Sharpe bursts into Margot’s life. Loud, brash, and magnetic, Lucy demands attention wherever she goes. And for some reason, Lucy has honed in on Margot as a friend. Before she knows it, Margot starts coming out of her shell. Soon, she is best friends with Lucy and moves into the house Lucy rented with two other girls. But, things start to unravel when a member of the fraternity (who owns the house and shares a backyard) is murdered at the end of a week of pledging. Soon after, Lucy goes missing. What does Margot know? Why was the frat boy killed? Why did Lucy go missing? And who was Lucy?

Main Characters:

The main characters in Only If You’re Lucky are Margot and Lucy. I will offer advice about Margot (since the book is told from her POV): She is a very unreliable narrator. I couldn’t tell, throughout the book, if she was holding back the truth on certain things or just lying. Her grief (and guilt) over Eliza’s death colored her view of certain events and people.

Lucy, on the other hand, was an enigma. She was a whirlwind of activity and seemed to have her hand in everything. I was surprised by her background when it was revealed. But, in a way, it did make sense.

My review:

Only If You’re Lucky is the second book I have read by Stacy Willingham, and it has cemented her as a favorite for me in this genre. I enjoyed reading this book and was utterly surprised at the twists (and yes, there are several) that the author reveals at the end of the book.

The main storyline centers around Margot, her grief over Eliza’s death, her flashbacks to the events leading up to Eliza’s death, Lucy, and the events leading up to and past Lucy’s disappearance. The storyline was well-written and did keep me on my feet. The layers that it had was excellent. Once I peeled back one layer, the author revealed another.

The thriller/suspense angle of Only If You’re Lucky was terrific. The author didn’t hesitate to throw Margot into the thick of things when she started living with Lucy. There was a point where I did think that maybe she was a little crazy (because of her intense dislike of Levi). Let’s remember the twists. Those twists made the book. I figured out one, but the others took me completely by surprise. Like, my mouth dropped, and me saying, “No freaking way,” surprised.

The author switches back and forth between the present day (during the police investigation into Lucy’s disappearance) and the events leading up to everything. I found it a whirlwind, but it worked. The author kept those two storylines apart until the end, when she merged them. And the way she combined them was pretty crafty.

The end of Only If You’re Lucky was terrific. I was surprised by the things that were revealed about Lucy and Margot. Things I didn’t even see coming and that I, like Margot, thought Levi did. I was also surprised at the very end events of the book, where the author explained Lucy’s disappearance. And that was the biggest surprise of them all.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books, NetGalley, and Stacy Willingham for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Only If You’re Lucky. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to Only If You’re Lucky, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Stacy Willingham:

The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Date of publication: January 9th, 2024

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

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

When Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore dies, she’s not only North Carolina’s richest woman, she’s also its most notorious. The victim of a famous kidnapping as a child and a widow four times over, Ruby ruled the tiny town of Tavistock from Ashby House, her family’s estate high in the Blue Ridge mountains. In the aftermath of her death, that estate—along with a nine-figure fortune and the complicated legacy of being a McTavish—pass to her adopted son, Camden.

But to everyone’s surprise, Cam wants little to do with the house or the money—and even less to do with the surviving McTavishes. Instead, he rejects his inheritance, settling into a normal life as an English teacher in Colorado and marrying Jules, a woman just as eager to escape her own messy past.

Ten years later, Camden is a McTavish in name only, but a summons in the wake of his uncle’s death brings him and Jules back into the family fold at Ashby House. Its views are just as stunning as ever, its rooms just as elegant, but coming home reminds Cam why he was so quick to leave in the first place.

Jules, however, has other ideas, and the more she learns about Cam’s estranged family—and the twisted secrets they keep—the more determined she is for her husband to claim everything Ruby once intended for him to have.

But Ruby’s plans were always more complicated than they appeared. As Ashby House tightens its grip on Jules and Camden, questions about the infamous heiress come to light. Was there any truth to the persistent rumors following her disappearance as a girl? What really happened to those four husbands, who all died under mysterious circumstances? And why did she adopt Cam in the first place? Soon, Jules and Cam realize that an inheritance can entail far more than what’s written in a will—and that the bonds of family stretch far beyond the grave.

First Line:

There should be some kind of warning when your life is about to change forever.
The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins

Important things you need to know about the book:

Pace: The pace of The Heiress is fast.

POV: The Heiress is told from two POVs. It is told from 1st person POV through Jules and Camden’s chapters and 2nd person POV through Ruby’s letters to an unknown person. There are also snippets told from newspaper/magazine articles.

Trigger/Content Warning: The Heiress has trigger and content warnings. If any of these triggers you, I suggest not reading the book. They are:

Murder
Domestic Abuse
Death
Suicide
Kidnapping
Death of a parent
Classism
Alcoholism
Gun Violence
Physical Abuse
Toxic Relationship
Violence
Injury/Injury Detail
Bullying
Grief
Pregnancy
Child Abuse
Blood
Grief
Fire/Fire Injury
Gaslighting
Abandonment
Alcohol
Adoption
Anxiety & Anxiety Attacks
Boating Accident
Electrocution
Poisoning

Sexual Content: There is mild and implied sexual content in The Heiress.

Language: There is moderate swearing in The Heiress. There is also language that could be triggering to some people and considered offensive.

Setting: The Heiress is set in Tavistock, North Carolina. Some chapters are also in Denver, Colorado, Paris, and South Carolina.

Age Range: I recommend The Heiress to anyone over 21.

Plot Synopsis (as spoiler-free as I can get):

When his adoptive mother died, Camden McTavish became her sole heir, which angered his great-aunt, uncle, and cousins. But, to their surprise, he refused to do anything with the money, the house, or the town where he grew up. That all changes when he finds out that his uncle has died, and his cousin emails him and asks him to come home. With the support of his wife, Jules, Cam goes home. There, he is reminded of exactly why he left ten years earlier.

Jules, Cam’s wife, has her own mysterious and messy past that she must deal with. She is also determined for him to claim the inheritance he rejected. As she gets to know his cousins and great-aunt and uncovers secrets they would rather keep buried, Jules becomes even more determined for Cam to claim the inheritance. But Jules’s secrets and her past threaten her plan and her marriage.

On the other hand, Ruby remains the mysterious woman she was while alive. But her secrets threaten to be exposed by her nephew, great-nephew, and great-niece. What are these secrets, and how do they connect to Cam and Jules? Will Cam keep Ruby’s deepest secret? Will Jules’s past and secrets destroy her marriage? Will Ruby’s relatives get her inheritance?

Main Characters:

The main characters of The Heiress are Ruby, Cam, and Jules. These characters were either battling echoes of their pasts, were deeply flawed, or had secrets they could and would not let come out. They were each well-written and well-fleshed out.

My favorite character in the book was Ruby. The letters she wrote, explaining the situation around her kidnapping, the deaths of her four husbands, and her relationships with her family and Cam, were tabloid-worthy. She was smart, proved by how she made money and other things I can’t mention because of spoilers.

The secondary characters did flush out an already great storyline. I couldn’t stand them, but I could understand where they were coming from. Except for the hatred of Cam. That baffled me because he was the only true innocent (well, up until Ruby’s death) in this book.

My review:

I can’t even express how excited I was to read this book. Rachel Hawkins has been on my radar since I reviewed The Villa. So, when I saw The Heiress start showing up on blogs, I knew I wanted to read it. And when St. Martin’s Press sent me the widget, I was over the freaking moon. Now that I have read The Heiress, Rachel Hawkins has become one of my favorite authors.

There are two storylines in The Heiress. One takes place in the present day and features Cam, Jules, Cam’s family, and why Cam came back. The other storyline is letters Ruby wrote that explain everything from her kidnapping to events right before her death. Those two storylines were intertwined but kept separate (if that makes sense). They came together at the end of the book in a way that I didn’t see coming. It was a huge twist that surprised the heck out of me.

The mystery angle of the book was interesting. The author was upfront with everything that had happened (with Ruby) and what was going on (with Cam, Jules, and the family). It was unconventional, but I liked it. I saw everything with Ruby unfold as Cam dealt with the house and his treacherous relatives. A couple of twists in both storylines took me by surprise. One involved who the letters were to (and no, it is not who you think it is), and the other involved the events at the end of the book and what Cam and Jules did afterward.

I do want to mention Jules’s mystery. The author was sneaky about slipping Jules’s past and secrets into the storyline. I was surprised (but nothing like what I said in the above paragraph). But it did explain why Jules was so gung-ho about restoring the house and staying in North Carolina.

The end of The Heiress was jaw-dropping. The author revealed things that I did not see coming. Events also happened that I did not see coming. It was chaotic, and you know what, it suited the book perfectly. Of course, there was the colossal bombshell dropped about Ruby. I liked how the book ended when the dust settled from everything. The author wrapped everything up nicely.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley, and Rachel Hawkins for allowing me to read and review this ARC of The Heiress. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

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

Other books by Rachel Hawkins

Northwoods by Amy Pease

Publisher: Atria Books, Atria/Emily Bestler Books

Date of publication: January 9th, 2024

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Mystery Thriller, Fiction, Crime, Family,. Suspense, Adult Fiction, Mental Health, Adult

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

The dark underbelly of an idyllic Midwestern resort town is revealed in the aftermath of a murder with ties to America’s opioid epidemic in this unputdownable and thrilling debut. William Kent Krueger, and Mindy Mejia.

Eli North is not okay.

His drinking is getting worse by the day, his emotional wounds after a deployment to Afghanistan are as raw as ever, his marriage and career are over, and the only job he can hold down is with the local sheriff’s department. And that’s only because the sheriff is his mother—and she’s overwhelmed with small town Shaky Lake’s dwindling budget and the fallout from the opioid epidemic. The Northwoods of Wisconsin may be a vacationer’s paradise, but amidst the fishing trips and campfires and Paul Bunyan festivals, something sinister is taking shape.

When the body of a teenage boy is found in the lake, it sets in motion an investigation that leads Eli to a wealthy enclave with a violent past, a pharmaceutical salesman, and a missing teenage girl. Soon, Eli and his mother, along with a young FBI agent, are on the hunt for more than just a killer.

If Eli solves the case, could he finally get the shot at redemption he so desperately needs? Or will answers to this dark case elude him and continue to bring destruction to the Northwoods?

First Line:

Eli North stripped off his clothes and waded into the water.
Northwoods by Amy Pease

Important things you need to know about the book:

Pace: Northwoods‘ pace is medium.

POV: Northwoods is told mainly from Eli’s 3rd person POV. But, there are also 3rd person POVs from Marge, Alyssa, and Cal. There is one heartbreaking scene from Ben and Caitlin’s POV (the day of Ben’s murder).

Trigger/Content Warning: Northwoods have trigger and content warnings. If any of these triggers you, I suggest not reading the book. They are:

Gun Violence
Alcoholism
War
Addiction
Drug Abuse
Mental Illness
Panic attacks/Disorders
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Suicidal Thoughts
Blood
Kidnapping
Grief
Death of a parent
Murder
Alcohol
Injury/Injury Detail
Classism
Domestic Abuse (not on page but mentioned to Eli by his mother)
Death
Drug Use
Toxic Relationship
Medical Content
Medical Trauma
Suicide Attempt
Amnesia & Memory Disorders (Eli cannot remember what happened after he entered the hallway of a house he entered in Afghanistan)
Depression
Hospitalization
Car Accident
Knife Violence

Sexual Content: There is no sexual content in Northwoods.

Language: There is moderate to explicit swearing in Northwoods. The language used could also be considered offensive to readers who are triggered easily.

Setting: Northwoods is set in Shaky Lake, Wisconsin.

Age Range: I recommend Northwoods to anyone over 21.

Plot Synopsis (as spoiler-free as I can get):

Eli North is battling his demons. His drinking is out of control, and his marriage is over. The only job he can hold down is a deputy under his mother, the sheriff of Shaky Lake. And even then, he is skating on thin ice because of his drinking. So, he thinks it is no big deal when he responds late to a noise complaint at a local campground. Instead of finding tourists partying, Eli finds the dead body of a teenage boy. The resulting investigation leads to a missing teenager, the boy’s girlfriend. The resulting investigation takes Eli from the mansions that line Shaky Lake to the people with an addiction who buy opioids to a pharmaceutical salesperson who is going to blow the whistle on a miracle drug that is killing people. While Eli follows the clues, his life is imploding. Can he hold it together long enough to solve the case? Or will Eli succumb to his demons?

Main Characters:

Eli North is the main character in Northwoods. His well-written, well-researched character made my heart bleed for him. What I liked the most about him was that he was very self-aware of his faults. There were times when I didn’t think he would be able to finish the case and one time when I thought he was going to end his life. If I had to label him, I would say that he was more of a morally gray character and only because he was so tortured by what happened overseas.

There were a lot of secondary characters, and they each added depth to the storyline (and to what Eli was going through).

My review:

Northwoods is Amy Pease’s first book; I can’t wait to read more from her. Northwoods is well-written and well-researched. I was captivated right from the beginning (when Eli was swimming) to the end, which offered so much hope for Eli. I will be on the lookout for more books by this author.

The main storyline centers around Eli. It follows him during the investigation into Ben’s murder. But it also shows a very realistic look into what it is like living with PTSD. To say Eli wasn’t coping well was an understatement. He turned to alcohol to numb himself and to deal with the severe panic attacks that he got (which could be triggered by anything). Everyone knew something was up, but no one wanted to say anything, including his mother. But he did manage to investigate Ben’s murder (and Caitlin’s kidnapping) while battling those demons.

There were a few secondary storylines (centered on Ben’s mother, her drug use, Caitlin’s father, and his work). I was curious how the author was going to tie everything in with Ben’s murder and Caitlin’s disappearance. Well, I wasn’t surprised with how everything was connected. It made sense in a weird, roundabout way. It also paved the way for the end of the book.

The mystery and thriller angles were both well-written. I was kept in suspense over what would happen next during the investigation. I was also shocked at not only who the murderer/kidnapper was but why that person did what they did.

The end of Northwoods was a little bittersweet. I can’t get much into it, but it was good. There was a twist with who the kidnapper/murderer was, and it took me by surprise. I found it interesting that the author didn’t end some of the storylines. Instead, the people behind the killers were still out there. I wondered if there was going to be another book.

Many thanks to Atria Books, Atria/Emily Bestler Books, NetGalley, and Amy Pease for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Northwoods. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

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

The Expectant Detectives (Expectant Detectives: Book 1) by Kat Ailes

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books

Date of publication: January 9th, 2024

Genre: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Humor, Adult, Fiction, Murder Mystery, Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Amateur Sleuth

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

Can they solve the mother of all murders?

For Alice and her partner Joe, moving to the sleepy village of Penton is a chance to embrace country life and prepare for the birth of their first child. He can take up woodwork; maybe she’ll learn to make jam? But the rural idyll they’d hoped for doesn’t quite pan out when a dead body is discovered at their local prenatal class, and they find themselves suspects in a murder investigation.

With a cloud of suspicion hanging over the heads of the whole group, Alice and her new-found pregnant friends set out to solve the mystery and clear their names, with the help of her troublesome dog, Helen. However, there are more secrets and tensions in the heart of Penton than first meet the eye. Between the discovery of a shady commune up in the woods, the unearthing of a mysterious death years earlier, and the near-tragic poisoning of Helen, Alice is soon in way over her head.

First Line:

For my boyfriend’s thirieth birthday I thought I’d go all out and surprise him with a pregnancy.
The Expectant Detectives by Kat Ailes

Important things you need to know about the book:

Pace: The pace of The Expectant Detectives is fast (the entire book takes place within two weeks of Alice arriving in Penton).

POV: The Expectant Detectives is told from Alice’s 1st person POV.

Trigger/Content Warning: The Expectant Detectives have trigger and content warnings. If any of these triggers you, I suggest not reading the book. They are:

Childbirth
Pregnancy
Cancer
Dead Bodies
Death
Grief & Loss Depiction
Poisoning

Sexual Content: There is no sexual content in The Expectant Detectives.

Language: There is mild swearing in The Expectant Detectives. The language used could also be considered offensive to readers who are triggered easily.

Setting: The Expectant Detectives is set in Penton, England.

Age Range: I recommend The Expectant Detectives to anyone over 21.

Plot Synopsis (as spoiler-free as I can get):

Wanting to leave London before the birth of their 1st child, Alice and Joe pick the village of Penton to move to. Being from a big city, Alice needed to prepare for rural Penton and wasn’t thrilled with it. Expecting a dull backwater with nothing to do, Alice is surprised by the variety of prenatal options. She is also surprised by how crunchy the town is. She is even more surprised when the owner’s body is discovered during her first prenatal class at the local natural health shop. Determined to clear her name, along with her other pregnant friends, Alice starts investigating the murder. Her investigation takes her from the shop to a commune just outside town. She also uncovers a mysterious death and the girl that the three founding fathers of the commune were in love with. Also, she wants to solve how and why her beloved dog, Helen, was poisoned. How is everything connected? Will Alice clear her and her friends’ names?

Main Characters:

The main character of The Expectant Detectives is Alice. I loved her. She was one of the most relatable characters that I have read. She was socially awkward, so I giggled whenever she had to interact with anyone. Her thoughts on pregnancy were hilarious and echoed mine while I was pregnant (the whole naming conversation with Joe had me rolling). She was also a tiny bit self-centered. The way she investigated everything (and that statement is all-encompassing) was funny.

My review:

I was surprised to like this book more than I did. When I first started reading it, I honestly thought this book was going to suck. Then I got to reading it. The more I read it, the more I liked it. The humor, Alice, the mystery…they all appealed to me. And that is saying something because I can be rather picky about the cozy mysteries I read.

The main storyline of The Expectant Detectives follows Alice as she tries to adapt to a new town while almost ready to give birth. It was well-written, and I could connect with the characters and their situations. Some of the author’s words brought me back to my pregnancies (I have three children) and how I felt. Of course, because Alice was so socially awkward, they were even more amplified and made amusing.

The mystery angle of The Expectant Detectives was well written. I liked how the book started with two mysteries (the death of the store owner and Joe’s pulling away from Alice) and then morphed into five (the two murders, Joe pulling away, who Flora was, and the death that shook the commune). I figured out who Flora was early in the book, but everything else surprised me. A few neat twists to the storyline surprised me (who did the murders and why).

I have to mention the secondary characters, including the dogs. They were as well written as the main characters, but the author did leave a little to them. Out of all of them, I was not too fond of Hen or DCI Harris. They were almost too much (one being bossy and looking down on people, and the other having a laser focus on the only same-sex interracial couple as suspects).

The end of The Expectant Detectives was what I thought it would be. The author connected everything (and I mean everything) that satisfied me as a reader. The last chapter was heartbreaking because of what was recounted and what was lost. But the epilogue, which was a month later, more than made up for it.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books, NetGalley, and Kat Ailes for allowing me to read and review this ARC of The Expectant Detectives. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to The Expectant Detectives, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Kat Ailes

The Book of Fire by Christy Lefteri

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Ballantine Books

Date of publication: January 2nd, 2024

Genre: Fiction, Contemporary, Historical Fiction, Greece, Literary Fiction, Family, Drama, Cultural, Adult Fiction, Adult

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

In present-day Greece, deep in an ancient forest, lives a family: Irini, a musician, who teaches children to read and play music; her husband, Tasso, who paints pictures of the forest, his greatest muse; and Chara, their young daughter, whose name means joy. On the fateful day that will forever alter the trajectory of their lives, flames chase fleeing birds across the sky. The wildfire that will consume their home, and their lives as they know it, races toward them.

Months later, as the village tries to rebuild, Irini stumbles upon the man who started the fire, a land speculator who had intended only a small, controlled burn to clear forestland to build on but instead ignited a catastrophe. He is dying, although the cause is unclear, and in her anger at all he took from them, Irini makes a split-second decision that will haunt her.

As the local police investigate the suspicious death, Tasso mourns his father, who has not been seen since before the fire. Tasso’s hands were burnt in the flames, leaving him unable to paint, and he struggles to cope with the overwhelming loss of his artistic voice and his beloved forest. Only his young daughter, who wants to repair the damage that’s been done, gives him hope for the future.

Gorgeously written, sweeping in scope and intimate in tone, The Book of Fire is a masterful work about the search for meaning in the wake of tragedy, as well as the universal ties that bind people together, and to the land that they call home.

First Line

This morning, I met the man who started the fire.
The Book of Fire by Christy Lefteri

Important things you need to know about the book:

Pace: The Book of Fire had a medium-slow pace.

POV: The Book of Fire is told through Irini’s 1st person POV. The fire section of the book is told in 2nd person (it is told as a story and is broken up throughout the book).

Trigger/Content Warning: The Book of Fire has trigger and content warnings. If any of these triggers you, I suggest not reading the book. They are:

Fire/Fire Injury
Death
Suicide (not the actual act but after it happened. There is also a scene where someone recounts encouraging someone to kill themself by handing them a rope)
Grief
Death of a parent
Injury/Injury Detail
Xenophobia
War (was told as part of Irini and Tasso’s story; it was Irini’s great-grandfather recounting a war he had lived through as a child)
Depression
Anxiety/Anxiety Disorders
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Body Horror
Hospitalization
Medical Treatment & Procedures
Scars
Death from Exposure
Animal Injury

Sexual Content: There is no sexual content in The Book of Fire.

Language: There is mild to moderate swearing in The Book of Fire. There is also language used that might offend some people.

Setting: The Book of Fire is set in Greece.

Age Range: I recommend The Book of Fire to anyone over 21.

Plot Synopsis (as spoiler-free as I can get):

Irini and Tasso are living their dream in Greece. Tasso is a talented artist, and Irini is a music teacher. They live in an ancient forest with their daughter. The dream was shattered when a forest fire decimated their village and the forest their house bordered. Now, Irini is struggling with the aftereffects of the fire. So, when she finds the man responsible for so much death and destruction by an old tree, she walks away. While the police investigate, Irini must summon the inner strength and courage to get her life back on track. And that means coming to terms with what happened and trying to forgive the man who started the fire and destroyed her life. Can she do it?

Main Characters:

The main character in The Book of Fire is Irini. The book is told from her POV. Her actions (or inactions) in this book have far-reaching implications. Her character growth consisted of her growing past her anger at the man who started the fire and starting down the path to forgiveness.

My review:

This is the first book I have read by Christy Lefteri, and I can confidently say it won’t be my last. After I finished The Book of Fire, I added all her books to my TBR on Goodreads.

The Book of Fire’s storyline centers around Irini, her family, their healing (emotional and physical) from the fire, and Irini’s book that she wrote called….The Book of Fire (which recounts the fire and the days after). The storyline was well-written, and I could connect emotionally to the characters. More than once, I broke down into tears because of what happened and what Irini was going through in the book.

What got me the most was The Book of Fire segments. I was horrified by what Irini, Chara, and Rosalie (the dog) went through and how close to death they all came. Chara’s injury was horrific. I also admired Irini’s outward calmness. If she hadn’t been calm and given into the turmoil in her mind (over her husband and father-in-law), I think the outcome would have been different.

This book gave what I thought was a realistic look into the trauma after an event like that. Irini and her family didn’t get off scot-free and only had a house burnt down. No, Tasso’s career as an artist was threatened by the severe burns to his fingers. And Chara’s burn on her back was horrific (as I stated above). Tasso’s father is presumed dead, one of the hundred killed when the fire ripped through the village. The trauma ran deep in this book, and there were times that I wondered if they would be able to start the healing process.

When Irini found the man who started the fire, she went through his belongings and walked away. She did feel guilty and called the police, but still. The path to forgiveness and understanding it was a tragic accident was laid during her interviews with the police. But, there is a twist in this storyline that, even though I saw it coming, still surprised and unnerved me.

The end of The Book of Fire signified hope for me. I won’t go into it because of spoilers, but I did like how the author got Irini to that point. I believe the start was the healing of the jackal pup, and it just went from there.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Ballantine Books, NetGalley, and Christy Lefteri for allowing me to read and review this ARC of The Book of Fire. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to The Book of Fire, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Christy Lefteri:

Unlikely Justice (Haley Arquette Murder Files: Book 3) by Reily Garrett

Publisher:

Date of publication: November 24th, 2023

Genre: Murder Mystery, Paranormal

Series: Hailey Arquette Murder Files

Perfect in Death—Book 1 (review here)

Deceptive Silence—Book 2 (review here)

Unlikely Justice—Book 3

Phantom Reunion—Book 4

Purchase Links: Kindle

Goodreads Synopsis:

Private investigator Hailey Arquette’s job to locate a woman’s fiancée is complicated when she succeeds. The problem—he is now a spirit who can’t identify his killer.

FBI agent Trenton Briner has his hands full. His long time psychic friend has taken on a mouthy sidekick, a teenager with no caution and no sense of vulnerability. He knows there’s more to both young women, but can’t define their unique abilities, until he catches the teen red-handed.

Hailey knows the crime scene evidence didn’t add up. Animal fur, a human and cougar’s tracks beside the victim, and a seemingly invisible killer open her psychic world to new and deadly possibilities.

Can the trio find common ground before the unseen assassin stalking them strikes one of their own?

First Line:

The soft ditty Clarence Burke hummed while heading to his car haled the chittering of two nearby squirrels that stopped to stare.
Unlikely Justice by Reily Garrett

Important things you need to know about the book:

Pace: The pace of Unlikely Justice goes between medium and fast.

POV: Unlikely Justice has a 3rd person POV (Haley, Casper, and Trenton).

Series: Unlikely Justice is the 3rd book in the Haley Arquette Murder Files. While you can read this as a standalone, I recommend reading the first two books to understand backstories.

Trigger/Content Warning: Unlikely Justice has trigger and content warnings. If any of these triggers you, I suggest not reading the book. They are:

Rape (hinted at)
Slut Shaming
Cheating (recounted)
Drugging
Blood & Gore Depiction
Dead Bodies & Body Parts
Dismemberment
Mutilation
Needles
Grief & Loss Depiction
Murder & Attempted Murder
Organized Crime
Physical Assault
Torture
Animal Attack

Sexual Content: There is no sexual content in Unlikely Justice.

Language: There is mild to moderate swearing in Unlikely Justice.

Setting: Unlikely Justice is set in and around Hamchet, Texas.

Age Range: I recommend Unlikely Justice to anyone over 21.

Plot Synopsis (as spoiler-free as I can get):

Haley is surprised when an upstanding citizen in Hamchet goes missing. She is even more surprised when his ghost appears, asking her for help finding his killer. But there is a problem: Clarence (the spirit) cannot remember who his killer is or why he was killed. But the clues (animal fur, animal footprint with human footprints) don’t make sense. Haley needs to use her growing psychic powers and rely more on Casper and her unconventional family to help solve this case. But that involves keeping Casper’s abilities hidden from Trenton, her childhood friend, and the FBI agent determined to uncover Casper’s secrets.

Main Characters

Haley—I liked her character in this book. Because Haley knew Clarence and his fiancee, so she was determined to help him the best she could. I liked that her psychic powers seemed to be growing. I loved her relationship with Casper. It was a big sister/little sister dynamic, and I liked that Haley knew better than to try and rein in Casper. As for Haley and Trenton, I saw what happened at the ending coming from book 1. I am surprised that it took the author until book 3 to make it happen.
Casper—She is truly one of my favorite all-time characters. I loved her in The Guardians series. I like that the author showed that there was more to her than her psychic abilities. I loved that she acted like a teenager (well, one who can phase through things and talk to the dead). It was nice seeing that side of her. But I also appreciated the side of her that was badass.
Trenton—I wasn’t expecting Trenton to make much of an appearance in this book (he was on the sidelines in the second book). I was pleasantly surprised that he was more involved with this case (even though Haley and Casper didn’t want him to be). I got a kick out of how easily Casper needled him. I also got why he wanted to know more about her. Trenton knew something different about her but couldn’t place his finger on it.

My review:

Reily Garrett is an auto purchase author for me. I love her books. So, I was super excited when she contacted me to read and review Unlikely Justice. This book more than lived up to my expectations.

The main plotline of Unlikely Justice revolves around Haley’s current case, Casper’s investigation into the school she attends, and Trenton trying to keep up with them both/trying to figure out Casper and her family. The storyline was well-written and well-fleshed out. I had a moment of wondering how Haley’s case and Casper’s investigation were connected. Then, boom, the author explained it.

I giggled at how off-balance Trenton was with Casper (as I mentioned above). She liked messing with him and took it to new heights in this book. Having Simon do his ghostly antics on an unknowing Trenton made me laugh out loud while reading. I also loved how Casper turned the direction of his questioning regarding her family. Trenton did come in handy during the last part of the book.

The mystery angle of the book was well-written. While I figured out one aspect of it (where the fur and footprints came from), I was surprised at who was behind everything. It was a huge twist, and I was left sitting with my mouth open. This person went to extreme lengths to hide their identity from everyone and almost got away with their revenge. This person is also tied to what was happening at Casper’s school. Oh, speaking of that, another twist involving Casper and another student took me by surprise. It also made me wonder what series that person came from or if this will be another series in this universe.

The end of Unlikely Justice was interesting. I can’t get into it because of spoilers, but I liked how the author revealed everything. The author also had a cliffhanger that involved Haley and Casper. I cannot wait to read Phantom Reunion!

Many thanks to Reily Garrett for allowing me to read and review Unlikely Justice. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

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

Other books by Reily Garrett:

Slumber of Silence (The Talisman Series: Book 4.5) by Brett Salter

Publisher:

Date of publication: November 9th, 2023

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult

Series: The Talisman

The Search for Synergy—Book 1 (review here)

Riders of Fire and Ice—Book 2 (review here)

Windy City Ruins—Book 3 (review here)

The Battle for Verdana—Book 4 (review here)

Slumber of Silence—Book 4.5

Desperate Tides, Desperate Measures—Book 5 (review here)

A Dragon’s Dyne—Book 6 (review here)

Purchase Links: Kindle

Goodreads Synopsis:

Ah-hah! Nothing like the pungent smell of an ancient cave and the thrill of the hunt for a pair of mangey Garms to really make you feel alive, huh? In this canon novella of The Talisman Series, “Slumber of Silence”, Rome and Julian find themselves out on a mission for The Alliance, tracking a couple of Garms through a cave system that seems as old as the mountain range that shadows it. At first, it’s just another heroic operation to protect our world from the invasive Darkbrands, but the boys from Georgia quickly determine that these dank and cavernous passageways are so old and mysterious that they may have never even seen a human or dragon before. Or have they? What long-forgotten riddles hide within the pressing darkness of the cave? What silent and slumbering secrets have been kept for eons undiscovered? And without any backup from The Alliance, will Rome and Julian even survive to tell them?

First Line:

“Dude,” whispered Julian perches on a rock a few feet behind Rome.
Slumber of Silence by Brett Salter

Important things you need to know about the book:

Pace: The pace of Slumber of Silence is fast-paced.

POV: Slumber of Silence is told from Rome and Julian’s 3rd person POV. There are later chapters that are told from Mr. Jones 3rd person POV.

Series: Slumber of Silence is a novella between The Battle for Verdana and Desperate Tides, Desperate Measures. Readers cannot read this book as a standalone.

Trigger/Content Warning: Slumber of Silence has trigger and content warnings. If any of these triggers you, I suggest not reading the book. They are:

Violence

Sexual Content: There is no sexual content in Slumber of Silence.

Language: There is no swearing in Slumber of Silence.

Setting: Slumber of Silence is set in a cave bordering a desert in an unknown country.

Age Range: I recommend Slumber of Silence to anyone over 13.

Plot Synopsis (as spoiler-free as I can get):

After the ending events of The Battle for Verdana, Rome and Julian are set on a mission to defeat Darkbrands and seal Portals. Their current mission sends them into a cave, where they encounter and battle several Darkbrands. But, there is a secret deep in that cave, one that both Rome and Julian are surprised to discover. What is that secret? And will Julian and Rome keep what they found a secret, or will they let their allies know?

Main Characters

*Julian (aka Jules): Jules was still the same focused but goofy kid as in the previous books. I liked seeing him on a one-on-one mission with Rome. His talents and personality could shine since he wasn’t showing off in front of his sister/cousin.

*Rome: Rome stayed the same from the previous books. He was still the strong, silent type who protected Julian from himself (in most cases). I liked that he discovered what was in the cave and his connection to it.

My review:

Slumber of Silence was a good read. I recommend reading the first four books before reading this one. Now that is out of the way, I loved seeing Rome and Julian doing Darkbrand battles solo. It showed how much they matured since book 1.

The main storyline centers around Rome, Julian, their search for the Portal and the Darkbrands, and later in the book, the secret they found. The storyline was well written and did fill in some gaps for me (what they were doing between Verdana and Measures).

The battle scenes were well-written. I liked that the author had Rome and Julian work for their battles. He didn’t just hand them their victories (and he does this throughout the book).

I was stunned when the author revealed the secret in the cave. I liked Rome’s connection to the secret and what Rome saw when he touched it. I also agreed with Julian and Rome’s decision to keep what they found a secret.

I enjoyed the end of Slumber of Silence. I liked seeing Rome and Julian’s (and Mr. Jones’s) thoughts on their battles. And, as I said above, I liked Rome and Julian’s decision to keep what they found a secret.

Many thanks to Brett Salter for allowing me to read and review Slumber of Silence. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to Slumber of Silence, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Brett Salter

Maternal Instincts (Paige Hanson: Book 3) by S.M. Thomas

Publisher: AR Hurne Publishing

Date of publication: November 30th, 2023

Genre: Mystery, Thriller

Series: Paige Hanson

The Diseased—Book 1 (review here)

Body Count—Book 2 (review here)

Maternal Instincts—Book 3

Purchase Links: Kindle | Kobo

Goodreads Synopsis:

“All women become like their mothers. That is their tragedy. No man does. That’s his.” – Oscar Wilde

Carrying the burden of truth on her shoulders Paige Hanson makes a decision that will change the course of her settlement’s history. Broken and bruised from the last few years of her life she has very little left to lose and is willing to burn it all down to avenge those who fell before her.

The one thing keeping her grounded though is her love for her son. But is love enough to prevent her from making the ultimate sacrifice for the greater good?

First Line:

Out of all the safe houses we move through, this one is my least favorite.
Maternal Instincts by S.M. Thomas

Important things you need to know about the book:

Pace: The pace of Maternal Instincts is fast-paced.

POV: Maternal Instincts are told from Paige’s (and sometimes Ryle’s) 1st person POV.

Series: Maternal Instincts is the 3rd book in the Paige Hanson series.

Trigger/Content Warning: Maternal Instincts have trigger and content warnings. If any of these triggers you, I suggest not reading the book. They are:

Child Abuse
Abandonment
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Dead Bodies
Medical Expermintentation
Medical Procedures
Needles
Pandemic
Death of a parent
Death of a spouse
Death of a friend
Grief
Captivity & Confinement
Gun Violence
Murder & Attempted Murder
Conscription

Sexual Content: There is no sexual content in Maternal Instincts.

Language: There is moderate swearing in Maternal Instincts.

Setting: Maternal Instincts is set on Earth 2.

Age Range: I recommend Maternal Instincts to anyone over 21.

Plot Synopsis (as spoiler-free as I can get):

After two years on the run, Paige is tired. She is tired of being a wanted criminal, and she is even more tired of being separated from her son. All she wants is to stay in one place long enough to find a cure for the pandemic ravaging the planet. But things change when her latest safe house is leaked to the government, and she is forced to run. Taken captive by the people hiding her, Paige is given the opportunity to create a cure. But with the government and her mother’s people closing in on her, will Paige be able to generate the cure? Or will everything that Paige went through be for nothing?

Main Characters

Paige Hanson: I liked that the author had Paige show another facet of her character. The author showed her as a flawed person deeply affected by her upbringing. This had been hinted at in the first two books, and the author showcased it here. She was also traumatized by what happened at the end of Body Count, and that trauma contributed to all of her decisions in Maternal Instincts (including how she went about getting the cure).

My review:

I had been looking forward to reading Maternal Instincts. I wanted to see where this book would take Paige and how everything would end up. I wasn’t let down. Maternal Instincts were everything that I thought it would be and then some.

Starting two years after the events of Body Count, the author doesn’t waste any time throwing Paige into the thick of things. The author also occasionally takes a break from Paige and switches to Ryle’s POV. What she revealed there was exciting and made me wonder if there was another series in the work. But, the focus of the book was kept on Paige.

The mystery/thriller angle of the book was well written. I liked that I couldn’t figure out Paige’s endgame, and the author kept me guessing.

The end of Maternal Instincts was eye-opening and heartbreaking. I can’t say much more than that. There were two deaths that I didn’t see coming. Both were shocking, but both were warranted. I also wish Paige could have gotten the happy ending that she deserved.

Many thanks to S.M. Thomas for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Maternal Instincts. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

Other books by S.M. Thomas

The Final Curtain (Kyoichiro Kaga: Book 10) by Keigo Higashino, Giles Murray (Translator)

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books

Date of publication: December 12th, 2023

Genre: Mystery, Japan, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Thriller, Crime, Detective, Japanese Literature, Novels, Asian Literature

Series: Kyoichiro Kaga

Books 1-3 and books 6-7 do not have English translations.

Malice—Book 4

Newcomer—Book 5

A Death in Tokyo—Book 6

The Final Curtain—Book 7

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

From the acclaimed author of Malice and Newcomer, a confounding murder in Tokyo is connected to the mystery of the disappearance and death of Detective Kaga’s own mother.

A decade ago, Tokyo Police Detective Kyoichiro Kaga went to collect the ashes of his recently deceased mother. Years before, she ran away from her husband and son without explanation or any further contact, only to die alone in an apartment far away, leaving her estranged son with many unanswered questions.

Now in Tokyo, Michiko Oshitani is found dead many miles from home. Strangled to death, left in the bare apartment rented under a false name by a man who has disappeared without a trace. Oshitani lived far away in Sendai, with no known connection to Tokyo – and neither her family or friends have any idea why she would have gone there.

Hers is the second strangulation death in that approximate area of Tokyo – the other was a homeless man, killed and his body burned in a tent by the river. As the police search through Oshitani’s past for any clue that might shed some light, one of the detectives reaches out to Detective Kaga for advice. As the case unfolds an unexpected connective emerges between the murder (or murders) now and the long ago case of the missing mother of Detective Kaga.

The Final Curtain, one of Keigo Higashino’s most acclaimed mysteries, brings the story of Detective Kaga to a surprising conclusion in a series of rich, surprising twists.

First Line:

Despite decades having passed, Yasuyo Miyamoto could still recall that day with absolute clarity.
The Final Curtain by Keigo Higashino

Important things you need to know about the book:

Pace:The pace of The Final Curtain was slow-paced.

POV: The Final Curtain is told from a 3rd person point of view. It is told from Kyoichiro Kaga, Shuhei Matsumiya, and Hiromi Kadokura (aka Hiromi Asai)’s POV.

Series: The Final Curtain is the 10th book in the Kyoichrio Kaga series. You can read this book as a standalone.

Trigger/Content Warning: The Final Curtain has trigger and content warnings. If any of these triggers you, I suggest not reading the book. They are:

Murder
Sexual Assault
Abandonment
Statutory Rape
Foster Care
Adult-minor relationship (a teacher has a years-long affair with a student, who is one of the main characters)
Depression
Abortion
Dead Bodies
Death of a parent
Grief & Loss Depiction
Strangulation

Sexual Content: There is sexual content in The Final Curtain.

Language: The Final Curtain has mild swearing in it. There is no offensive language.

Setting: The Final Curtain is set in and around Tokyo, Japan.

Age Range: I recommend The Final Curtain to anyone over 21.

Plot Synopsis (as spoiler-free as I can get):

Called to help with the investigation of a strangulation case, Kaga is surprised to discover the victim is an old schoolmate of his. While he is investigating that murder, another murder happens, and he is surprised to find the two are connected. But there are few clues, and the one person who could have answers is not talking. It is up to Kaga to wade through decades of lies and misdirections to find out the answer. And in doing so, Kaga might finally get an explanation about the death of the mother who abandoned him decades earlier.

Main Characters

Instead of listing the main characters and giving my opinion, I will share my overall view of them. The Final Curtain didn’t have a set main character. The book flowed from one character to another. If I had to pick out three characters that stood out the most, they would be:

Kyoichiro Kaga
Shuhei Matsumiya
Hiromi Kadokura (Hiromi Asai)

These characters (well, all of the characters) were well-written and multi-faceted. I was surprised by this, seeing that this is the final book in this series and the first time I have read any book by this author. It was a pleasant surprise and added to my enjoyment of the book.

My review:

I didn’t know what to expect when I started reading The Final Curtain. I was a little iffy about it because it was book 10 in the series, and I figured I would have difficulty getting into it. Not in this case. My only complaint was that it was slow in spots. But, in my eyes, that slowness added to the overall ambiance of the book. It also allowed the author to build up the storyline and tie everything together without looking rushed.

The author did something clever at the beginning of the book. He added a cast of characters. I was thrilled that he did that. I usually go through my Kindle to find names while writing my review. I didn’t have to do that in this book.

The main storyline in The Final Curtain is centered around the murder investigation of Michiko Oshitani and the homeless man. The storyline was well-written and well-fleshed out. A few red herrings were thrown out that had me thinking that Kaga would never solve the mystery (the bridges angle was fascinating). The twist at the end and how the author tied everything together were well done. I was left shaking my head at who the killer was and why that person did what they did.

The end of The Final Curtain was a little bittersweet. I liked how the author brought everything together and wrapped up the storylines. I also liked that there was a finality to the storylines. Seeing that this is the end of the storyline, the author ends the book in a way that clarifies that there will be no more after.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books, NetGalley, Keigo Higashino, and Giles Murray for allowing me to read and review this ARC of The Final Curtain. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to The Final Curtain, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Keigo Higashino

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