Tag: mystery thriller

Rhythm and Clues (Record Shop Mystery: Book 3) by Olivia Blacke

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Paperbacks

Date of publication: March 26th, 2024

Genre: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Music, Amateur Sleuth, Fiction, Family, Adult Fiction

Series: Record Shop Mystery

Vinyl Resting Place—Book 1

A Fatal Grove–Book 2

Rhythm and Clues—Book 3

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

The rhythm is gonna get you.

It’s been five whole months since the last murder in Cedar River, Texas, and Juni Jessup and her sisters Tansy and Maggie have been humming along when disaster strikes again.

Their struggling vinyl records shop/coffee nook, Sip & Spin Records, is under pressure from predatory investors, though the Jessup sisters aren’t ready to face the music and admit defeat. But the night after their
meeting, the sketchy financier is killed outside their shop during a torrential Texas thunderstorm that washes out all the roads in and out of town. Now the sisters find themselves trapped in Cedar River with a killer, and Juni is determined to solve the case.

When the river spits out an unexpected surprise, Detective Beau Russell asks for Juni’s help, never predicting her investigation will spin her into danger. Up until now, the Jessup sisters have been playing it by ear, but with
the whole town watching, can they catch a killer before he strikes again?

First Line:

I’ve never witnessed a murder before.

Rhythm and Clues by Olivia Blacke

Important details about Rhythm and Clues

Pace: Fast

POV: 1st person (Juni)

Content/Trigger: Rhythm and Clues contains themes of alcohol consumption, dead bodies, grief & loss depiction, car accident, murder & attempted murder, physical assault, and flooding. Please read carefully if any of these triggers you.

Language: Rhythm and Clues contains mild swearing and language that might offend some people.

Series: This is the 3rd book in The Record Shop Mysteries and can be read as a standalone.

Sexual Content: There is no sexual content in Rhythm and Clues.

Setting: Rythm and Clues is set in Cedar River, Texas. 

My Review:

Over the past few months, I have read cozy mysteries that take place in various places. But a vinyl record shop/coffee nook wasn’t even on my radar for cozy mystery settings. I can check it off because Rhythm and Clues is set in such a place. That was one of the main reasons I decided to review the book. Not because of the mystery or because it was in Texas (which weirdly is a huge deciding factor in some of the books I read) but because it features a vinyl record store.

Rhythm and Clues is the third book in The Record Shop Mysteries series. It can be read as a standalone, but I strongly suggest reading the first two books to gain an understanding of the different relationships in the book. I wish I had because I needed clarification on the love triangle presented.

The main storyline of Rhythm and Clues centers around the murder of a financier in front of Juni and her sisters’ shop. The story also focuses on Juni’s relationships (love and otherwise) and her investigation into the death. I found the storyline engaging, often funny, and a little twisty (the murderer did surprise me).

I liked Juni, but she managed to get into trouble. As I read the book, I realized there was no holding her back when investigating the murder. She was going to find out who killed Zack, even if it meant putting herself up as bait and possibly getting hurt.

I found the mystery angle of Rhythm and Clues to be a little twisty, which surprised me. In my experience, cozy mysteries are usually written with a particular character in mind, and twists are not the norm. But, in this case, I was genuinely surprised by not only who the murderer was but also the motives behind the murder (minor spoiler: it was an accident). A smaller side mystery about handles mannequins also started about the mid-book. I did figure out where that one was going, but how it tied into the main mystery was revealed at the end of the book.

Juni’s relationships were a huge part of the Rhythm and Clues storyline. Her relationships were the bedrock of the storyline. Those personal relationships helped her with investigating Zack’s murder. She got information out of people that the police would have had to fight for.

Juni’s love life was also a significant part of the storyline. For a good part of the book, she was in a love triangle. Since I hadn’t read the previous two books, I was confused. There is a resolution to the love triangle, but I was a little disappointed with who she picked.

The end of Rhythm and Clues was perfect for the book. I liked how the author revealed who Zack’s murderer was and the reasons behind it. The author also showed the fallout from the murder. The author also left some room open for book four.

Many thanks to Saint Martin’s Press, Saint Martin’s Paperbacks, NetGalley, and Olivia Blacke for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Rhythm and Clues. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to Rhythm and Clues, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Olivia Blacke

Lost & Hound (“Sister” Jane: Book 15) by Rita Mae Brown

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Ballantine Books

Date of publication: October 24th, 2023

Genre: Mystery, Fiction, Animals, Cozy Mystery, Conservation, Mystery Thriller

Series: “Sister” Jane

Outfoxed by Rita Mae Brown—Book 1

Hotspur by Rita Mae Brown—Book 2

Full Cry by Rita Mae Brown—Book 3

The Hunt Ball by Rita Mae Brown—Book 4

The Hounds and the Fury by Rita Mae Brown—Book 5

The Tell-Tale Horse by Rita Mae Brown—Book 6

Hounded to Death by Rita Mae Brown—Book 7

Fox Tracks by Rita Mae Brown—Book 8

Let Sleeping Dogs Lie by Rita Mae Brown—Book 9

Crazy Like a Fox by Rita Mae Brown—Book 10

Homeward Hound by Rita Mae Brown—Book 11

Scarlet Fever by Rita Mae Brown—Book 12

Out of Hounds by Rita Mae Brown—Book 13

Thrill of the Hunt by Rita Mae Brown—Book 14

Lost & Hound by Rita Mae Brown—Book 15

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

When a body is found curiously displayed on “Sister” Jane Arnold’s foxhunting grounds, members of her hunt club realize someone is sending them a dire message, in this exciting mystery from New York Times bestselling author Rita Mae Brown.

Early fall in Virginia means shorter days, cooler temperatures, the blooming milkweeds of summer giving way to fields of fluffy seeds—and of course, the start of fox hunting season. It’s “Sister” Jane Arnold’s favorite time of year. And this year, the Jefferson Hunt Club is busier than ever, organizing a fundraising drive to help with the upkeep of their beloved hunting grounds.

But the festive season is interrupted by the appearance of a dead body, tied to a chair and placed directly in the path of an early-season hunt. No one recognizes the victim, but the intentional placement makes it clear that someone is sending a message. Then, one huntsman’s valuable stamp collection is stolen, and they discover the victim was also a stamp collector. Sister suspects a connection, which is confirmed when just one stamp is found taped to the garage door of her friend and treasurer of the hunt club Ronnie Haslip. Could Ronnie have been involved in either the murder or the theft, or has he been marked as the next victim? Sister must uncover who has been sending these cryptic signs to her friends—before any of them wind up dead.

First Line:

The long slanting rays before sunset illuminated the dancing milkweed seeds, silver white, turning them gold, then scarlet, and finally a rich lavender.

Lost & Hound by Rita Mae Brown

Important details about Lost & Hound

Pace: Medium

POV: 3rd person (mainly Sister but also from various members of the hunt group)

Content/Trigger Warnings: Lost & Hound contains themes of murder, classism, racism*, blood, physical injuries, eyeball trauma, hospitalization, dead bodies, mutilation, death of a child*, grief & loss depiction, blackmail, gun violence, attempted murder, physical assault, hunting*, animal injury, and animal cruelty*. Please read carefully if any of these triggers you.

  • Racism—is remembered
  • death of a child—graphic and in the past
  • hunting—fox hunting, and the group does not kill the foxes. They run them to their dens and then call off the dogs.
  • animal cruelty—one of the main characters is using his organization as a front for the shipping of endangered reptiles (to and from China). While the reptiles in this person’s care were well cared for, the shipped ones were not.

Language: Lost & Hound contains no swearing or language that might offend some people.

Series: Lost & Hound is the fifteenth book in the “Sister” Jane series and can be read as a standalone.

Sexual Content: There is no sexual content in Lost & Hound.

Setting: Lost & Hound is set in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia.

My Review:

I love it when I open a book and see that the author has included a glossary of terms used in the book. That is helpful because sometimes, mainly in fantasy, I need clues about what those words mean. In this book, it was helpful because I am not familiar with foxhunting. Having a list of what the different sayings mean and how they are used is beneficial. The author also went a step above and gave a list of characters—humans and animals.

Lost & Hound is the fifteenth book in the Sister Jane series. It can be read as a standalone, but I strongly suggest reading the previous books first. There are backstories and relationships that I could have used better insight into while reading, and there are also references to previous books that left me confused.

The main storyline in Lost & Hound focused on Sister, the Hunt Club, and the various relationships between the members. Strangely, the murder and the investigation were not the focal points of the book. There was little to no insight into the investigation until halfway through the book. However, the storylines were interconnected and well-written.

I was not familiar with foxhunting until I read Lost & Hound. Foxhunting is a sport that I thought was exclusively in England, and I was surprised that people did the hunts in America. The author did a fantastic job of explaining what goes into running a hunt club. As stated in the first paragraph, the author has a glossary of terms that gives more insight into the different terms and positions in the hunt. Also, to clarify, no foxes are harmed in the book. The author also makes that very clear.

The author did something different, including the animals’ POV throughout the book. Seeing how the animals interacted (the whole cow conversation was hilarious) and their insights into their people was often funny and exciting.

The author kept the mystery angle to the background until well past the middle of the book. There were no hints or clues about why the person was killed or who would even want to kill him. So, when the reveal came, it was a huge surprise because it came out of nowhere. Yes, Sister did some digging and revealed the man’s name and occupation. But there were no suspects or reasons.

The end of Lost & Hound was confusing. The reveal of the murderer and the reason behind it was chaotic. I was truly surprised by who killed the man and why. At the risk of repeating myself, it was entirely out of left field, and I was not too fond of that. I also got the impression that there will be a book 16.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Ballantine Books, NetGalley, and Rita Mae Brown for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Lost & Hound.

If you enjoy reading books similar to Lost & Hound, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Rita Mae Brown

Off the Air by Christina Estes

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books

Date of publication: March 26th, 2024

Genre: Mystery, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Thriller, Cozy Mystery, Contemporary, Murder Mystery, Adult, Crime

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

Equal parts thought-provoking and entertaining, Emmy Award winning reporter Christina Estes introduces Jolene Garcia in her Tony Hillerman Prize winning debut, Off the Air .

Jolene Garcia is a local TV reporter in Phoenix, Arizona, splitting her time between covering general assignments―anything from a monsoon storm to a newborn giraffe at the zoo―and special projects. Stories that take more time to research and produce. Stories that Jolene wants to tell.

When word gets out about a death at a radio station, Jolene and other journalists swarm the scene, intent on reporting the facts first. The body is soon identified as Larry Lemmon, a controversial talk show host, who died under suspicious circumstances. Jolene conducted his final interview, giving her and her station an advantage. But not for long.

As the story heats up, so does the competition. Jolene is determined to solve this murder. It’s an investigation that could make or break her career―if it doesn’t break her first.

First Line:

I’d like a cheeseburger with extra guacamole and —

Off the Air by Christina Estes

Important details about Off the Air

Pace: Medium

POV: 1st person (Jolene)

Content/Trigger Warnings: Off the Air contains themes of abandonment, ageism, animal cruelty, child neglect, classism, homelessness, racism, sexism, sexual coercion, substance abuse, violence, death, murder, cultural appropriation, gun violence, hate crime, mental illness, grief, gaslighting, injury and injury detail, drug use, child abuse, and blood. Please read carefully if any of these triggers you.

Language: Off the Air contains mild to moderate swearing and language that might offend some people.

Sexual Content: There is no sexual content in Off the Air.

Setting: Off the Air is set in Phoenix, Arizona.

My Review:

When I started reading Off the Air, I realized I hadn’t reviewed many books where the main character is a reporter (newspaper or TV). So, I was very interested in what went on behind the cameras and how a reporter worked a story. Off the Air did explore this (alongside Jolene investigating Larry’s murder).

Off the Air’s main storyline centers on Jolene and her investigation into Larry Lemmon’s murder. Jolene’s investigation was well-written and gave good insight into how cutthroat reporting can be. But it felt a little flat when the focus was off the newsroom and onto Jolene’s personal life. It also didn’t help that Jolene was just as ruthless in her personal life as in her professional life.

I had mixed feelings about Jolene. Professionally, she was everything I thought a news reporter should be: focused and three steps ahead of her competition. But personally, that ruthlessness didn’t do her any favors. Everything I liked about her while she was working turned me off when the author switched to her personal life.

The mystery angle of Off the Air did keep me guessing. The victim was a shock jock who made enemies every time he opened his mouth. So, there were a lot of suspects and motives. I was shocked at not only who the murderer was but why that person chose to murder the victim. In a way, I did sympathize with that person, but to resort to murder. Nope. Of course, once Jolene revealed the motive behind Larry’s murder, there was an additional story to report.

The end of Off the Air was interesting. The author wrapped up the main storyline (Larry’s murder) but left other secondary storylines unresolved. It will be interesting to see how relationships change (for better or worse) throughout this series.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books, NetGalley, and Christina Estes for allowing me to read and review Off the Air. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to Off the Air, then you will enjoy these books:

The Stranger Upstairs by Lisa M. Matlin

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Bantam

Date of publication: September 12th, 2023

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

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

A social media influencer with a secret past buys a murder house to renovate, but finds more than she bargained for behind the peeling wallpaper in this gothic psychological debut.

Sarah Slade is starting over. As the new owner of the infamous Black Wood House—the scene of a grisly murder-suicide—she’s determined that the fixer-upper will help reach a new audience on her successful lifestyle blog, and distract her from her failing marriage.

But as Sarah paints over the house’s horrifying past, she knows better than anyone that a new façade can’t conceal every secret. Then the builders start acting erratically and experiencing bizarre accidents—and Sarah knows there’s only so long she can continue to sleep in the bedroom with the bloodstained floor and suffer the mysterious footsteps she hears from the attic.

When menacing notes start appearing everywhere, Sarah becomes convinced that someone or something is out to kill her—her husband, her neighbors, maybe even the house itself. The more she remodels Black Wood House, the angrier it seems to become.

With every passing moment, Sarah’s life spirals further out of control—and with it, her sense of reality. Though she desperately clings to the lies she’s crafted to conceal her own secrets, Sarah Slade must wonder . . . was it all worth it? Or will this house be her final unraveling?

First Line:

Welcome to Black House.

The Stranger Upstairs by Lisa M. Matlin

Important details about The Stranger Upstairs

Pace: Fast

POV: 1st person (Sarah)

Trigger Warnings: The Stranger Upstairs contains themes of mental illness, murder, alcoholism, death, alcohol, animal cruelty, violence, blood, suicide, panic attacks/disorders, vomiting, infidelity, toxic relationships, psychosis, gaslighting, grief, addiction, stalking, injury/injury detail, bullying, emotional abuse, self-harm, chronic illness, suicidal thoughts, toxic friendship, domestic abuse, medical content, classism, eating disorder, death of a parent, drug abuse, and police brutality.

Language: The Stranger Upstairs contains moderate swearing and language that might offend some people.

Sexual Content: There is no sexual content in The Stranger Upstairs.

Setting: The Stranger Upstairs is set in Beacon, Australia.

My Review:

I enjoy reading psychological thrillers. So, when a psychological thriller ends in my emails, I either accept the request (if it is through a publisher) or buy the book. And that was the case with The Stranger Upstairs.

The main storyline in The Stranger Upstairs centers around Sarah. Sarah is a therapist/blogger/self-help writer who had just bought a house where a man killed his wife, attempted to kill his daughter, and then committed suicide. She and her husband bought the house thinking they would show the renovations step-by-step and eventually sell the home for double what they paid. I felt the storyline was well written when it centered on Sarah, keeping me glued to the book.

Sarah wasn’t a very likable character and wasn’t a reliable narrator. She wasn’t forthcoming with the truth, and what she did admit to was a little suspect. Everything she remembered about her life before she left with Joe seemed skewed, and I honestly couldn’t figure out if she was telling the truth. As her mental health declined, the more I tended not to believe anything that came out of her mouth. By the end of the book, she had me so twisted that I couldn’t figure out which end was up with her.

The whole murder house mystery was intriguing. I could see someone taking an old house with a history, like Black Wood House, and flipping it. There are people out there who would pay good money to live in an infamous house. I also see how a small town would close ranks against a new house owner. Even the nasty jerk whose uncle was the chief of police was believable (there is always that one nepobaby who thinks they rule the town).

The mystery/thriller angle kept me glued to the book. I figured out what was going on with the little nasty things (being unable to get local help, the cold shoulders, and the rat in the mailbox), but I couldn’t figure out the more significant things until almost the end of the book.

My only complaint about the book was the ending. Several twists made sense and explained some things. But I didn’t understand what happened during that last chapter. It just didn’t make sense and left me with more questions.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Bantam, NetGalley, and Lisa M. Matlin for allowing me to read and review this ARC of The Stranger Upstairs. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

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

Finding Sophie by Imran Mahmood

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Bantam

Date of publication: March 5th, 2024

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

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

Two parents, desperate to find their missing daughter, stand accused of murder. How far will they go to find the truth?

Someone is guilty.

For the last seventeen years, Harry and Zara King’s lives have revolved around their only daughter, Sophie. One day, Sophie leaves the house and doesn’t come home. Six weeks later, the police are no closer to finding her than when they started. Harry and Zara have questioned everyone who has ever had any connection to Sophie, to no avail. Except there’s one house on their block—number 210, across the street—whose occupant refuses to break his silence.

Someone knows what happened.

As the question mark over number 210 devolves into obsession, Harry and Zara are forced to examine their own lives. They realize they have grown apart, suffering in separate spheres of grief. And as they try to find their way back to each other, they must face the truth about their daughter: who she was, how she changed, and why she disappeared.

Someone will pay.

Told in the alternating perspectives of Harry and Zara, and in a dual timeline between the weeks after Sophie’s disappearance and a year later in the middle of a murder trial, Imran Mahmood’s taut yet profoundly moving novel explores how differently grief can be experienced even when shared by parents—and how hope triumphs when it springs from the kind of love that knows no bounds.

First Line:

I’ve been waiting six months for my trial but now that I’m here I can’t contain the panic blooming in my gut.

Finding Sophie by Imran Mahmood

Important details about Finding Sophie

Pace: Medium

POV: 1st person (Harry and Zara)

Trigger Warnings: Finding Sophie contains themes that include kidnapping, grief, murder, adult/minor relationship, bullying, child abuse, confinement, death, drug abuse, emotional abuse, rape, suicidal thoughts, blood, trafficking, gaslighting, injury/injury detail, stalking, grooming, and sexual harassment.

Language: Finding Sophie contains moderate swearing and language that might offend some people.

Sexual Content: There is no sexual content in Finding Sophie.

Setting: Finding Sophie is set around an unnamed village in England.

My Review

Finding Sophie’s storyline focuses on Harry and Zara, their desperation to find Sophie, and their murder trial. I am not fond of alternating storylines that go from past to present and back. But, in this case, it worked. The storylines complemented each other. There was no lag when the author switched characters or storylines. Instead, he took what the previous chapter talked about and used it in the present day or in the past to explain how Harry and Zara got to the point they were at. Overall, it was a compelling, well-written story that I was engaged with. My only complaint would be the ending (and I will explain why I wasn’t a fan of it).

I liked that the author portrayed Zara and Harry as parents at the end of their rope with a rebellious child. As a mother of two teenagers, I could sympathize with the talking back, the silence, the moodiness, and even being secretive. But, I did draw the line at what they did in desperation to Sophie. When Sophie went missing, the anguish, the rage, and the self-doubt came crashing back. They weren’t likable characters, but they were sympathetic.

I was surprised at how little Zara and Harry knew about their daughter. Maybe I don’t have typical teenagers, but my kids share (and sometimes overshare) everything with my husband and me. So, when Harry and Zara found out all of this information about Sophie weeks after she went missing, it was surprising.

I initially thought Sophie’s disappearance was due to her being a rebellious teenager and to certain events that happened in the prior weeks. I was NOT expecting the twist her storyline took. I was completely surprised and shocked because it wasn’t what I thought. Of course, I did think Harry was right in doing what he did (after the murder trial).

The events leading up to the murder were disturbing. I did have sympathy for 210 in the beginning, but that sympathy waned as the book went on. Harry may have gone slightly over the top in his actions. However, Harry’s actions became borderline obsessive, and Zara started to do the same thing. So, it wasn’t a surprise when the murder happened.

The trial angle of the book was interesting to read. I can’t remember a book where the author explained how British law works. It fascinated me because while it was similar to American law, it was also so different. There were two major twists in that plotline. One I didn’t see coming and was very surprised by the reveal. I was also astonished that the confession was caught on tape, and that confession almost made me get bookish whiplash. The other twist was who the murderer was. I will say that there were only two people, so I had a 50/50 chance of getting it right. I did somewhat see it coming, but I was shocked.

Now, the end of the book was different from what I thought it would be. I did like that the author wrapped up everything with a neat little bow. But he did something that I didn’t expect. He showed the aftermath of everything. I was with him until the very last chapter. It ended on a very creepy note, and I am still trying to figure out exactly what happened and what he meant in that last paragraph.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Bantam, NetGalley, and Imran Mahmood for allowing me to read and review an ARC of Finding Sophie. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

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

Other books by Imran Mahmood

The Other Lola by Ripley Jones

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books

Date of Publication: March 12th, 2024

Genre: Young Adult, Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Thriller, LGBT, Queer, Contemporary, Fiction

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

The sequel to Ripley Jones’s unforgettable YA thriller Missing Clarissa , The Other Lola is about what happens when the people you love the most are the people you can trust the least.

In the months after Cam and Blair broke their small hometown’s legendary missing-girl story and catapulted to accidental fame, they vowed never to do it again. No more mysteries, no more podcasts, and no more sticking their heads where they don’t belong.

Until Mattie Brosillard, a freshman at their high school, shows up on their doorstep, begging Cam and Blair for help. Mattie’s sister Lola disappeared mysteriously five years ago. No trace of her was ever found. Now, she’s back–but Mattie is convinced the girl who returned is an impostor. Nobody believes Mattie’s wild story–not Mattie’s brother, not Mattie’s mother, and not even Cam and Blair. But something is definitely wrong in the Brosillard family. And Blair has her own reasons for wanting to know what really happened to Lola while she was gone.

With Cam and Blair still struggling with the aftermath of their first mystery—and with new secrets swirling between them—the stakes are higher than ever in this can’t-miss sequel to Missing Clarissa.

First Line

Lola was gone before she ever went missing.

The Other Lola by Ripley Jones

Important details about The Other Lola

Pace: Medium

POV: 3rd person (Cam and Blair), 2nd person (letters written to Mattie and emails written to Blair’s publisher)

Trigger Warnings: The Other Lola contains themes that include panic attacks/disorders, adult/minor relationships, drug abuse, abandonment, religious bigotry, bullying, deadnaming, drug use, suicidal thoughts, transphobia, murder, and sexual harassment.

Language: The Other Lola contains moderate swearing and language that might offend some people.

Sexual Content: There is minor sexual content in The Other Lola.

Setting: The Other Lola is set in and around Oreville, Washington.

My Review

The Other Lola is the follow-up novel to Missing Clarissa. It occurs several months after Cam and Blair solve Clarissa’s cold case. Blair and Cam had been put through the wringer by the press, the people in town, and people worldwide. Dealing with the repercussions of solving her case, they swore they would never do another podcast or look into another mystery. So, when Cam agrees to listen to Mattie’s tale about a sister disappearing and reappearing after five years and how they suspect the person who claims to be their sister is an imposter, she is inclined to laugh it off. But something about Mattie strikes a chord in Cam, and she has Blair listen to their story. The deeper Cam and Blair dig into Mattie’s story, the more they realize that something isn’t right with the family.

The Other Lola was such a great book to read. Right from the beginning, the storyline caught my attention. As the story went on and Cam and Blair dug into Lola’s disappearance and the events surrounding it, I couldn’t put my Kindle down. This was a well-written story with so many layers.

The mystery angle of the book was terrific. The author does reveal something major about Lola in the first chapter. Even with that reveal, this storyline had so many twists and turns that I almost had difficulty keeping up.

The author also focused on Blair and Cam’s relationship and their separate ones. It was a little heartbreaking to read about Cam’s anxiety and her flashbacks. It was also sad to read about Blair and how she felt her friendship with Cam was suffering. I also liked how the author portrayed Cam’s relationship with her girlfriend. Now, Blair and her relationship with Lola’s twin was creepy, considering why she had started dating him. I never felt she was really into him, but that ending scene on the boat made me wonder.

The end of The Other Lola was sad. I was not expecting the book to go in the direction it did, but in hindsight, it did make sense.

Many thanks to Saint Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books, NetGalley, and Ripley Jones for allowing me to read and review this ARC of The Other Lola. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

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

Other Books by Ripley Jones

Bye, Baby by Carola Lovering

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Date of Publication: March 5th, 2024

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

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

A missing baby. A fraught friendship. A secret that can never be told.

On a brisk fall night in a New York apartment, 35-year-old Billie West hears terrified screams. It’s her lifelong best friend Cassie Barnwell, one floor above, and she’s just realized her infant daughter has gone missing. Billie is shaken as she looks down into her own arms to see the baby, remembering—with a jolt of fear—that she is responsible for the kidnapping that has instantly shattered Cassie’s world.

So begins the story of Billie and Cassie’s friendship–both in recent weeks, and since they met twenty-three years ago, in their small Hudson Valley hometown the summer before seventh grade. Once fiercely bonded by their secrets, including a traumatic, unspeakable incident in high school, Cassie and Billie have drifted apart in adulthood, no longer the inseparable pair they used to be. Cassie is married to a wealthy man, has recently become a mother, and is building a following as a fashion and lifestyle influencer. She is desperate to leave her past behind–including Billie, who is single and childless, and no longer fits into her world. Hurt and rejected by Cassie’s new priorities, Billie will do anything to restore their friendship, even as she hides the truth about what really happened the night the baby was taken.

Told in alternating perspectives in Lovering’s signature suspenseful style, Bye Baby confronts the myriad ways friendships change and evolve over time, the lingering echoes of childhood trauma, and the impact of women’s choices on their lifelong relationships.

First Line:

The baby stops fussing, settling into my arms like a sleepy puppy.

Bye, Baby by Carola Lovering

Important details about Bye, Baby

Pace: Medium but does go too fast during crucial scenes.

POV: 1st person (Billie and Cassie)

Trigger Warnings: Bye, Baby contains themes that include sexual assault, kidnapping, toxic friendship, death of a parent, adult/minor relationships, rape, sexual harassment, child abuse, pedophilia, murder, dementia, bullying, grief, pregnancy, death, emotional abuse, mental illness, sexual violence, stalking, alcohol, alcoholism, body horror, chronic illness, domestic abuse, infertility, toxic relationships, vomit, abortion, gaslighting, classism, body shaming, and eating disorder.

Language: Bye, Baby contains mild to moderate swearing and language that might offend some people.

Sexual Content: There is moderate sexual content in A Smoking Bun.

Setting: Bye, Baby is set in New York City, New York.

My Review

When I read the blurb for Bye, Baby, my interest was caught. I enjoy psychological thrillers with a mystery element. However, as I read the book, I found that the storyline focused more on Cassie and Billie’s decades-long friendship rather than the kidnapping outlined in the blurb.

Bye, Baby’s storyline revolves around Cassie and Billie, their decades-long friendship, and the kidnapping of Cassie’s daughter. I thought this was a well-written storyline that showed society’s expectations of mothers and the pressure that women who choose not to have children go through by other women. The kidnapping was not the focal point of this book. It was a tiny part of a very complex storyline.

The author did something interesting with this storyline. She started the book fifty days before the kidnapping and detailed Cassie and Billie’s lives. As she was building the present-day storyline, she returned to when Billie and Cassie first met and detailed the trauma that Billie went through as a teenager. I liked seeing both Cassie and Billie in the present and past. So much was explained about each of them and how their friendship turned toxic and one-sided.

The mystery angle of Bye, Baby was interesting. The author tells you who kidnapped the baby, but the why and how are not explained. The author does build up to that, but it seemed to go on longer than it should have. It was the afterward that was drawn out.

I was very interested in the mothers vs. women choosing to be child-free. There were times when the author did lay it on thick for the mothers. The pressure and adult bullying that Cassie and her friends did to Billie about choosing to be child-free was disgusting but very spot on.

The behind-the-scenes look into what it takes to be an influencer was fascinating. Cassie was obsessed with her followers, comments, and likes. Even though she started the Instagram account to promote her business, it became more of a mom vlog and promoting different brands. Honestly, it sounds exhausting and not something I can see myself doing.

The childhood trauma that shaped Billie was heartbreaking. So much happened to her quickly, and it became a little hard to follow. I enjoyed seeing Billie bloom during college, but I couldn’t understand why she kept returning to Cassie every time something went wrong. It was explained towards the end of the book (and it is linked to her trauma), but still.

The end of Bye, Baby seemed a little rushed. I didn’t believe what Cassie did. Hell, I didn’t even believe what Billie’s boyfriend did (and he’s a police officer). I was a little irritated by how everything went down (Cassie’s new best friend has issues with Billie but did the right thing in the end).

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley, and Carola Lovering for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Bye, Baby. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

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

Other books by Carola Lovering

Ill-Fated Fortune (A Magical Fortune Cookie: Book 1) by Jennifer J. Chow

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books

Date of publication: February 20th, 2024

Genre: Cozy Mystery, Mystery, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Magic, Fantasy, Magical Realism

Series: A Magic Fortune Cookie

Ill-Fated Fortune—Book 1

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

The first in the heart-warming and deliciously mysterious Magical Fortune Cookie series from Lefty Award-nominee Jennifer J. Chow.

Felicity Jin grew up literally hanging onto Mom’s apron strings in their magical bakery in the quaint town of Pixie, California. Her mother’s enchanted baked goods, including puffy pineapple buns and creamy egg tarts, bring instant joy to all who consume them. Felicity has always been hesitant in the kitchen herself after many failed attempts, but a takeout meal gone wrong inspires her to craft some handmade fortune cookies.

They become so popular that Felicity runs out of generic fortunes and starts making her own personalized predictions. When one customer’s ill-fated fortune results in his murder, Felicity’s suspiciously specific fortune has the police focusing on her as the main culprit. Now Felicity must find a way to turn her luck around and get cleared from suspicion.

First Line

It only took twenty-eight years and one bad take-out meal to unlock my superpower.

Ill-Fated Fortune by Jennifer J. Chow

Important things you need to know about Ill-Fated Fortune:

Pace: Medium

POV: 1st person (Felicity)

Trigger Warnings: Ill-Fated Fortune contains themes that include racism, anxiety & anxiety attacks, dead bodies, asthma, murder & attempted murder, and physical assault.

Language: There is mild swearing in Ill-Fated Fortune. There is also language used that might offend some people.

Sexual Content: There is no sexual content in Ill-Fated Fortune.

Setting: Ill-Fated Fortune is set in Pixie, California. There are also some scenes in Fresno.

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

Growing up in a magical bakery and witnessing her mother use her magical power to bring happiness to their customers, Felicity waits for her to manifest. After many failed attempts, Felicity has given up. That changes the day she gets an awful fortune cookie from a take-out Chinese cookie. After making a batch of homemade fortune cookies, Felicity’s magic manifests. She makes delicious fortune cookies and writes handmade fortunes that come true.

But her happiness is short-lived. A rival enters her shop, gets a cookie and a fortune, makes a scene, and leaves. The following day, Felicity finds his body in the dumpster behind the bakery, holding her handwritten fortune. Now, Felicity is the number one suspect in his murder. Desperate to clear her name, she starts sleuthing. Will Felicity find out who killed that customer and why?

My Review

I enjoy a good cozy mystery. I also enjoy cozy mysteries that incorporate magic (or paranormal) themes into the storyline. But, lately, I have found those types of cozy mysteries lacking. Either they were too over the top, or I found them boring. So, I did go into reading Ill-Fated Fortune with the mindset that it could be either of those types. And I was pleasantly surprised when I started reading this book and realized it was good.

The main storyline centers around Felicity, her magic (or lack of it), the murder, and her investigation. It was a well-written, humorous storyline that kept me guessing who the killer was and the motivation behind it.

I did like Felicity and felt a little bad for her throughout the book. Her bad luck didn’t start until after the murder, and it just snowballed. I did think that the detective had tunnel vision. But I also felt that Felicity made herself a target by not doing what the police asked. It was a “damned if she did, damned if she didn’t” type of situation.

The mystery angle was interesting. I say interesting because there were a bunch of people who wanted that guy dead. So, I thought everything was good until I realized how much I had left in the book. The author didn’t even begin to scratch the surface of what happened. I was shocked when the true motives and the real killer were revealed. Someone wasn’t even on my radar until the very last minute. And even then, I was a little iffy if it was that person.

The end of Ill-Fated Fortune was a nail-biter. I am concerned about how Felicity will cope in the upcoming books (if you read the book, you understand). Also, I can’t wait to read the next book (for the above reasons).

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books, NetGalley, and Jennifer J. Chow for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Ill-Fated Fortune. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to Ill-Fated Fortune, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Jennifer J. Chow

Nowhere Like Home by Sara Shepard

Publisher: Penguin Group Dutton, Dutton

Date of publication: February 20th, 2024

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

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

#1 New York Times bestselling author of Pretty Little Liars Sara Shepard’s next adult novel follows a group of mothers living in a mysterious “mommune,” each of whom is running from something

When Lenna gets a call from her old friend Rhiannon, she is startled; Rhiannon disappeared years ago without a trace. But Lenna is even more startled to learn that Rhiannon has a son and that she lives off the grid with a group of women in a community called Halcyon. Rhiannon invites Lenna, a new mother herself, to join them. Why suffer the sleepless nights by yourself? It takes a village, after all.

Lenna decides to go and hopefully repair her relationship with Rhiannon, but as she drives into the desert and her cell service gets weaker, she becomes suspicious. Who are these women and why did Rhiannon invite her here? And that is before she learns about the community’s rules (no outside phone calls, no questions about people’s pasts) and the padlock on the gate that leads out to the main road. But Lenna has other concerns, secrets from her past she is terrified will come out. When a newcomer arrives in the community, Lenna’s worst fears are confirmed—she was brought here for a reason.

Nowhere Like Home tackles themes of complicated friendships and trauma but all with Sara Shepard’s expert twists that you don’t see coming.

First Line:

It’s hard to sum up this place.

Nowhere LIke Home by Sara Shepard

Important things you need to know about Nowhere Like Home:

Pace: Medium to Fast

POV: Mainly 3rd person (Lenna, Rhiannon, and Sarah). There are some chapters told from the 2nd person (through Gillian’s Instagram posts) and one chapter told from the 1st person.

Trigger Warnings: Nowhere Like Home contains sexual assault, murder, pregnancy, toxic friendship, abandonment, kidnapping, violence, and the death of a parent. If any of these trigger you, I suggest not reading the book.

Language: There is mild to moderate swearing in Nowhere Like Home. There is also language used that might offend some people.

Setting: In the Present Day chapters of the book, Nowhere Like Home is set on a momune just outside of Tucson, Arizona. The past chapters of the book are set in Los Angeles, California.

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

Present Day: A new mother with a colicky baby and a husband isn’t helping, Lenna is drowning. So, when an old friend surfaces after two years and tells Lenna about a momune in the desert outside Tucson, Lenna jumps at it. But, once she gets to Halycon, Lenna notices that there seems to be something off with the commune. From barbed wire and padlocked gates to outrageous joining fees to cell and internet service being blocked, Lenna begins to think this paradise is more of hell. Only when she sees another familiar face from her past does she realize someone brought her here for a reason.

Past: Lenna is stuck at a dead-end job when she meets Rhiannon, a bright and vibrant editor at a well-known magazine. They instantly click and become the best of friends. But, when Rhiannon unexpectedly leaves, Lenna becomes friends with Gillian, who works at another magazine in the same building. But Lenna’s friendship with Gillian is strained, shadowed by Rhiannon’s absence. And Gillian starts to act more and more unstable in the passing days. Everything comes to a head one rainy afternoon, and the aftermath leaves Lenna, who already suffered from anxiety, a mess.

What happened that day? What is Lenna’s secret? Why did Rhiannon make contact with her out of the blue? Is the momune a place where Lenna can find peace? Or will Lenna be forced to face what happened two years ago?

My review:

I was intrigued when I saw that Sara Shepard had written this book. Like millions of others, I have watched Pretty Little Liars on TV. While I wasn’t a big fan of the show (it wasn’t up my alley), I did like the thought behind it. So, when Penguin Group Dutton sent me a widget containing this book, I decided to read it. Having read it, I was a little disappointed.

Nowhere Like Home has dual storylines. The first follows Lenna, Rhiannon, and the momune residents during Lenna’s first few days there. The second storyline follows Lenna, Rhiannon, Gillian (via her Instagram posts), and Sarah (who comes later on in the storyline). Both storylines were well-written and well-fleshed out. The momune storyline felt flat to me. It was less fleshed out than the storyline that takes place in the past. But they kept my attention focused on the book, and I didn’t get lost following the characters, which was a plus.

The storyline with momune did strike a chord with me. I have three children (as most of you know from my blog’s bio). My oldest had severe colic (it was discovered that she was lactose intolerant later on down the road). My SO was like Lenna’s husband; he couldn’t handle the crying. And sometimes, I wished I had a village of women to help me with her. I liked that the author also showcased how Lenna’s trauma over what happened to Gillian affected her. The not knowing and keeping it affected every aspect of her life, whether she knew it or not. I was surprised at who was behind everything and how that person connected to Rhiannon and Lenna.

The storyline that takes place two years before everything did explain a lot. It showed how Rhiannon and Lenna met and how Lenna and Gillian met. Rhiannon was a little shifty and kept things from Lenna (but, when it was revealed what, I was surprised). Rhiannon taking off was unusual for her, but the reason was surprising. The only thing that even bothered me was Lenna’s friendship with Gillian. Right from the beginning, I didn’t like Gillian. She was creepy, so I wasn’t surprised when what happened to her was revealed.

The mystery angle of the book was well-written. I was shocked at who was behind everything at the momune. There was a brief hint at it when Gillian got drunk (over two years before). I also got why Rhiannon was forced to do what that person wanted (her lies were figured out).

The author also tackled the mysteries brought up in the storyline set in the past. There was an explanation as to why Rhiannon left and about her backstory. I felt so bad for her, with everything that happened. And I also understood why she did what she did. I also liked that Sarah’s role in everything was explained. It cleared a lot of confusion around what happened that day on the trail.

The end of Nowhere Like Home was cathartic. Everything was explained. But, like Lenna, I wondered who saved everyone in that cave.

Many thanks to Penguin Group Dutton, Dutton, NetGalley, and Sara Shepard for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Nowhere Like Home. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to Nowhere Like Home, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Sara Shepard

The Guest by B.A. Paris

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Date of publication: February 20th, 2024

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

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

New York Times bestselling author B. A. Paris captivated psychological thriller readers everywhere with Behind Closed Doors. Now she invites you into another heart-pounding home full of secrets, in The Guest.

Some secrets never leave.

Iris and Gabriel seem to have it all: a beautiful home in the British countryside, a daughter happily working in Greece, and good friends Laure and Pierre from Paris, who they often vacation with. But when a young man has a tragic accident in a nearby quarry, Gabriel is the one to find him and hear his final words, leaving Gabriel with a guilty burden.

As Iris tries to help ease her husband’s trauma, they acquire an unexpected house guest. Laure has seemingly moved in after her husband’s revelation that he has had a child with another woman. Iris and Gabriel insist Laure stay as long as she needs. But Laure keeps wearing Iris’s clothes, following her every move, and asking her about the recent death of the young man.

Their only respite from the increasingly tense atmosphere in their own home comes from a couple new to town and expecting their first child. But with them comes their gardener, who has a checkered past.

With fractured relationships and secrets piling up around them, can Iris and Gabriel’s marriage survive?

First Line:

Gabriel, his fingers shaking slightly on the stem, handed Iris a glass of champagne, and then gave one to Esme.

The Guest by B.A. Paris

Important things you need to know about The Guest:

Pace: Medium

POV: Goes between 3rd person (Iris and Gabriel) and 1st person (the killer)

Trigger Warnings: The Guest contains murder, alcoholism, death, infidelity, blood, grief, pregnancy, abandonment, alcohol, suicide, violence, car accident, fire and fire injury, abortion, and adult/minor relationships. If any of these trigger you, I suggest not reading the book.

Language: There is mild swearing in The Guest. There is also language used that might offend some people.

Setting: The Guest is set in a small Scottish village. A few chapters also occur in Paris (Gabriel is looking for Pierre).

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

Iris and Gabriel are living their ideal lives as empty-nesters in a small Scottish village when Gabriel happens upon a horrific accident. Hearing the victim’s last words weighs heavily on Gabriel since he told the police, the mother, and first responders that the victim said something different. Hoping to help Gabriel overcome his guilt, Iris plans a vacation for them. And it seemed to be doing the trick until they arrived home to find that their friend Laure had moved in while they were gone.

Laure left her husband, Pierre, after he told her he had a child with another woman. But the visit stretches into weeks, with Laure showing no sign of leaving, and she starts behaving erratically. Feeling like strangers in their own home, Iris and Gabriel’s marriage starts to crack. But relief does come when Iris befriends a new couple expecting their first child in the village. But they come with baggage—a family friend turned gardener with a checkered past.

Why isn’t Laure leaving, and where is Pierre? How is the gardener connected to everything that is going on? And will Iris and Gabriel’s marriage buckle under the pressure?

My review:

When I got the widget for The Guest, I was happy about it. I have read and enjoyed books by B.A. Paris before, and I figured that I would like this book. I am slightly ambivalent about it now that I have read the book. I didn’t love it, and I didn’t hate it. If I had to describe my feelings, it would be “meh.”

The main storyline of The Guest centers on Iris, Gabriel, their unwanted houseguest, the death of the boy in the quarry, their new neighbors, and the new neighbor’s gardener. There were parts of this storyline that went on for too long (the whole Laure situation) and other parts that the author seemed to rush through. All of this and the fact that I couldn’t get into the storyline contributed to the ‘meh” factor. And that was disappointing since I enjoy reading books by the author.

The characters were interesting, but I did feel that they weren’t as fleshed out as they could be. All of them felt a little flat. The only character I had a halfway good connection with was Iris, and even then, it was more of a “What the hell. Grow a backbone and throw her out.” connection.

As much as I was “meh” about this book, I will say it had a good mystery/thriller angle. The author did a great job of misdirecting and throwing out red herrings. Why? Because I didn’t see who the killer was until the last chapter. It was such a huge twist and took me entirely by surprise. And when the motive behind everything was revealed, I was shocked. Again, something that I didn’t expect. So, kudos to the author for such an explosive twist.

As I mentioned above, the book’s last chapter had a surprising twist, which I loved. But this is a book that I won’t be rereading. I couldn’t connect with the characters or get involved in the storylines.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley, and B.A. Paris for allowing me to read and review this ARC of The Guest. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

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

Other books by B.A. Paris