Tag: mystery

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

The Curse of Penryth Hall by Jess Armstrong

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books

Date of publication: December 5th, 2023

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

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

An atmospheric gothic mystery that beautifully brings the ancient Cornish countryside to life, Armstrong introduces heroine Ruby Vaughn in her Minotaur Books & Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Award-winning debut, The Curse of Penryth Hall.

After the Great War, American heiress Ruby Vaughn made a life for herself running a rare bookstore alongside her octogenarian employer and house mate in Exeter. She’s always avoided dwelling on the past, even before the war, but it always has a way of finding her. When Ruby is forced to deliver a box of books to a folk healer living deep in the Cornish countryside, she is brought back to the one place she swore she’d never return. A more sensible soul would have delivered the package and left without rehashing old wounds. But no one has ever accused Ruby of being sensible. Thus begins her visit to Penryth Hall.

A foreboding fortress, Penryth Hall is home to Ruby’s once dearest friend, Tamsyn, and her husband, Sir Edward Chenowyth. It’s an unsettling place, and after a more unsettling evening, Ruby is eager to depart. But her plans change when Penryth’s bells ring for the first time in thirty years. Edward is dead; he met a gruesome end in the orchard, and with his death brings whispers of a returned curse. It also brings Ruan Kivell, the person whose books brought her to Cornwall, the one the locals call a Pellar, the man they believe can break the curse. Ruby doesn’t believe in curses—or Pellars—but this is Cornwall and to these villagers the curse is anything but lore, and they believe it will soon claim its next victim: Tamsyn.

To protect her friend, Ruby must work alongside the Pellar to find out what really happened in the orchard that night.

First Line:

There are three things a girl wanted after the night I had.

The Curse of Penryth Hall by Jess Armstrong

Important things you need to know about the book:

Pace: The Curse of Penryth Hall had a slow to medium pace.

POV: The Curse of Penryth Hall is told from Ruby’s 1st person POV.

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

  • Death
  • Infidelity
  • Murder
  • Suicide
  • Violence
  • Blood
  • Alcohol
  • War
  • Gore
  • Toxic Relationship
  • Grief
  • Injury/Injury Detail
  • Mental Illness
  • Death of a parent
  • Death of a sibling
  • Pregnancy
  • Classism
  • Suicide

Sexual Content: The Curse of Penryth Hall has minor sexual content.

Language: There is minor swearing in The Curse of Penryth Hall. There is also language used that people might consider offensive.

Setting: The Curse of Penryth Hall is mainly set in Cornwall. Some scenes are set in Exeter, and some are flashback scenes to Ruby in the United States and France (for The Great War).

Age Range: I recommend The Curse of Penryth Hall to anyone over 16.

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

When The Great War ended, Ruby was happy to return to England and work at a bookstore selling rare books. When her roommate (and co-worker) asks her to run a parcel of books to a remote village in Cornwall, Ruby refuses. Initially, Ruby wants to avoid taking the books. Her dear friend (and former lover), Tamsyn lives there with her husband, Lord Edward Chenowyth, in a foreboding manor called Penryth Hall. But she eventually agrees and makes the journey. When she arrives, what she encounters surprises her and piques her interest. Within a day of her arrival, Lord Edward is murdered by what the locals call a curse. According to them, Tamsyn and her son are next. Ruby vows to find Lord Edwards’s killer but is met with resistance from the townspeople and their local Pellar, a handsome man named Ruan Kivell. The closer she gets to the truth, the more the lines between normal and paranormal are blurred. Will Ruby discover who killed Lord Edward and protect Tamsyn? Or will she end up with another causality of the curse?

Main Characters

Ruby Vaughn: I liked Ruby. She was bright, bold, and wasn’t afraid to speak her mind. Of course, those traits did get her in trouble at various points in the book. I liked that even though she and Tamsyn were estranged, she was willing to look into Lord Edward’s death and protect Tamsyn (and her son).

Lady Tamsyn Chenowyth: I wasn’t initially sure what to think of her. She still wanted Ruby but was afraid to act on it. But she was a devoted mother. Once I got past my initial dislike of her, I saw her as a woman who was forced to conform to what society wanted from her instead of doing what she wanted. It made me feel a little sad for her because of that.

Ruan Kivell: He was a mystery wrapped in an enigma. It took me forever to realize what a Pellar is (fun fact: a Cornish sorcerer). He did have an otherworldliness about him that made me wonder if what the villagers thought was true. I liked how he dealt with Ruby and how their relationship evolved.

My review:

I am an anomaly in the reading/blogging world. I try not to read and review anything Gothic. The layers that those books have are difficult to discuss. And when I do, I realize I am leaving something important out. I was surprised when I accepted the review request from St. Martin’s Press for the above reasons. I was also surprised that this book was easy to discuss (layers and everything).

The main storyline in The Curse of Penryth Hall centers on Ruby, her investigation into the death of Lord Edward, and the curse that haunts his family. I found the storyline to be well-written. I also loved the layers to this story. Once one was peeled back, another appeared, and another connection was made. I loved that I couldn’t tell if the curse was human-made or supernatural. The author kept that under wraps until the end of the book. Even then, when it was revealed, I still had my doubts.

The storyline with Ruby and Tamsyn, their relationship, and Ruby’s investigation into Lord Edward’s death was interesting. While the author didn’t come out and say that Ruby and Tamsyn were ex-lovers, the behaviors of both cemented my questions. Ruby’s investigation went in circles and, at times, did point to Tamsyn. But, like her, I thought it was too convenient, and I was glad when she decided to press on. Of course, Tamsyn’s behavior didn’t help her with that.

The storyline with Ruby and Ruan Kivell and their investigation into Lord Edward’s death was one of the better storylines I have read this week. I loved how Ruby and Ruan pulled and pushed at each other, but at the same time, there was respect. Their relationship transcended everything in the book, and I looked forward to their interactions. I liked how Ruan’s Pellar status came into play at the end of the book.

The mystery angle of The Curse of Penryth Hall was excellent. I had zero clue who the murderer was, and the author had quite a list of suspects. I was also taken by surprise by the murder weapon. It was mentioned in the middle of the book and brought back up at the end, which surprised me. There was also a twist regarding Lord Edward and heirs. Now, that twist was super convoluted and did confuse me in places. But when the murderer confessed, that person also explained the connection. Which, again, surprised me.

The end of The Curse of Penryth Hall was fantastic. The author wrapped all the storylines in ways that I loved and believed. I was saddened by specific events (including what happened to the murderer and why that person did what they did). I was left with questions about Ruan and Ruby’s relationship and whether it would deepen if the author wrote other books.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books, NetGalley, and Jess Armstrong for allowing me to read and review this ARC of The Curse of Penryth Hall. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to The Curse of Penryth Hall, then you will enjoy these books:

The Sisters by Ruth O’Neill

Publisher:

Date of publication: October 6th, 2023

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense

Purchase Link: Kindle

Goodreads Synopsis:

In a web of deceit, escape is just the beginning.

Ava Cressman’s life takes a twisted turn after her divorce from Spencer. Seeking comfort, she falls into the arms of a mysterious man named Joel Carney, a former college acquaintance. However, when Joel meets Ava’s sister, Tanya, an unsettling connection sparks between them.
Tanya, seemingly innocent, invites Ava and her twin sister, Belle, on a secluded trip to a remote lodge. From the moment they arrive, an ominous atmosphere hangs in the air, hinting at a hidden darkness beneath the surface.
As shocking truths emerge, will Ava find a way to expose the tangled labyrinth of secrets before it’s too late?
The Sisters is a gripping psychological thriller that delves into the depths of manipulation, betrayal, and the darkest corners of the human mind. As Ava fights for her freedom and tries to untangle the lies, she also must face her own demons and find the strength to outsmart those who want to control her life.

First Line:

The wind blew strongly through the trees, the leaves rustling and swirling, a thousand tiny dancers.

The Sisters by Ruth O’Neill

Important things you need to know about the book:

Pace: The pacing of The Sisters was all over the place. In some places, it was fast; in others, it was medium; in others, it was slow. The switch-up of the pacing made this book a little tricky to read.

POV: There are several POVs in The Sisters, but it always stays in the 3rd person. This book is told mainly through Ava’s POV. There are several chapters from Spencer’s POV and a couple from the DI in charge of the case.

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

  • Bullying (moderate, on and off page)
  • Child Abuse (minor, on and off page)
  • Cheating (moderate, on and off page)
  • Divorce (minor, off page)
  • Anxiety & Anxiety Attacks (moderate, on and off page)
  • Depression (minor, off page)
  • Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (moderate, on and off page)
  • Alcohol Consumption (minor, on page)
  • Drugging (moderate, on and off page)
  • Hospitalization (moderate, on page)
  • Captivity & Confinement (moderate, on page)
  • Cults (moderate, on and off page)
  • Gun Violence (minor, on page)
  • Kidnapping (minor, on page)
  • Murder & Attempted Murder (moderate, on page)
  • Loss of Autonomy (moderate, on page)
  • Medical Treatment and Procedures (moderate, on page)

Sexual Content: There is sexual content in The Sisters. There are sex scenes that are nongraphic.

Language: There is moderate swearing in The Sisters.

Setting: The Sisters are set in Bath and Cumbria, England.

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

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

After going through a painful divorce, Ava isn’t ready to date again. But that changes when a friend request from an old college friend, Joel, turns quickly to romance. But Ava is cautious after Joel meets Tanya, her older sister. There is a familiarity between them that makes Ava uncomfortable. Ava is already careful with Tanya. Twenty-three years earlier, when Ava was twelve, Tanya did something horrific to her. But Ava doesn’t let her uneasiness give up a chance to reconnect with Tanya and Beth, Ava’s twin sister. Tanya has booked them a weeklong trip to a lodge in Cumbria, and Ava is looking forward to it.

But, the minute they set foot in the lodge, something feels off. Ava soon finds herself facing her worst fears and old demons. Can Ava get to the bottom of what is going on? Or will the betrayals of past and present be enough to destroy her?

Main Characters

Ava Cressman (Bateman): I wasn’t sure what to think about Ava when the book started. She came across as childish and needy. But as the book went on, I saw that she was damaged by what Tanya did to her. But, by the middle of the book, my opinion of her changed. I still viewed her as needy and childish, but I also saw her as someone trying to overcome the past. I kept that opinion of her until the end of the book.

Tanya Bateman: I didn’t like Tanya. My inner warning bells went off every time she appeared in the book. She was almost too invested in Ava and Joel’s relationship and kept pushing for that trip together. By the middle of the book, my dislike of her intensified, and I thought she was shady. Those opinions stayed the same by the end of the book. And honestly, I felt that she got what she deserved.

Belle Bateman: Like Ava, I didn’t form an immediate opinion of her when the book started. She did come off as upbeat and tended to side with Tanya regarding Ava. In the middle of the book, as she got more page time, my opinion did change. I felt that she was foolish and easily led. She also brushed everything Ava said off until it was almost too late.

Joel Carney: I didn’t like him from the start. It was so convenient that he immediately friended Ava on Facebook (after Tanya signed her up). I also thought that he pushed for everything too soon. And don’t get me started on his blatant and poorly concealed attraction to Tanya. I won’t go into his character much more except that he got what he deserved.

Spencer Cressman: Out of all the characters in the book, I pitied Spencer the most. His behavior drove Ava to divorce him, and he knew it. It was slightly controlling when he kept calling Ava. But it also proved to be life-saving. There is a twist with him that I didn’t see coming and didn’t fit with who the author presented during the book’s first half.

My review:

I was excited and eager to start reading The Sisters. I love psychological thrillers, and this one seemed right up my alley. And in a way, it was. But, I was put off by the characters, their actions, and how the storyline kept jumping from past to present.

The main storyline of The Sisters centers around Ava, her sisters, her divorce, Spencer, Joel, and the trip. I did like the storyline and thought it was intriguing. But I had some issues following it. The author would jump from past to present on a dime. During the book’s first half, it hindered me from reading it because I couldn’t keep track of everything. But, in the end, it worked.

The storyline about the cult (towards the end of the book) was interesting. It added some much-needed depth to Ava’s, Joel’s, Tanya’s, and Spencer’s characters. There was also a massive twist to that storyline that I didn’t see coming. It surprised me because it came out of left field. I also liked how the author tied this storyline to what Tanya did to Ava when Ava was twelve.

The suspense and thriller angle of the book was good. The author did a great job of building apprehension before and during critical scenes. It was the thriller and suspense that kept me reading the book.

The end of The Sisters was interesting. There were a couple of twists in the storyline that I didn’t see coming. I wasn’t a massive fan of how the book ended. It didn’t fit in with the rest of the storyline. Don’t get me wrong, it was lovely, but I couldn’t see past what one of the characters did and what that character hid.

Many thanks to Ruth O’Neill for allowing me to read and review The Sisters. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

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

Other books by Ruth O’Neill

Mister Lullaby by J.H. Markert

Publisher: Crooked Lane Books

Date of Publication: November 21st, 2023

Genre: Horror, Paranormal, Fantasy, Fiction, Thriller, Supernatural, Adult, Mystery, Suspense

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

From J. H. Markert, the author Peter Farris calls the “clear heir to Stephen King,” Mister Lullaby brings our darkest dreams and nightmares to life.

In the vein of T. Kingfisher and Christopher Golden, the boundary protecting our world from the monsters on the other side is weakening—and Mister Lullaby is about to break through.

The small town of Harrod’s Reach has seen its fair share of the macabre, especially inside the decrepit old train tunnel around which the town was built. After a young boy, Sully Dupree, is injured in the abandoned tunnel and left in a coma, the townspeople are determined to wall it up. Deputy sheriff Beth Gardner is reluctant to buy into the superstitions until she finds two corpses at the tunnel’s entrance, each left with strange calling cards inscribed with old lullabies. Soon after, Sully Dupree briefly awakens from his coma.

Before falling back into his slumber, Sully manages to give his older brother a message. Sully’s mind, since the accident, has been imprisoned on the other side of the tunnel in Lalaland, a grotesque and unfamiliar world inhabited by evil mythical creatures of sleep. Sully is trapped there with hundreds of other coma patients, all desperately fighting to keep the evils of the dream world from escaping into the waking world.

Elsewhere, a man troubled by his painful youth has for years been hearing a voice in his head he calls Mr. Lullaby, and he has finally started to act on what that voice is telling him—to kill any coma patient he can find, quickly.

Something is waking up in the tunnel—something is trying to get through. And Mr. Lullaby is coming.

First Line:

Deputy Sherriff Beth Gardner had only been on the job for two weeks when Simple Simon walked inside the station with a chainsaw.

Mister Lullaby by J.H. Markert

Important things you need to know about the book:

Pace: Mister Lullaby’s pace is fast. The book takes place within a week of Gideon’s arrival home after being honorably discharged from the Army. I was iffy on the pace. The author threw a lot of information at me at the beginning of the book. I had to reread specific chapters. If the pacing had slowed down a little, started at a medium pace, and then amped up, I could have processed the information better.

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

  • Mental Illness (graphic, on and off page)
  • Violence (graphic, on page)
  • Murder (graphic, on page)
  • Gun Violence (graphic, on page)
  • Rape (graphic, on page)
  • Grief (graphic, on page)
  • Fire (moderate, on and off page)
  • Bullying (moderate to graphic, on and off page)
  • Racism (minor to moderate, off page)
  • Alcoholism (moderate, on and off page)
  • Anxiety and anxiety attacks (moderate and off-page)
  • Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (moderate to graphic, on page)
  • Blood (graphic, on page)
  • Gore (graphic, on page)
  • Body Horror (graphic, on page)
  • Coma (graphic, on page)
  • Dead bodies and body parts (graphic, on page)
  • Loss of autonomy (graphic, on page)
  • Homophobia (moderate, on and off page)

Sexual Content: There is sexual content in Mister Lullaby. It is not graphic.

Language: There is graphic swearing in Mister Lullaby. There is also offensive language used in various parts of the book.

Setting: The Before part of Mister Lullaby is set between Harrod’s Reach, Nebraska, and Lalaland. The Then part of Mister Lullaby is set in Harrod’s Reach and wherever Teddy drove the bus.

Tropes: Chosen One, Emotional Scars, Reluctant Hero, Dark Lord, Good vs Evil, Childhood Friends, Monsters, Humans Can Be Evil

Age Range: I recommend Mister Lullaby to anyone over 21.

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

The night Gideon arrives home, his younger brother, who has been in a coma for three years, wakes up and starts shouting names. Why he shouts out names confuses his family until Maddy shows up in town. Her explanation is crazy: Sully is trapped in a nightmare land called Lalaland. There, he is struggling, along with other coma patients, to keep the monsters inhabiting that world from bleeding into this one. But something is wrong, and the king of these monsters, Mister Lullaby, is trying to break through. While trying to process the information he has been told, Gideon and his best friend, Beth, are stunned when prominent figures in the community start showing up brutally murdered. Can Maddy be believed and trusted? What is happening in town? Can Gideon and Beth protect their loved ones and the townspeople from the evil trying to come through? Or will they fail?

Main Characters

Deputy Sheriff Beth Gardner: I didn’t know how to feel about Beth. On one hand, she was a great police officer and rose to the job when the Sheriff was attacked. But, on the other hand, her personal life was a mess. She was friends with Gideon and Jax. But her friendship with both was not equal, and it showed. She sided more with Jax (who was awful in the flashbacks and the present day) than Gideon. Even during the storyline, she didn’t treat Gideon like an equal. The use of his nickname, Giddey Up Gideon, was used as a way of putting him in his place. But she was determined to protect Sully at any cost when push came to shove. What she did at the end of the book was very selfless.

Gideon Dupree: I liked him, but he was so damaged that I thought his character wouldn’t rise to the occasion. He was bullied relentlessly throughout school and beyond (Giddey Up Gideon referenced how he ran). He blamed himself for Sully’s accident even though he had nothing to do with it (it did happen while he was watching him, though). And his Army career left him with even more scars. But, by the middle of the book, I saw something shift in his character. It happened when Maddy came to town, and it evolved. By the end of the book, even though he was still damaged, Gideon had come into his own.

Theodore Lomax (aka Teddy): Teddy’s character sent chills up and down my spine. He was a serial killer who had a very troubled and trauma-filled childhood. He had a voice in his head, called Mister Lullaby, that was instructing him to kill coma patients. Teddy also killed other people for fun. But Teddy realized the voice wasn’t a figment of his imagination until he bought a bus (which he named the Lullaby Express) and started picking up random people. It was real. His end game was to go to Harrod’s Reach and set those random people loose while he searched for the name at the top of his list, Sully Dupree. He was evil personified, and I couldn’t think of a better antagonist for this book.

Maddy Boyle: I liked her character. But I did wonder what her connection to Harrod’s Reach would be and what would happen once she got there. I liked how she was like an envoy to Lalaland (having been there herself). She was able to convince Gideon and then Beth about the dangers that were coming out of the train tunnel.

Simple Simon: I went back and forth on including him as a significant character. I decided to have him as a central character because of his actions in the book’s second half. Simon knew a lot about what was going on with Lalaland bleeding through, and he was a massive factor in the events that went down at the end of the book.

Sully Dupree: The whole storyline is centered around Sully. He was still a powerful force even though he never woke up and talked. I can only get a little into what happens with him because of spoilers.

My review:

Mister Lullaby was one of my most looked-forward-to-read books. I had seen it featured on other blogs and was thrilled when Crooked Lane Books sent me the widget. So, when it was finally time for me to read it, I dove right in. I finished the book liking it but was disappointed by it simultaneously (thus the star rating).

Mister Lullaby has various POVs. Not only that, but the author also split the chapters into Before and Now. The author labeled each chapter with who it focused on and whether it was Now or Before. But I got lost while reading. I would backtrack to determine when the chapter occurred (the who part was obvious). It frustrated me but not enough to DNF.

The main storyline of Mister Lullaby is good, and I find it fascinating. I liked that the author tied his previous books into this one. It made for an interesting read. But, sometimes, I lost sight of the storyline (Sully, the train tunnel, Teddy, Gideon, Beth, and Maddy). There were so many secondary storylines thrown in (some I feel were to fill in empty plot holes) that my head was turned around. Did I need to know why Jax was such a dick? Or why did Beth marry him? Not really (even though it was sad). That stuff could have been left out or mentioned in passing. Another example was the chapter with Chimp and the weird fish. My head was spinning by the end of the storyline, and I couldn’t keep everything straight.

The storyline with Teddy and his collection of serial killers was interesting. Unlike the main one, this storyline was tight and kept to just the storyline. The only time it deviated was toward the end of the book, but even then, it was all right.

The horror angle of the book was well written. I want to warn everyone that it is bloody and violent. I did jump during some scenes, and in others, I had to read gagging.

The end of Mister Lullaby did disappoint me. It seemed very rushed. The final battle was almost anticlimactic (compared to what was happening around them). I also needed clarification on why Beth did what she did. There were storylines left in the air. I also have not received a resolution about what would happen to the town or the aftermath. They might have plans for another book in this universe (or even a sequel). I also have an answer as to why the book’s ending was the way it was. The author explains everything in the acknowledgment section after the end.

Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books, NetGalley, and J.H. Markert for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Mister Lullaby. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

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

Other books by J.H. Markert

What the River Knows (Secrets of the Nile: Book 1) by Isabel Ibanez

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books

Date of publication: October 31st, 2023

Genre: Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Young Adult, Romance, Historical, Fiction, Mystery, Young Adult Fantasy, Adventure, Historical Fantasy

Series: Secrets of the Nile

What the River Knows—Book 1

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

The Mummy meets Death on the Nile in this lush, immersive historical fantasy set in Egypt filled with adventure, a rivals-to-lovers romance, and a dangerous race.

Bolivian-Argentinian Inez Olivera belongs to the glittering upper society of nineteenth century Buenos Aires, and like the rest of the world, the town is steeped in old world magic that’s been largely left behind or forgotten. Inez has everything a girl might want, except for the one thing she yearns the most: her globetrotting parents—who frequently leave her behind.

When she receives word of their tragic deaths, Inez inherits their massive fortune and a mysterious guardian, an archeologist in partnership with his Egyptian brother-in-law. Yearning for answers, Inez sails to Cairo, bringing her sketch pads and an ancient golden ring her father sent to her for safekeeping before he died. But upon her arrival, the old world magic tethered to the ring pulls her down a path where she soon discovers there’s more to her parent’s disappearance than what her guardian led her to believe.

With her guardian’s infuriatingly handsome assistant thwarting her at every turn, Inez must rely on ancient magic to uncover the truth about her parent’s disappearance—or risk becoming a pawn in a larger game that will kill her.

First Line:

A letter changed my life.

What the River Knows by Isabel Ibanez

Important things you need to know about the book:

Pace: What the River Knows was medium-paced. For the most part, it suited the book. But there were parts, mainly towards the end of the book, where I felt the pacing dragged out some scenes.

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

  • Death (moderate to graphic, on and off page)
  • Death of a parent (minor to moderate, off-page)
  • Murder (moderate to graphic, on and off page)
  • Grief (moderate to graphic, on page)
  • Gun Violence (graphic, on page)
  • Colonisation (moderate, off and on page)
  • Violence (on page, graphic)
  • Blood (on page, graphic)
  • Kidnapping (minor, off page)
  • Abandonment (graphic, on and off page)
  • Cultural Appropriation (graphic, on and off page)
  • Injury (moderate, on and off page)
  • Alcohol (moderate, on page)
  • Alcoholism (minor, on page)
  • Confinement (minor, on page)
  • Gaslighting (moderate, on page)
  • Cheating (minor, off page)
  • Military Violence (minor, off page)

Sexual Content: There are no sex scenes in What the River Knows. But there are kissing scenes, and those kisses get a little passionate.

Language: There is no swearing in What the River Knows. There is language that people might consider offensive but is era-appropriate.

Setting: What the River Knows takes place entirely in Egypt. The prologue takes place in Argentina.

Tropes: Orphan, Enemies to Lovers, Love/Hate Relationship, Ancient Secrets, Babysitting, Magic, Secrets, Slow Burn Romance, Powerful Artifacts, Forced Proximity

Age Range: I recommend What the River Knows to anyone over 16.

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

Inez Olivera has everything she wants in nineteenth-century Argentina except the attention of her Egypt-obsessed parents. Inez is devastated when she receives a letter informing her of her parents’ deaths. Wanting answers, Inez boards a ship to Egypt. But what she finds there doesn’t answer her questions. She finds an uncle who is closed off and angry. His associate/bodyguard, a handsome British man, keeps trying to send her home. But, after finding evidence that suggests her parents’ deaths were not the tragic accident that she had been told, Inez is determined to stay and find out what happened to them. Can Inez find out the truth? Or is everything that she had been told a lie?

Main Characters

Inez Olivera: I liked Inez. She was spunky, didn’t take crap from anyone, was inventive with how to get her way (i.e., staying in Egypt), and was determined to investigate her parents deaths. There were times that I feared for her life in the book (the one scene when she fell into the Nile had me on edge). I liked that she had layers to her, and the more time I spent with her in the book, the more layers were revealed.

Whitford Hayes: I wasn’t sure what to think of him when the book began. But, as the book continued and his backstory was explained, I started to like him. The author did something different with him; she held much of his background until the last minute. He was indeed an enigma.

My Review:

What the River Knows is a long book. It took me three days to finish. But in those three days, I relished what was written. I was immersed in the storyline and connected with the characters. And yes, like other reviewers, I was very much surprised by the ending and the epilogue. But even before that, the surprises that the author had up her sleeve were almost never-ending.

What the River Knows is a dual-POV book. The story is told mainly from Inez’s POV, but Whit gets his chapters in occasionally. Whit’s chapters explain some mystery that swirls around Inez’s parents, her uncle, and other plotlines. But, what his chapters do not do is verify his feelings for Inez.

I have read very few books centered almost entirely on Egyptian pharaohs and mythology. I enjoyed the mystery of Cleopatra’s tomb. I didn’t enjoy what was happening while Inez, Whit, and the rest of their group were looking for it. I understand why the author did it, but I still wasn’t a fan.

What the River Knows has a few plot twists that will surprise you. I did see the first one coming (sorry to the author). It was set up perfectly so that I would not miss it. This is the catalyst for everything that happens after the twist happens. The author was sneaky and added two plot twists at the very end of the book. I saw neither of those plot twists coming. So, saying I was surprised is an understatement. I was more surprised at the twist in the epilogue than I was at the one at the very end of the book.

The romance angle of the book was slow. It was so slow that I forgot it was even there until Inez was on the ship with Whit. While I had no question of Inez’s feelings towards Whit (ranging from irritation to love), I did question Whit’s. That’s all I am going to say about that.

The fantasy angle of the book was well written. But, like the romance, it was barely there until the middle of the book. I liked how the author wrote about the magic, though. It was exciting and is something that I hope the author expands on in the next book.

As I mentioned multiple times, the end of What the River Knows was a huge surprise. There was so much crammed into it that it did take me a minute to process. But the cliffhanger ending (which annoyed me) and the two twists had me up in arms (see above). It was very sneaky of the author to do that. It was all I thought about for a while after I stopped reading the book.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books, NetGalley, and Isabel Ibanez for allowing me to read and review this ARC of What the River Knows. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to What the River Knows, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Isabel Ibanez

When I’m Dead (Black Harbor: Book 3) by Hannah Morrissey

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books

Date of publication: October 31st, 2023

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

Series: Black Harbor

Hello, Transcriber—Book 1

The Widowmaker—Book 2

When I’m Dead—Book 3

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | World Cat

Goodreads Synopsis:

One girl murdered. Another one missing. And a medical examiner desperate to uncover the truth in the latest Black Harbor mystery by acclaimed author Hannah Morrissey.

On a bone-chilling October night, Medical Examiner Rowan Winthorp investigates the death of her daughter’s best friend. Hours later, the tragedy hits even closer to home when she makes a devastating discovery—her daughter, Chloe, is gone. But, not without a trace.

A morbid mosaic of clues forces Rowan and her husband to question how deeply they really knew their daughter. As they work closely to peel back the layers of this case, they begin to unearth disturbing details about Chloe and her secret transgressions…details that threaten to tear them apart.

Amidst the noise of navigating her newfound grief and reconciling the sins of her past, an undeniable fact rings true for Rowan: karma has finally come to collect.

First Line:

You’ll love me more when I’m dead.

When I’m Dead by Hannah Morrissey

Important things you need to know about the book:

Pace: The pacing of When I’m Dead was fast. Considering the book takes place within a week of the first murder, I wasn’t surprised. There was a slight lag towards the middle of the book, but I expected it. The lag didn’t affect my reading (I didn’t have to backtrack) or my enjoyment of the book.

Series: When I’m Dead is the third book in the Black Harbor series. Readers can read this book as a standalone. The characters from the previous two books appear in this one, but they are kept as secondary characters. Also, the cases from the previous books are mentioned but kept to just mentions.

Trigger/Content Warning:  There are content and trigger warnings in When I’m Dead. If any of these trigger you, I suggest not reading the book. They are:

  • Child Death (graphic)
  • Kidnapping (moderate)
  • Murder (graphic)
  • Death (graphic)
  • Bullying (graphic)
  • Grief (graphic)
  • Body Shaming (moderate)
  • Gore (moderate)
  • Mental Illness (graphic)
  • Toxic Friendship (graphic)
  • Injury/detail of injury (moderate)
  • Blood (graphic)
  • Medical Content (moderate)
  • Adult/minor relationship (minor)
  • Suicide (minor)
  • Classism (moderate)
  • Suicidal Ideation (moderate)

Sexual Content: There is sexual content in When I’m Dead. It is only for one page, and it does get moderately graphic.

Language: There is graphic swearing in When I’m Dead.

Setting: When I’m Dead is set entirely in the fictional city of Black Harbor, Wisconsin.

Tropes: The Red Herring, The Dramatic Reveal, Twist Ending, Ticking Clock, High Stakes, Missing Children

Age Range:  I recommend When I’m Dead to anyone over 21.

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

When Rowan is called to the scene of a gruesome murder, she is shocked to discover that it is a friend of her daughter, Chloe. When she gets home later that night, she finds that Chloe never returned home from the play she was starring in. As she and her husband, Axel, start investigating Chloe’s disappearance and her friend’s murder, she is shocked to learn that Chloe has been keeping secrets from her parents. The more they dig, the more secrets they uncover. Can they find Chloe and solve the murders?

Main Characters

Rowan Winthrop: I could sympathize with Rowan regarding Chloe going missing. But my sympathy only went so far. She was a largely absent parent who prioritized her job over her child, and she knew it. I did feel bad about the guilt she carried over that and the death of a teenager decades earlier.

Axel Winthrop: I wasn’t sure what to think about him. I felt that he made some very questionable choices throughout the book. Like Rowan, he prioritized his job over his child. But, in this case, I got it. Detectives work strange and long hours. I also questioned his behavior throughout the book with suspects.

Chloe Winthrop: I felt awful for Chloe. She was dealing with a lot. A possible learning disability (and don’t get me started on how her parents didn’t know about it), vicious and ugly rumors being spread about her, and her parents never seemed to notice her. I just wanted to hug her.

Libby Lucas: I didn’t like her but felt terrible for her. Classmates teased her relentlessly about her weight (Neck Rolls was a nickname given to her). I had her pegged as the murderer because of how she acted in her chapters. But the more I read about her, the more I understood her. She was Chloe’s haven in the hell that school became.

My review:

When I’m Dead was an interesting read for me. I liked that this was a dark thriller where I couldn’t figure out who the killer was. I was not too fond of the multiple POVs, but they grew on me. They did give me insight into Chloe and the facts surrounding her disappearance. They also gave me insight into the people murdered and how the murders are tied to Chloe.

The main storyline is centered around the murders and Chloe’s disappearance. The investigation into the murders did raise my eyebrows, though. The main detective and the medical examiner knew the victim(s) and, later on, knew what they did to their daughter. I know this is fiction, but I didn’t think it was kosher. I also thought that Axel interrogating suspects was against everything I knew about police procedure. The author does attempt to explain why they were both working the cases. There was a shortage of MEs and police officers. Then there is Libby’s role in everything. She didn’t tell Axel or Rowan everything she knew and, most importantly, defaced evidence in Chloe’s room. Her behavior made me think she was a suspect until it was proven she wasn’t (alibi). But Libby was central in figuring out who the killer/kidnapper was and the motive behind everything.

The mystery angle was well written. The author gave a ton of red herrings and had me thinking different people were the killer/kidnapper. Heck, she even had me thinking that Chloe did it and ran away. But when she revealed who the killer/kidnapper was and the motive, I was shocked. That person wasn’t even on my radar.

The suspense/thriller angle was also well-written. I was kept on the edge of my seat, wondering when Chloe would be found and the killer would be revealed. And at the end of the book, I was on edge with everything happening.

The end of When I’m Dead was great. I liked the twists that the author threw in about the killer. As I mentioned above, I had zero clue about the killer’s motive and who the killer was. I felt that the very end of the book was a little anti-climactic due to everything that happened.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books, NetGalley, and Hannah Morrissey for allowing me to read and review this ARC of When I’m Dead. All opinions stated this this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to When I’m Dead, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Hannah Morrissey:

People to Follow by Olivia Worley

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books

Date of publication: October 31st, 2023

Genre: Young Adult, Thriller, Mystery Thriller, Mystery, Fiction, Contemporary, Suspense, Crime, Social Media, Action

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

en teen influencers come to a remote island to star in a reality show, but when one of them winds up dead, they realize that this time, the price of being “cancelled” could be their lives.

A reality show on a remote Caribbean island. Ten teen influencers. One dead body.

Welcome to “In Real Life,” the hot new reality show that forces social media’s reigning kings and queens to unplug for three weeks and “go live” without any filters. IRL is supposed to be the opportunity of a lifetime, watched closely by legions of loyal followers. But for these rising stars–including Elody, an Instagram model with an impulsive streak; Kira, a child star turned fitness influencer; Logan, a disgraced TikTok celeb with a secret; and Max, a YouTuber famous for exposés on his fellow creators—it’s about to turn into a nightmare.

When the production crew fails to show up and one of their own meets a violent end, these nine little influencers find themselves stranded with a dead body and no way to reach the outside world. When they start receiving messages from a mysterious Sponsor threatening to expose their darkest secrets, they realize that they’ve been lured into a deadly game…and one of them might be pulling the strings.

With the body count rising and cameras tracking their every move, the creators must figure out who is trying to get them canceled—like, literally—before their #1 follower strikes again.

First Line:

It’s a view you could kill for.

People to Follow by Olivia Worley

Important things you need to know about the book:

Pace: The pacing of People to Follow was fast-paced. The storyline occurs within a few days of everyone arriving on the island. The pacing of the storyline suited the book. There was a little lag towards the end (when the author revealed everything and why), but it didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the book.

Trigger/Content Warning: There are trigger and content warnings in People to Follow. If any of these trigger you, I suggest not reading the book. They are:

  • Death (Graphic)
  • Murder (Graphic)
  • Alcohol (Moderate to Graphic)
  • Gun Violence (Graphic)
  • Blood (Moderate to Graphic)
  • Grooming (Moderate)
  • Adult/Minor Relationship (Moderate)
  • Bullying (Graphic)
  • Sexual Assualt (Moderate)
  • Panic Attacks (Moderate to Graphic)
  • Sexual Violence (Moderate)
  • Violence (Graphic)
  • Grief (Graphic)
  • Death of a Parent (Graphic)
  • Sexual Harassment (Moderate)
  • Gaslighting (Moderate)
  • Confinement (Moderate)
  • Stalking (Graphic)
  • Classism (Moderate)
  • Body Shaming (Minor)
  • Eating Disorder (Minor)
  • Toxic Friendship (Moderate)
  • Slut Shaming (Moderate)

Sexual Content: There is no graphic sexual content in People to Follow. But there are insinuations about relationships between the characters. I took that as they had slept together. There is also a brief mention of a naked girl’s photograph being shared in a text between a group of boys (with the girl’s head not shown).

Language: There is graphic swearing in People to Follow.

Setting: People to Follow is set on a fictional island in the Caribbean.

Tropes: The Unlikable Victim, The Red Herring, Close Quarters, Outsmarting the Criminal, The Dramatic Reveal, Twist Ending

Age Range: I recommend People to Follow to anyone over 21.

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

When the producer of a new reality TV show contacts ten teen influencers, they are all thrilled. This show is a way for some to rebrand. For others, it is a way of gaining more followers. For one, it is a way to get revenge on the nine people who wronged them, even if that means murder. When people start dying, and secrets are revealed, it is up to the survivors to figure out which one of them is a killer.

Main Characters

Kira Lyons—Out of all the characters in this book, I liked her the most. When things started to go sideways, Kira didn’t panic that much. She actively looked for who the Sponsor/killer was and, later, a phone so they could call for help.

Max Overly—I liked him. Even after the Sponsor revealed his secret, I thought his character was interesting. He genuinely felt bad about everything that had happened when he was fifteen, and, like Kira, he actively tried to find out who the Sponsor/killer was.

Logan Costello—I will admit this, but I had her pegged as the killer/the Sponsor for most of the book. But I was shocked when two secrets were revealed. One, there were hints dropped throughout the storyline until it was revealed. But the other one surprised me. Still, it didn’t make her any less of a suspect. That is until the end, when everything went sideways.

Corrine Lecompte—I didn’t have an opinion about her, but I did have her pegged as at least an accomplice. I wasn’t surprised with what she confessed, but I was surprised at who was mentioned during that conversation. It made me eye her as a possible killer, too.

Aaron Tyler Banks—I didn’t like him, but I did pity him. He had fallen from grace and sought a way to return to the influencer/streaming/acting world. His secret didn’t surprise me. It made me sad for him.

McKayleigh Hill—I did not like her. She was everything that I disliked as an influencer. She was fake, shallow, and catty. I wasn’t surprised at all by what was revealed. But, I was surprised by her role in another secret.

Zane Rivers—He was another one that I couldn’t stand. Something about him rubbed me wrong after the author introduced his character. I can’t say I was surprised by what the secret was. But I was surprised at his role with the secondary secret that he, Logan, McKayleigh, and Graham shared.

Graham West—Like Corrine, he was another one that I didn’t have an opinion of. He didn’t join in on McKayleigh or Zane’s torment of Logan. I also didn’t think his initial secret (and connection to Aaron) was as bad as the others. His role in the secret with Zane, McKayleigh, and Logan was bad, but you could tell he felt awful about it.

Elody Hart—I. Could. Not. Stand. Her. I saw she was fake as soon as she was introduced in the book (the babes gave it away). Like Graham, her secret wasn’t that bad (compared to the others). But what was revealed at the end and her connection to Max blew my mind.

Cole Bryan—I had no opinion of him either. He was obnoxious and rude. I wish I knew his secret because I am sure it was a small fish compared to what was revealed later in the book.

My review:

There is one main storyline in People to Follow. It follows the ten influencers and why they are on the island. Then, it morphs into a fight for survival when the Sponsor starts making their demands. This storyline was well-written, and I couldn’t put the book down. It was also a chaotic mess. I’m not too fond of books with more than one viewpoint. But in this case, it worked. The author would end one POV with just enough information or half of the information given about a person and then start the next chapter with that person’s POV.

Numerous secondary storylines are married to the main storyline. Some will not make sense initially, but a lightbulb will go off while reading, and you will understand why the author mentioned that storyline. All of the characters are intertwined in one way or another. Even characters that you think didn’t know each other are connected. It makes a massive spiderweb of storylines that can be difficult to separate.

The mystery angle of People to Follow was excellent. I didn’t figure out who the Sponsor and the killer were until almost the end of the book. And even then, I was only halfway right. The author had a massive twist in the plotline where the author revealed everything, and it was freaking wild. My mouth dropped because of not only who it was but because of why.

The thriller angle of the book was just as good as the mystery angle. The author used being confined to an island during a storm with no electricity to give an appropriate background and feel. The characters’ helplessness and horror over what is being done to them come off the pages.

The end of People to Follow was very anticlimactic, but it gave me chills. I can’t go much more into it, but I will say that the killer was not sorry.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books, NetGalley, and Olivia Worley for allowing me to read and review this ARC of People to Follow. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

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

Perfect in Death by Reily Garrett

Publisher:

Date of publication: September 1st, 2023

Genre: Mystery, Romance, Suspense, Paranormal

Series: Haley Arquette Murder Files

Perfect in Death—Book 1

Deceptive Silence—Book 2

Unlikely Justice—Book 3

Purchase Links: Kindle

Goodreads Synopsis:

A straight-laced FBI agent.
A psychic PI solving a murder.
The spirit who haunts them.

Ancestry rooted in the occult sets Hailey Arquette apart in the small town of Hamchet. It also hampers her investigation of a teen’s death. She must navigate the shadowy world where betrayal walks hand in hand with a smile.

A threat against family forces Agent Trenton Briner back to Texas where his childhood friend leads him into a mystery steeped in whispers of Vodou and magic. At each turn, he finds the raven-haired woman who haunts his dreams.

When an unknown entity saves Hailey’s life, she discovers she’s not the only one holding secrets and is willing to risk everything to learn the truth about the spirit haunting her.

Perfect in Death is the first book of a bone-chilling Supernatural mystery series with lovable characters, dogs, and a touch of romance.

First Line:

The red-eye flight from Pennsylvania to Texas left Trenton Briner tired and edgy.

Perfect in Death by Reily Garrett

Important things you need to know about the book:

Pace: The book does start slowly, but the author introduces the main characters and the reasons why they are in Hamchet. The storyline does pick up speed after the first couple of chapters and alternates between medium and fast for the pacing.

Trigger/Content Warning: There are trigger warnings in Perfect in Death. If any of these triggers you, I suggest not reading the book. They are:

  • Child Death (moderate and off page)
  • Death (moderate and most are off-page)
  • Drugs (minor)
  • Gun Violence (moderate)
  • Miscarriage (minor and off page)
  • Occult (moderate to graphic)
  • Adult/minor relationships (minor and off-page)
  • Infidelity (minor and off page)
  • Gambling Addiction (minor and off page)
  • Alcoholism (minor and on page)
  • Dead bodies (moderate to graphic and on page)
  • Car accident resulting in death (moderate and on page)

Series: Perfect in Death is the first book in the Hailey Arquette Murder Files series. Since this is the first book in the series, you jump right in and enjoy the book. A character from the last series is introduced in this book, and there are references to other characters from other series.

Sexual Content: Perfect in Death is a clean book. There are no sex or sexual situations in the book. There is some brief nudity. There are also mentions of sex, but the author doesn’t get into detail about it other than it was on a desk.

Language: There is moderate swearing in Perfect in Death.

Setting: Perfect in Death is set entirely in Hamchet, Texas.

Tropes: Bad Guys Who Can’t Aim, The Unlikable Victim, The Twist Ending, Missing Children, The Stalker

Age Range: I recommend Perfect in Death for anyone over 21. I went back and forth because of the lack of sexual content. But ultimately, I felt that the trigger and content warnings put the book into the over-21 age range.

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

Trenton Briner has returned to his hometown of Hamchet, Texas, after a prolonged absence. But he isn’t in Hamchet to visit. Instead, he is there to protect his sister, Leigh, and her best friend, Hailey, after a psychopath tells him that they were next to be harmed/killed. He was not expecting that he would be living with and trying to protect the spitfire that is his sister’s best friend.

Hailey Arquette grew up saturated in the occult. Using her love of photography, detective work, and her gifts, Hailey gets her PI license and opens an office in town. Her first case is investigating the disappearance of two girls, years apart. With Trenton in tow, Hailey starts to peel back the layers of mystery that surround the case and, in turn, unearths an enemy that is closer than she thinks. With the help of a spirit, a girl named Casper, who attends the school where the victims attended, and Trenton, Hailey races to solve this case. But can she solve it before she gets killed? And is she ready for the implications and deep-seated secrets that it could potentially unearth in her own family?

Main Characters

Trenton Briner: I liked Trenton, but he was so uptight. There were points in the book where I wished he loosened up a bit. But, considering that he was the straight man to Hailey (who did things unconventionally), I wasn’t surprised that he was written the way he was. He did grow on me. Everything he did in the book came from a place of love and a need to protect. I also liked that he knew that Hailey did what Hailey wanted, and he was there to back her up.

Hailey Arquette: I enjoyed reading her character. She was like a bulldog with a bone; she wouldn’t back down or let go until she solved her cases. I loved her relationship with Leigh (even if the whole twin-speak thing they had going on annoyed me). She enjoyed baiting Trenton (the scene where she came into the kitchen in a tank top and boy shorts with him there made me laugh). But she was serious about her cases, and I loved seeing her in action.

Secondary characters: I loved the secondary characters. A couple of my favorite characters from the last series appeared in this book. There were some that I wish weren’t in the book because of how they treated Hailey, others that I didn’t like, and others that I loved. Each character added depth to Trenton and Hailey’s characters and their storylines.

My review:

Perfect in Death was a great read, and I couldn’t get enough of it. The storylines were well-written, and the paranormal angle enthralled me.

There is one main storyline in Perfect in Death. It centers on Hailey, Trenton, and her cases. I found the storyline to be well-written. I liked that the author connected Hailey’s original case to the case involving her father. How that ended was a surprise for a few reasons. I wasn’t expecting the connection to be what it was, and I didn’t quite believe the author’s explanation.

The paranormal angle in Perfect in Death was wonderfully written. I enjoyed that Casper was in the book. I found the Vodou/occult angle of the book to be fascinating. Usually, Vodou practitioners are portrayed as evil people who want to control everyone. Instead, the author showed the opposite. I was a little surprised at who the spirit was to Hailey. Even with all the hints given, it still took me by surprise. I also can’t wait to see how Hailey will grow into her powers. They were powerful in this book, and she was coming into them. So, I am sure her powers will only grow during the series.

The mystery angle was also well-written. I liked how the author kept throwing distractions around and how she kept everything under wraps until the end. I thought I knew what was happening, and I thought I knew who the killer was. Well, I was wrong. I was utterly surprised at the reveal, mainly because of the twist.

The end of Perfect in Death was open-ended. The author did wrap up the cases that Hailey was working on. But everything else was left up in the air. That got me very excited to read book 2!!

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

If you enjoy reading books similar to Perfect in Death, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Reily Garrett:

Murder by the Seashore (California Bookshop Mystery: Book 1) by Samara Yew

Publisher: Crooked Lane Books

Date of publication: October 17th, 2023

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

Series: California Bookshop Mystery

Murder by the Seashore—Book 1

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

Perfect for fans of Jenn McKinlay and Ellery Adams, Scarlett Gardner’s dream was to open a bookshop in Southern California, but it soon becomes a nightmare when she finds the dead body of a customer—and becomes the prime suspect.

Southern California is where dreams come true—or so Scarlett Gardner thought. When she came out and opened the Palm Trees and Page Turners bookshop, she thought her boyfriend and business partner would be part of the story. When he leaves her for a better job, Scarlett finds herself struggling to keep her new business afloat. That’s not the only thing she has to worry about—she discovers something underneath the pier by her bookstore that she didn’t outline for her life’s story: the dead body of a book-buying customer.

After Scarlett gives a statement to the police, she thinks her life can go back to business as usual. But when a lawyer, representing someone named Lorelai Knight, tells her that Scarlett now stands to inherit a small fortune, Scarlett is left with more questions than answers. Before she can think about any of it, the police bring her in for questioning; the body she found was Lorelai Knight. And the evidence they have against Scarlett doesn’t look good—not only does she have a motive because of her inheritance, but a bottle of the same poison found in Lorelai’s system was discovered near the bookshop. Business is booming as Scarlett returns to the bookshop, but for all the wrong reasons – they want to question the last known suspect of the murder.

Who could really be behind all of this? And why frame Scarlett? To clear her name, she’s going to have get creative—and hope she can remain one page ahead of the killer.

First Line:

The involuntary morning mantra that had been running through my head every day for the past four months began at its usual time, nine thirty a.m.

Murder by the Seashore by Samara Yew

Important things you need to know about the book:

Pace: Murder by the Seashore had a medium-paced storyline. I wasn’t a fan of the pacing. I felt that it could have gone a little faster. It seemed like the author drew out certain events because of the pace.

Trigger/Content Warning: There are no trigger or content warnings in Murder by the Seashore.

Series: Murder by the Seashore is the first book in the California Bookshop Mystery. Since it is the first book, you don’t have to worry about missing information on characters or plotlines. You can dive right now in and enjoy.

Sexual Content: There is no sexual content in Murder by the Seashore. The main character doesn’t have time to have sex or kiss anyone.

Language: There is very light language used in Murder by the Seashore.

Setting: Murder by the Seashore is set entirely in Oceanside, California.

Representation: There is Asian representation (Hiroki Yoshida, one of Scarlet’s friends, is Japanese) and Latina representation (Lucia Armenta, Scarlet’s best friend, roommate, and lawyer is Hispanic).

Tropes: The Unlikable Victim, Outsmarting the Criminal, The Red Herring, The Protagonist is the Suspect, Twist Ending

Age Range to read Murder by the Seashore: I went back and forth with the rating. But, because it is a clean book (no sex, light language), I would recommend 16 and over to read.

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

Scarlet was living the dream of running a seaside bookstore with her boyfriend. But that dream crashed when her boyfriend ditched her and left her responsible for the shop. Struggling for months, Scarlet is finally making headway when two things happen-she finds the body of a murdered customer under the pier by her shop, and she is contacted by a lawyer who says she has inherited a small fortune from the murder victim. Declared the main suspect in the murder and wondering if the surprise inheritance has anything to do with it, Scarlet starts her investigation to clear her name. But even she is surprised by the twists and turns her investigation takes her. Will she clear her name? And will she figure out why the victim chose her as a beneficiary?

Main Characters

Scarlet Gardner: I like Scarlet. She was trying to keep her dream (the bookshop) alive but was slowly drowning. Her horror at finding Lorelai Knight came off the page, as was her disbelief over how the investigation was going. But things went a little sideways for me when she started looking into the case. Instead of the confident woman at the beginning of the book, she becomes obsessed with finding her killer. She jumped on the bandwagon for each suspect that she and Lucia came up with. At a point in the book, I wondered if the killer would be revealed with all the distractions being thrown around. By the end of the book, though, I did like how she made headway with her case. I also liked that she talked to her suspects and explained why she thought they killed Lorelai.

Secondary characters: There were a lot of secondary characters who had a lot of page time (Lucia, Evelyn, Connor). While I liked the extra depth they brought to the storyline, some fell flat.

My review:

Murder by the Seashore was an OK mystery for me. I had difficulty getting into it because of the book’s pacing and how the murder/inheritance played out. But once I got into it, I enjoyed reading it. I did get a little grumpy with the police investigation. I can understand naming Scarlet as their primary suspect, but to freak out on her when she opens her backdoor and finds a dead man on her stoop? With her lawyer friend/roommate as her alibi? A little much. I did like how the author wrapped up the book and was surprised at who the murderer ended up being.

The main storyline centers on Scarlet, the murder of Lorelai Knight, her inheritance from Lorelai, and who the murderer is. As I mentioned in the previous paragraph, I wasn’t a massive fan of how the police’s investigation of Lorelai went. The single-handed focus on Scarlet wore on me, and I couldn’t wait for the actual murderer to be revealed. What also wore on me was Scarlet’s investigation into Lorelai’s murder and why she was given the inheritance. I was glad when the author finally brought both together and revealed the killer. That was a huge surprise because I didn’t see that person coming at all.

The mystery angle was all right. I was halfway right about Lorelai and her reasons for giving Scarlet her money. But the reason why didn’t surprise me. The reason why Lorelai was killed did surprise me. The motive and who did it was a massive twist at the end of the book. I felt terrible for that person, but they did stupid things and paid the consequences.

The end of Murder by the Seashore was typical. I liked how the author wrapped everything up. I loved how Scarlet dealt with Connor (I was internally cheering). I also liked how the author set up book 2!!

Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books, NetGalley, and Samara Yew for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Murder by the Seashore. All opinions expressed in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to Murder by the Seashore, then you will enjoy these books:

Black River Orchard by Chuck Wendig

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Del Rey

Date of publication: September 26th, 2023

Genre: Horror, Fantasy, Fiction, Thriller, Paranormal, Adult, Halloween, Suspense, Supernatural, Mystery

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

A small town is transformed by dark magic when a strange tree begins bearing magical apples in this new masterpiece of horror from the bestselling author of Wanderers and The Book of Accidents.

It’s autumn in the town of Harrow, but something else is changing in the town besides the season.

Because in that town there is an orchard, and in that orchard, seven most unusual trees. And from those trees grows a new sort of apple: Strange, beautiful, with skin so red it’s nearly black.

Take a bite of one of these apples and you will desire only to devour another. And another. You will become stronger. More vital. More yourself, you will believe. But then your appetite for the apples and their peculiar gifts will keep growing—and become darker.

This is what happens when the townsfolk discover the secret of the orchard. Soon it seems that everyone is consumed by an obsession with the magic of the apples… and what’s the harm, if it is making them all happier, more confident, more powerful?

And even if buried in the orchard is something else besides the seeds of this extraordinary tree: a bloody history whose roots reach back the very origins of the town.

But now the leaves are falling. The days grow darker. And a stranger has come to town, a stranger who knows Harrow’s secrets. Because it’s harvest time, and the town will soon reap what it has sown.

First Line:

Calla Paxson, age twelve, lurched upright in her bed, her heart pounding as if the nightmare she’d been having was still chasing her.

Black River Orchard by Chuck Wendig

Important things you need to know about the book:

Pace: Black River Orchard goes between medium and fast-paced. It is medium-paced until Dan loses his ever-loving mind (around the middle of the book). Then, it starts amping up the pace until the pacing is almost frantic. Then it slowed down again.

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

  • Violence (on page): This is a violent book right from the beginning. At first, it is subtle violence, but the violence is in your face by the middle of the book. It is graphic.
  • Blood (on page): This is also a bloody book. It is graphic and goes hand in hand with the violence.
  • Murder (on and off page): A murder sets the tone for the book, and the murders continue throughout the book. Some are described, and some are graphic.
  • Animal Death (on and off page): There are scenes towards the middle of the book where an initiation takes place, including murdering baby animals. I am not going to say much more because it is a spoiler. But it is graphic and almost fever-dreamish when described.
  • Homophobia (on and off page): There is homophobia directed at Emily throughout the book. There are blatant words spoken, and there are things done/threatened. There are other instances of homophobia throughout the book.
  • Grief (on and off page): Grief is one of the prominent undercurrents in this book. Dan is grieving the death of his father (years earlier), Calla is mourning the unexpected loss of a loving father, Emily is grieving her loss of self, John is mourning the deaths he caused during the first Gulf War, and Joanie (later on in the book) is grieving about something (I know it is vague but it is a spoiler).
  • Addiction (on page): The entire main storyline centers on the Harrowsblack apple addiction.
  • Suicide (on and off page): There are scenes where Dan remembers finding his father’s body after his suicide. Also, there is a scene where a police officer takes his service revolver and kills himself in front of Calla.
  • Abusive Relationship (on page): Emily’s wife changes after eating the apple and becomes abusive towards her (mentally, verbally, and physically). Dan becomes verbally and physically abusive to Calla.
  • Attempted Murder (on page): Joanie is almost killed by Prentiss in her house. Dan almost kills Calla.
  • Cheating (off-page): Emily cheated on Meg, so they moved to Harrow. Emily remembers it in a flashback, and Meg brings it up several times during the book.
  • Cults (on page): The book shows two different cults formed around the Harrowsblack apples. Since this will be a spoiler, I won’t say anything more.
  • Gun Violence (on and off page): Guns are used throughout the book to subdue and kill people.

Sexual Content: There is nongraphic sexual content in Black River Orchard. The author only gives bare minimum details about orgies. There is the remembrance of a sex scene between Emily and Meg, but it isn’t graphic.

Language: There is foul language used in Black River Orchard.

Setting: Black River Orchard is set almost entirely in Harrow, Pennsylvania. John Compass has a few side trips to New Jersey towards the middle of the book.

Representation: There is Native American representation (folktales, language) and queer representation (bisexual, genderfluid, lesbian, homosexual, and asexual) in Black River Orchard.

Tropes: Humans Can Be Evil, Monsters, Cults and Religious Extremists, Traumatic Past, Defeated Monster Comes Back to Life.

Age Range to read Black River Orchard: 21 and over

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

John Compass is searching for two things. One is a rare apple, the Harrowsblack, and the other is his best friend, who disappeared five years earlier. Careful tracking leads John to the small town of Harrow, Pennsylvania. It also is revealed that his friend had found the Harrowsblack before he disappeared. Meanwhile, in Harrow, a new apple has appeared. So red that it appears black, it is an instant hit at the farmers market. People who eat this apple cannot stop eating it, and they notice that when they eat the apple, they become stronger and heal faster. As John continues his search, the town slowly starts changing. In the middle of everything is Dan Paxson, the orchard owner. What is with the apples? How did Dan get them? What happens when John discovers the truth?

Main Characters

Dan Paxson: I felt for the guy at the beginning. He was determined to clear his father’s name and make something of the orchard that was his father’s. He was a loving father to Calla (almost too permissive, if I am going to be honest) and was somewhat of a pushover. But, the more he ate the apples, the more he changed. I almost hated to see him turn into what he became at the end of the book. It was nothing like he was initially written.

Calla Paxson: Calla is Dan’s seventeen-year-old daughter who wants to get into Princeton and is a wanna-be social influencer. I didn’t exactly like her at the beginning of the book. She came across as selfish and whiny. But she noticed something wasn’t right with the apples immediately. Calla started knowing that the more people ate them, the weirder they got. I liked her character’s development throughout the book.

John Compass: John is a Gulf War veteran haunted by what he did in the Middle East. He is so haunted that he becomes a Quaker (but will use violence to protect himself). John also becomes a hunter of rare apples. He becomes aware of the Harrowsblack apple when his best and probably only friend went missing five years earlier. I liked seeing John’s character progression in the book. But, what I liked the most was reading about the Native American legends attached to the Harrowsblack and seeing John piece everything together.

Emily Price: Emily is new to Harrow. Meg Price’s wife is feeling out of her element in a small town and in her marriage. Emily did something that strained her marriage and caused Meg to move them to Harrow. Their strained relationship becomes abusive after Meg starts eating the apple. So, I thought Emily was whiny, and she wallowed in self-pity until she met John. Then, I saw a side of Emily that I liked. At first, it was just a tiny glimpse, but by the end of the book, the true Emily was shown, and I loved her.

Joanie Moreau: Joanie showed up almost in the middle of the book. She was a character, and I liked her. She had an open marriage, rented her house out for sex parties (indoor only), and enjoyed teasing her neighbor, Prentiss. But things started to change when the Harrowsblack began making its rounds. It was after a specific event that Joanie showed how strong she was. It was also during the events at the end of the book that showed her character.

Secondary characters: The secondary characters in Black River Orchard made the book. They added so much to this book. The plotline was more flushed out, and the storyline had extra depth.

My review:

Black River Orchard was a well-written horror story that has made me never want to eat apples again. I was engrossed (and horrified) by how the storyline progressed. I couldn’t put my Kindle down. I needed to know how this book ended.

The main storyline in Black River Orchard centers around the five main characters and how those apples changed and affected their lives. It was a scary and often disgusting storyline that repulsed me and made me want to continue with the book.

The storyline with John and his search for the Harrowsblack and his friend was interesting. I didn’t know that there were people who went looking for rare strains of apples (so I learned something new). I liked that John wasn’t afraid to stand his ground when looking for his friend. By the middle of the book, John was central to figuring out how the Harrowsblack ended up in Harrow and who was behind it. He also was prominent in the events at the end of the book.

The storyline with Dan and Calla was sad. I hated seeing their relationship suffer the way it did because of the apples. But Calla was right about everything. When things started to change (and Dan started becoming abusive), Calla was right to begin to think things were wrong. I don’t think she realizes how bad it is until almost the end of the book.

The storyline with Emily and Meg was sad. But I did get annoyed with Emily at various points in the book. She was wallowing in remorse and self-pity until the middle of the book. Yes, she cheated, and her wife did something out of character (moving back to Harrow). But in no way did Emily expect what was going to happen. Her friendship with John was a lifeline.

The storyline with Joanie disturbed me. The amount of hate that she faced was unreal. It was that encounter that snowballed into the tragedy at her house. And the hatred by the cops when they came gave me shivers. But Joanie became a haven for Calla and her friends after everything. Even more so at the end of the book.

The horror angle was written perfectly. The gradual morphing into what happened at the end of the book was fantastic. I can’t get the images of those trees out of my head.

The end of Black River Orchard couldn’t have been written any better. The author ended all the storylines in one swoop. It was honestly shocking how he did it. I also liked the epilogue. But it was the very ending that made me go, hmmmm.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Del Rey, NetGalley, and Chuck Wendig for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Black River Orchard. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to Black River Orchard, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Chuck Wendig: