Review: The Writing Retreat

The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thank you to Booklist for the ARC and the opportunity to review this title.

Thirty-year-old Alex dreams of being a writer. Stuck in a job she hates, Alex jumps at the chance to take part in a writing retreat held at the reclusive Blackbriar estate, home to horror author and feminist icon Roza Vallo. Even the appearance of her former best friend, Wren, doesn’t take away from Alex’s excitement. However, once the retreat begins, Roza throws the attendees quite a curve—they must each complete a novel from scratch, and the writer who produces the best work will get a million-dollar publishing deal. Alex and the other attendees immediately immerse themselves in the challenge, while attempting to ignore the odd happenings that begin to take place at Blackbriar. But when one of the writers disappears, Alex and the others realize there is something nefarious going on. Bartz’s debut is stomach-clenchingly thrilling from beginning to end. Blackbriar and its vivid inhabitants are brought to life by Bartz with consummate skill. Alex is beautifully flawed; readers will connect with her in multiple ways. The plot is psychologically jarring and fast paced, with several surprises that will excite even the most well read mystery aficionado. Highly recommended for fans of authors like Ruth Ware and Riley Sager whose psychological suspense fiction typically features intelligent female leads. Booklist 2023.

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Review: Games for Dead Girls

Games for Dead Girls by Jen Williams
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thank you to Booklist for the ARC and the opportunity to review this title!

During a family vacation to the sleepy seaside town of Hithechurch, England, 11-year-old Charlie meets Emily, and they soon become fast friends. Charlie loves to tell scary stories, inventing or embellishing when she can. After Emily becomes violently obsessed with one of Charlie’s tales, another girl is found dead, and both Emily and Charlie are charged with her murder. When Charlie visits Hithechurch as an adult hoping for closure, she is drawn to the case of another missing girl, stepping into a darker tale whose secrets have been buried deep far too long. Charlie is unexpectedly likable, despite her background, and readers will find themselves rooting for her. The changing point of view slowly but satisfyingly ups the level of intensity throughout the story, especially once the POVs come together at the end. The twists are unexpected and delightfully creepy. A brilliantly crafted tale of unexplained disappearances and macabre urban legends, Williams’ sophomore thriller is even better than her debut, A Dark and Secret Place (2021). Recommend to fans of Stacy Willingham, Karin Slaughter, and Stephen King. Booklist 2023

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Review: Breakfall

Breakfall by Zhanna Slor
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

Thank you to Booklist for the ARC and the opportunity to review this title.

Mina Bansky, writer and mother, is still dealing with the consequences of her infidelity and subsequent divorce. Even her beloved Jiu Jitsu class at the gym down the street can no longer lift her spirits. When two Chicago detectives show up looking for Dylan, a friend from Mina's gym, and the van she let him register in her name, Mina’s life soon becomes even more chaotic. Dylan’s disappearance makes everyone at the gym a suspect, further distancing Mina from her old life. While intended to be part thriller, part romance, in reality Breakfall focuses mainly on Mina’s inner turmoil, her sexual desire, lack of control, and the self imposed destruction of her life, with just a sprinkle of mystery. While Dylan’s disappearance happens early on, it's not until the very end that the reader learns what happened; the wrap up taking place in just a few pages. The story would have been stronger if it had worked out Mina’s issues. The novel doesn't really work as a thriller, but, Slor’s writing style is absorbing and suggests better books may be in the offing from her. Copyright 2023 Booklist Reviews.

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Review: Three Can Keep a Secret

Three Can Keep a Secret by M.E. Hilliard
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Thank you to Booklist for the ARC and the opportunity to review this title.

Three can keep a secret if two of them are dead.” Greer Hogan, reference librarian and amateur sleuth in the hamlet of Raven Hill, is drawn into yet another murder investigation (following Shadow in the Glass, 2022). When the head of the library board is found dead in her car, no one seems surprised. Anita was in constant conflict with various townspeople, going so far as blackmail to get what she wanted. When a local professor also turns up dead, Greer suspects a connection and starts digging for answers. What she finds turns Raven Hill and its residents upside down. The series’ third installment is entertaining, albeit predictable. Librarians will appreciate the details concerning the daily life of a public librarian, including a breakdown of interlibrary loans, the weekend Friends of the Library book sale, and the annual children’s Halloween programs. The mystery itself is cozy and simple. Those who have read the previous two books will not get any further information about Greer’s husband, but there is an obvious nod toward a fourth book. A worthy addition to the series. Booklist 2023

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Review: The Blackhouse

The Blackhouse by Carole Johnstone
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thank you to Booklist for the ARC and the opportunity to review this title.

The residents of the remote Scottish island of Kilmeray have a secret. Buried beneath the peat, the ghosts of that secret live. When Maggie McKay came to Kilmeray at the age of five, she claimed a man had been murdered there, despite having never before visited the island. Her allegation brought unwanted media attention and caused division among the locals. Almost 20 years later, Maggie returns after the death of her mother, determined to figure out what really happened. Did a man named Andrew McNeil actually exist? Was he really murdered, or was it all an elaborate scheme born from her mother’s psychosis? When she starts experiencing ominous threats and hostile encounters with islanders, Maggie is convinced there is something more going on. But how long can she dig before the danger finds her? Atmospheric, thrilling, and utterly captivating, The Blackhouse will pair nicely with the work of Jane Harper and Melanie Golding. Copyright 2023 Booklist Reviews.

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Review: Blackwater Falls

Blackwater Falls by Ausma Zehanat Khan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thank you to Booklist for the ARC and the opportunity to review this title.

Detective Inaya Rahman is a Muslim woman and a police officer, which she knows puts her in a precarious position in Blackwater Falls, Colorado. As part of the Community Response Unit, Inaya and her colleagues are tasked with looking after the needs of the community by holding the existing police force accountable. When an immigrant Syrian teen, Razan Elkader, is found murdered in the town’s mosque, Inaya is put in charge of the investigation. Soon the suspects are climbing in number, including local law enforcement, a Christian biker gang, and the pastor of the Resurrection Church. Connecting the earlier disappearance of two Somali girls to Razan’s murder, Inaya finds herself thrown into the middle of a raging, racially-inspired war. Khan’s novel, the first in a series, offers a fine portrait of female power under adversity. Inaya projects strength through vulnerability, which endears her immediately to readers. Enthralling and intense, the plot unfurls a perceptive exploration of faith, race, gender roles, immigration, intolerance, and community. This is a masterfully crafted thriller that doesn’t disappoint from beginning to end. Readers who enjoy strong female leads and compulsive police dramas will want to read this one and will look forward to more from Khan.

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Review: Double Exposure

Double Exposure by Ava Barry
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thank you to Booklist for the ARC and the opportunity to review this title.

Rainey Hall grew up in the shadow of her famous parents, both musicians. Rainey was a musical prodigy herself, but when her mother disappeared, she withdrew from that life and now works as a PI in Los Angeles with two partners. Her latest case involves heiress Melia Van Aust. The only known surviving member of the Van Aust family, Melia is scarred, both physically and mentally, from the vicious attack that took both of her parents. Her brother, Jasper, disappeared after the murder. Then Melia receives a threatening letter, convincing her that Jasper is alive and may mean her harm. Rainey is pulled into Melia’s world, soon finding herself lost in another life, one that she’s not sure she can escape. The plot of this exhilarating and intricate novel ebbs and flows between fast-paced action and relaxed moments of narrative exposition. Rainey is a formidable protagonist, and her steadfast and honest relationships with her two female partners are well developed and refreshing to read. Recommend this one to fans of Robert Galbraith and Jennifer Wolfe. Copyright 2022 Booklist Reviews.

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Review: Someone Had To Do It

Someone Had To Do It by Amber Brown
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thank you to Library Journal for the ARC and the opportunity to review this title!

DEBUT Sister team Amber and Danielle Brown bring their own experiences of the fashion industry into this fast-paced and intriguing thriller. Brandi Maxwell is finally following her dream. She has landed an intern position with the famous designer, Simon Van Doren. But her dream job is not everything she imagined. She spends her time running errands, cleaning puke off of couture dresses, and dealing with being the only Black woman in sight. When she gets the opportunity to meet Van Doren and his daughter, Taylor, at a fabulous party, Brandi overhears something she shouldn’t have and is suddenly thrown into a dangerous game of deceit and terror. Brandi is a well-developed protagonist who will be admired for her resolve and ambition. While most readers will foresee how the story wraps up, it is still delightfully satisfying when it does.VERDICT Fans of Alyssa Cole and Zakiya Dalila Harris, whose characters navigate the issues women of color face in the workplace, and of psychological thrillers like Paula Hawkins’s The Girl on the Train will enjoy this one.Reviewed by Carmen Clark , Oct 01, 2022

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Review: The Rule of Three

The Rule of Three by E.G. Scott
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thank you to Booklist for the ARC and the opportunity to review this title.

Within Kingsland, a wealthy gated community full of upper-class social pariahs, three wives meet for a book club while their husbands play poker. It seems like a normal week until all three husbands end up dead or in the hospital. The town is now under a microscope as detectives descend on the wives and neighbors. The clues seem too easy, the prime suspect has an alibi, and the question on everyone’s lips is, “Who can I really trust?” With a gripping opening followed by flashbacks to past events to fill in the gaps, Rule of Three is twisty and oh, so satisfying. Along with the mystery itself, the story revolves around social reputations, gun violence, “cancel culture,” marital and parental trauma, vengeance, and female dynamics. The shorter chapters allow the plot to move quickly and the heavy subject matter is delightfully offset by humorous banter between detectives Wolcott and Silvestri. Recommended for fans of authors who write domestic thrillers and use unreliable narrators, such as Liane Moriarty, B. A. Paris, Sally Hepworth, and Mary Kubica. Copyright Booklist 2022

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Review: Snowflakes

Snowflakes by Ruth Ware
My rating: 3 of 5 stars



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Review: The Housekeeper

The Housekeeper by Joy Fielding
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Thank you to Library Journal for the ARC and the opportunity to review this title.

Fielding’s (Cul-de-Sac) latest is an exciting roller-coaster ride of family dysfunction, marital dynamics, and gaslighting. Jodi Bishop is a successful real estate agent, wife, and mother whose busy life is made even busier by her mother’s Parkinson’s diagnosis. She hires Elyse Woodley as a housekeeper to take care of her mother and help her aging father, and couldn’t be happier with her choice. Elyse is kind and hardworking, ingratiating herself and becoming a confidante to Jodi. She seems like a dream come true until suddenly she’s shutting Jodi out and her mother’s health declines rapidly. Elyse is wearing her mother’s jewelry, flirting with her father, controlling everything. How did it go wrong so quickly, and why is Jodi the only one who notices? Fielding’s novel is gripping from the beginning, and Jodi is a fleshed-out, relatable protagonist. The plot builds to a nail-biting climax, but readers might feel let down by the quick, albeit satisfying, conclusion.VERDICT Recommended for fans of women-led suspense novels such as Mary Kubica’s The Other Mrs. and Ruth Ware’s The Lying Game.

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Review: The Birdcage

The Birdcage by Eve Chase
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Thank you to Booklist for the ARC and the opportunity to review this title.

An intricate story about three sisters, one famous father, and a terrible secret each has tried to bury. Kat, Flora, and Lauren are all summoned to Rock Point, in Cornwall, their father’s seaside home, where they once sat for his famous painting, Girls in Birdcage. The reason for the summons is a mystery. In the two decades since they last visited Rock Point, the women have drifted apart, and each has a good reason to stay away. Can the three women face their pasts, or will they continue to hide from the memories that once darkened their summers in Cornwall? This is a character-driven story of forgiveness and redemption, not only between three sisters but also between a father and his children. The narrative unfolds from each sister’s point of view, switching from past to present, and the relationship dynamics beautifully alternate between complete brokenness and enduring hope. Although sometimes difficult to follow, the plot is suspenseful and blooms at a slow but satisfying pace. Fans of Jane Harper will enjoy the vivid sense of place and the flawed, complex characters.



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Review: Beneath Cruel Waters

Beneath Cruel Waters by Jon Bassoff
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Thank you to Booklist for the ARC and the opportunity to review this title.

Holt Davidson returns to his hometown of Thompsonville, Colorado, to bury his mother, who has died by suicide. While dealing with her effects, Holt finds a box containing a gun, a gruesome photograph of a dead man, and a love letter. Who is the man in the photograph, and did Holt’s mother kill him? Who wrote the love letter? Is Holt’s sister, who has been in a mental institution since her teenage years, somehow involved? As Holt unravels his family’s past, he learns quickly that memory and truth can be very different things. From the beginning, Bassoff creates a powerful sense of place, heavy with dread. Throughout, the characters experience only fleeting moments of joy, but even those are surrounded by angst. The various points of view connect past and present smoothly, and the pace will keep the reader’s attention. Those who catch on to the conclusion will hope they’re wrong but may be sadly disappointed. This is a haunting and disturbing yet compelling novel, in the vein of Jen Williams’ A Dark and Disturbing Place (2021) and C. J. Tudor’s The Burning Girls (2021).

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