Eeny Meeny by M.J. Arlidge (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"Two people are abducted, imprisoned, and left with a gun. As hunger and thirst set in, only one walks away alive.

It’s a game more twisted than any Detective Helen Grace has ever seen. If she hadn’t spoken with the shattered survivors herself, she almost wouldn’t believe them.

Helen is familiar with the dark sides of human nature, including her own, but this case—with its seemingly random victims—has her baffled. But as more people go missing, nothing will be more terrifying than when it all starts making sense...."

My Thoughts:

This book was easily one of the darkest and creepiest books that I read all year long!  What an amazing beginning to this new mystery series!  Books like this are why I read:  because they suck me in and just don't let me go.  This wasn't always an easy read as it was so dark and twisted at times, but that didn't stop me from devouring it.  I literally flew threw the pages of this one as I was reading as fast as I could- I just had to see what would happen next!  I loved the fact that there were so many different pieces of the puzzle.  I was guessing the entire time that I read this book!  I'm struggling with my thoughts on this one as really all I want to say is READ IT!  It was one of the most engrossing thrillers that I have read this past year and I read a bunch over the course of the year.

One of the things that I liked most about this book was the main character Helen Grace.  She is a bit of an enigma which made her very interesting to me as the reader.  I could never quite guess how she was going to react to different things and she just was so very mysterious.  I loved it!  I loved that as the investigation went on we were able to slowly learn more about her even if it was just here and there.  I'm looking forward to future books in this series and seeing how her character continues to develop.  The story line or mystery is unlike any other book that I've read so far.  It was so completely original and quite terrifying to think about.  This author wasn't afraid to take chances and this was reflected by all of the twists and turns throughout the book.  Every time that I thought I had things figured out....well, the author pulled the rug out from under me.  I found myself filled with anticipation just trying to figure out how this would all end.  And the ending.  Wow!  I didn't see it coming at all which made it even more intense.  Looking back, I don't think that it could have ended any other way but I still didn't see any of it coming.  It was a shattering conclusion to an amazing book!  I can't describe it any better any other way.

Overall, this book was an easy addition to my best reads list of 2015.  I just cannot say enough good things about it- I'm gushing at this point.  It was dark and twisted so it won't be a book that everyone enjoys but it will be a series that I am reading more of.  I've already added this author to my must read list.  I will be continuing on with this series as soon as possible.  I've actually got a copy of the second book on my shelves already so that makes it even easier.  I can't wait!  Highly, highly recommended!

Bottom Line:  One of the best books that I read in 2015!

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher and NetGalley.

On Thin Icing by Ellie Alexander (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"It's the dead of winter in the sleepy town of Ashland, which means no tourists-and fewer customers-for Jules Capshaw and her bakery. But when she's asked to cater an off-season retreat for the directors of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, business starts heating up...until Jules finds a dead body in the freezer.

 Someone at the retreat has apparently iced the bartender, a well-known flirt with a legendary temper-that is, before a killer beat him to the punch. Then, from out of nowhere, Jules's own ex-husband shows up at the shop-and soon becomes a suspect. With accusations piling up higher than the snow-and thicker than a chocolate mousse cake-Jules has to think outside the (recipe) box to find the real culprit...and make sure he gets his just desserts."

My Thoughts:

This series is fast becoming one of my favorite cozy mystery series to follow!  Last year I read all three of the books in this series and each one was such a fun reading experience.  What I love about this series is how focused they are on baking and food in general.  It makes me SO hungry while I'm reading at times because the descriptions of food are just amazing!  If I could bake and cook like Jules does, well that would be just amazing.  Sometimes I truly feel like I am reading more for the food and descriptions of Jules' cooking rather than the mystery itself.  I also really appreciate in this series that Jules doesn't have her life figured out.  She isn't perfect and is kind of at a turning point in her life.  Actually all of the characters in this series are pretty great which is one of the reasons why I love this series so much!  Great characters, yummy food descriptions, and suspenseful mysteries are why these books are clear winners for me.  I just can't seem to get enough!

One of the things that I really loved about this book was the setting.  I loved how the author used a winter snow storm and a mountain lodge to give this book such an isolated and creepy feel to it.  I read this book during a snow/ice storm of our own and it just fit in so perfectly with this time of year.  This book felt darker and more suspenseful than the previous two books thanks to the setting.  I just loved it!  The mystery portion of this book was well done and I wasn't able to figure out what was going on until the very end.  I also liked that in this book we finally got to meet Jule's estranged husband Carlos.  We have been hearing so much about him since the very beginning and now it was interesting finally getting to see him and Jules interact with one another.  I can't honestly say how I feel about him at this point.  I actually am more a fan of Thomas (Jules' ex-boyfriend) so I am very, very curious to see what happens in the next book!  The ending of this book tied up everything quite nicely and left me eager for book four.  I especially love how the author includes recipes at the end with some of the different recipes that Jule's has made throughout the book.  I just need to get some confidence and try one of them!!! 

Overall, this was another great addition to one of my favorite cozy mystery series!!  I'm super excited that another book will be releasing in 2016....I just need to get my hands on it as soon as possible.  I'm hoping that we will get more resolution to Jules and Carlos' relationship in the next book.  And many more delicious recipes of course!  These books are just so much fun and are such great reads.  I cannot recommend them enough!  I feel like you should start with book one Meet Your Baker just so that you get the full reading experience but really these books could be read on their own.  Cozy mystery fans and mystery readers in general should really give this series a try!  Highly recommended!

Bottom Line:  Another standout read from one of my favorite cozy mystery series!

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley as part of a CBB Book Tour. 

 

Red Ribbons by Louise Phillips (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"A SERIAL KILLER

When the body of a missing schoolgirl is found buried in the Dublin Mountains, her hands clasped together in prayer, two red ribbons in her hair, the hunt for her killer reaches epic proportion with the discovery of a second girl's body 24 hours later.


THE CRIMINAL PSYCHOLOGIST

Desperate to find the murderer, police call in criminal psychologist Kate Pearson, to get inside the mind of the serial killer before he strikes again. But the more Kate discovers about the killings, the more it all begins to feel terrifyingly familiar as her own past threatens to cloud her investigations.


AN ACCUSED WOMAN

Ellie Brady has been institutionalised for 15 years, for the killing of her twelve-year-old daughter, Amy. After all this time, does Ellie hold the key to finding the killer of the Dublin schoolgirls?

What would you do if you were accused of killing your own daughter? What if those closest to you turned their back on you? And when everyone stopped listening, what next, when even you believe you're guilty?"

My Thoughts:

I feel like this year was such a great year in terms of finding great new authors to follow and Louise Phillips is definitely one of them!  I read the above summary for this book and just knew that I wanted to read it.  It wasn't available in my local library system so I couldn't help but add it to my Amazon shopping cart when I went on a book buying binge.  This book was so completely worth it and I'm glad that followed my instincts on this one.  I'm a sucker for any thriller with a hint of a mental institution being involved....something about that type of setting seems so entirely creepy to me that I just cannot resist.  Add to that a storyline that involves a mother accused of killing her own daughter and I was completely sold by that point.  This book didn't disappoint in the slightest and was just as dark and twisted as the summary portrays it to be.  I admit to being fully hooked by this book from beginning to end.  It was one of those books that just sweeps you up and doesn't let you go which was exactly what I needed.  Really a great thriller and mystery all wrapped in one!

One of the things that I enjoyed most about this book was that this book was told from multiple viewpoints.  This allowed for the reader to experience the different parts of this book in a way that ratcheted up the suspense level several notches.  For instance parts of the book were told from the viewpoint of the killer and then other parts were told from the viewpoint of Ellie Brady who was the mother accused of killing her own daughter.  I was a bit partial to Ellie's story as I could tell from the beginning that she was a bit of an unreliable narrator which I am a complete sucker for.  I loved how we were given bits and pieces here and there of what happened to her daughter but it wasn't until the very end that everything began to tie together.  The author did a really amazing job of fitting all of the pieces of the puzzles together in a way that really worked for me as the reader.  I found the ending to be a heart pounding reading experience!  I flew through those last pages reading as fast as I possibly could.  Wow!  I was left instantly wishing for more books like this one which means that I couldn't help but see what else this author has written.  Thank goodness that I have more books in this series to look forward to (even if my wallet will be hurting because of it)!

All in all, I found this to be a really great read that left me so excited about this mystery series!  I loved how easily I fell into this book and how hard I found it to set down.  It was tense and filled with suspense which was exactly what I was hoping for.  I cannot wait to see what kind of case Kate will find herself wrapped up in next.  Easily recommended but especially to those mystery and thriller fans!  I've already handed my copy off to my Mom for her to enjoy next.  

Bottom Line:  A thrilling read that I didn't want to stop reading!  I need more!

Disclosure:  I bought this book for myself as a bookish treat- now I need to buy the rest of the series.


 

What She Knew by Gilly Macmillan (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"In a heartbeat, everything changes…

Rachel Jenner is walking in a Bristol park with her eight-year-old son, Ben, when he asks if he can run ahead. It’s an ordinary request on an ordinary Sunday afternoon, and Rachel has no reason to worry—until Ben vanishes. 

Police are called, search parties go out, and Rachel, already insecure after her recent divorce, feels herself coming undone. As hours and then days pass without a sign of Ben, everyone who knew him is called into question, from Rachel’s newly married ex-husband to her mother-of-the-year sister. Inevitably, media attention focuses on Rachel too, and the public’s attitude toward her begins to shift from sympathy to suspicion.

As she desperately pieces together the threadbare clues, Rachel realizes that nothing is quite as she imagined it to be, not even her own judgment. And the greatest dangers may lie not in the anonymous strangers of every parent’s nightmares, but behind the familiar smiles of those she trusts the most."

My Thoughts:

I don't even think that I can explain coherently how good this book was or how emotionally wrenching I found it to be while reading.  The premise of this book is every mother's nightmare and I felt emotionally drained when I finished reading it.  I had to stop reading at one point because I just couldn't take it any more and was going to give in to the urge to peek at the ending because the suspense level was sky high.  I managed to resist though and have to admit that I was glad I held strong as it made the ending of the book that much better for me.  After finishing this book I had to move on to a cozy mystery because I needed something on the lighter side since this was such a dark read.  It was so good though and I managed to read this chunky book in a matter of days.  Dark, atmospheric thrillers like this are like my reading catnip (if there was such a thing) so I have to admit that helped boost my enjoyment to an even higher level.  This was just one of those books that I could not set down!

One of the most disturbing things about this book was how real it all felt.  How easy it is for a person to make a choice and have their entire life change because of it.  It scraped my emotions raw seeing everything that Rachel was going through.  I cannot even begin to explain how horrifying I found this book to be when I considered how easily this situation could happen.  This was most especially true when it came to the media coverage of the disappearance and how easily they placed the blame on Rachel herself.  It is too easy to think of other real life examples of the media skewing public opinion a certain way just by the way they present coverage of the news.  It is a scary world we live in sometimes and this book felt terrifyingly real with the way the public and media both seemed to turn on Rachel.  What else to say without giving too much away?  The author was able to create such a dark almost sinister atmosphere in this novel where Rachel didn't know who she could trust.  I loved how the author had me suspecting just about everyone's motivations as I tried to figure it all out.  The ending felt real to me which I really appreciated as I had no clue how the author was going to tie this all up.  I won't say more than that as I feel like it might spoil things but the author did a really great job in my opinion.  This is a book that will almost certainly be on my top ten reads list for this year and an author that I cannot wait to read more of!

Overall I really don't know what else to say about this book besides READ IT!  It was dark and gut-wrenching but it was so completely worth it!  I cannot get over the fact that this is Gilly Macmillan's debut novel, and I also can't wait to see what she comes up with next!   Recommended, recommended, recommended.  And when you finish with this one come back and discuss it with me, won't you?  I have so many other things that I would like to say but I don't want to spoil the book for others.

Bottom Line:  A book that will be on my top ten list for this year.  Enough said!

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher as part of a PICT book tour.

 



   

Angels Sing to Rest by Chrinda Jones (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"Detective Sergeant Olivia Gates returns from a two month suspension, to find her team has gained a new member, her ex-husband has been released from prison, and a 10 year old street kid has been murdered on her patch of South Dallas.

Her ex she thinks she can deal with, even when he drags their young son into the mix. The murdered boy with the crushed chest, isn't so easily handled and weighs heavily on her as more street kids are killed with an unimaginable sadistic flare and no discernible motive.

If the continuing body count wasn't stressful enough, Olivia's falling out with long time friend and colleague, Doctor Will Green, threatens any hope Olivia had for more than a friendship with the good doctor.

Drugs, gaming, prostitution and sadistic murders lead Gates and her team on a trek through the seamy underbelly of living rough on the streets of downtown Dallas."

My Thoughts:

This has been a really great year for me in regards to finding new mystery authors to follow and after finishing this book I have another author to add to this list.  One of the things that I loved most about this book was how dark and gritty it really was.  From the very beginning of the book, Olivia gets thrown into an investigation where she discovers more questions than answers and the trail of bodies keep on coming.  This book became intense in a short amount of time as Olivia struggles to balance her investigation with her newly developing relationship with Dr. Will Green while also dealing with her disturbed ex-husband.  I found that all of this combined into one of those fast paced reads that I didn't want to set down.  The violence and killings in this book really gave it a darker feel which wasn't at all what I had been expecting.  I liked it though and felt like it fit in perfectly with the setting which focused on street life in Dallas.

Although this is the second book in this series, I had no problems jumping right into the story.  There were pieces of what happened before to Olivia that I know I was missing (for example the reason behind her suspension-see above summary) but overall it didn't detract from my reading experience at all.  And I really appreciated that the relationship between Olivia and Will was something that the author seemed to be taking her time exploring.  Will's character was very fascinating to me as there seem to be multiple issues that he is dealing with that I as the reader don't know about.  Were some of those things included in the first book?  Maybe, but for me it gave his character a slightly mysterious air that left me wanting to know more.  I really liked the relationship that is starting to develop between Olivia and him so I hope that this continues with the next book in the series.  The ending itself was very intense although I will admit that there was a certain part of it that felt unfinished.  We didn't quite get the closure that I was expecting (and I won't say more than that) so I do hope that we learn more in the next book.  Still what a great read and a series that I can't wait to read more of!

All in all, I really enjoyed this book and am eager to read more in this series.  I will definitely be going back to the first book sooner rather than later just so I can see how everything started.  It will have to tide me over until I can get my hands on the next book!  Those readers who enjoyed dark mysteries and police procedurals should give this series a try!  Recommended!

Bottom Line:  A great read that kept me turning pages late into the night!

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book as part of a PICT book tour.

 

Flipped For Murder by Maddie Day (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"In this freshly baked series, author Maddie Day lifts the lid on a small town in southern Indiana, where a newcomer is cooking up a new start--until a murderer muddles the recipe...

Nursing a broken heart, Robbie Jordan is trading in her life on the West Coast for the rolling hills of southern Indiana. After paying a visit to her Aunt Adele, she fell in love with the tiny town of South Lick. And when she spots a For Sale sign on a rundown country store, she decides to snap it up and put her skills as a cook and a carpenter to use. Everyone in town shows up for the grand re-opening of Pans ‘n Pancakes, but when the mayor's disagreeable assistant is found dead, Robbie realizes that not all press is good press. With all eyes on her, she'll have to summon her puzzle-solving skills to clear her name, unscramble the town's darkest secrets, and track down a cold-blooded killer--before she's the next to die..."

My Thoughts:


I've read more cozy mysteries this year compared to years past and books like this are the reason why.  I enjoyed this book for a variety of reasons but one of the best things about this book for me was the setting.  I love small town books like this where they are described in such a way that it makes me want to go visit for myself.  The author brought this town and her characters to life for me and I loved the book all the more because of it.  I wanted to have the chance to eat at Robbie's restaurant and try some of those delicious breakfasts that she makes.  What is it with me reading all of these mysteries with cooking themes?  It sure does make me want to brush up on my own cooking skills as they are pretty lackluster in comparison.  I was constantly hungry while reading this one which makes me laugh while saying that but really it is the truth!  I have a sweet spot when it comes to breakfast foods so this was my kind of cooking.

I also really enjoyed the characters and especially enjoyed Robbie's Aunt Adele.  She just had that bit of spunk to her that I couldn't help but appreciate.  I wasn't quite behind Robbie's love interest but that was only due to there seemed to be something missing with their chemistry.  I just couldn't quite root for them like I expected to which leaves me curious as to how I will feel after reading the second book.  The mystery itself was done nicely with some good twists and turns.  There weren't that many suspects in my opinion but I still found myself guessing until close to the end of the book.  It was just overall a fun read that I couldn't help but enjoy.

All in all, I find myself very eager to continue on with this series and see what kind of trouble Robbie finds herself in next.  There was a sneak peek of the first chapter in book two at the end of this one and it left me itching to get my hands on it.  The setting and characters really brought this book to life for me and made my reading experience that much more enjoyable.  Easily recommended!

Bottom Line:  A great beginning to this new cozy mystery series!

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher from NetGalley. 

Depraved Heart by Patricia Cornwell (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"Dr. Kay Scarpetta is working a suspicious death scene in Cambridge, Massachusetts when an emergency alert sounds on her phone. A video link lands in her text messages and seems to be from her computer genius niece Lucy. But how can it be? It’s clearly a surveillance film of Lucy taken almost twenty years ago.

As Scarpetta watches she begins to learn frightening secrets about her niece, whom she has loved and raised like a daughter. That film clip and then others sent soon after raise dangerous legal implications that increasingly isolate Scarpetta and leave her confused, worried, and not knowing where to turn. She doesn’t know whom she can tell – not her FBI husband Benton Wesley or her investigative partner Pete Marino. Not even Lucy.

In this new novel, Cornwell launches these unforgettable characters on an intensely psychological odyssey that includes the mysterious death of a Hollywood mogul’s daughter, aircraft wreckage on the bottom of the sea in the Bermuda Triangle, a grisly gift left in the back of a crime scene truck, and videos from the past that threaten to destroy Scarpetta’s entire world and everyone she loves. The diabolical presence behind what unfolds seems obvious - but strangely, not to the FBI. Certainly that’s the message they send when they raid Lucy’s estate and begin building a case that could send her to prison for the rest of her life."

My Thoughts:

Wow!  I have no words for this book other than just wow!  This book took my high expectations (after reading and loving Flesh and Blood earlier this year) and shattered them!  It was seriously that good and I basically had a bookish hangover for two days after finishing this one.  Depraved Heart will easily make my top reads list for this year just based off of the reading experience alone!  It was one wild ride and I found that I flew through the pages of this chunky novel with ease.  I don't even feel like I am doing justice to sharing just how good this book is yet.  

One of the things that made this book stand out for me so much was the paranoid feeling that it gave me.  I cannot even begin to explain how unsettled this book made me feel while reading it.  The author does an amazing job of giving hints of different things but not really giving anything away so that the entire time I was reading this one I felt uncertain.  Uncertain as to what was happening, uncertain as to who was telling the truth and definitely uncertain of who Kay Scarpetta could actually trust.  It gave me the same feeling as when I read a novel with an unreliable narrator, except that this time it wasn't that I couldn't trust the narrator but instead I couldn't trust everything/anything that was happening.  There always seemed to be a secret or reason behind the things that were happening that Scarpetta had to figure out on her own.  Key main characters that I've come to trust from reading previous books even had me questioning their motivations and actions.  It was a heart pounding reading experience and I couldn't get enough!  Without giving too much away I thought that the ending was well done although I sure do wish that I had my hands on the next book right now!  I'm hoping to ease the wait by catching up with the rest of this series since I seem to be reading them all completely out of order now.  

Overall I cannot even seem to coherently put into words how good this book really was!  I couldn't put this one down and flew through the pages.  Even when I would stop reading it, I found myself still thinking about it and trying to figure out what was really happening.  I need more books just like this in my life because this was a reading experience that I won't be forgetting about anytime soon!  I am completely hooked on this series and cannot wait to read more.  Highly recommended with the warning that you won't be able to get anything done while reading this one.  Don't say I didn't warn you!

Bottom Line:  A five star read for me.  Enough said!

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher as part of a TLC book blog tour.






 

Dead Lies by Cybele Loening (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"Former NYPD cop Anna Valentine just landed her first homicide case.  The grisly double murder of a wealthy young couple. But it couldn't have come at a worse time. Recovering from recent personal tragedies, the young police officer just moved with her traumatized child to the suburbs where she hoped to pursue a quiet life and heal. To complicate matters, although she's sworn off men until she and her son are happy and whole again, Anna feels the pull of attraction to the handsome twin brother of one of the victims, a man who has yet to be crossed off the suspect list. Teaming up with lead detective Jerry Kreeger, a 57 year-old veteran cop who's lonely, broke, and close to burn out, Anna chases a crafty killer and ultimately exposes a family's shocking secrets that will rock a town."

My Thoughts:

 I really enjoyed this book and cannot wait to continue on with this series!  One of the things that I enjoyed most about this book was that it was written like a police procedural.  I love reading about the step by step process in a police investigation.  Those little details really made this book come to life for me!  Told from multiple viewpoints, this book really allowed for me to connect to the characters which enhanced my enjoyment of the book even more.  Anna has just moved out of the city to lead a quiet life as a police officer in the suburbs while raising her son.  She finds herself thrown into this murder investigation and it isn't long before she realizes that this is something she wants to do with her life.  I thought that Anna and Kreeger made a really great team so I found it interesting that there was also some unresolved feelings that seemed to be developing between the two of them.  Actually, Anna's backstory really added to the storyline because further along in the book we were able to see why Anna moved from the city and learned about the tragedy that caused this move.  This caused me as the reader to connect to her all the more as I wanted to see something good happen to her.

This mystery portion of this book was done well and although I had my own suspects as to who the killer was.....it turned out that I was completely and totally wrong. I loved it!  There were parts that I had figured out but overall the ending took me by surprise and left me wanting more.  This was a book that I took my time with and didn't try to rush through.  I enjoyed it all the more because of it.  The ending of this book tied up everything nicely but left me more than excited to read more about these characters again.  

Overall I really enjoyed this one and am excited to have found a new author/series to follow.  I am especially excited as this is the author's first book (I believe) so if it was already this good, I can't wait to see what she comes up next.   Mystery fans and those who enjoy police procedurals should definitely give this one a try.  Recommended!

Bottom Line:  A great beginning to this new mystery series that left me excited to read more!

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book thanks to the author as part of a CBB Blog Tour.   

 

Blood Red by Wendy Corsi Staub (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"From New York Times bestselling author Wendy Corsi Staub comes the first in a terrifying new series set in a small town with a sinister secret

The razor's gleaming blade slices effortlessly through skin and tendon, and he relishes the final anguished moments of his prey. There's only one thing he prizes more: their long, silken strands of red hair. But these women are merely stand-ins . . . a prelude to his ultimate victim.

Nestled in New York's Hudson Valley, Mundy's Landing is famous for its picturesque setting—and for a century-old string of gruesome unsolved murders. Rowan returned to her hometown years ago, fleeing a momentary mistake that could have destroyed her family. Life is good here. Peaceful. Until an anonymous gift brings Rowan's fears to life again.

The town's violent history was just the beginning. Soon everyone in Mundy's Landing will know that the past cannot be forgotten or forgiven—not until every sin has been paid for, in blood."

My Thoughts:

This book!  Oh my goodness but this book had me on the edge of my seat for the entire time that I was reading it.  I've read a lot of mysteries and thrillers this year but it has been awhile since I read one that focused on a serial killer (which always tends to creep me out more than other types of books).  Let me tell you that I was creeped out by this book from almost the very first page.  What made this book unique though is that there were actually parts of the book told through the eyes of the killer.  We knew who he was to a certain extent although we didn't know why he was so focused on Rowan or why he was doing what he was doing.  Those questions and the fact that Rowan didn't know what kind of danger she was really in ratcheted up the suspense level for me and made this book yet another one that I just didn't want to put down.

This book was both fast paced and intense which really helped to bump up my enjoyment level of this book.  Told from multiple viewpoints, all of the different storylines helped even more to make this book a page turner for me.  I cannot emphasize enough how hard it was for me to stop reading this one!   And the way that the author tied them all up to make for a completely intense, heart-pounding.....wow!  Just wow!  I feel like I had figured out a few pieces to the ending but there were enough surprises left for me so I couldn't complain.  I'm left completely excited to get my hands on the next book in this series?  Oh my goodness- it is going to be a series!  I cannot wait to see what happens next!

Overall, this was a book that I couldn't help but read as fast as I possibly could just because it was so intense.  It was dark, creepy, and gave me the shivers multiple times but yet I didn't want to stop reading.  This was the perfect time of year to read this book....I always crave thrillers when fall comes around.  And this fit the bill perfectly!  Easily recommended but with the warning...you might want to sleep with the lights on afterwards.  

Bottom Line:  A great read for this time of year!  

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this thanks to the publisher as part of a Pump Up Your Book tour.   

Everything She Forgot by Lisa Ballantyne (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"They’re calling it the worst pile-up in London history. Driving home, Margaret Holloway has her mind elsewhere—on a troubled student, her daughter’s acting class, the next day’s meeting—when she’s rear-ended and trapped in the wreckage. Just as she begins to panic, a disfigured stranger pulls her from the car just seconds before it’s engulfed in flames. Then he simply disappears.

Though she escapes with minor injuries, Margaret feels that something’s wrong. She’s having trouble concentrating. Her emotions are running wild. More than that, flashbacks to the crash are also dredging up lost associations from her childhood, fragments of events that were wiped from her memory. Whatever happened, she didn’t merely forget—she chose to forget. And somehow, Margaret knows deep down that it’s got something to do with the man who saved her life.

As Margaret uncovers a mystery with chilling implications for her family and her very identity, Everything She Forgot winds through a riveting dual narrative and asks the question: How far would you go to hide the truth—from yourself…?"

My Thoughts:

This was an unexpected read for me but in a good way.  I went into reading this book expecting a thriller but instead it was more of a story about family, the choices we make, and the consequences of those decisions.  This wasn't an easy read for me...there were times that I wanted to set it down just because I wasn't sure that I wanted to know what was going to happen next.  That is a mark of a good book for me.  When an author is able to create a level of tension that makes the reader uncomfortable without overdoing it.  I knew that things weren't going to end well just based off of the decisions that the main characters were making.  It made the tone of the book seem even darker and more ominous which added to that level of discomfort that I was feeling.  It was intense but it was also so compulsively readable that even when I wasn't sure that I wanted to be reading I couldn't set it down.  I just needed to see what would happen next and how it would all end.

One of the things that really helped this book to not become too dark for me at least was the fact that there were multiple storylines going on.  One focused on the present and Margaret as she dealt with the after effects from almost dying in a car crash.  A different storyline focused on the past..but whose past and what it meant was a mystery until the very end.  The author effortlessly tied these two storylines together so easily that I never was able to decide which one I preferred more as sometimes happens in books like this.  The ending of this book held a few surprises while there were other parts that I had figured out.  Really it tied everything together nicely and made the last one hundred pages so intense that I didn't even try to stop reading.  I couldn't get this book of my mind for a few day afterwards because I had become so attached to the characters.  I cannot wait to read more by this author!

Overall I really enjoyed this one even though it ended up being way darker than I expected.  I loved that the author was able to pull me into this book so completely and in such a way that I had to remind myself that this was fiction.  That these weren't real characters and these events actually hadn't happened.  I just cannot emphasize enough how intense this reading experience was for me!  I will definitely be reading more by this author.  Recommended but with the warning that this wasn't always an easy read to stomach.  Definitely dark but good!

Bottom Line:  One of those books that I won't be forgetting about any time soon!

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this thanks to the publisher as part of a PICT Book Blog Tour.  My thanks!

Bread of the Dead by Ann Meyers (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"Trick or treat—and murder—are on the menu in this first in a new culinary mystery series

Life couldn't be sweeter for Tres Amigas Café chef Rita Lafitte, decorating sugar skulls and taste-testing rich, buttery pan de muerto in anticipation of Santa Fe's Day of the Dead bread-baking contest. That is, until her friendly landlord, Victor, is found dead next door.

Although the police deem Victor's death a suicide, Rita knows something is amiss. To uncover the truth, she teams up with her octogenarian boss, Flori, the town's most celebrated snoop. The duo begins to sift through long-buried secrets and to take full measure of duplicitous neighbors, but the clock is ticking and their list of suspects is growing ever longer. Just as the clues get hotter than a New Mexican chili, one of their main suspects winds up dead. Rita fears that the killer is dishing out seconds—and her order might be up."

My Thoughts:

This was such a fun read!  I loved it from beginning to end and found myself giggling at different times thanks to Rita's eccentric boss Flori.  She was a hoot!  I've read a bunch cozy mysteries this year (especially in comparison to years past) and she has to be one of my favorite characters.  I loved that I could never guess what she was going to do next.  She was a spitfire that wasn't afraid to do what she wanted and when she wanted to.  Really I just thought that she was great.  I also really enjoyed Rita's character.  She is a single mother dealing with a teenage daughter and a ex-husband who I wanted to drop kick multiple times.  It just rang true to me as there are so many women out there dealing with similar situations.  She didn't have all of the answers, her life wasn't perfect, but she was trying and I couldn't help but like her all the more because of it.  I just loved both of these characters and can't wait to see them again in future books!

The setting of this book was another of the things that really made this book stand out for me.  I loved how the author used the setting of the story to really add details throughout.  The different foods that Rita and Flori would make at the cafe....yum!  I would have loved to have tried them all!  What is it with cozy mysteries always making me so hungry?  They all seem to make me want to improve my cooking skills as well which I am sure my family would appreciate.  Ha!  This book really made me hungry though because Rita was constantly describing all of the yummy dishes that were made that were authentic to the area that she lived in which is Sante Fe, New Mexico.  The author did a really great job of describing the setting in such a way that you almost felt that you were there.  I've never been to New Mexico myself but I would love to visit after reading this book.  The mystery itself was nicely done and had me guessing until the very end.  I had my suspicions on the whodunnit part but it turned out that I was completely wrong.  I love when that happens!  I also really enjoyed Rita's character.  She is a single mother dealing with a teenage daughter and a ex-husband who I wanted to drop kick multiple times.  It just rang true to me as there are so many women out there dealing with similar situations.  She didn't have all of the answers, her life wasn't perfect, but she was trying and I couldn't help but like her all the more because of it.  The ending was nicely done and left me eagerly anticipating the next book in this series.  

Overall I really, really enjoyed this book and can't wait to read more by this author!  With two great main characters and a storyline that kept my attention throughout I couldn't ask for more.  Actually I could...that would be the second book in my hands right now.  LOL!  I managed to read this one in just a few short days as I just did not want to set it down.  Yet another new series for me to follow!

Bottom Line:  A great beginning to this new cozy series!  I want more!

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher as part of a CBB Book Tour. 

 

A Line of Blood by Ben McPherson (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"For Alex Mercer, his wife Millicent and their eleven-year-old son Max are everything, his little tribe that makes him feel all’s right with the world. But when he and Max find their enigmatic next door neighbor dead in his apartment, their lives are suddenly and irrevocably changed. As the police conduct a methodical investigation, Alex becomes increasingly impatient for them to finish. After all, it so clearly was a suicide.

But as new information is uncovered, troubling questions arise. Why was the neighbor charging his home improvements to the Mercer’s address? How did a possession of Millicent’s end up in his apartment? And what has Max been listening to through the common wall they share with the neighbor? As the knot of suspicion grows tighter, this close-knit family begins to crack. Is Alex really the loving husband he professes to be? And where does Millicent disappear to on those long walks, stewing over something she can’t forget?

Each of them is suffering. Each has something to hide. And as they each question how well they really know one another, the Mercers will be forced to decide how far they’ll go to protect themselves—and their family—from investigators carefully watching their every move . . . waiting for one of them to make a mistake."

My Thoughts:

I am basically a sucker for a book just like this.  Lots of family secrets that come to light at different times?  Yes!  A slightly unreliable narrator?  Yep!  Twists and turns that leave you guessing and sometimes even confused as to what is even going on?  Heck yeah!  I found my instantly intrigued by this strange little family where everyone seemed to have something to hide.  This was also just one of those compelling books where you can't stop reading and you wouldn't want to even if you could.  I kept telling myself just one more page which turned into five or more chapters instead.  I was well and truly hooked on trying to figure out what was really going on.  Because the further I read the more questions that I had which led to even more suspense and tension.  Can you see why I couldn't stop reading this book yet?  Heck I was still thinking about this one even when I did set it down to work around the house or do whatever I needed to be doing.  

One of the things that made this book such a winner for me was Alex the narrator (otherwise known as the husband to Millicent and father of Max).  What I liked about him as the main character and narrator of the story is that I could never fully trust him.  It always seemed like he had his own secrets and reasons for doing the things he did....things that we as the reader never were fully told about.  It made him feel like an unreliable narrator which is something that I always enjoy.  I love when you cannot fully trust everything that is being told to you as it just adds layers to the story and gives thrillers like this so much more atmosphere.  I was constantly questioning his actions and trying to figure out if I could believe him or not.  In fact I cannot tell you how many times I would stop reading and just wonder what in the heck was really going on.  I loved every minute of it though!  The ending itself was done nicely although I admit to not being as surprised as I had hoped.  I had guessed the twist as some might call it so although it wrapped up quite nicely, I was left wanting a bit.  I can't complain though as the entire reading experience was one that I won't forget any time soon!

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and am adding this author to my must read list!  Because this is his first book and if it is was already this good, I can't wait to see what he comes up with next!  This is the perfect read for this time of year when the weather starts to get colder and you can curl up with a good thriller under a blanket.  Especially as I am always in the mood for more suspenseful reads and this one fit the bill perfectly.  Highly recommended!

Bottom Line:  A thriller that had me wrapped up in it until the very last page!

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher as part of a TLC book tour.

 

Dance of the Bones by J.A. Jance (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"Years ago, Amos Warren, a prospector, was gunned down out in the desert and Sheriff Brandon Walker made the arrest in the case. Now, the retired Walker is called in when the alleged killer, John Lassiter, refuses to accept a plea deal that would release him from prison with time served. Lassiter wants Brandon and The Last Chance to find Amos’s “real” killer and clear his name.

Sixteen hundred miles to the north in Seattle, J.P. Beaumont is at loose ends after the Special Homicide Investigation Team, affectionately known as S.H.I.T., has been unexpectedly and completely disbanded. When Brandon discovers that there are links between Lassiter’s case and an unsolved case in Seattle, he comes to Beau for help.

Those two cases suddenly become hot when two young boys from the reservation, one of them with close ties to the Walker family, go missing. Can two seasoned cops, working together, decipher the missing pieces in time to keep them alive?"

My Thoughts:

A year or so ago I gave this author a try with one of her books in a different series (boy is she a prolific writer) and really enjoyed it!  As soon as I was offered the possibility of reading this one I was all over it despite the fact that I would be starting smack dab in the middle of a completely different series.  I'm glad I wanted to read this one though because I now have three different series by this author that I am planning on catching up on.  Ha ha, I really I need to get to reading!  I enjoyed this book for a variety of reasons but the main reason that really made this book stand out for me was the way the author interwove Native American culture and stories into the book.  Each chapter began with part of a Native American story and the pieces of that story continued on from chapter to chapter.  It was just as interesting to me as the actual story-line itself!

All of the Native American traditions and beliefs that were included in this novel really made this mystery stand out for me.  I felt like it added so much to this book as the setting where this mystery mainly took place came to life for me.  This is one of those books that you can take your time with and just enjoy.  I read this one at a leisurely pace and just soaked it all up.  My one and only complaint was that I did feel at times that I had missed out by not reading these in order.  Whose fault is that?  Only my own but it did leave me very excited to go back to both of these series and get my hands on book one.  Another thing that really made this book different from your typical mystery was that we know early on who the killer is.  Instead of the suspense being tied up in the whodunnit it was more focused on if the case would be solved in time before the killer was able to make their final escape.  It added to the suspense level for me as I really wanted to see the killer caught and punished.  The last hundred or so pages had me reading as quickly as I could just so I could see how it would all turn out.  The ending was nicely done and now I just want more!

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and am finding myself to be a big fan of this author's books.  Go figure that I now have three different series by her that I want to catch up on. (I am such a series addict!)  I think that all of the unique details really brought that this book to life for me in a way that other books have not.  I will definitely be recommending this book to other mystery fans (although I might suggest to them to start at the beginning)  Easily recommended!

Bottom Line:  A slow building mystery that I just couldn't get enough of!

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher as part of a TLC book tour.  Thoughts are my own!

 
 

A Necessary End by Holly Brown (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"How far would you go to get what you wanted? The author of Don't Try to Find Me returns with a taut, riveting novel of psychological suspense about a woman determined to be a mother despite a past full of secrets, a husband who's nowhere near ready for fatherhood, and a teenaged birth mother with a mysterious agenda of her own.

Thirty-nine-year-old Adrienne has tried before to adopt a child, but this time, nothing is going to get in her way.

Sure, her husband, Gabe, is ambivalent about fatherhood. But she knows that once he holds their baby, he'll come around. He's just feeling a little threatened, that's all. Because once upon a time, it was Gabe that Adrienne wanted more than anything; she was willing to do anything. . . . But that was half a lifetime ago. She's a different person now. There are lines she wouldn't cross, not without extreme provocation.

And sure, she was bitten by another birth mother—clear to the bone—and for most people, it's once bitten, twice shy. But Adrienne isn't exactly the retiring type.

Enter Leah. At nineteen, she bears a remarkable resemblance to the young woman Adrienne once was. Which is why Adrienne knows the baby Leah is carrying is meant to be hers. But Leah's got ideas of her own. If Gabe and Adrienne let her live with them for a year, they get the baby, free and clear. All Leah wants is a fresh start in California, and a soft landing. Or so she says.

It seems like a small price for Adrienne to pay to get their baby. And with Gabe suddenly on board, what could possibly go wrong?"

My Thoughts:

I've been putting off writing up my thoughts on this one as I just wasn't sure what to say.  Although this one was compulsively readable (is that even a term?), I found that I was left with many mixed emotions on it after finishing the last page.  I wanted to love it...I even expected to just from reading that description which sounds just as dark and twisted as I like.  A case of high expectations?  Maybe, but really for me I just didn't quite connect to this book like I had hoped.  If I could give half star ratings this would easily get 3.5 stars which for me is a good read but one that I had a few issues with.  

One of the main issues that I had with this book was the unlikeability of all of the main characters.  I mean really I didn't like a single one of them.  This has been the case for me with some other books (obviously Gone Girl is a great example) so I was able to keep reading.  But the fact that that they were so completely frustrating kept me from connecting to the story as easily as I had hoped that I would.  That being said their motivations (and especially's Adrienne's motivations) really kept me intrigued throughout my entire reading experience.  I could never quite figure her out and why she would act the way she did.  It was just one of the many reasons why I couldn't set this book down even when I wanted to kick her.  I just had to see what she was going to do next.  In fact, although this was quite a large book I ended up flying through the pages.  It was a train wreck waiting to happen but I just needed to see how that train wreck was going to play out.  Boy, did this author know how to knock me for a loop!  I didn't see the ending coming from a mile away and I really loved that I was left with closure while also having questions.  Does that even make sense?  We were given enough to wonder but without leaving the ending too ambiguous.  I loved it- not going to lie!  I'm sure other readers might not feel the same but for me it really was the perfect way to end this book!

Overall, this book left me wanting to discuss it with other readers!  I didn't love it but I liked it well enough that I would read more by this author easily.  It definitely was a page turning read even when I wanted to scream at the characters.  Really I just want to read other reader's thoughts and discuss!  So if you've read this one feel free to leave a comment or shoot me an email.  I want to hear what you thought!  I will be recommending this one but maybe with a few hesitations.

Bottom Line:  A good read that was very hard to put down but I just didn't love it like I had hoped.

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher as part of a TLC book tour.  Unfortunately, life got in the way and I missed my tour date.  My apologies!  Thoughts are my own!

A Pattern of Lies by Charles Todd (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"A horrific explosion at a gunpowder mill sends Bess Crawford to war-torn France to keep a deadly pattern of lies from leading to more deaths, in this compelling and atmospheric mystery from the New York Times bestselling author of A Question of Honor and An Unwilling Accomplice

An explosion and fire at the Ashton Gunpowder Mill in Kent has killed over a hundred men. It’s called an appalling tragedy—until suspicion and rumor raise the specter of murder. While visiting the Ashton family, Bess Crawford finds herself caught up in a venomous show of hostility that doesn’t stop with Philip Ashton’s arrest. Indeed, someone is out for blood, and the household is all but under siege.

The only known witness to the tragedy is now at the Front in France. Bess is asked to find him. When she does, he refuses to tell her anything that will help the Ashtons. Realizing that he believes the tissue of lies that has nearly destroyed a family, Bess must convince him to tell her what really happened that terrible Sunday morning. But now someone else is also searching for this man.

To end the vicious persecution of the Ashtons, Bess must risk her own life to protect her reluctant witness from a clever killer intent on preventing either of them from ever reaching England."

My Thoughts:

I am well and truly hooked on this series now after finishing this book!  If I can be honest I even enjoyed this one more than An Unwilling Accomplice and I was basically singing that book's praises my entire review.  But I'm getting off track a bit.  One of the things that I enjoy most about these books is that the authors actually base their storylines on actual events that have happened.  There was an actual fire that took place at a gunpowder works factory that the authors used to base this story off of.  Obviously this is fiction so they made everything work how they wanted to but I loved the author's note at the end of the book that gave those details and shared how they came up with story.  This book was also a bit more fast paced for me as Philip Ashton's life and well being were on the line.  I was worried about how everything was going to end and this made me read this book that much faster.

One of the other things that I really enjoy in these books is just reading about Bess's everyday life as a nurse on the war front.  I found all of these details so completely fascinating and they made my reading experience that much more satisfying.  I'm also completely intrigued by Simon who plays a part in both of these books.  I feel like there is the potential for Simon and Bess to develop a romantic relationship with each other.  Hopefully he continues to play a prominent role in this series and we get to see more of him!  The mystery itself was nicely done and kept me intrigued throughout the book.  I especially liked how the authors played with the idea of a mob mentality when it came to the idea of Philip Ashton being guilty.  It added to the suspense quite nicely!  The ending caught me by surprise and had me flying through the pages to see how everything would play out.  I loved it and was left ready for the next book in this series as soon as I turned the last page. 

Overall, I am officially hooked on this series!  I would be bummed that I don't have the next book in my hands except I have the earlier books in this series to look forward to still.  I'm going to be on the search for more historical mysteries to check out after loving these books so much!  If you enjoy quiet mysteries that focus on the characters and details, then this is a series not to be missed.  For me I've enjoyed both of my forays into this series and will be adding these authors to my must read list.  Highly recommended!

Bottom Line:  A mystery that kept me engrossed until the very end!

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book from the publisher as part of a TLC book tour.  Thoughts are my own!

Flesh and Blood by Patricia Cornwell (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"Dr. Kay Scarpetta is about to head to Miami for a vacation when she notices seven pennies on a wall behind their home. Is this a kids' game? If so, why are all of the coins dated 1981 and so shiny they could be newly minted? Then she learns there's been a homicide five minutes away. A high school teacher was shot with uncanny precision as he unloaded groceries from his car. Yet no one heard or saw a thing.

Soon more victims surface. The shots seem impossible to achieve, yet they are so perfect they cause death in an instant. There is no pattern to indicate where the killer will strike next. First it was New Jersey, then Massachusetts, and then the murky depths off the coast. There she comes face to face with shocking news that implicates her niece, Lucy—Scarpetta's own flesh and blood."

My Thoughts:

This was a thrilling read that I won't be forgetting about any time soon!  From page one of this book I was utterly hooked and that didn't end until the very last page.  And that last page!!!  But I am getting ahead of myself.  I was originally trying to listen to this series on audio.  As we all know I have no self control and jumped at the opportunity to read this book.  I am so glad that I did because just wow!  This book was suspenseful, it was dark, it was fast-paced....basically this was everything that I look for in a thriller!  I just couldn't read this one fast enough!  It took some getting used to as I am reading this one completely out of order (I believe there are 22 books in this series so far) so things have changed some since the second book.  Okay, actually things have changed a lot but that didn't detract from my reading experience at all.  Instead I know now that I have many more good reads to look forward to that will show me more of how the characters have gotten to the places that they are at in their lives.  I can't wait!

In this book though, Scarpetta finds herself caught up in the midst of multiple cases that seem to have a few disturbing similarities.  From the moment that she finds the seven pennies on the wall outside of her house I just knew it was going to be personal.  It was a feeling that I had and because of this there was an extra level of tension for me while reading as I tried to figure it all out.  I wasn't sure who she could trust and there were just so many questions that I didn't have answers to.  Even those who are closest to her seemed to have secrets that they weren't sharing.  I cannot emphasize enough just how intense this book was for me while I was reading it!  I was completely sucked in!  For the majority of the book I was just trying to keep up with everything that was going on while also trying to figure it out for myself.  The last section of the book was spent reading as fast as I possibly could trying to see how everything would end.  I cannot tell you how many times I had to stop myself from peeking at the last few pages just because I didn't want to wait any longer.  I needed to know everything was going to be okay!  I resisted (barely) and it was well worth the wait!  Although that last page left me completely at a loss for words.  I NEED the next book right NOW!!!  

Overall, I really enjoyed this book from beginning to end.  It could easily make my top reads list for this year based off the intensity factor alone!  This book was a page turner and those are my favorites!  I am left wishing that I had book twenty-three in my hands but until then I think I will work on catching up with all of the other books I have missed.  Maybe that will satisfy me and make the wait seem less awful?  A girl can hope!   Highly recommended but be warned you aren't going to want to put it down!!

Bottom Line:  A thrilling read that had me flying through the pages!  

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book courtesy of the publisher as part of a Partners in Crime Book Tour.  Thoughts are my own!

Second Life by S.J. Watson (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"She loves her husband. She's obsessed by a stranger.

She's a devoted mother. She's prepared to lose everything.

She knows what she's doing. She's out of control.

She's innocent. She's guilty as sin.

She's living two lives. She might lose both . . ."

My Thoughts:

This book!  Oh my goodness, this book put me through the wringer and then back again.  I'm not even sure that I can come up with a coherent sharing of my thoughts but I'm going to have to try.  Well if that isn't vague enough for all of you....let's start at the beginning, shall we?

I basically added this book to my TBR wishlist instantly and based off of the author alone.  I loved Before I Go To Sleep which is this author's first book oh so much, so reading this one was a must just based off that experience alone.  I didn't read a summary of the book.  I just added it to the reading wishlist and then jumped on the opportunity to participate in this blog tour.  In fact, I was kind of hesitant to include the Goodread's summary of this one just because I don't want to take away from others' reading experience in any shape of form.  I'm getting off track though.  With little to no expectations (other than very high hopes) I can tell you that reading this book was a roller-coaster of an experience that I won't be forgetting any time soon.  

This book was completely intense and this started very early on.  From almost the very beginning I began to realize that I didn't really care for the main character.  At all.  In fact, I was almost at the point where I wasn't quite sure if this was going to be the book for me and if I was going to be sorely disappointed.  I persevered though because the pages just seemed to keep turning so easily and I was curious.  You should know me and curiosity at this point when it comes to books.  I couldn't stop reading and all of a sudden I realized that now I'm utterly hooked and there will be no setting this book down.  In actuality, now I'm really enjoying this book and wondering how I could have ever thought otherwise.  The twists and turns were nonstop towards the end.  I flew through the last portion of the book reading nonstop and as fast as I possibly could.  And then that ending.  That ending that had me hating the book all over again.  I'm not even going to lie....I was completely annoyed with the way it all ended.  That has changed though with time as the more I think about it, the more I like it.  

This book was absolutely one of those thrillers where lesson learned is to expect the unexpected.  Ha!  Second Life is a page-turner, is both dark and twisted (which is just the way I like these kind of reads), and kept me guessing until the very last page.  I loved it even when I didn't.  I hate to throw comparisons out there but my reading experience for this one was so similar to when I read Gillian Flynn's books that I couldn't help but mention it.  This is going to be a polarizing read for some but for me it was completely worth the roller-coaster ride that I went on.  Highly recommended!!  Oh, and read this one just so we can discuss it, alright??

Bottom Line:  A reading experience that I am not going to forget any time soon!

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher and NetGalley as part of a TLC blog tour.  Thoughts are my own!

The Wrong Man by Kate White (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"Bold and adventurous in her work as one of Manhattan's hottest interior decorators, Kit Finn couldn't be tamer in her personal life. So, while on vacation in the Florida Keys, Kit resolves to do something risky for once. Flirting with Matt Healy--the rugged stranger she literally bumps into at her hotel--is one thing. Going back to his room after their date is another.

Instead, Matt offers to cook her dinner when they're both back in the city. But when Kit arrives at his luxury apartment ready for the date of a lifetime, who is the man who opens the door?

Kit's usually so good at reading people. How could she have been taken in by the deceptions of a con man? And why has he targeted her? Piece by piece, Kit realizes that this treachery goes a lot deeper, and gets a lot deadlier. Now the only way out is to expose the vicious puppet master who's turned her life upside-down."

My Thoughts:

 I thoroughly enjoyed this book from beginning to end.  This level of enjoyment is what I have come to expect from this author as I have yet to read a book by her that I didn't like.  For me this was the perfect summer thriller that is just meant to be read by the side of a pool in the sunshine.  I can't say that I actually read the book like this (instead I read it on breaks at work and in between innings during my kid's baseball games) but I would have liked to.  It was a page turner that easily sucked me into the storyline and allowed for me to finish this one in a matter of days.  I found that I had a hard time setting it down and often needed to read "just a few more" pages before I could actually put my bookmark in.  

In this book Kit Finn is a successful interior decorator who has a fling with a stranger that she meets on a business/pleasure trip.  She soon finds out that he isn't the man that she thought he was and finds herself pulled into a dangerous situation that results in murder. While this book wasn't always believable (there were just too many people involved who seemed to want to harm her), it was a really fun read!  This is one of those books that keeps you reading just to see what is going to happen next.  I really, really enjoyed the parts of the book that were about Kit's job as an interior decorator.  It was fun to read about the different ideas that she had for some of her clients.  This wasn't the focus of the book by any means but it really added to the overall reading experience for me.

Overall I found myself enjoying this one immensely. I feel like if you are looking for a summer thriller this would fit perfectly with that!  It wasn't a perfect read by any means but for me it was the ease with which I got sucked into this book that made this a real winner.  A page turning thriller is always a good thing!  Easily recommended!

Bottom Line:  A thriller that just begs for you to sit and read in one sitting!

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book as part of a TLC book blog tour from the publisher.  Thoughts are my own!