Mystery Mini Reviews

Summary from Goodreads:

"Even in the chill of February, no place touches Harper McClain’s heart like Savannah. She should be walking beneath the historic city’s towering oaks, surrounded by graceful mansions. Instead, she’s hiding miles away on Tybee Island after a mysterious voice on the phone warned her that someone wanted her dead. The call was too specific to ignore. The caller knew everything about her. But that was months ago, and she’s getting tired of being scared.

Her only escape is her work at the newspaper, where the hottest story in town is the disappearance of Xavier Rayne. The singer had a hit album on his hands, and was about to go on tour, but then he walked out of his beachfront home and vanished. The police believe he drowned, but Harper suspects his disappearance may be more ominous than that. Something doesn’t feel right about it.

His bandmates and actress girlfriend say he’s run away before. They expect him to come home. Until a body washes up with two bullet holes in it. Now everyone in Rayne’s life is a suspect. As Harper digs deeper into the case, though, the threats against her own life return. The phone call she received was very real. A killer from her past is coming for her."

My Thoughts:

This mystery series is one of my favorites!  I've been looking forward to this book every since finishing the second book - and I will be impatiently waiting and hoping for more of Harper in future books!  There is just something about the Savannah setting that draws me in and then the mysteries just don't let me go!  I do think that this is a series best read in order (there are only three books so far) because there are threads that started in the first book that play a very important role in this book.  Also, maybe skip the Goodread's summary if you haven't yet read those earlier books.  I found this book just as suspenseful as the previous two books which meant I found myself reading it as fast as I possibly could.  At the risk of sounding slightly spoiler-ey I will say that we get a lot of answers in this book which I couldn't help but appreciate!  Besides the mystery aspect, one of my favorite things about this series is the portrayal of Harper's job and what it's like to work at a newspaper in this day and age.  I always find it interesting and realistic to see the struggles that the newspaper faces and feel like that aspect really makes this series stand out among other mystery series.  The characters are great as well - and at this point I will read anything and everything that this author writes!  But please tell me that will be more of Harper McClain because I'm nowhere near ready to see this series end.  I think that you would enjoy this series if you are a fan of mysteries in general, are looking for something a bit different from your typical police procedural read, and also love a mystery with a setting that is brought to life in each book.  I highly recommend ALL of the books in this series - book one is The Echo Killing if you are interested and haven't had the opportunity to check it out yet!

Bottom Line:  Another standout addition to one of my very favorite mystery series!

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher.  Honest thoughts are my own.

Summary from Goodreads:

"It’s Halloween night in Cedar Valley. During the town’s annual festival, Detective Gemma Monroe takes a break from trick or treating with her family to visit an old family friend, retired Judge Caleb Montgomery, at his law office. To Gemma’s surprise, Caleb seems worried—haunted, even—and confides in her that he’s been receiving anonymous threats. Shortly after, as Gemma strolls back to her car, an explosion at Caleb’s office shatters the night.

Reeling from the shock, Gemma and her team begin eliminating suspects and motives, but more keep appearing in their place, and soon another man is killed. Her investigation takes her from a chilling encounter with a convicted murderer at the Belle Vista Penitentiary, to the gilded rooms of the renovated Shotgun Playhouse, where Shakespeare’s cursed play Macbeth is set to open in a few weeks.

Yet most disturbing of all is when Gemma realizes that similar murders have happened before. There is a copycat killer at play, and if Gemma can’t stop him, he’ll carry out his final, deadly act. "

My Thoughts:

Shatter the Night is the fourth book in a mystery series that I absolutely adore!  This author can write and beautifully at that!  There is something so atmospheric about her books that I just cannot get enough of.  I honestly always want to save her books but I can't (and don't) because they are just so good - I can't resist picking them up soon after they release!  This isn't a series that you necessarily have to read in order.  I think that each one could be read as a standalone but together they are that much better.  One of the things about this series that I can't get enough of (besides the writing which is just so gorgeous that I can't help but mention it again) is the characters.  These are characters that feel real with real life struggles.  Gemma is a mom that works to balance life as a police detective and being a mother.  She doesn't always balance these two things the best but I feel like that's real life.  It isn't always easy but the reality is that both things are important to her so she works at it.  I love that the mysteries always seem to keep me guessing which is exactly what this one did.  I also really appreciate the way that the setting and season play a role in these books.  This one was set around Halloween so you could feel the chill in the air at times and the end of fall coming.  It was just SO GOOD and I need more readers to find and love this series as much as I do!!  I've read and loved all four books in this series.  I think that you would enjoy this series if you are a fan of Louise Penny's Inspector Gamache series to start, are a fan of mysteries and police procedurals, or are looking for a mystery with standout atmospheric writing that paints a picture in your head.  I highly recommend this series and each of the books in this series including this one!

Bottom Line:  Another standout addition to one of my very favorite mystery series!

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley but ended up reading a copy from my local library.

Egg Drop Dead by Vivien Chien (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"It was supposed to be a fancy, intimate dinner party by the pool. Instead, Lana Lee’s first-ever catering event turns into full-course madness when a domestic worker is found dead. Is the party’s host Donna Feng, the sweet-and-sour owner of the Asia Village shopping plaza where Ho-Lee is situated, somehow to blame? That’s what Lana―whose plate is already plenty full with running the restaurant, pleasing her often-disapproving mother, and fretting over her occasionally-serious boyfriend Detective Adam Trudeau―must find out.

Before the police arrived at the crime scene, Donna had entrusted an odd piece of evidence to Lana: a thumb drive shaped like a terra-cotta soldier. Now it’s up to Lana to lead her own investigation, digitally and in real life, into a world of secrets involving Donna’s earlier life in China, whether the victim had a dark agenda, and if the killer is still out there. . .and plans to strike again."

My Thoughts:

Egg Drop Dead is the 5th book in the Noodle Shop mystery series and it is just a delight!  I actually started this series on book three and haven't yet had the chance to catch up on books one and two.  This is the first time that it seems to have mattered as this book referenced a previous case that Lana investigated that I'm guessing happened during either book one or two.  It didn't affect my enjoyment of this book in the slightest but I wanted to mention it in case you haven't read those earlier books either.  This book had everything that I enjoy about this series!  There are these amazing food descriptions that make me constantly feel hungry while reading.  Lana is Lana and finds herself caught up in the middle of a murder investigation yet again.  She is such a delightful character that I just always find myself rooting for!  Plus, all of my favorite secondary characters were present including Lana's detective boyfriend Adam.  I liked that in this book we learned a bit more about Lana through her ex-boyfriend's surprise appearance in her life once again.  I don't want to share any spoilers but I will say that I liked how everything turned out in that situation.  The mystery portion of this book was well done as well and kept me guessing.  This is a series that I really enjoy and will just keep reading more of!  I really do need to catch up with those earlier books though!

Overall, this book was another great addition to what has become a favorite mystery series of mine!  I swear that every time I read these books I find myself craving spring rolls.  Yum!  The characters are great and I cannot wait to see what kind of trouble Lana will get herself into next time.  I'm really enjoying seeing Lana and Adam's relationship develop.  Hopefully we will continue to see that happen in future books.  You can certainly read this series out of order (I did) but I do think that it would help your overall reading experience to start at the beginning if possible.  This is a cozy mystery series not to be missed!  Recommended to fans of cozy mysteries and mystery readers alike!

Bottom Line:  Another delightful addition to one of my favorite cozy mystery series!

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher courtesy of NetGalley.  Honest thoughts are my own.

All The Best Lies by Joanna Schaffhausen (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"FBI agent Reed Markham is haunted by one painful unsolved mystery: who murdered his mother? Camilla was brutally stabbed to death more than forty years ago while baby Reed lay in his crib mere steps away. The trail went so cold that the Las Vegas Police Department has given up hope of solving the case. But then a shattering family secret changes everything Reed knows about his origins, his murdered mother, and his powerful adoptive father, state senator Angus Markham. Now Reed has to wonder if his mother's killer is uncomfortably close to home.

Unable to trust his family with the details of his personal investigation, Reed enlists his friend, suspended cop Ellery Hathaway, to join his quest in Vegas. Ellery has experience with both troubled families and diabolical murderers, having narrowly escaped from each of them. She's eager to skip town, too, because her own father, who abandoned her years ago, is suddenly desperate to get back in contact. He also has a secret that could change her life forever, if Ellery will let him close enough to hear it.

Far from home and relying only on each other, Reed and Ellery discover young Camilla had snared the attention of dangerous men, any of whom might have wanted to shut her up for good. They start tracing his twisted family history, knowing the path leads back to a vicious killer—one who has been hiding in plain sight for forty years and isn't about to give up now."

My Thoughts:

This series has fast become a favorite of mine at only three books in!  It's also a bit hard to review books that are part of a series without spoiling anything so I'll do my best not to spoil anything.  I do think that this is a series that should be read in order if possible.  There is just so much that we learn about and that happens in the first book that continues to carry over into each book of this series.  The author does a really amazing job with Ellery.  Her past is something that she continues to deal with and grow from.  I love her character and seeing how she has changed from the first book until now.  I also really liked the mystery that this book was focused on and the spotlight it shone on Reed's character.  We have always seen Reed trying to help Ellery and the shoe is really on the other foot in this book.  I love the dynamics between these two characters and their relationship with one another.  Neither of them is perfect but they come across that much more realistically because of it.  The mystery in this book kept me guessing the entire time as always.  There was one part of it that I had mostly figured out but then a different part that I didn't see coming at all.  I'm excited to see what kind of trouble that Reed and Ellery will find themselves in next.  I really appreciate that we continually see them grow and their relationship evolve in each book of the series.  This book was definitely a page turner and the perfect way to end my reading month in January!

Overall, I'm a HUGE fan of this series and will be impatiently waiting for the next book in this series to release!  This author and her books are on my must read list because I just love this series and characters so much.  If you haven't had the chance to read this series yet, definitely start with The Vanishing Season!  Every book in this series has been at least a four star read so I just cannot recommend it enough!  Fans of mysteries, suspense, and thrillers need to check this author out!

Bottom Line:  A really great addition to one of my favorite mystery series!

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher.  Honest thoughts are my own.

Death Over Easy by Maddie Day (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"Restaurateur Robbie Jordan is ready for the boost in business a local music festival brings to South Lick, Indiana, but the beloved event strikes a sour note when one of the musicians is murdered . . .
 
June’s annual Bill Monroe Bluegrass Festival in neighboring Beanblossom is always a hit for Robbie’s country store and café, Pans ‘N Pancakes. This year, Robbie is even more excited, because she’s launching a new bed and breakfast above her shop. A few festival musicians will be among Robbie’s first guests, along with her father, Roberto, and his wife, Maria. But the celebration is cut short when a performer is found choked to death by a banjo string. Now all the banjo players are featured in a different kind of lineup. To clear their names, Robbie must pair up with an unexpected partner to pick at the clues and find the plucky killer before he can conduct an encore performance . ."

My Thoughts:

Death Over Easy was another enjoyable addition to one of my favorite cozy mystery series!  I usually struggle with keeping up with all of the series that I like to read but for some reason that doesn't seem to be the case with my favorite cozy mystery series.  This is the latest addition to the Country Store mystery series and it once again reminded me why I love this series so much.  There are just fun and enjoyable reads!  In this one, the book is loosely centered around a Bluegrass Festival so there is lots of scenes featuring Bluegrass music and instruments.  I can't say that I've ever been to a Bluegrass festival myself but I enjoyed reading about it regardless.  As always, my favorite parts of the book are when Robbie is prepping food in her restaurant or cooking in her restaurant during the breakfast rush.  Everything she makes always sounds delicious which makes me hungry while reading!  Books like this sure do make me wish I was better cook than I really am.  There is just something almost comforting to me reading this series.  I'm always just swept away back into Robbie's life.  The mysteries are fun but aren't what draws me back to these books time and time again.  Instead it is the different characters, the cozy towns, and in this case, Robbie's cooking that keep me coming back for more!  This book was just a fun read and I can't wait to read the next one!

Overall, this was another enjoyable addition to this cozy mystery series!  Was it the best out of the series or my favorite?  Probably not but I still enjoyed my time with it and am ready for more!  I'll be impatiently waiting for the next book in this series but until then it looks like this author has a new different cozy series that recently released that I need to check out!  I love when that happens!  I can easily recommend this series to other cozy mystery lovers and suspense fans.  I do think that you would enjoy these books more if you read them in order but you absolutely do not have to!  The author does a really great job with giving you enough background information that you could dive straight into this one without feeling lost.  But as there are only four books in this series (five counting this one), I would recommend starting at the beginning if you can.  Recommended!

Bottom Line:  Another fun read in this cozy mystery series!

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley.  Thoughts are my own.

Lost Lake by Emily Littlejohn (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"On a bright Saturday in early spring, Detective Gemma Monroe responds to a missing person call at Lost Lake, near the small town of Cedar Valley, Colorado. With its sapphire waters and abundance of wildflowers, the lake is a popular camping destination in the summer. But for now, ice still grips the lake and snow buries the flowers.

When Gemma arrives at the shore, she meets three friends who have been camping there: the fourth of their group, Sari Chesney, has disappeared in the night without a trace. Sari is an assistant curator at the local museum, which is set to host a gala that night--a project she's worked on for months and would never intentionally miss. As Gemma begins to understand the complex dynamics of the supposedly close-knit friendship group, she realizes that more than one person is lying to her--and that the beautiful, still waters of Lost Lake may hide more terrible secrets . . ."

My Thoughts:

Lost Lake was another really great addition to what has fast become one of my favorite mystery series.  There is only three books in this series so far (counting this one) but they have all been at least four star reads for me which really says a lot in my opinion!  There is something about the way that this author writes that I just can't get enough of.  The descriptions that she includes within the pages of these books is both beautiful and haunting.  I found myself re-reading sentences just so that I could savor the writing and this author's way with words.  I think describing the way she writes as lyrical would be another good description if I'm being honest.  In this book, the descriptions around Lost Lake were both evocative and chilling.  I could just picture everything that she was describing so clearly in my head - I was just as creeped out by the lake as Gemma was in the book!  I really cannot say enough good things about the writing in these books!  I also always enjoy the mysteries in these books and this was no exception.  I loved how in this book there were three separate mysteries or cases that Gemma was investigating that all possibly tied together.  I spent the entirety of the book trying to figure out if the three cases did actually tie together or if it was all coincidence and completely separate.  Honestly I really just lost myself in the pages of this book even as I tried to take my time and savor it.  It's a long wait for each book when you love a series so much so I wasn't ready to finish this one right away.  I obviously can't say enough good things about this book.  I did guess part of the ending but not the why's behind it all which kept up the suspense until the very end.  I'm left very excited to continue on with this series!  Now begins the wait for book four!

Overall, I really enjoyed my time with this book (and this series to be honest) immensely.  These books have all been so good that I almost can't put into words how much I have enjoyed them.  Just the writing and this author's way with words set this series apart from so many of the mystery series out there.  I don't think that you have to read them in order necessarily but I would recommend it.  There are pieces from that first book that still carry into this one so I think that you will enjoy these books that much more by reading all of them.  I can highly recommend this book and this series as a whole!  Each book has been suspenseful and hard to set down.  Highly recommended!

Bottom Line:  A gorgeously written mystery that I savored the entire time!

Disclosure:  I read this book courtesy of my local library system.

Point of Origin by Patricia Cornwell (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"Dr Kay Scarpetta, Chief Medical Examiner and consulting pathologist for the federal law enforcement agency ATF, is called out to a farmhouse in Virginia which has been destroyed by fire. In the ruins of the house she finds a body which tells a story of a violent and grisly murder.

The fire has come at the same time as another even more incendiary horror: Carrie Grethen, a killer who nearly destroyed the lives of Scarpetta and those closest to her, has escaped from a forensic psychiatric hospital. Her whereabouts is unknown, but her ultimate destination is not, for Carrie has begun to communicate with Scarpetta, conveying her deadly - if cryptic - plans for revenge."

My Thoughts:

I don't usually review books that are part of long standing series for various reasons but the main one being that it is so hard!  It's so hard to not share spoilers both intentionally and unintentionally.  If you haven't read this book or the earlier/later books in this series and intend to (which you should as I'm a huge fan of this series overall), go ahead and move right along and skip reading this post.  I'm giving you the FULL warning here that I intend to spoil the heck out of this book because I have so many feelings and need to get them all out.  Okay, I've given the spoiler warning so let's move on to my thoughts on this book!

As I've been reading the earlier books in this series, I've gotten many comments on how this series kind of gets off track at some point causing many readers to stop reading.  I WOULD NOT be surprised if it was because or starting with this book.  Although I didn't love the first book, Postmortem,  I did enjoy it enough to continue and have really loved many of the first eight books in this series.  Looking back at Goodreads shows that I rated at least two of them five star reads (and honestly I don't even think I rated or reviewed the others due to not always sharing my thoughts about books that are part of a series).  I started off really loving this book!  It was just as compelling, suspenseful, and eerie as many of those other books were which is why I have loved them so much.  Cornwell is amazing in my opinion at leaving the reader guessing throughout most of the book which makes it hard to stop reading.  I was trucking along with this book when the author completely pulled the rug out on me.  Benton dies in this book?!?!  What in the world?  What made it even more confusing for me as the reader is that I've read two later books in this series - it's what got me started on reading this series from the beginning in the first place.  And Kay is married to him in those books so he is very much alive.  Knowing that made reading the last half of this book so confusing.  I kept waiting for Kay to find him - to realize that he was alive - thinking that this was all Carrie's doing - only to find that was not the case at all.  This book even ends with the scattering of Benton's ashes.  By the time I finished this book I was annoyed.  Annoyed because not only does this book end with Benton apparently dead but also Carrie Grethen is too - and she is ALSO alive in later books.  Seriously?!?  I'm trying to understand why the author would even make this decision with Benton's character but then also to do it with another major character?  I'm at a loss here folks.  So what do you think I did?  I went and read the summaries for the next books in this series to figure out when Benton comes back because he obviously does. And then I read reviews of this book to see if others would spoil what happens/how in the heck Cornwell believably or unbelievably brings Benton back to life.  Color me severely annoyed to find that not only does she bring him back but that both Marino and Lucy were in on it the entire time.  You've got to fucking be kidding me here (pardon the language but c'mon).  I just don't get it, I really don't.  If she wanted to kill Benton's character off for whatever reasons, she should have stuck with that decision.  Not go back and change your mind which is REALLY how this feels to me/comes across and then write him back in what sounds like a laughable manner.  I literally do not know how I'm going to read the next couple of books.  Part of this is my fault - I read those later books first so when reading this one I knew that it couldn't possibly be the truth when it all went down.  But really, even if I hadn't read the books in the order I did I can almost guarantee how cheated I would have felt when I got to whatever book that he returns in.  The ending of this book was so emotional and heartbreaking that I just cannot begin to understand her decisions afterwards with those next books.  Bleh.  This book would have been a 4 1/2 star read for me but I don't even know how to rate it now.  

The question remains - will I continue on with this series?  The answer at this point is yes but not any time soon.  I read this one a couple of weeks ago and I still get heated when I think about it.  I'm going to give myself a bit of a break and work on other books from my never-ending TBR list.  I'll go back and we will see how it all plays out.  The positive side of all of this is that I know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and the books get better (or more like what I enjoyed in these earlier reads).  So I have that to look forward to which helps make me want to keep reading.  And I must admit to still being very curious.  Where does she go from here?  Is this what actually turned off other readers from this series or is there something else?  I don't know at this point because I definitely didn't see this coming so who knows what else I can expect.  So there's my convoluted thoughts on this book.  I really liked it until I didn't.  For the series as a whole I can definitely recommend books one through eight.  It's super important to read them in order as events that happen in one become important in others - that kind of thing.  But they really are so good and that's why this book was so hard for me to stomach by the end.  If you've read this series and this book - what were your thoughts?  I would love to discuss this one with other readers!!

Bottom Line:  I don't even know what to say here - I'm a bit bitter overall with this one is the best way to put it.

Disclosure:  I checked this one out from my local library.  Thoughts are my own.

The Body Counter by Anne Frasier (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"Months after discovering the mastermind behind her own kidnapping, Detective Jude Fontaine is dealing with the past the only way she knows how: by returning to every dark corner of it. But it’s a new, escalating series of mass slayings that has become her latest obsession at Homicide.

At first, Jude and her partner, Detective Uriah Ashby, can see no pattern to the seemingly random methods, the crime scenes, or the victims—until they’re approached by a brilliantly compulsive math professor. He believes that the madman’s next move is not incalculable; in fact, it’s all part of a sequential and ingenious numerical riddle. His theory is adding up. The body count is rising.

But when the latest victim is found in Jude’s apartment, the puzzle comes with a personal twist that’s going to test the breaking point of her already-fragile state of mind. For all she knows, her number may be up."

My Thoughts:

I remember finishing The Body Reader two years ago and just wishing that the author would turn that book into a series.  I loved that book so much (which seems really strange to say considering how dark and twisted it was) and I just wanted more!  You can probably imagine how thrilled I was when I then heard about this book and realized that my wish had come true.  I couldn't wait to crack this book open which meant I almost instantly started reading it.  I will tell you here and now that it was just as good as I hoped and knew that it could be.  I loved my time with this book!  Loved it!  And yes it also feels strange to say that still as this book is just as dark as the first book was.  There is just something about Jude's character that is so compelling.  I never know what to expect from her or how she is going to react.  I also really, really like Uriah's character (her partner on the police force).  They compliment each other so well and there is just something so unreachable to both of them.  I don't know how else to explain it but it sure makes for really great reading.  One thing that I did struggle with at the beginning of this book was remembering all of the details from the previous book.  It had been a few years so it wasn't as fresh in my mind as I would have liked.  It didn't effect my enjoyment too much though as I just went back and read my thoughts on the first book.  I will say that this is probably a series best read in order but since there currently only two books that is completely doable.  The mystery portion of this book was both gruesome and compelling.  I couldn't stop reading because I just had to see how everything was going to end.  This was a book that I just found myself so completely immersed within.  It was such a great reading experience and once again I was left wanting more.  More books featuring these characters that I just can't seem to get enough of!  More mysteries that pull me in and don't let me go!  I just want more and that's never a bad thing when it comes to books!

Overall I really, really enjoyed this book so much that it has now cemented the series on to my personal favorites list.  I will basically read everything and anything that this author writes!  But that long wait for book three......luckily it looks like this author has other books that I can check out in the meantime.  I really can't say enough good things about this author and these two books.  This is easily a five star read for me which should say it all right there!  I will say that this series won't be for everyone as it has trigger warnings galore thanks to everything that Jude has gone through in her past.  It's something that she is constantly dealing with and I feel like it comes across so realistically.  She is a character that you can really root for even when you don't know what to expect from her.  I'll say it again here - start with this first book and if your reading tastes are anything like mine then you won't be disappointed.  I would highly recommend this series to readers of mysteries and thrillers!  

Bottom Line:  A book that is most likely going to be on my top reads list for 2018!

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher and NetGalley.  Thoughts on it are my own. 

This book is published today June 12th if you are interested! 

Blue Monday by Nicci French (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"The abduction of five-year-old Matthew Farraday provokes a national outcry and a desperate police hunt. And when a picture of his face is splashed over the newspapers, psychotherapist Frieda Klein is left troubled: one of her patients has been relating dreams in which he has a hunger for a child. A child he can describe in perfect detail, a child the spitting image of Matthew.

Detective Chief Inspector Karlsson doesn't take Frieda's concerns seriously until a link emerges with an unsolved child abduction twenty years ago and he summons Frieda to interview the victim's sister, hoping she can stir hidden memories. Before long, Frieda is at the center of the race to track the kidnapper.

But her race isn't physical. She must chase down the darkest paths of a psychopath's mind to find the answers to Matthew Farraday's whereabouts.

And sometimes the mind is the deadliest place to lose yourself."

My Thoughts:

I'm so pumped about this series after finishing this book!  Last year I read and adored Dark Saturday which is a later book in this series.  I've been meaning to go back to the first book every since then and thank goodness that I finally did.  I started and finished this book in one day.  A day in which my husband was having shoulder surgery so that should tell you how compelling that I found this book!  I was able to lose myself in it despite everything that was going on.  It was the perfect distraction and way to keep me from just sitting there worrying (like I'm prone to do).  It's funny but having read a later book in this series first, I could see how this book sets everything up for books to come.  We meet characters that are still in those later books and a bad guy like no other.  I know that I'm missing pieces but they will all fall into place as I continue to catch up on this series.  I should have listened to some of blogger friends and started reading this series years ago!  In this book, Frieda gets involved in the search of a kidnapped boy - a kidnapping that is starting to seem like it is related to another kidnapping over twenty years ago.  Frieda is such a great main character and I really enjoy reading about her.  She is a bit of a mystery in that she just seems so distanced from those around her.  She walks at all hours of the night and as the reader I could never quite get a feel of what is going on in that head of hers.  I loved it though because I am so intrigued by her!  I never know what to expect from her and that's a good thing in my opinion.  The mystery portion of this book was so completely well done and unexpected.  I don't want to give anything away but if you like a good twist (as seems to be so popular nowadays) then check this book out!  I can honestly say that I won't be waiting long to continue on with book two because I just NEED to see what happens next!

Overall, I basically loved my time with this book which is really all you need to know.  It was such a compelling thriller, and has pushed both this series and author to my must read list.  I've heard that the eighth book is going to be the last one which is a bummer only in that I enjoy these characters so much.  That being said I still have a good number of this author's books to catch up on before then and hopefully they will continue to write other books in the future.  I'm basically gushing at this point but this is a series and author to definitely to check out in my opinion.  I can highly recommend to both thriller and mystery fans alike.  Trigger warning in that this book features a kidnapped child - I'm sure that isn't something that all readers will want to read about so thought I would give you a heads up.  Highly recommended otherwise though!

Bottom Line:  An amazing beginning to what is now fast becoming a favorite series of mine (and I've only read two books in it)!

Disclosure:  I checked this book out from my local library.       

Lost Girls by Angela Marsons (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"Two girls go missing. Only one will return.  
The couple that offers the highest amount will see their daughter again. The losing couple will not. Make no mistake. One child will die. 

When nine-year-old best friends Charlie and Amy disappear, two families are plunged into a living nightmare. A text message confirms the unthinkable; that the girls are the victims of a terrifying kidnapping. 

And when a second text message pits the two families against each other for the life of their children, the clock starts ticking for D.I. Kim Stone and the squad. 

Seemingly outwitted at every turn, as they uncover a trail of bodies, Stone realises that these ruthless killers might be the most deadly she has ever faced. And that their chances of bringing the girls home alive, are getting smaller by the hour… 

Untangling a dark web of secrets from the families’ past might hold the key to solving this case. But can Kim stay alive long enough to do so? Or will someone’s child pay the ultimate price?"

My Thoughts:

I've been meaning to read this book for months and am so glad that I finally did just that!  I have a tendency to hoard books in my favorite series but never read them as I don't want to run out of books to look forward to (yes, I'm weird like that).  But then I realized that there are seven books in this series and I've fallen way behind so I decided it was time to start catching up.  Reading this book reminded my why I love this series so much.  It was heart-poundingly good and such a thrill ride!  The premise is honestly too horrifying to think about.  Two families are torn apart when their daughters are kidnapped and to get them back they are told to make the highest bid.  I cannot even imagine and wouldn't want to!  It raised the tension level in this book to about a ten though which meant that I didn't want to stop reading.  I loved the fact that in this book we got to see a different type of investigation for Kim to be working rather than a murder investigation.  The thoughts of what these two missing girls must be going through was haunting Kim and even effecting her investigation at times.  As I've said before, she is one of my favorite main characters in a mystery series due to her personality and dark past.  She is just so interesting to read about and you never know what she is going to do next.  That was definitely apparent in this book as she was basically willing to do anything to get those girls back.  I found the last half of the book so incredibly intense that I basically couldn't stop reading.  I was cooking dinner last night with one hand and had my kindle in the other.  Seriously, I had hit the point of no return and just had to see how it was all going to end!

Overall, I enjoyed this book so much and found that it was another great addition to one of my favorite mystery series!  I can't say enough good things about this series or these books.  I've been reading them in order but I really do think that you could read them out of order without it effecting your enjoyment of each book.  If you enjoy tense, thrilling reads then this is a series for you.  Each book has been different but so compulsively readable.  The first two books made my best of lists for the years that I read them and I don't think that this one will be any different.  I'm kicking myself now for waiting so long to read this book.  Luckily, I already have book four loaded on my kindle so I won't be waiting much longer to dive into that one.  I would highly recommend this book and this series!

Bottom Line:  Another top read from one of my favorite series!

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

Biscuits and Slashed Browns by Maddie Day (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"For country-store owner Robbie Jordan, the National Maple Syrup Festival is a sweet escape from late-winter in South Lick, Indiana--until murder saps the life out of the celebration . . .

As Robbie arranges a breakfast-themed cook-off at Pans 'N Pancakes, visitors pour into Brown County for the annual maple extravaganza. Unfortunately, that includes Professor Connolly, a know-it-all academic from Boston who makes enemies everywhere he goes--and this time, bad manners prove deadly. Soon after clashing with several scientists at a maple tree panel, the professor is found dead outside a sugar shack, stabbed to death by a local restaurateur's knife. When an innocent woman gets dragged into the investigation and a biologist mysteriously disappears, Robbie drops her winning maple biscuits to search for answers. But can she help police crack the case before another victim is caught in a sticky situation with a killer?"

My Thoughts:

This cozy mystery series is a personal favorite of mine so I've been waiting impatiently to get my hands on this book.  There is just something so delightful about diving back into this series with each book.  They have almost become comfort reads at this point as I know to expect mouthwatering descriptions of all sorts of food along with a mystery that keeps me guessing.  In this book, Robbie gets involved in the search for a killer after her aunt comes across a body during the Maple Syrup Festival.  Robbie's knack for puzzles and natural curiosity always seem to pull her into investigating which in turn leads her into trouble.  I loved that with this book we got to see all of the characters that we know and love but also were introduced to a few new ones.  My favorite parts of the book though are the times when Robbie is working in her restaurant.  I love the little details that are included about prepping the various foods that she is going to serve.  The times when she is actually working in her restaurant and interacting with her customers are just so fun to read about!

Overall, I enjoyed this book and thought it was another good addition to this series.  I feel like you basically know what you are getting when picking up these books but that isn't a bad thing.  It is just that feeling of visiting with old friends - I look forward to these books so that I can dive into this world once again. It is going to be another long wait for the next book to be released but it will be worth the wait!  I'm actually really excited because it looks like we will be getting the fifth book this year as well.  You can certainly read this book as a standalone but I would recommend reading the series in order if possible.  There are pieces from previous books that you will miss out on otherwise.  Overall, this is a cozy series that I highly recommend!  One of my favorites and one that I wait impatiently for each new book on.

Bottom Line:  Another great addition to one of my favorite cozy mystery series!

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

Biscuits and Slashed Browns was released today on January 30th!

A Twist of the Knife by Becky Masterman (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"Ex-FBI agent Brigid Quinn, now happily settled in Tucson, doesn’t go back to visit her family in Florida much. But her former partner Laura Coleman, whose life she has saved and who saved her life, is living there now. When Laura calls about a case that is not going well, Brigid doesn’t hesitate to get on a plane.

On leave from the Bureau, Laura has been volunteering for a legal group that is trying to prove the innocence of a man who is on death row for killing his family. Laura is firmly convinced that he didn’t do it, while Brigid isn’t so sure—but the date for his execution is coming up so quickly that she shares Laura’s fear that any evidence absolving him from the crime may come too late."

My Thoughts:

 I'm basically obsessed with this series at this point.  A few years back I received the second book for review - Fear the Darkness - and it was AMAZING!  I then read and also adored the first book in this series last year which is Rage Against the Dying.  Here we are with the third book and we have yet another winner.  This author can't write fast enough for me at this point!  The thing is it really doesn't feel like enough readers how found this author and these books.  They are so flipping good though so what a shame!  Or maybe I'm crazy and I'm just not following the bloggers who have read and loved this series as much as I have - that's entirely possible.  I'm getting completely off track though.  This book was yet another great addition to this series.  I said this before (maybe on Litsy?) but this wasn't even my favorite of the series and it is still WAY better than so many other books like it.  This author can write a tense and thrilling mystery like few others.  I loved this book (as I knew that I would) and flew through the pages.  My one and only complaint was that we didn't get to see as much of Carlos (Brigid's husband) as we have in previous books.  I really like this character so I missed him in this one.  

I love how in each of these books Masterman has created such a compelling mystery.  I always feel like I need to know what is going to happen next.  And I do mean need.  I can't ever seem to put these books down and this was no exception.  I have yet to figure out the mystery portion of the book on my own with these.  Am I babbling at this point?  I liked that we got to learn more about Brigid's family in this one.  The thing about this book that really stood out for me was that you never fully knew if you could trust Laura.  I love the unreliable narrator trope and although that wasn't the case here - it gave me the same feel which made this book an easy winner.  I also really liked the focus on the death penalty in this book.  This is definitely one of those issues that people have strong feelings on and it still made me think.  You've got to appreciate when a book does that for you while reading. 

Overall, this was another great addition to one of my very favorite mystery/thriller series.  I love, love, love these books.  It is hard to wait for each new book to release but completely worth the wait.  I can't say enough good things about it obviously.  I think that readers who enjoy Sharon Bolton should give this series a shot.  They are two of my favorites and authors that I can't recommend enough.  I flew through the pages of this book and already want more.  Before I forget- you don't have to read this series in order.  I didn't and it has still become a personal favorite.  Highly recommended!

Bottom Line:  A favorite of 2017.  Enough said!

Disclosure:  I checked this book out from my local library.

A Season to Lie by Emily Littlejohn (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"In Emily Littlejohn's follow-up to her acclaimed debut, Inherit the Bones, police officer Gemma Monroe has just returned to work from maternity leave. And what a first day back: a blizzard is blowing into her idyllic Colorado ski town, and while Gemma hopes for a quiet, warm evening in, she knows it will mean plenty of calls out for snow-related accidents. But when an anonymous caller reports seeing a lurker at the local high school, Gemma gets far more than she bargained for. Behind the school building, half covered in a drift of snow, lies the gruesomely murdered body of a world-famous author—whose presence in town was meant to be a secret."

My Thoughts:

I was really looking forward to this book after enjoying Inherit the Bones so much last year (book one in this series).  It was funny because I realized while reading this book that I had forgotten some of the details from book one although nothing major.  I just went back and read my thoughts on it - I gave it five stars and wrote a glowing review so yeah....I would say I enjoyed it.  I can honestly say that I enjoyed this book almost as much as that beginning read.  It begins with Gemma returning from maternity leave back to police duty.  On almost the very first day that she returns a huge snowstorm hits the area and in the midst of it Gemma and her partner get called out and find a body.  I'm a huge sucker for mysteries set in the cold and especially in the midst of a snowstorm so honestly the author had me right from the beginning.  It just gave the book this eerie feeling which I'm now remembering that she also had in book one.  Probably another one of the reasons that I am enjoying this series so much!

I really enjoy this author's way with words.  There is just something about the way she describes things that I can't seem to get enough of.  There is this scene at the beginning of the book where Gemma goes to this home nestled in the woods - the way that the author compares it to a cottage that you would find in a fairy tale just made it all come to life for me.  It's funny because I guessed the killer early on in the book without really believing that I was right.  I spent the majority of the book trying to figure out who the killer was then only coming to the end and realizing I had been right in the first place.  Go figure!  But at least it kept that level of tension that I prefer when I'm reading mysteries and thrillers.  I read a slightly negative review on this book that left me a bit surprised but I don't believe that the reader had read both books.  Ultimately, I do think that this is a series where you need to read them in order just because so much carries over from the first book to the second.  I definitely felt differently and actually really enjoyed this book a lot!

This series has turned into a real winner for me!  Two books in and I'm definitely planning on reading the third...just as soon as it comes out that is.  I still think that the first book was my favorite so far but this was a really great follow-up.  It also really got me in the mood for winter with all of the talk about snowstorms and snow.  I love the snow so I'm more than ready for winter to hit although I will take fall weather any day!  I can easily recommend this book but do read Inherit the Bones first to get the full reading experience.  Highly recommended!

Bottom Line:  Another great addition to this series which has become a favorite of mine!

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

A Season to Lie releases on November 14th!

All The Secret Places by Anna Carlisle (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"Gin Sullivan is back in Pittsburgh on an extended leave from her job at the Chicago medical examiner's office and rekindling an old flame with her high school sweetheart, Jake. Gin is readjusting to life at home when Jake receives harrowing news early one morning. The new housing development his construction firm is building has caught fire and underneath one of the burnt homes is a dead body. When the body is identified as a man who may very well be the violent offender who terrified Gin's childhood town years ago, the pool of suspects broadens and it becomes a greater challenge to pinpoint his killer. Gin is determined to unearth old demons, hers included, but soon finds some people will kill to keep them buried. Small town secrets cast daunting shadows in All the Secret Places, Anna Carlisle's riveting second Gin Sullivan mystery."

My Thoughts:

Last year I read and loved the first book in this series titled Dark Road Home.  I've been impatiently waiting for this second book every since.  I cannot tell you the last time that I read a book in one day....it hasn't happened yet this year until now.  I started this book on a rainy Saturday morning and finished it late that night.  That's how good this book was!  There is just something about this author's books that absolutely suck me in.  I couldn't stop reading even when I was trying to watch the Harry Potter marathon at the same time.  There is something so real about these books and this small struggling town that is trying to get past the economic struggles it has been through.  When you add to that strong main characters and a solid mystery it equals out to a really great read.  

One of my favorite things about this series is the characters.  The author has managed to really bring them to life for me so I care about what happens to each of them.  My one and only complaint with this book was that I didn't care for the Tucker storyline.  I don't want to give anything away but I didn't care for his friendship with Gin at all.  I did really appreciate that we got the chance to see more of Olive who played a small but important role in the first book.  The mystery itself was really well done.  I didn't have the slightest clue to who was behind it all until the very end.  It made my reading experience that much more intense which is why I couldn't stop reading.  The ending of this book wrapped everything up perfectly and left me wishing for the next book right now.  I so enjoyed this book but it is going to be a long wait for book three! 

Overall I really, really enjoyed this book and have become such a huge fan of this series.  Loving this book just as much as the first book means that this author has been added to my favorites list.  I will reading everything she writes at this point because it is a rare event when a book compels me to read it in just one day.  While you don't have to read this series in order, I would highly recommend that you do as reading this one first will basically spoil for you the mystery in book one.  There are a lot of references to what happened in the previous book so it would be best to read the series in order.  I would recommend this series to mystery and suspense fans alike.  I highly recommend!

Bottom Line:  Finished this book in just one day...that should tell you all you need to know!

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

I is For Innocent by Sue Grafton (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"When David Barney was acquitted in the shooting death of his wife, Isabelle, a good many thought that justice had not been served - including Kenneth Voight, Isabelle's former husband. Now, five years later, Voight is the plaintiff in a civil suit in which Barney stands accused of Isabelle's wrongful death. The stakes are high - Isabelle's estate is worth millions - but time is running short: the statue of limitations will cut Voight off in only a matter of weeks. Enter sexy, savvy ex-cop turned P.I. Kinsey Millhone, brought in by Voight to gather the necessary damning evidence. It doesn't take long, however, for Kinsey to find that while a lot of people hate David Barney, a lot more hated Isabelle. Suddenly a simple civil case becomes a deadly hunt for someone who once got away with murder . . . and may again . . ."

My Thoughts:

I waited way too long to read this book since finishing H is for Homicide.  I almost forgot how much I love this series and Kinsey herself.  Craziness, I tell you!  It was an absolute joy to read this book and get back to this series.  Kinsey as always is up to her usual hi jinks investigating a case where the defendant was found not guilty and now a civil case is being brought against him.  Her job is to basically make a case so that he doesn't get off free this time.  From the very beginning I found myself completely immersed within this book.  I couldn't stop reading it and was squeezing in reading time wherever and whenever I could.  It was just so fun to get back to reading about all of my favorite characters.  I also really liked the mystery in this story.  Was the defendant innocent of murder like the jury had found?  Or had they gotten it all wrong and let a killer off free?  The questions were there throughout the entire book and I didn't figure it out until the very end when Kinsey did as well.

I read these books entirely because Kinsey is such a great main character!  I love reading about her adventures and really just about her in general.  The author is so detailed with her books that it just all seems to come alive while you are reading.  I especially enjoy the fact that these are set before cell phones and the internet.  Kinsey uses the phone book and library while she is investigating a case rather than just looking things up online.  It's a throwback to a different time and different kind of lifestyle and I love visiting it.  I say that fully aware that I love the ability I have to stay in touch by cellphone with my oldest at all times (this is the Mom in me coming out - LOL!).  The ending of this book was very well done and unexpected.  I love that with this series I usually never guess how it is all going to end.  Doesn't mean that I don't try but I'm usually always wrong.  I just flew through the pages of this book and now I really want more.  Looks like a visit to my used bookstore is needed to get J is for Judgement soon!      

Overall, I found this to be a delightful addition to one of my very favorite mystery series!  I waited way too long to continue my reading of this series but I won't be making that mistake with the next book.  I don't think that you need to read this series in order but I would recommend it.  There is just so much to enjoy with these books and I can't recommend them enough!  I feel like this is a must read series for mystery fans.  Highly recommended!

Bottom Line:  Another great addition to one of my favorite series.

Disclosure:  I purchased a copy of this book from my local used bookstore.   

From Potter's Field by Patricia Cornwell (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"Christmas has never been a particularly good time for Dr Kay Scarpetta. Although a holiday for most, the festivities always seem to heighten the alienation felt by society's violent fringe; and that usually means more work for Scarpetta, Virginia's Chief Medical Examiner and consulting forensic pathologist for the FBI.

The body was naked, female, and found propped against a fountain in a bleak area of New York's Central Park. Her apparent manner of death points to a modus operandi that is chillingly familiar: the gunshot wound to the head, the sections of skin excised from the body, the displayed corpse - all suggest that Temple Brooks Gault, Scarpetta's nemesis, is back at work.

Calling on all her reserves of courage and skill, and the able assistance of colleagues Marino and Wesley, Scarpetta must track this most dangerous of killers in pursuit of survival as well as justice - heading inexorably to an electrifying climax amid the dark, menacing labyrinths of the New York subway."

My Thoughts:

I am so hooked on this series!  I literally am trying to take my time with this series and not just blow through all of the books but it is so hard when the books are this good.  The reading experience is different for me compared to other readers because I've read two of the more recent books previously.  Now that I'm actually reading the earlier books (and in order) I can see how some of these books are building up to those later books.  It is pretty awesome if I do say so myself!  The thing that I liked best about this book is that feeling where absolutely anything could happen next.  This feeling is actually present in most of the books that I have read by her but it was especially strong in this book.  There was this creepy scene in the morgue where I was on the edge of my seat while reading.  It was SO intense!!  I never know what the characters are going to do or how they are going to react despite being in each book from the very beginning.  I don't know how else to describe it.  Benton, Lucy, Marino.....heck, they are all mysteries from time to time which really adds just another layer of suspense to these novels.  The best part of this book though was that Temple Brooks Gault was back and seemingly on a killing spree.  We first read about him a few books back and he was even more terrifying in this book.  I may say this with every book but I felt like this was one of the most suspenseful books in the series so far.  It was crazy at times and I just couldn't get enough of it!  

At this point I'm a huge fan of this mystery series and am enjoying every minute of reading these books.  This book was everything that I enjoy in a thriller and mystery all combined into one.  It was hard to put down, and I found myself flying through the pages.  I really love the way this author writes in such a way as leaves me questioning everything that is going on.  I just can't get enough of these books!  I already have the next book waiting patiently on my shelves- I won't be waiting long to read it so that I'm able to see what kind of trouble Scarpetta finds herself in next.  Highly, highly recommended!

Bottom Line:  Yet another amazing addition to this series which is a favorite of mine!

Disclosure:  I picked up my copy of this book from my local used bookstore.  Worth every penny!    

Two Can Play by Kate Kessler (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"Halloween is approaching, and criminal psychologist Audrey Harte has been hired by the prosecution to help prepare for the trial of 19-year-old serial killer Ian "Boy Scout" Monroe. His one surviving victim, Tori Scott, is the star witness, but when someone begins killing with Monroe's M.O., the authorities -- and Audrey -- begin to wonder if Monroe had a partner. Keeping Tori safe is the main concern, but Audrey has also attracted the copy-cat's attention.

Audrey is drawn into a dangerous game of cat and mouse, and when someone close to her is abducted by the killer, Audrey has no choice but to play..."

My Thoughts:

I cannot recommend this series enough!  Last year I read and loved the first book in this series, It Takes One.  That book left me so excited about this new series and eagerly waiting to get my hands on this book.  I was absolutely thrilled to find that I enjoyed this book just as much as the first book.  One of the things that I like best about this series is that it has a darker edge to it and especially to the characters.  Audrey committed murder when she was younger and that isn't something that has left her.  In fact, it is something that she is constantly dealing with and trying to overcome.  This isn't something that you see in most thrillers/mystery series which is one of the reasons I like it so much.  This series is different from what's out there which makes it stand out to me.  I also really, really enjoy the fact that Audrey is so bad-ass.  She can truly be scary at times which isn't something that you see very often with a female character.  I just love that the author isn't afraid to take chance with these books and the books are that much better because of it. 

This book was just as much of a page-turner as the first book.  I found myself unable to set it down especially towards the end.  I hit a certain point where there was no turning back and I just settled in to see how it would all play out.  I guessed who the killer was about halfway thru the book but for me it didn't matter as I still needed to see how it would end.  This author isn't afraid to make difficult choices with her characters so the entire reading experience is more intense because of it.  I may have figured the mystery out but it didn't mean that I knew how it would end.  Does that make sense?  I really enjoyed that we continue to see more of Audrey and Jake's relationship as I'm really loving it.  They understand each other so well and in a way that most wouldn't.  Obviously I really enjoyed everything about this book.  I don't have a bad thing to say about it!

Overall, I have to admit that there is a very good chance that this book will also make it on to my top reads list for 2017.  Now I just have to start the waiting game back up again for the next book in this series to release.  Ugh!  It is so hard when the books are so good!  I've seen that there is definitely going to be a third book but I am really, really hoping that there will be more after that one.  I really feel like this series is a bit under that radar - mystery and thriller fans NEED to check this one out!  There is a lot continuing from the first book so I do think readers should start with It Takes One.  But that doesn't mean that you can't start here if you want to!  Highly, highly recommended!  Seriously- read this series already!

Bottom Line:  A personal favorite series of mine and we are only two books in!  I cannot recommend enough!

Disclosure:  I checked this book out from my local library.  I will be purchasing a copy for my own shelves at some point.