Close Her Eyes by Lisa Regan

 

 As a super fan of Lisa Regan's from way back when, I couldn't wait to read this one, #17, though I had not finished every book in the series yet. As others read it and gave it glowing reviews, I knew I couldn't wait to finish her whole series to get to this one. I am so glad that I did because this was my absolute favorite of all the Lisa Regan books and I inhaled it in 2 sittings (I'm not a fast reader anymore so that means a lot). I will still definitely go back and fill in with the titles I haven't gotten to yet.

In #17, Josie and the team are pushed to their limits when the discovery of a young woman dumped by the riverbank holds a shocking clue. A cattle brand seared into the deceased woman's hip is identical to the one that their own M.E. carries on her own hip. This disfigurement points back to a past abusive relationship that their medical examiner, Anya, had gone through and her co-workers didn't know. Following up with her ex, who is part of a wealthy family of cattle ranchers in a nearby county, they get tangled up in more family secrets, leading to other identical murders. All the crimes seem to be related, but unless people start talking, the Denton team of Josie, Noah, and Mett is stymied and Anya will need their protection. The more that Josie learns about the dysfunctional family relationships of her suspects, the more she begins to dwell on the troubling abuse she suffered as a child.

This story is a fast-paced, intriguing, and emotional installment in the Josie Quinn series and is highly recommended! This author writes realistic dialogue and intricate plots that I can't figure out until the end. Josie's inner circle of family, friends, co-workers, and found-family members remains fluid over the course of the books, so the dedicated reader is able to form bonds with the characters as they grow and change. If you haven't read any of these books you can still pick this one up and have a great reading experience. But I'm sure that you will want to revisit Josie, though, and luckily you'll have 16 more to read!
5/5 stars, recommended! (TW: domestic violence)

Next Girl Missing by LA Larkin

 

 I didn't know exactly what to expect, starting a new series off by an author I hadn't read from before. However I saw on Goodreads that she is a prolific crime fiction author with very good reviews left for her, so that pulled me in. And getting in at the beginning of a series is always fun.

Before I go further, TWs to consider: [serial killer, crimes against children, a suicide, and an abusive, gaslighting husband/ex-husband (who is a police officer) (hide spoiler)].

Sally used to be a police officer but now advocates for victims. She becomes emotionally wrapped up in the Missing Poster Killer case and gets actively involved. The killer puts up Missing Child posters before they are taken and there was one with Sally's face also.She is now worried about her own safety as well as the last girl taken, who might still be alive.

Without giving too much away, the plot is suspenseful and kept me reading to get answers. I will definitely be on the lookout for more LA Larkin stories, as crime fiction remains my favorite genre and this story put a new twist on kidnapping/murder plots. I read so many that it is refreshing to read one that puts a different spin on the situation.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read a digital copy of this for an honest opinion. Recommended!

Helpless by Annette Dashofy

 

 I have to admit that I've only read the first 4 installments in the long-running Zoe Chambers "cozy-ish" series. I gravitate toward grittier and darker mysteries than most cozy mysteries can provide but I'm fond of stories that can straddle the line between cozy and suspense mysteries. Anyway, I don't pay as much attention to series that I consider too mild/humorous/slow-moving but when I saw Helpless by Annette Dashofy offered by the publisher, I remembered why I started the series in the first place!

Helpless works well because it keeps the suspense ratcheted and the atmosphere intense. Zoe, by the way, is a paramedic & county coroner married to the PA small town's police chief. I don't think I've ever read a series featuring an EMT or paramedic first responder, and that is what pulled me in a few years ago. Somehow I lost track of this series but I'm excited to go back and read more of the books and see what I missed.

Helpless features a massive storm system barreling up the coast and hitting rural PA at the same time that Zoe and Pete are trying to solve the mystery of who killed their friend's wife and kidnapped their little daughter. They are tasked with doing this while the area floods out roadways, knocks down trees and power lines, and cuts phone service. This book is a bit different than those in the beginning of the series, at least in my opinion, by taking the suspense level up a few notches. I look forward to more of this series! Recommended!
thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my advance digital copy

Identity by Nora Roberts

 

 

 Nora Roberts has a backlist of stories a mile long and then some! She also writes under the name JD Robb for her "In Death" series which unfortunately I don't care to read. But Ms. Roberts' stand-alone contemporary suspense are more my style and I've read quite a number of them over the years. This title, Identity, was a breath of fresh air juxtaposed with my crime fiction thriller books, which is my favorite genre but can get stressful at times. Sometimes I just want a bit of romance and an easy-going suspense plot.

In this one, Morgan-- an Army brat who wants to settle down and get on with life-- takes up a career of bartending near Baltimore MD. But after being swept up with a flirty customer supposedly named Luke, Morgan's life is in turmoil, but also danger. Luke has killed her friend Nina when he really wanted to target Morgan. The FBI warns Morgan of how diabolical the "Luke" person is and she flees to Vermont to be with her mother and grandma. She meets a new love interest, the steady and safe Miles, but she has to look out for Luke, who may be coming after her soon.

Fans of Nora Roberts will enjoy this one and if you haven't read one of her books before, a stand-alone such as this one will appeal to readers of romantic suspense, women's fiction, and genre fiction. Recommended!
thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my advanced digital copy

I'm Yearning For Summer and Those Beach Reads, Please!

 

I want those lazy, crazy, hazy days of Summer... sooner than later! Late Winter and Spring have been pretty horrid weather here and I'm thinking about beaches, lakes, grassy backyards, nature walks with shimmering green leaves overhead. Add in tall glasses of iced tea, the scent of coconut oil in the air, and ball caps and sunglasses. Is it too much to ask, or am I rushing it?

 

I read in season as a mood reader, meaning I won't read Christmas stories in June or even Halloween horror stories (I don't even like horror, but whatever). It can be set in Spring or Autumn if it's not about a holiday, I guess. I like to have either fluffy romances, historical fiction, women's fiction, or chunky thrillers, in my "beach bag TBR".  Distant points on the reading radar... but these will fit the purpose. Here are some  so many of the titles I'm hoping to read this Summer. I'm sure I'll get to at least some of them. Where there's a will, there's a way!

 

Releases from early-May to early September I'd like to read:

• The Half Moon- Mary Beth Keane *
  
• Drowning- TJ Newman *
  
• The One- Audrey Cole  *
  
• A Fatal Illusion- Anna Lee Huber *
  
• The Girls of Summer- Katie Bishop
• Meet Me At the Lake- Carley Fortune
• The Wishing Game- Meg Shaffer
• Someone Else's Bucket List- Amy T. Matthews
• The Heavy Lift- Nick Petrie*
• No Two Persons- Erica Bauermeister *
  
• No One Needs to Know- Lindsay Cameron 
• The Five-Star Weekend- Elin Hilderbrand *
  
• The Only One Left- Riley Sager *
  
• One Night- Georgina Cross
• Zero Days- Ruth Ware *
  
• Hello Stranger- Katherine Center *
  
• An Evil Heart- Linda Castillo *
  
• The Summer of Songbirds- Kristy Woodson Harvey *
  
• Her, Too- Bonnie Kistler
• A Game of Lies- Clare Mackintosh *
  
• The Starfish Sisters- Barbara O'Neal *
  
• Just Another Missing Person- Gillian McAllister  *
  
• The Viper- John Verdon *
  
• The Killer's Wife- Susan Furlong
• Dark Corners- Megan Goldin
• These Still Black Waters- Christina McDonald *
  
• North of Nowhere- Allison Brennan *
  
• The Trap- Catherine Ryan Howard *
  
• Dead and Gone- Joanna Schaffhausen *
  
• Evergreen- Naomi Hirahara
• The Hike- Lucy Clarke
• The Orchid Hour- Nancy Bilyeau *
  
• The House Guest- Hank Phillippi Ryan *
  
• Happiness Falls- Angie Kim
• Hemlock Island- Kelley Armstrong *
  
• The River We Remember- William Kent Krueger *
  
• Perfectly Nice Neighbors- Kia Abdullah *
  
• The Taken Ones- Jess Lourey *
  

 I am familiar with many of these authors but others I might be willing to take a chance on if I'm able to get them from NetGalley, the library, or discounted e-book. 

Authors I've read before, have an * next to their name.

What is the name of a title you are looking forward to this Summer?

Trail of the Lost

 

 I chose this title because I've been enjoying mysteries that take place out in the open, in woods and parks and such lately. Maybe it's the warmer weather, I don''t know, but these stories are appealing to me right now. This is a real-life mystery book because it is the true story of the extremely planned out rescue plans for 3 folks who were lost on the Pacific Coast Trail, which runs from the Mexican border to the Canadian, along the western states such as California and Washington. It is written by a former Park Ranger who is knowledgeable about nature and weather conditions and dangers along the way.

I didn't get the type of story I was looking for originally but it did hold my interest--as a human interest story-- and I was rooting for them to find the missing men. I won't say if they were found or not to keep some suspense for you if you want to go in without details of the book. I had hoped for more actual facts about the PCT and the people who travel it, but this played out well and I did enjoy it. My only thought, and I don't like to nitpick at true life stories, is that it was a bit overwhelming in the details of the search and the names and relations of the people who joined in. I got a bit confused and that made the middle of it slow down for me.

All in all, good choice for nature enthusiasts or just those looking for a true story with life or death outcomes.
3.5/5 stars recommended. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital copy.

New Relase From Lisa Regan!

MAY 3RD IS THE ANTICIPATED RELEASE OF LISA REGAN'S 17TH JOSIE QUINN!

IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THIS SERIES... WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?  

JUST $4.99 FOR AN AMAZON DIGITAL E-BOOK...  on 5/3/23. Check price before ordering

 

 

I am still making my way through this series in order so I don't have this book ordered yet (I just won this book in the release day giveaways*)!   I've read about 3/4 of all of Lisa Regan books since the first--Finding Claire Fletcher-- released, including her other shorter series. The best thing about these books is that you know what you are getting. They are reliable good times, with good character development and fleshed-out supporting characters. The mysteries are fresh and intriguing and will pull you in. Technically you can jump in with this one and get caught up, but if you can start from the beginning, even better. I'm not compensated for this post; I'm just a fan! 

*Now that I've won one of the copies of this book given away on release day, I'm thinking of skipping to the last one and then going back and reading the others. I'll get spoiled for some character growth and changes, but the allure of a new book always pulls me in!

What would you do if you unexpectedly got the newest book in a long running series? Would you read it and then go back to some of the others, or would you wait until you caught up?

New Books I'd Like to Read in May

 As you can see, I don't have too many from my favorite genre represented below-- mystery thrillers. This new month doesn't hold a lot of titles that I am very anxious for, but I listed some possibilities below. Time will tell if I read many of them since at this moment I don't have an ARCS of them and have not pre-ordered any. I do know I will buy or borrow The Long March Home (this sparks my interest, even though historical fiction is hit or miss for me),  Up Close (easy to read, comfort author), Drowning (loved her previous book), and The One That Got Away,  (a spin-off from one of my current favorite series by JD Kirk). So now I'll still be searching for titles, new or old that make me excited to read.

 As you see by the * which point to authors whom I have read even just one book by, I am not venturing out of my comfort zone for new to me authors in May. This is the year I decided to try some more fantasy or sci-fi, but I haven't found any that are piquing my interest at the moment. I'm going to take a look at some backlist titles of popular SF/F authors and see if I can get my hands on them and see how it goes.

 

•  Close Her Eyes by Lisa Regan *
  
• When the Rain Ends by Mary Ellen Taylor
• Tell Me How This Ends by Jo Leevers
• Your Plantation Prom is Not Okay by Kelly McWilliams
• All the Days of Summer by Nancy Thayer *
• Without Saying Goodbye by Laura Jarratt
• The Long March Home by Tosca Lee *
• No Two Persons by Erika Bauermeister *
• The Bird Hotel by Joyce Maynard *
• The Half Moon by Mary Beth Keane *
• Ward D by Freida McFadden *
• Killing Me by Michelle Gagnon *
• Up Close by Danielle Girard *
• Murder in the Family by Cara Hunter *
• The One That Got Away by JD Kirk  *
• Drowning by TJ Newman * 

Where They Lie by Joe Hart

 

 I am a big Joe Hart fan, having read all his books so far, and happily surprised at how he can jump around in different genres and still write thrilling stories. I'll admit this one was not one of my favorites of his but that probably stems from my dislike of Nora, the main character. She is so moody and angst-y, and goes above and beyond what a CPS agent would ever do to learn about what happened to foster children she had placed.

Kaylee and Justin Volk are only in their 20's and yet they are supposedly stellar foster parents, willing to take in abused and neglected children. Kaylee is social content creator- influencer- who features her "happy" foster family as her topic. The next couple of sentences are not much of a spoiler, since it is revealed in the short first chapter. A private plane crashes into the ocean, and a witness observes people fighting at the controls through the window. That plane belonged to the Volk family: Kaylee, Justin, Andrea, Bethany, and Mason. Only one family member will survive the crash. Sounds intriguing, right? It is absolutely something of a thrill ride, suspenseful. Unfortunately I was able to guess most of the ending (maybe because I live and breathe thrillers and mysteries and have gotten pretty good at guessing story outcomes). It still didn't take away my interest in the story, and my need to see how the plot would be tied up.

I see that this is the first in a series featuring Nora, CPS agent/child advocate. I know I've said that I didn't care for Nora that much. She seems to have PTSD from what happened in her miserable childhood and dwells in her head much of the time. She takes every case of abused foster kids seriously (as she should), but she then becomes an amateur sleuth who takes reckless chances with her own safety. Regardless, I will definitely read the next book in this series, as I enjoy Joe Hart's work and it is always worthwhile to read.

Recommended, 3.5/5 stars, rounded down but hopeful about enjoying the next one..
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital copy of this for review.

Out of the Ashes by Kara Thomas

This is my first book from the author Kara Thomas. I enjoy mysteries where there are family secrets that are slowly revealed and we find out about it when the main characters do, and cold cases make the story that much better for me. Part of the appeal for me was because I'm originally from NYS & I'd lived for a time in the county that Ms. Thomas based the main plot in, so that piqued my interest further. .

For the first half of the book I was thinking that the story was slow moving and atmospheric, but I was looking for more suspense. The second half of this book drew me in and got me more engaged.. My only complaint was that I wish the main character Samantha had stayed on course to just find out what happened to her family and who was responsible for killing them all those years ago. Also did her little sister die in the fire too, or was she taken by someone as a witness implied? I felt it went off on a tangent seeking justice for other young women who went missing years ago.

Many red herrings are tossed around, enough to perhaps confuse the reader, as it surely did for me. I had a bit of a time keeping the characters' in order, because there were so many step siblings, half siblings and families entwined together All in all, it's worth a read for fans of this genre and for those looking for meandering plot threads that will all come together in the end. I hadn't guessed the outcome correctly and that was a plus.

Recommended 3.5/5 rounded up.. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital copy.

 

Her Deadly Game by Robert Dugoni

 

 I am a huge Robert Dugoni fan from way back, following the first Tracy Crosswhite release. I then went back and picked up the first David Sloane. I have followed through on all but the last Tracy book and have not read Sam Hell yet. That being said, I was curious about Her Deadly Game. I am not a chess player (failed miserably at getting the hang of it years ago) so I didn't have interest in those parts of the story, but I do love a police procedural and a legal thriller. This plot keeps the readers on their toes to pay attention.

Keera Duggan is a young attorney who switched teams from prosecutor to working at her father's failing defense attorney firm. While defending a flamboyant investment advisor who faces possible life in prison, she is confronted by the prosecutor, a former lover. I always enjoy how spot-on that the author writes strong female characters. Good plot, good storyline, and always entertaining.

 This is another winner for Mr. Dugoni, who continues to put out one quality book after another. Recommended! Thank you to NetGalley for my read.