Tag: mystery

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#BookReview: The Hunt by Gregg Dunnett

Intriguing If A Touch Meandering. Will Be Divisive. I believe this is my first ever review with an asterisk on the rating as far as I’m concerned – because for the first time ever I may well come back and reduce it by a star, depending on how the next book plays out. My reasons here can’t be explained without delving into spoiler territory, but I’ve written about my thoughts on what happens here in other contexts in other places, so they are at least quantities that can be known – and which should be at least partially obvious to those who have read the book.

For what it is though, this book itself is truly a fun and intriguing look at a Sherlock-variant “super detective” who finds herself placed in a situation she refuses to believe is actually true. The story then meanders quite a bit before the big reveal, which then explains the meandering before leading into the final sequences here.

Even in the meandering, the plot is well paced with a lot going on in different areas around the globe, making this easily the most expansive book in the series to date. The characters all play their roles superbly, and the result is a book that reads at least as good as some of the movies that are of its ultimate form. But again, because of the nature of this book, there is really only so much that can be said without revealing spoilers of some form or another.

Very much recommended.

This review of The Hunt by Gregg Dunnett was originally written on January 10, 2025.

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#BookReview: Storm Warning by Elizabeth Goddard

Christian Fiction Done (Mostly) Right. To know where I’m coming from, know that I grew up primarily reading Christian Fiction. I’m talking Frank Peretti, Bill Myers, Josh McDowell type stuff in the 90s Christian Fiction market. Hyper, *hyper* preachy… less focus on the actual action at times. As I matured, I found Ted Dekker and Randall Ingermanson and Jeremy Robinson – guys that were able to tell a Christian tale, but focused on getting the actual *action* and *story* right, and while the Christian elements were also important, they also didn’t overshadow the actual story. (Not that Peretti/ Myers/ McDowell don’t have powerful stories themselves – they absolutely do, and there are reasons those guys are legends in that particular genre.)

So now we get to *this* book and… it is far more on par with the second group than the first. This is a Frieda McFadden / Steena Holmes / Kimberly Belle / Hannah Mary McKinnon / Holly S Roberts twisty action-suspense that is going to keep you on your toes through literally the last words of the book… *and* it is going to have its main characters frequently praying and talking about God. (Jesus, not as much, Mary, not once that I remember – more of a general Judeo-Christian “God” than any specific denomination’s variant.) Where i say Goddard got it “mostly” right here is that even for my own tastes and with my own background, the God stuff seemed a bit forced and stiff *at times*, while in other situations was at least as believable as most Hallmarkie type tales and certainly more believable than bringing dinosaurs back from extinction or some galactic civil war long ago and far away.

I understand Goddard has had an extensive career before this book, but this is the first book I’ve read from her… and it absolutely won’t be the last. Mostly because I have to see exactly how this particular series goes now that I’m so invested in these characters and trying to figure out all that is going on. Because even after all these 350 ish pages, the story Goddard crafts here is absolutely setting up at least a sequel, and seemingly likely at least a trilogy. There’s just so many things left “open” – resolved enough for this particular story to feel complete, but dangling enough that it is clear the author intends to speak more on these matters… and as a reader, I want her to. Yesterday would have been great. 😉

Overall truly a well done action/ suspense type book that uses its overall concept and the titular storm well, if not quite in the evocative atmospheric sense that some writers make it a point to add in (sometimes at the expense of story, to be clear, and sometimes genuinely enhancing the story). Here, it is used more to enhance the sense of urgency and danger than anything… and that is perfectly ok and within expected norms. Truly a fun, fast paced book that may mention God too much for some – but I have seen at least some instances of this book being clearly labeled as Christian Fiction, so that should be warning enough for those types of readers.

Very much recommended.

This review of Storm Warning by Elizabeth Goddard was originally written on December 18, 2024.

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#BookReview: The Business Trip by Jessie Garcia

Twisty Thriller. Maybe Not The Best Read The Day I Read It. Without spoiling *too* much, I read this book on the same day that United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson was murdered in cold blood – and given many peoples’ opinions of that murder, opinions echoed by one of our characters within this text… it was a bit much to read on that exact day.

But since *you* won’t be reading it *that* day (and, hopefully, not on any similar day), know that this book is actually one of the twistier, more inventive books I’ve read this year or even in quite some time, really. By the end of it, you’re going to feel very sad for certain characters and you’re likely to want to pull a gun on other characters yourself. Still other characters come off as incredibly sleezy basically every time they are “on screen”, and other characters you’re going to wind up actively cheering certain actions, at minimum.

If you enjoy twisty thrillers where nothing is ever as it seems… there is quite a bit to like here. If you’re a fan of more straightforward books… this may not be your cup of… well, whatever you prefer to drink. (As an American of the Southern US, the only tea I drink is sweet and iced, and I’m fairly sure the idiom “not your cup of tea” refers to that disgusting British stuff that we rightfully dumped into Boston Harbor all those years ago – which is all that stuff is good for. But I digress. :D)

Complex. Thrilling. Titillating (to a degree) even. If those are things you like in your books, congratulations. You’ve found a book that is *right there*. If a more Hallmarkie approach is more your speed… there are a lot of those stories out there, but this aint that.

Overall truly one of the more enjoyable and interesting books of the near 200 I’ve read this year, it will likely be on my Top 24 Books I Read In 2024 list. 🙂

Very much recommended.

This review of The Business Trip by Jessie Garcia was originally written on December 12, 2024.

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#BookReview: So This Is Christmas by Kay Bratt

Yet Another Excellent Entry In Series. Seriously y’all, if you enjoy small towns and family drama, you’re going to love this entire series. So just go all the way back to Book 1, start there, and this one will be here when you get here.

Yet again with this series, Bratt bases the crime of the book on an all-too-real one, though as she notes in the author’s note, this particular one was *so* horrible that she just couldn’t bring herself to replicate certain elements of the real crime in her fictional world.

And that brings me to my one criticism of this particular book. Anyone that knows Bratt and follows her on social media, particularly her Facebook page, knows that she brings quite a bit of her own real world into her fiction, and there was one particular line that while meant as fiction and from a character’s perspective… there are just too many instances of the real world blending into the fictional for this line not to be addressed in my review, particularly since, as I told Bratt personally, I tend to call such bullshit lines out any *other* time I see them, and I do try my best to approach every book and every author in the same manner, *no matter what*. Indeed, the very line in question references by name and detail an all too real event that happened just months before publication of this book.

The particular line in question here is that “The gun laws in this State are a joke, and you know it. That’s why we’ve got tragedies like Apalachee High School – two kids and two teachers gunned down because *it’s easier to buy an AR-15 than it is to adopt a damn dog*.” (Emphasis mine).

As I told Bratt directly before sitting down to write this review – and I quote: “As someone who has both adopted a dog and bought a gun in the State of Georgia – the gun across State lines at a Georgia gun show while living in South Carolina, no less! – I can state without hesitation or equivocation that Bratt is 100% wrong about it being easier to buy a gun in the State than adopt a dog. For one, there are no background checks at all when adopting from a County-run animal shelter, while buying a gun anywhere in the United States requires a criminal background check to be completed before the gun can be purchased – yes, even if buying the gun at a gun show. Furthermore, while where I can take my dog is not legally restricted in any manner (though property owners certainly may decline to allow my dog on their property), where I can take my gun is heavily restricted, even in the State of Georgia.”

I also told her that I would also note here that this is absolutely one of those issues where your mileage may vary – you may agree that guns need to be more heavily regulated or you may not, you may think that pet adoption or pets generally need to be more heavily regulated or not – but the statement in the text was 100% wrong in the real State of Georgia, and I’ve personally experienced both sides of the statement and know of what I speak here. But hey, Bratt never specifically addresses these issues in her fictionalized Georgia, so even though it bears a striking resemblance to the real thing, as authors frequently note in the front pages of their fiction books “This work is fiction and not intended to represent any real person, place, or thing no matter how similar they may or may not be. The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the fictional characters only and do not necessarily reflect or represent the views and opinions held by any real person, including the author.” So let’s give Bratt the benefit of the doubt here that she isn’t addressing the real State of Georgia in that particular line and move on. 🙂

Again, outside of that particular line, the book itself is perhaps even one of the stronger of the entire series – which is saying something, considering Bratt originally intended to end this series a few books ago, but fans keep demanding to come back to this world, and she keeps delivering. The drama in our central family is coming back up from unexpected and interesting places, there is more drama brewing in other areas well established earlier in the series yet which had cooled off in recent books, the crime of the book is particularly gnarly and the investigation is tight without being the frenetic sprint of the prior book…

It just all works truly, truly well, and again, makes this one of the stronger books in the series to date overall.

So again, go back to book 1 (assuming you’re new to the series) and get here – you’ll want to get here when you do, and this book will make you fall in love with the series all over again and want at least one more book from it. Which Bratt may or may not have news about in the Author’s Note. 😉

Very much recommended.

This review of So This Is Christmas by Kay Bratt was originally written on December 11, 2024.

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#BookReview: See How They Hide by Allison Brennan

Intriguing Crime Drives Solid Series Continuation. This is one of those FBI tales where the crime at hand really drives this particular story, even as Brennan expertly weaves the relationships between her team forward even throughout the investigation. Showing each teammate at their best – but also showing that they are not superhuman by any stretch of the imagination – this particular story is at its best when its villains are at their creepiest.

And yes, the crime at hand is particularly creepy on its face… which Brennan then spins into its own breathtaking and heart rending sub plot.

I wouldn’t *start* reading the series here, mostly due to the relationships between the teammates, but the crime itself isn’t tied to any prior tales, so it also isn’t a “you absolutely cannot start reading the series with this book”. So whether you’re new to this series intrigued by its premise and *want* to start here or whether you’re a long time fan of it, you’re going to have a good time with this book. Just be warned that there *are* situations that will make some uncomfortable here. Read the book anyway, and hopefully make such situations a touch easier from having dealt with them in the safety of fiction.

Very much recommended.

This review of See How They Hide by Allison Brennan was originally written on December 11, 2024.

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#BookReview: The Cruise by Christina Delay

Down Down Deep, Indeed. For those unaware, this book was previously titled Down Down Deep, and that may actually be a superior title to its more generic one it currently has (The Cruise).

Here we get a psychological, almost supernatural, thriller that becomes all too human indeed. The tension ratchets up as weird things start happening on this sailing of this cruise ship, and there are quite a few even horror elements to be had here.

There are twists a plenty, so much so that it sometimes feels like you’re on Velocicoaster – they’re coming so hard and so fast, and yet you’re enjoying every freaking second of it. And, like Velocicoaster, as fun and intense as this read is… it is also fairly shortish, at just around 250 pages. Meaning it is yet again great for those with limited amounts of reading time.

Definitely one of the more inventive books within its space I’ve encountered, so much so that when I saw that this is actually in a series of sorts and that the other book is currently, as I write this review on November 14, 2024, just $0.99… yeah, I picked it up immediately just on the strength of this book. (Fwiw, that book – The Best Friends – is also a reprint/ retitle, formerly called Truth Truth Lie.)

One warning: There is a fair amount of pretty brutal action in this book at times, and it *does* deal in certain assaults that some may find more troubling than others. So be aware of that going in… and read it anyway. Yes, it really is that good.

Very much recommended.

This review of The Cruise by Christina Delay was originally written on November 14, 2024.

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#BookReview: Society Of Lies by Lauren Ling Brown

Promising Debut. This is one of those debut books where it absolutely shows flashes of brilliance… yet also doesn’t fully come together. But not in any objective-ish sense, just more of a more nebulous “there should probably be more *there* there”. And because it isn’t objective-ish and because I can’t really put a finger on exactly what my ultimate issue is here, the book by default retains its full 5* in my own rating system.

Ultimately this *is* a reasonably solid mystery-thriller (part of the issue is the tension between the two and the book constantly switching gears and never really settling on one or the other, even just in a “this genre is dominant and that one is a touch secondary” manner) that keeps fans of both genres reasonably satisfied throughout. Set at Princeton among its real life eating clubs, and featuring such real world issues (even well outside Princeton at State colleges) as tutoring a kid getting particularly preferential treatment due to being a Legacy, this is one of those tales that will excite some and turn off others, but I thought it worked well enough for what it was. Far from a Dead Poets Society, this is really more of a The Skulls level tale, but primarily featuring 2 sisters each in two different timelines each.

And I think, ultimately, that is the key to enjoying this tale – if you approach it ala The Skulls (and if you haven’t seen that movie from current Dr. Odyssey Joshua Jackson’s Dawson’s Creek years, you should) – you’ll likely have a great time with this tale. If “Dark Academia” is 100% not your thing… you likely won’t have such a great time here.

Very much recommended.

This review of Society Of Lies by Lauren Ling Brown was originally written on November 1, 2024.

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#BookReview: House Of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen

Solid Suspense Takes Atypical Turns. This is one of those tales that almost seems destined for at least a sequel, if not a series of some level. There’s more than enough here to justify it, and yet this story itself is fully complete as is. In other words, coming back to this world would be interesting and compelling… but not necessarily *necessary*.

I love the way that certain elements are played in an all-too-real-yet-not-usually-shown-in-fiction manner, and the specific construction of how Stella’s past and present collide is particularly well done – and perhaps indicative that no sequel is expected here, as that particular sub plot could have been spread across a small series – while not feeling rushed or out of place fully happening within this story itself.

There *is* one particular element that could throw at least some readers off, and that is the (minor) romance subplot and specifically that it introduces an LGBT element not otherwise present in the story. Minor spoiler there, apologies, but I’d rather avoid 1*s (which I’ve seen already) specifically because of this. So just know it going forward, and yes, I know that others will praise this book specifically for that very point. *In the context of this particular story as told*, to me it felt refreshing that the author would choose to go that direction rather than feeling forced in just to have that “representation” in the book, but it is also a point where I could see others feeling that it was a touch forced, and they wouldn’t get much pushback from me beyond what I just stated – it didn’t feel that way *to me*.

Overall a truly well told, suspenseful, complex tale with a more-fleshed-out-than-many main character that clearly has a lot going on, and a tale whose world seems ripe for exploring more of. So here’s hoping we get a chance to, and here’s hoping it will be soonish.

Very much recommended.

This review of House Of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen was originally written on September 13, 2024.

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#BlogTour: My Sister’s Boyfriend by Nicola Marsh

For this blog tour, we’re looking at a dark, creepy yet non-supernatural sequel perfect for the fall/ Halloween mood. For this blog tour, we’re looking at My Sister’s Boyfriend by Nicola Marsh.

First, the review I posted to the book sites (Hardcover.app / BookHype.com / TheStoryGraph.com / BookBub.com / Goodreads.com):

Dark. Creepy. Maybe Read My Sister’s Husband First. This is one of those dark, creepy books where *most* of the worst stuff (though not all) is “off screen”, so even though there are mentions of animal abuse, rape, sexual assault, and more, for the most part we never “see” any of this happening – and more often than not, it is merely mentioned, rather than “showing” anything at all about the abuse at hand. (Though there are points where *slightly* more is shown, to be clear – it is simply that the actual abuse is never shown.)

So for those who can handle seeing such primarily “off screen” abuse in a twisty thriller all about family relationships… this one is done quite well, but truly works *best* if its predecessor, My Sister’s Husband, is fresh in your mind. (Vs my having read 869 books between them – seriously.) The events pick up after the events of the first book, with most of the relationships between the characters already well established from that book. (But with enough recap that it is possible to follow along here, there’s just a lot to learn.) Told from just three perspectives (rather than each character’s or a single narrator’s), we get a good sense of what is going on in these complex and complicated relationships, along with a lot of backstory for our new character for this book.

Still, for those looking for dark and creepy yet not necessarily supernatural reads as we go into this fall/ Halloween season, both of these books are quite good for exactly that kind of mood.

Very much recommended.

After the jump, the “publisher details” – book info, description, author bio, social links, and buy links.
Continue reading “#BlogTour: My Sister’s Boyfriend by Nicola Marsh”

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#BookReview: The Chamber by Will Dean

Esoteric Atmospheric Tale Not For The Faint Of Heart. Straight up, this is one of those truly esoteric books that, even with the glossary and map up front, isn’t going to work for everyone – despite not being fantasy *at all*, and in fact because it is perhaps *too* real.

This is the world of Saturation Diving, where divers work underwater under pressure for weeks on end, often repairing cabling or piping or other undersea infrastructure that makes above ground life possible/ globally connected for the rest of us. And here, Dean is as exacting in his depiction of the actual lives of these people as Andy Weir was in The Martian, with *even more* technical discussion since so much of this particular book is a group of these divers living and working together as they do in the real world – warts and all.

And yes, there are also larger forces at play – but we only see those from *inside* the Chamber, through the eyes of our sole narrator. (Ans some scream: “Yay! No multiple perspectives!” :D)

Overall one of the more interesting tales of 2024 just because of how true it is to its real-world subject material and how rare any open discussion of that particular role in modern society really is – but truly, be forewarned: It is extremely esoteric *due* to how rare that job is in the real world *and* the tale can be truly slow or even incomprehensible for some readers, if you simply can’t wrap your mind around what is happening in such a tiny and closed off space. For those that can though, this is truly a fascinating book on a few different levels.

Very much recommended.

This review of The Chamber by Will Dean was originally written on September 10, 2024.