The Man Made of Smoke by Alex North

 

Alex North never fails to deliver a tense, dark mystery, and The Man Made of Smoke is one of his best yet. Its signature, intricate plotline is an introspective look into the mind of a serial killer and his victims.

Dan Garvie returns to his childhood home on a small island when his father disappears under mysterious circumstances. He finds that his father had been researching a cold case involving a serial who abducted young boys, a case that touched Dan's and several other lives. When some of those on the periphery of the case are murdered or missing, Dan's investigation puts his own life in danger.

This is a well-written novel full of suspense and intrigue. It is fast-paced and packed with interesting characters and a purely evil antagonist. Told with flashbacks and multiple points of view, North does an excellent job of revealing the connections between the past and present and the delicate relationship between father and son. I was hooked from the beginning and captivated by this atmospheric psychological thriller. 

5/5 stars.

Thank you, NetGalley and Celadon Books, for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The publication date is May 13, 2025.

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Parents Weekend by Alex Finlay

 

I liked Alex Finlay's other books, but this one was a bit of a letdown. Although it had a good plot and was engaging, I found it lacking in character development, and, at times, the student's motives were suspect.

It's Parents Weekend at a small, exclusive college in Northern California. The parents of five students have traveled to attend a dinner and celebrate their children's accomplishments. The students, all planning to participate in the dinner, never show. As the hours pass and the students, all of whom have turned off their phones, remain missing, the police and an FBI agent are called in. The Five, as referred to in the media, are in peril, and time is running out.

I expected and got a suspenseful psychological thriller. There were twists and red herrings galore, and although I did figure out who was behind the students' disappearance, the story was a good rollercoaster ride. What was never satisfactorily explained to me was why the students went to the initial location where authorities lost track of them. Maybe I missed something, but their destination didn't make sense. Additionally, the ending felt a bit rushed. Despite these two distractions, I liked the book. 

3.5/5 stars.

Thank you, NetGalley and Minotaur Books, for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The publication date is May 6, 2025.

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Midnight and Blue by Ian Rankin

 Following on his last book, A Heart Full of Headstones, Rebus is now in prison, convicted of killing Big Ger Cafferty. When a fellow inmate is murdered in a locked cell, Rebus begins his own investigation into the killing.

Meanwhile, a teen goes missing, and Siobhan Clark, who leads the investigation, runs afoul of her nemesis, Malcolm Fox. Fox, investigating an organized crime angle, links the case to the prison murder and puts Rebus's life in jeopardy.

I can't believe how long this series has gone on. Rebus has aged and transformed himself along the way, and even though he is now retired, he still finds himself at the heart of investigations. I miss the old, boozing, corner-cutting Rebus, but this incarnation is just as fascinating. This is a high-quality series with excellent characters and interesting plots. I'll keep reading as long as Rankin keeps writing. 

4.5/5 stars.

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My Friends by Fredrik Backman

Fredrik Backman is an accomplished storyteller whose characters leap off the page and become stuck in the reader's brain, never to leave. Such is the case with Louisa, Ted, Ali, Joar, and the artist, outcasts whose friendship binds them together.

When eighteen-year-old aspiring artist Louisa sees an exhibition containing her favorite painting by the artist C. Jat being held, she sneaks in, only to be chased into an alley by security guards. There, she collides with an apparent homeless man, and together, they spray-paint a wall with their art. Only then does she realize that the man is her idol, C. Jat. This is the start of a cross-country journey with the artist's friend Ted and her quest to find the meaning of the painting.

Told from the present day and twenty-five years earlier through the trials of a group of fourteen-year-old friends, the story of the painting and the friendships depicted in it emerges. Louisa, now serendipitously the owner of the painting, feels burdened by the enormity of the painting's value and its historic beginnings. Her life is now intertwined with those of the artist and his friends.

This story is about love, trust, and the powerful bonds of friendship. Told with wit and compassion, the novel is heartwarming and sometimes gut-wrenching but never dull. I read the book in record time, unable to part with the characters and their lives. It was only toward the end that I slowed down, not wanting the book to end. This is another out-of-the-park homerun from Backman. 

5/5 stars.

Thank you, NetGalley and Atria Books, for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The publication date is May 6, 2025.

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The Pretender by Jo Harkin

The Pretender is an imaginative historical fiction novel based on a little-known historical footnote. Set in the 1400s at the rise of the Tudors, it follows the life of a man claiming to be a Plantagenet heir to the throne. Beautifully written and packed with information about this period in English history, The Pretender is a must-read for historical fiction lovers.

John Collan is plucked from his life on the family farm by a mysterious stranger who claims he is Edward, Earl of Warwick, who was switched at birth with a peasant to protect him from Richard III, who has a propensity for killing his nephews. It was time to begin his education and secure his right to the throne from the usurper, Henry VII. Needing to keep his existence quiet until it is time to overthrow Henry, John is moved to Oxford, assumes the name Lambert Simons, and begins his tutelage. He eventually lands in Ireland, where the Earl of Kildare is heading the rebellion against Henry. Here, Edward, as he is now known, falls in love with the Earl's daughter Joan, a relationship that will haunt him for the rest of his life. Edward now thinks fate controls his destiny.

This captivating story is packed with historical facts and an intimate look at life in the 1400s. At first, I was rooting for John/Lambert/Edward, but as his life choices became increasingly vengeful, I fell out of love with the character. I highly recommend this book. 

4.5/5 stars.

Thank you, NetGalley and Knopf, for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The publication date is April 22, 2025.

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Murder at the Gulls Nest by Jess Kidd

 I've been a fan of Jess Kidd since her debut novel, Himself. Each book since then has been a gem, so I was excited to get the opportunity to get an advance copy of this new cozy mystery series; she didn't disappoint.

Set in the mid-50s, Norah Breen has forsaken her vows as a nun and has traveled to a small seaside town in search of another former nun, Frieda. Fast friends from when they were nuns, Frieda disappeared from the Gulls Nest hotel. Soon after Norah's arrival, a guest dies, and although Norah suspects foul play, the local police disagree. Armed with the knowledge gained from reading detective novels, Norah also begins her investigation into the death and the other guests with secrets they would prefer not to reveal. As the body count rises, Norah is convinced there is a murderer among them, and it's up to her to uncover the culprit.

I loved the characters in this book. From the feral child to the aloof hotel owner and her surly cook, all were interesting and wouldn't pass the smell test for being the murderer. Norah's relationship with DI Rideout looks to be an interesting storyline in future books in the series. The pacing is excellent, with good twists and red herrings. 

4.5/5 stars.

Thank you, NetGalley and Atria Books, for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The publication date is April 8, 2025.

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The God of the Woods by Liz Moore

I was excited to get this book from my library as I had read so many excellent reviews about it. I admit I liked it, but it didn't live up to its hype for me.

Set mostly in 1975, the story begins with a missing camper at a summer camp, primarily for teens from wealthy families. The camp is part of the Van Laar compound, and the missing camper is the family's daughter, Barbara. As the search begins, law enforcement is called in, and they soon find a case similar to another missing person case they investigated: fourteen years earlier, Barbara's brother went missing; his body never to be found. The more they investigate, the more secrets they uncover. Just what is the Van Laar family hiding?

This book started with a bang. The story grabbed me, and the narrative, from multiple points of view and timelines, was engrossing. Unfortunately, about halfway through, it started to wander, and at almost 500 pages, it seemed like the author was never going to clarify what happened to both Van Laar children. I wasn't sure if this was a murder mystery or just a well-written family saga. The characters and setting were good; I just got lost at times. 

3.5/5 stars. 

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