A. R. Beyond the Universe by Gary W. Gordon

 

In this novella, Gordon skillfully builds a story packed with exciting situations, good characters, and imaginative locations. The story is carefully developed and unfolds quickly.

Introvert Alex Rogers is content living alone with his dog MacGuyver, his hobbies, and his predictable job. When he starts having vivid dreams about floating in space and disappearing stars, he searches the Internet for insight. He finds a website that links his dreams to an ancient prophecy. Using the contact link on the site, he asks for more information and is surprised when he receives a message with a phone number. Little does he know that calling that number ends his life as he knows it and sets him on a trajectory to save the universe.

I enjoyed this book. It starts slowly with an aside about a skydiving event that left me scratching my head, but once Alex makes the phone call, the pace picks up quickly. I like relatable science fiction, and this book certainly is—there is no hard science involved--just a good, engaging story. The writing is good, if a bit overly descriptive, but nothing distracting. 

3.5/5 stars.

Thank you, NetGalley and Parker Publishers, for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

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Here One Moment by Liane Moriarty

 

I loved the premise of this book: a stranger predicts the cause and age of your death. Assuming you believed her, what would you do? Live life to the fullest or try and cheat the death sentence? That is the dilemma facing the characters in this book.

On a packed flight, a woman stands up and goes down the aisle, pointing at each person in turn and telling them how and when they will die. She is so convincing that the passengers take her revelations seriously. Just who is this woman? Is she a psychic or a mentally deranged person? As deaths begin to occur, the hunt is on to find the woman and find answers to these questions. What follows is how a handful of the passengers take the news and a look at what provoked the woman to share the information.

This is excellently plotted, and the characters face interesting problems—some are moral dilemmas, and others involve life-changing decisions. I especially liked how the author revealed why the woman, Cherry, came to make the predictions. I also wondered how I would react to the news as I read the book. If I were told I'd live a long life, would I take life-threatening chances with the knowledge I'd survive? Would I be more frugal and more kind to those around me? This book both entertained and gave me reason to pause. 

4.5/5 stars.

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Purgatory Ridge by William Kent Krueger

 In this third Cork O'Connor book, Krueger continues to develop the characters, expand the setting, and explore the culture of the Anishinaabe tribe.

When a logging company threatens to cut down a grove of trees sacred to the Anishinaabe people, tensions come to a head when a man is killed at the lumber mill, and blame is placed on environmentalists who have come to the area in support of the tribe. Mixed-race former sheriff Cork O'Connor is caught in the middle when he is asked to help investigate the murder. His wife, Jo, a lawyer representing the tribe, and Karl Lindstrom, the lumber mill owner, are at odds, and it's up to Cork to sift through the clues, solve the murder, and find a peaceful environmental solution.

I love Krueger's standalone books and have enjoyed starting this popular series. I particularly like how Krueger weaves the Anishinaabe culture into each storyline—it's both interesting and enlightening. He is an excellent writer and storyteller whose books capture the imagination and educate.

5/5 stars.

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Double Barrel Bluff by Lou Berney

 World-class storyteller Lou Berney is back with another book with quirky characters, an engaging plot, and nonstop action. Although his NOVEMBER ROAD is my favorite Berney book so far, DOUBLE BARREL BLUFF comes in a close second.

Former organized crime member Shake Bouchon and his wife Gina are living quietly in the midwest when Dikran, a thug from the crime family they once belonged to, tracks them down. It seems Lexy, the mob boss, is missing, and not trusting anyone in the mob, Dikran strong-arms Shake into going to Cambodia to help him find her. Once there, they quickly discover that Lexy is being held for ransom by a couple of men who are unaware of who Lexy is--they think she's a wealthy tourist just ripe for plucking. Amid ransom negotiations, two more members of the crime family show up, but it's unclear if they are there to help free Lexy or have ulterior motives.

I loved the characters. The relationships between Shake, Dikran, and the two kidnappers could not be better. Add a new-age hippy and an angry wife to the mix, and the plot gets more interesting. This is an excellent, action-packed story written with wit and cringe-worthy situations. 

5/5 stars.

Thank you, NetGalley and William Morrow, for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The publication date is November 5, 2024.

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Boundary Waters by William Kent Krueger

 

I'm doing it! I am finally accomplishing what I promised myself I'd do many years ago when I first discovered William Kent Krueger: I'm making progress reading his Cork O'Connor series. I just finished this fantastic second book, and book three is in the queue.

Trying to get her life in order, country music star Shiloh finds herself stranded in a remote cabin in Minnesota's Boundary Waters wilderness area when her friend Wendell Two Knives fails to return to guide her out. What she doesn't know is that men have killed Wendell and are now out to find and kill her as well. But why?

Meanwhile, her father has engaged Cork O'Connor to help him find her. They join a search party comprised of two FBI agents, Wendell's nephew, Stormy, and led by Stormy's ten-year-old nephew, Louis.

As both factions search for Shiloh, she attempts to escape the wilderness area, armed with only a crudely drawn map Wendell left for her. With winter setting in, Shiloh is now in a race against time while trying to evade those who want her dead.

I love Krueger's writing. His Cork O'Connor books expertly capture the wilds of Northern Minnesota and the people who live there. As with his standalone books, this series has memorable characters and excellent plots. The Native Americans who populate this book series add richness to the stories with explanations of their ancient and modern culture. All of these elements combine to form an engaging, entertaining story. 

5/5 stars.

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Murder Town by Shelley Burr

 Burr's first novel, WAKE, was excellent and a promising start to a murder mystery series. This book, MURDER TOWN, is the second book in the series and is just as good.

Fifteen years ago, the small Australian Outback town of Rainier had a series of gruesome murders committed by a man dubbed the Rainier Ripper. The town has tried to move on, but when a promoter for a walking tour of the murder sites is killed in the same manner as one of the Ripper's victims, notoriety returns to Rainier and long-buried secrets may be uncovered. With the original Ripper safely locked up in prison, the town is afraid a copycat killer is recreating the murders.

Gemma Guillory, the wife of one of the town's police officers, is significantly affected by the latest killing and is now haunted by her association with the killings fifteen years ago. Afraid for her family, Gemma opens up to a former private investigator, who is behind bars with the Ripper, in hopes of finding out who killed the tour operator. Little does she know that finding the copycat killer will put her life in jeopardy and possibly those closest to her.

This is an atmospheric, gripping read. Burr excellently captures small-town life and the people who inhabit them. The plot is complex but plausible; the twists and the big reveal are unexpected. My only misgiving is how Gemma outwits the police by solving the murder and uncovering the truth about the previous murders.

 4/5 stars.

Thank you, NetGalley and William Morrow, for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The publication date is November 5, 2024.

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Beyond Reasonable Doubt by Robert Dugoni

 

I'm a sucker for a good courtroom drama, and this book, Beyond Reasonable Doubt, is a winner. It's the second book featuring lawyer Keera Duggan, and it's every bit as good as the first one, Her Deadly Game.

Her father pressures Keera at their family law firm into taking the case of Jenna Bernstein, a woman accused of murdering her former business partner and lover. Keera has known Jenna since childhood and considers her to be a controlling sociopath incapable of telling the truth. Trouble seems to follow Jenna. Once a billionaire and CEO of a startup company, all came crashing down when, five years earlier, she was accused of murdering one of her employees. Keera's father successfully defended Jenna then; now it's Keera's turn. But Keera has her doubts. Can she get past her feelings toward Jenna and be the lawyer Jenna needs?

This is an excellently plotted book. In addition to Keera's moral dilemma, there's the question of Jenna's innocence. Did Jenna get away with murder once and possibly a second time? Jenna is not likable, and I was almost rooting against Keera winning the case. Watching Keera's strategy change as more information came to light was fun, as was her battle of wits with Jenna. Although this is the second book in the series, it can be read as a standalone. 

5/5 stars.

Thank you, NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer, for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The publication date is October 22, 2024.

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