The Raging Storm by Ann Cleeves

 Once again Ann Cleeves weaves her magic in a book that grips the reader from the beginning and holds them throughout, capturing the natural beauty of the Devon coast at its deadly best.

The quiet village of Greystone is abuzz when the sailing legend Jem Rosco shows up and tells everyone he is there to meet someone, but he won't say who that someone is--adding to the gossip surrounding him. When Rosco's naked body is later found in a dinghy anchored in a cove during a raging storm, Matthew Venn and his team are called in to solve the mysterious death. 

Just as Rosco had ties to the area, so does Matthew Venn. Greystone has a large contingent of the religious cult he was raised in and he has old connections to some of the residents as well. Viewed suspiciously by the residents and coldly by the cult, Venn works to establish trust with both factions to try and solve this case. When another death occurs that is deemed suspicious, the race is on to find the killer.

I admit that Cleeves' old Shetland Island series and her current Vera Stanhope series are among my favorite reads. I also admit that I wasn't completely sold on her Matthew Venn series when it first started, but I'm happy to find that Matthew is growing on me. In this outing, we get more background on Venn and the circumstances of his upbringing. Having renounced the religious cult and then being thrown back into it to solve the murders shows how adept Venn is at dealing with all sorts of people. 

The plot and characters in this book are complex and the writing is excellent with enough twists and red herrings to keep the reader engaged. Once again, another engrossing police procedural by Cleeves.

Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The publication date is September 5, 2023.

For more information:

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Dark Ride by Lou Berney

 This is the third Lou Berney book I've read (November Road and The Long and Faraway Gone being the other two) and Dark Ride is Berney at storytelling his best. His characters are well-drawn and the story engaging.

Hardy "Hardly" Reed is happy with his life. He has no ambitions, is currently working as a sheriff in a rundown wild-west theme park and is stoned most of the time. His aimless life takes an abrupt turn when he encounters Jack and Pearl, aged six and seven, on a bench in the Department of Motor Vehicles waiting for their mother. He notices injuries on the children consistent with abuse and knows he must do something. Fanagiling the mother's information from a clerk who helped her, he contacts Child Protective Service, only to have the caseworker walk off the job in the middle of his report! Frustrated by the inaction and bureaucracy, Hardly gains a purpose in life: save these two children. What follows is an often cringe-worthy journey for Hardly as he transitions from an aimless life into a person who realizes he is the only person who can save these two children.

I did enjoy this book although the description of the child abuse was sad. Hardly is a wonderful, hapless character. who, once he got a goal, shifts gears and goes into savior mode. His friends are quirky but big-hearted. All-in-all, this is another excellent story from Lou Berney.

Thank you, NetGalley and William Morrow for an advance copy for review. The publication date is September 19, 2023.

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Broadway Butterfly by Sara DiVello

 I was drawn to this book because it sounded intriguing: in 1923, a New York woman is found dead and the possible suspects range from a hoodlum to a wealthy Philadelphia businessman. Based on a true story, this historical fiction read is riveting.

When Dot King is found murdered in her apartment by her housekeeper, Ella Bradford, all of her jewels and furs missing, her scandalous lifestyle becomes a gold mine for the newspapers of the time, and pressure is placed on New York homicide detective John Coughlin to solve the murder. What Coughlin quickly finds out is that the politics of the case--going all the way up to President Harding's cabinet--is outweighed by his gut instinct that Dot's gigolo lover is the culprit. Besides getting political pressure to close the case, Coughlin is also held accountable by the only woman on the crime beat, reporter Julia Harpman who is determined that justice be done for Dot. 

Told mostly from Harpman's perspective, the book explores the many suspects and their motives as well as Coughlin's reasoning to narrow the field. This is a well-researched book that shines the light on a notoriously corrupt Harding presidency and brings the Roaring Twenties to life through Dot and her lovers and acquaintances. It's a fast-paced and well-written recounting of the murder and its subsequent investigation that kept New York riveted for years.

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What She Found by Robert Dugoni

 

I admit that this series is one of my favorite police procedurals. Robert Dugoni continually delivers excellent stories that are adeptly plotted and contain interesting characters, both with this series and his many standalone books.

Tracy Crosswhite is still the lone detective working Seattle cold cases when she is approached by Anita Childress whose mother, investigative journalist Lisa Childress, went missing 24 years ago. Under pressure to investigate only old cases with DNA samples that modern technology could probably help solve now, Tracy secretly begins to look into what happened to Lisa. What she finds intrigues her enough that she begins digging into the case, knowing full well that Lisa is probably dead, but still hoping to find something that could give closure to her daughter. To her surprise, the more Tracy digs the more she realizes that what Lisa was investigating could shine the spotlight on potential corruption not just in the police department but in the upper reaches of the Seattle government as well. Working the case could also put some of her own close relationships in jeopardy and possibly put her life at risk. 

Even though I liked Tracy more before she got married and had a child, the family relationships certainly add a depth of character to her that was missing in the earlier books. She is still a dedicated investigator but now sees that balancing her life is important to her well-being, a thing many of us perhaps need to be reminded of occasionally. This is a far-ranging story with many subplots that all come together neatly by the end. There are some moral dilemmas Tracy and other characters face that test the bonds of friendship and the need for absolution. All-in-all, this is another good book in the series.

For more information:

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The Stranger Upstairs by Lisa M. Matlin

 I'm always searching for new authors and finding this debut novel by an Australian author piqued my interest even more. Based on this promising book, I will add Matlin to my list of authors to follow.

Sarah Slade is a therapist and best-selling self-help author whose own marriage is in shambles. When she and her husband buy a run-down Victorian house where a gruesome murder occurred 40 years ago, Sarah hopes to restore it and flip it for a profit. She doesn't count on the hostile neighbors who want the house demolished, not restored, and the creepy feeling the house emanates. When odd things begin happening both to her and the contractors working on her house, she begins to wonder if the stories about the house are true: is it haunted?

I found the story a bit uneven at times, but overall this was a satisfying read. Although Sarah increasingly is captivated, if not captured by the house, her personality begins to change--or maybe it's revealing her true self. In any event, she becomes an increasingly unlikeable character whose decisions become poorer as events spiral out of her control. I think this is a good atmospheric novel and I look forward to more from Matlin.

Thank you NetGalley and Bantam publishers for an advance copy of this book n exchange for an honest review. These opinions are my own. The publication date is September 12, 2023.

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The Square of Sevens by Laura Shepherd-Robinson

I wasn't a fan of the fortune-telling part in the book The Cloisters so I was hesitant when I saw the main character in this book was also a fortune-teller. It turned out that the use of cards in The Square of Sevens was so deftly woven into the story that I looked forward to seeing what the cards would reveal.

Red was orphaned at an early age when her father, a Cornish "cunning man", died and left her in the care of a wealthy gentleman scholar, Robert Antrobus. Her legacy is her knowledge of fortune-telling using the Square of Sevens technique. Although she no longer casts fortunes for money, she is still in demand even in the sophisticated society of Bath. Secure in the Antrobus household, Red delves into her past, trying to find out who her mother was and what happened to her. What Red finds not only disrupts her life but those of the wealthy De Lacy and Seabrooke families. Could she be related to them and, if so, could she be a long-lost heir? Finding out could put her life in peril as well as those closest to her. 

This is a beautifully written book that is intricately plotted and whose characters come alive in eighteenth-century England. It is a complex mystery with twists that kept me engaged throughout. Red is a wonderful heroine and her life, though often trying, is one such that the reader hopes she comes out on the winning side. I highly recommend this book.

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 September 5, 2023.

For more information:

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Somebody’s Fool by Richard Russo

One of my favorite authors returns to one of my favorite places in this third book about the residents of North Bath, New York. This book can be read as a standalone, but why miss out on the pleasure of reading Nobody's Fool and its sequel, Everybody's Fool before reading this "fool" book? All three are wonderful reads.

It has been ten years since Sully died and North Bath, which has been circling the drain towards extension, has finally been annexed by its more vibrant neighbor, Schuyler Springs. Some municipal jobs have been absorbed in the process, but many small businesses are facing bleak futures as are some of the residents. One such is Peter Sullivan, Sully's son. He is mulling a future outside of North Bath but is saddled with continuing renovations to his father's old house and keeping tabs on various residents at his father's request. When his estranged son Thomas shows up, his priorities suddenly change. 

Focus shifts among the residents and their trials: Charice Bond has been appointed the police chief when Doug Raymer decides against pursuing his law enforcement career. On top of her new responsibilities, her emotionally crippled brother Jerome shows up at the same time a body is found. Meanwhile, Janey is trying to keep her diner going and at the same time, try and repair her relationships with her mother and daughter. Quite the juggling act.

This witty and engrossing story about the residents of North Bath is as compelling as it is insightful. The characters are just as finely drawn as they were in the previous two books. Everyone is a little older, but are they any wiser? That's for the reader to decide. This is an entirely satisfying read, but it left me wanting more. Please, Mr. Russo, don't let this be the last we see of these characters!

For more information:

Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble   |  Knopf Doubleday

All the Sinners Bleed by S.A. Cosby

After reading Razorblade Tears, I became a fan of S.A. Cosby. In this latest book, he again creates an atmospheric character-driven novel that sucked me in, loving every minute of the story.

Former FBI agent Titus Crown returns to his roots in Charon County, Virginia, is elected the first Black sheriff, and within a year his law enforcement skills are tested when a former Black student kills a much beloved white school teacher, who Titus's deputies then kill. His first task is to make sure the shooting was justified in what could prove to be a racially-charged killing. During his investigation, he uncovers damning evidence against the teacher that threatens the already uneasy environment surrounding the shooting with links to two local churches and a serial killer on the prowl. When the body count begins to mount up Titus finds himself racing against time to catch the killer and still keep the lid on the racial pressure cooker that is Charon County.

This book deserves all the praise it has been getting. It is an engrossing story that lays bare racial politics and small-town prejudices. Being a Black sheriff is a balancing act for Titus in a bible-belt, gun-toting town with Civil War reenactors lighting a fuse in an already tense racial situation. Cosby is a gem of a writer whose books only keep getting better. He is a new go-to author for me.

For more information:

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Judgement Prey by John Sandford

 

There's one thing I hate about every novel in John Sandford's Prey series: they end and I'm left waiting longingly for the next one. This book is no different. I just finished it and feel bereft knowing it will be at least a year before Lucas and Virgil are back.

When federal judge Alex Sand and his two sons are brutally murdered in a seemingly evidence-free killing, Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers are called in as a last resort to help try and solve the case. After interviewing the widow, Maggie Cooper, they come away feeling she has her own agenda and knows too much about the details of the case, which she could only get from an inside source. But just what is the grieving widow up to and how is the charity Heart/Twin Cities connected to the case? To find answers to these questions, Lucas and Virgil do what they do best:: play off of each other to develop theories and scenarios about the case. 

Once again, Sandford demonstrates why this series is such a long-running best-seller. The plot is intricate, the characters are well-developed, and the pacing is spot-on. Don't get me started on the snappy, often witty dialogue, especially between Lucas and Virgil. Both are characters I've loved, even when Virgil had his own series, but together, they are magic. Now if only Sandford could produce another book in this series in the next six months, I'd be a happy camper.

Thank you NetGalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The Publication date is October 3, 2023.

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Reykjavik by Ragnar Jonasson

 I always enjoy Ragnar Jonasson's books but this collaboration with Katrin Jakobsdottir is outstanding! Good story and excellent writing and pacing. It hooked from the start.

In 1956, fifteen-year-old Lara, who had been working for a couple on an unoccupied island near Reykjavik, vanishes without a trace after telling the couple she was going home. In the close-knit country of Iceland, this is a mystery that grips the country for years to come.

In 1986, on the thirtieth anniversary of her disappearance, journalist Valur Robertsson was assigned to rehash the case to see if he can find any new clues. What he finds not only sheds light on what happened to Lara but puts his own life in jeopardy.

This is an engaging story with an interesting cast of characters. The mystery of what happened to Lara not only gripped the citizens of Iceland but this reader as well. Just when I thought I'd figured out what happened to her, a new twist appeared that sent me off down another line of thought. If you like a good mystery, I highly recommend this book. It's a winner.

Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The publication date is September 5, 2023.

For more information:

Amazon  | Barnes & Noble  | Minotaur Books

Station Eternity by Mur Lafferty

 I love science fiction and mystery books. Put them together and I'm there.

Station Eternity is a sentient space station housing multiple alien races and three unlikely humans: Xan, who was running away from a murder that had just been committed and would likely be the primary suspect, was abducted by a spaceship and taken to the station; Adrian, an unlikely first ambassador from Earth; Mallory, a woman who seemingly causes a murder to occur wherever she goes. Mallory and Xan bond immediately and both are at odds with Adrian. What transpires is a rocket ride of interesting species and murders--not all caused by Mallory's proximity. 

This is an engaging story from the author of Six Wakes, another of my favorite sci-fi books. Although the book is wide-ranging, it somehow all comes together in a story that is both amusing and an interesting take on inter-species relationships. The aliens are an unusual lot, running the gamut from insects to rock creatures who all look down on humans as inferior species. Most slowly change their minds as the story unfolds, however. This is an excellent book, if a bit long. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series, Chaos Terminal, due out on November 7, 2023.

For more information:

Amazon  | Barnes & Noble  | Ace Publishing

The Never-Ending End of the World by Ann Christy

 This is the first book by Ann Christy I've read and based on it, I know I have found a new author to follow. What an amazingly plotted story--from start to finish. 

Coco has been surviving in a world where something has caused time loops: people all around her continually repeat their actions. Alone in Manhattan, she has learned to navigate these loopers because interrupting the loops kills the person. Coco questions why she is different and wonders if she is truly alone. She eventually ventures outside of Manhattan where she meets Forrest, Jorge, and Tamara and learns there are two distinct beliefs for survival: Chosen and Seekers. She must pick a camp.

I admit I was a bit puzzled when I began the book, trying to figure out what was happening. When I realized that Coco also didn't have a clue, I settled back and let the story unfold. As told by Coco and Forrest, this is an interesting take on humanity when it essentially resets. Guided by differing belief systems, these two protagonists handle daily life-or-death situations differently and have strong convictions that would seemingly put them at odds. The lesson they learn is that compromise is the key to survival. This is a wonderfully written novel whose pacing and intricate plot and subplots are excellent. It's a story I sank my teeth in and thoroughly enjoyed.

Thank you, NetGalley and Jackson Dickert for an advance copy of this book for review. The publication date is August 8, 2023. 

For more information:

Amazon  | Barnes & Noble  | Campfire Publishing

The Night House by Jo Nesbo

 

I don't think Jo Nesbo can write anything but captivating stories with excellent characters. This book is no exception but it differs from his Harry Hole series or his other standalone books in its structure and genre.

After Fourteen-year-old Richard Elauved's parents die in a house fire, he goes to live with his aunt and uncle in the tiny town of Ballantyne, but he has problems adjusting to his new environment and classmates. Viewed as an outcast, Richard befriends fellow outcast Tom, who goes missing after he and Richard were last seen together. Richard swears Tom was eaten by a telephone after making a prank call. It's no small wonder that the police do not believe him. When another classmate goes missing after being in Richard's company, suspicion rises. Richard is convinced a long-abandoned house on the edge of a creepy forest is somehow responsible for his missing classmates, but how to prove it?

This is a horror story, not a police procedural. and it's great to see Nesbo playing around with a different genre. As usual, the writing and the characters are outstanding in this atmospheric novel. It is a story within a story and its structure and content may not appeal to all, but if you enjoy good storytelling, this book is just the ticket.

Thanks to 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 October 3, 2023.

For more information:

Amazon  | Barnes & Noble  | Knopf

Stolen Children by Michael Wood

 This is such an addictive series that continues to get better and better.

With one old missing child case perhaps solved, another one occurs with eerie similarities to the first. Nine-year-old Keeley Armitage disappears after being left outside a market while older sister Jodie goes in for a quick shop. Then comes the call no parent wants to receive: a ransom call. DCI Matilda Darke and her Homicide and Major Enquiries Team are called in to help the family. When the kidnappers fail to call again, the focus shifts to trying to determine who would abduct her and for what reason.

Wood doesn't seem to hesitate to kill off characters so every time a character's life is in danger the reader is left holding their breath to see if he will do it again. This makes a dangerous situation even more suspenseful and adds to the tension. Always a dark, twisty read, this series ratchets up the life-or-death situations for Darke and her team as well as the crime victims--there aren't always happy endings. If you like a good police procedural with excellent characters and plots, try this series; it's excellent.

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