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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The Night We Lost Him by Laura Dave

 I liked Dave's last book, The Last Thing He Told Me. It was a tightly plotted suspense thriller that kept me turning pages. I expected more of the same with The Night We Lost Him, but while it is a good story, it isn't nearly as suspenseful nor a thriller. It's more of a family drama.

We know that Liam Noone was thrown off a cliff, but the police ruled it an accidental death. His son Sam and Sam's step-sister Nora decide to look into the death - what they find are family secrets and lies spanning decades. The more they dig, the more they discover that they never really knew their father, and they even begin to question past and present relationships.

I was expecting a different book - something more suspenseful than what I got. Dave does an excellent job of slowly revealing Liam's secrets. Unfortunately, it is a little too slow, and the action sometimes dragged. I was surprised at the ending and thought it was a good twist. I recommend this book; just be aware that, in my opinion, it is not a thriller. 

3.5/5 stars.

Thank you, NetGalley and S&S/Marysue Rucci Books, for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The publication date is September 17, 2024.

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Close to Death by Anthony Horowitz

 

I enjoy Anthony Horowitz's Magpie Murders and his Hawthorne & Horowitz series. I even liked the TV adaptation of the first Magpie Murders book, and I seldom prefer a movie or series adaptation to the book. With this latest book in the H&H series, he has outdone himself. This book is both mind-bogglingly complex and ingeniously crafted.

All is not as idyllic as it once was in Riverside Close. A new neighbor has bought into this close-knit, six-home community, and the residents are up in arms about the noisy children, loud music, and plans for a swimming pool the Kentworthy family have brought with them. And when Giles Kentworthy is found murdered, suspicion immediately falls on the neighbors. The problem is which one. The police reluctantly call in Daniel Hawthorne and his assistant to help in the investigation, but when one of the neighbors kills himself and leaves a note confessing to the murder, it appears the case is closed. However, Hawthorne is unconvinced and continues investigating--much to the chagrin of the police and the residents.

In a nod to Agatha Christie, this is an excellently plotted and clever locked-room murder mystery with a suspect pool teeming with motives. It is a twisty whodunit that kept me guessing. Although this is the fifth book in the series, it can be read as a standalone. 

5/5 stars.

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