Cold Earth by Ann Cleeves

 

This is the penultimate book in the Shetland Island series, and I'd be sorry to see it end if not for Cleeves continuing the saga of Jimmy Perez, but this time on the Orkney Islands (The Killing Stones, publishing September 30, 2025).

A funeral for an old friend of Jimmy Perez is interrupted when a landslide sweeps through the cemetery and destroys a house in its path. An unidentified woman's body is found in the debris of the house, and, upon investigation, Jimmy discovers the woman has been murdered. Chief Inspector Willow Reeves is called in to head the investigation, teaming with Jimmy and Sandy Wilson to find the woman's identity and who killed her. What they find are secrets not only from the woman's past, but also connections to prominent Shetland citizens and possible murder motives.

Once again, the setting for the book takes center stage. It's winter, the weather is cold and rainy, and with the shortened daylight hours, both contribute to a hostile atmosphere. This book is solidly plotted, and the developing relationship between Jimmy and Willow adds a hint of romance to the storyline. Although I did figure out who killed the woman, Cleeves hid the motives until the very last, which kept me second-guessing myself. 

4/5 stars.

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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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Witness 8 by Steve Cavanagh

 

This is the eighth book featuring former conman Eddie Flynn, turned defense attorney, and the first book in the series I’ve read. I found that it didn’t matter that I hadn’t read the previous books; the author did such a good job of giving each character’s backstory that I found the premise of a con artist becoming a lawyer intriguing since many lawyers are portrayed as shifty characters.

Ruby’s early childhood was one of wealth and privilege until her abusive father gambled away most of their money and then disappeared. Now, Ruby earns a living working for the people she grew up with, barely making ends meet as she cares for her dying mother. When Ruby witnesses a wealthy socialite’s murder, her first thoughts aren’t of reporting it to the police but how she can make some money. 

Doctor Joe Johnson is charged with the murder, and the evidence is damning: the murder weapon is found in his home with his DNA on it. Knowing that he faces an uphill battle, Eddie Flynn agrees to represent Joe. However, proving Joe’s innocence isn’t Eddie’s most significant problem because he’s crossed the wrong person, and now there is a hitman after him. 

I liked Eddie and enjoyed how he outsmarted a mob boss and a prosecuting attorney while staying one step ahead of a hitman. There are good supporting characters, and I even rooted for Ruby toward the end despite her manipulative nature. The pacing is good, and there were enough twists to keep me guessing. 

3.5/5 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 March 25, 2025.

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The Last Word by Elly Griffiths

 

Although this is billed as a Harbinder Kaur book, the detective has a supporting role, with the three characters from The Postscript Murders again taking center stage. Not that that is a bad thing—I love those characters—but I would have preferred more Harbinder.

When author Melody Chambers dies, her daughters, sure she was murdered by their step-father, employ detectives Naatalka and Edwin to discover the truth. An unlikely duo, 30-something Ukranian-born Natalka and eight-four-year-old Edwin, had successfully solved the murder of their friend, Peggy, a few years earlier. Suspecting there is a link between Melody's death and the death of an obituary writer, Edwin goes undercover with Benedict, Natalka's life partner, at a writer's retreat. No sooner do they arrive when one of the attendees mysteriously dies. Up to their eyeballs in murder victims and suspects, the trio begin sifting through the evidence with some help from Detective Harbinder Kaur and the local constabulary. Unfortunately, their activities have put them in the crosshairs of the murderer. It's now a race against time with their lives in jeopardy.

I love Natalka, Edwin, and Benedict and thoroughly enjoyed them in The Postscript Murders. This time, the complicated plot isn't as intriguing as in The Postscript Murders. The Last Word isn't as fast-paced or humorous either, but its twists and character interaction are first-rate. I would have preferred Harbinder's presence, as she is another excellent character. This is another good book from Elly Griffiths.

 4/5 stars.

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Caught by Harlan Coben

 

I started watching Harlan Coben's adapted books on Netflix and enjoyed them so much that I thought I would try one in book form. Even though this is one of his older books, it has held up and proved to be suspenseful and twisty—much like his adaptations.

When investigative TV reporter Wendy Tynes sets up a sting to catch suspected pedophile Dan Mercer, she sets off a string of events that eventually calls into question her journalistic integrity. As Wendy dives deeper into Dan's past, she finds secrets and perhaps a link to a missing teenager. Could seemingly good guy Dan be a monster, or did Wendy miss something? The more she digs, the more questions arise.

This is a fast-paced psychological thriller that doesn't disappoint. Although written in 2010, only a few instances show its age. I tried Coben's Myton Bolitar series a few years ago but gave up after the first book for reasons I don't remember. Based on this book and the adapted books, I think I'll give it another try. 

4/5 stars.

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The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett

 This is a murder mystery with all the twists and turns you'd expect, but something I didn't expect in a fantasy world. What a fun ride.

When a high-ranking officer is murdered by the administration of a contagion that causes a tree to erupt from his body, investigator Ana Dolabra and her new assistant Dinios Kol are tasked with finding the perpetrator. Ana, whose unorthodox methods are often at odds with her straight-arrow assistant, is quick to make associations that involve a far-ranging conspiracy. Ana and Din aren't sure how far up the imperial ranks the scheme extends, but as they close in, they realize that the Empire and perhaps their lives are in peril.

Excellently written with humor and intrigue, this story is engaging with beautiful characters, especially Ana and Din. Both are entertaining, and their combined skills make them a formidable crime-solving duo. The world they inhabit is atmospheric and dangerous. I was happy to see this is the first book set in this world with these two larger-than-life characters. If you like murder mysteries and fantasy, I highly recommend this book. 

4.5/5 stars.

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The Collector by Daniel Silva

 

One of the things I like best about Silva's Gabriel Allon series is that they are always relevant. This book deals with the war in Ukraine and Russia's aggression. While that may seem like a downer, Silva's blend of fact and fiction is so good and plausible I had a hard time distinguishing between them.

Retired from the Israeli spy game and now restoring paintings full-time in Venice, Allon is approached by the head of Rome's Art Squad when a murder victim is found in his villa on the Amalfi Coast, and a long-lost van Gogh is also there. What's missing is another stolen painting, this one by Vermeer, and Gabriel is asked to track it down. How does he end up involved in the Russian/Ukrainian war? Well, that's at the heart of the novel, and even with side trips to Denmark and Finland,  it all ties together.

I always learn something from a Daniel Silva book--mostly art-related--but his focus on current world events is always enlightening. I do like the main character with his struggle to lead a quiet life after the everyday violence he seemed to face when he was an Israeli spy. No matter how hard he tries, he always gets pulled back into the game. Although the books are somewhat formulaic, they are always action-packed and entertaining. This latest book in the series is no exception. 4 Stars.

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Blacktop Wasteland by S.A. Cosby

 I love S.A. Cosby's books. Each is gritty, fast-paced, and has memorable characters.

Beauregard "Bug" Montage is struggling to be an honest man. His auto repair business competes with another business that undercuts his prices and drains away his customers. His bills are overdue, and he sees no way out. His one prized asset, a souped-up car inherited from his long-absent father, is something he won't sell despite his wife's pleadings. Considered the best wheelman on the East Coast, he is drawn in on a scheme to rob a jewelry store by an old acquaintance. Beauregard sees it as a chance to get ahead of his bills and obligations until he can get his business profitable again. Just one last get-away driving job, and he swears he will leave that life behind.

This is a character-driven thriller that is peppered with a cast of both good and disreputable people. I rooted for Beauregard to succeed in getting back on track and leaving the gangster life. Unfortunately, Bug was never sure he could, and, as a reader, I was also doubtful. Cosby is an excellent writer with a voice that is often overlooked. I've read all of his books and am continually amazed at the depth of his characters, both good and bad. I highly recommend this author. 4.5 stars.

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The Exchange by John Grisham

 I love Grisham's legal thrillers and his character-driven novels. Since this book is billed as a sequel to The Firm I was expecting another legal thriller. Not so. This book is more like an international crime drama--not my favorite type of read--but Grisham does a good job switching genres.

It's 2005 and fifteen years after Mitch McDeere and his wife Abby fled Memphis after exposing the corrupt practices of the Bendini law firm. They are now in New York where Mitch is a partner in the largest legal firm in the world and Abby is a cookbook editor; they now have twin boys. When Mitch's former mentor in Rome, Luca Sandroni, is diagnosed with cancer, he asks Mitch to take over a high profile case against Libya and dictator Muammar Gaddafi. During a supposedly safe trip to Libya, things go horribly wrong and suddenly Mitch, his family, and colleagues are in danger. Mitch once again teams up with Abby to try and outwit his adversaries.

First off, it is not necessary to have read The Firm to enjoy this book--Grisham does a good job of summing up the events from that book so feel free to jump right in. I liked the character updates and seeing that Mitch and Abby had flourished after their Memphis misadventures. I did think the book was a little slow getting to the main plot but once it got there, things picked up and the action was breakneck. In typical Grisham style, the plot was intricate with many moving parts and characters. Overall, I think this is a good book but as I said, this is not one of my favorite genres and saying it is a sequel to The Firm is a bit misleading: it's not another legal thriller. 3/5 stars.

Thank you, NetGalley and Doubleday for an advance copy to review in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The publication date is October 17, 2023.

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