The Grey Wolf by Louise Penny

Once again, Penny brings characters from previous novels into play in this 19th book in the series. She does a masterful job weaving past and present storylines to spin a compelling tale.

A phone call from an unwanted person from Armand Gamache's past sets up a fast-moving plot involving murder, terrorism, and closely held secrets that Gamache, Jean-Guy Beauvoir, and Isabelle Lacoste must unravel. Not knowing who to trust, the trio relies on few outsiders to try and discover what an order of monks is hiding. With each clue they uncover, they realize that a terrorist plot will kill thousands and turn Canada into a police state. In a race against time, the three cross the globe to piece together the devastating facts and find the terrorists.

I was up late reading this book every night; I couldn't put it down. This classic Louise Penny book hooks the reader from the first page and continues to entertain to the last word. I cannot say why I didn't give it a 5-star rating without giving away plot details, so I'll state that it is a personal preference that withheld that fifth star. 

4/5 stars.

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Blood Hollow by William Kent Krueger

 In this fourth Cork O'Connor book, William Kent Krueger continues to flesh out the characters and their relationships. Once again, he plots an intricate story with twists and moral dilemmas.

A teenager goes missing at a New Year's Eve party only to be found months later, and all signs point to murder. Crime scene evidence incriminates her estranged boyfriend, Solemn Winter Moon, whose actions appear to corroborate the evidence. Cork's wife, Jo, is tasked with defending Solemn, and Cork is enlisted to investigate the crime. When he begins uncovering secrets involving prominent members of the community and long-standing prejudice against Solemn's tribe comes to light, Cork's job becomes more challenging. It endangers not only Solemn but Cork's family as well.

Cork has always struggled with his spiritual convictions, and this book brings that conflict to a head when Solemn claims to have had a visit from Jesus Christ and develops a following. Then, incidents that appear to be miracles occur, and Cork doesn't know what to believe. This is not only a good murder mystery but also a good look into what drives Cork. BLOOD HOLLOW does an excellent job of moving the series forward. 

4/5 stars.

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Blood Ties by Jo Nesbo

 The Opgard brothers are back just as rascally and conniving as they were in THE KINGDOM. This book is just as dark and twisty as THE KINGDOM and equally good.

Things are going well for Carl and Roy. Carl's spa/hotel is doing so well that he is considering expanding, and Roy plans to build a giant amusement park if he can get a loan. Roy's love life is also looking up with the reappearance of Natalie, a woman he protected from her abusive father when she was a girl. Only a few things complicate their world: a possible bypass around the town threatening their livelihood and the local sheriff taking an interest in some mysterious deaths from their pasts. As usual, it's Roy who deals with the problems. His plan to bribe the engineering company into saying the bypass is not feasible goes awry, and he may have met his match in the dogged sheriff who is determined to arrest Roy for murder. In this entertaining read, it's fun to watch Carl and Roy work to save their lifestyles while escaping murder and fraud convictions.

Jo Nesbo has done it again. In this intricately plotted and fast-paced book, he takes the reader on a rollercoaster ride with two wily characters who, against all logic, the reader roots for to get away with murder! It looks at brotherly bonds between individuals whose moral compasses are skewed and the lengths they will go to to achieve their goals. That Nesbo makes these characters appealing speaks volumes about his storytelling ability. 

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 February 11, 2025.

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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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Iron Lake by William Kent Krueger

 I first read this book in 2018 and liked it so much that I decided to read the series—so much for good intentions. Now, six years later, I've recommitted myself to the series. This time, I'm going to do it!

When a paper carrier goes missing while delivering papers in a snowstorm in small-town Aurora, Minnesota, his mother calls the former sheriff, Cork O'Connor, and asks for help. Retracing the boy's steps, Cork stumbles upon the body of a prominent judge who appears to have committed suicide. Had the boy also found the body? And, if so, where is the boy now? And, by the way, did the judge commit suicide, or was he murdered?

These questions form the platform of Krueger's skillfully told story. Weaving Indian lore into the plot, Iron Lake is an atmospheric, nail-biting murder mystery with memorable characters. First published in 1999, the novel holds up remarkably well. There is the telltale problem of finding a telephone whenever needed, but that's to be expected. The only problem I had was O'Connor's trampling all over the formal investigation into the judge's death and the boy's disappearance. The sheriff seems quite content to ignore the issue of preserving evidence to convict a murderer. Overall, it is an excellent read, and I plan to read the next book, Boundary Waters, before another six years goes by. 

4/5 stars.

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Below Ground by Michael Wood

 When I think this series can't get better, I read the next book and am proven wrong once again. Now that I've caught up with the series, I must wait until October 25, 2024, when Last One Left Alive comes out. And I'm not a patient person!

DS Scott Andrews is found on the floor of Matilda Darke's house, bleeding from a stab wound, and Matilda is nowhere to be seen. Wanting to keep her kidnapping from the press and with few clues, the team tries to find her - their only clue: serial killer Steve Harrison may again be pulling strings from behind bars. Meanwhile, a skeletonized body is found in the woods, and then another, and another. The team is at odds trying to solve these old murders while still looking for Matilda. As time passes without clues, the possibility of not finding Matilda alive looms.

This is a fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat read. Even though Matilda is the main protagonist, Wood's penchant for killing off characters left me wondering if she would survive her ordeal. Some surprises and twists kept me reading this dark police procedural.

 5/5 stars.

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A Death in Cornwall by Daniel Silva

It's hard to believe this is the 24th book in Daniel Silva's Gabriel Allon series. Assuming he published one Allon book a year, I've been reading this series for 24 years. I suddenly feel old - not that, at my age, it isn't true!

Gabriel Allon, a retired spy who now works full-time as an art restorer, is in London for an unveiling of one of his restored paintings when he is contacted by Timothy Peel, whom Allon befriended many years ago. Peel is now a detective sergeant based in Cornwall, where a serial murderer is on the loose and may have claimed a renowned painting provenance researcher. Peel asks for Allon's help in finding her killer. Allon enlists the help of two old friends to uncover the thefts and murders tied to a stolen Picasso painting. They find a web of conspiracies and financial art transactions that could bring down government and financial leaders.

As with all of Silva's books, the plot of A Death in Cornwall is timely and plausible. It is a fast-paced read that I couldn't put down; it is well-researched and atmospheric and, as the body count mounted, an excellent action-packed murder mystery. My only complaint is how Gabriel solved who the serial killer was —that felt rushed and a bit contrived. 

4/5 stars. 

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The Lost Victim by Robert Bryndza

 

Both of Robert Bryndza's murder mystery series feature strong female protagonists. This, the Kate Marshall series, features a private investigator, while his Erika Foster series is a police procedural. Both are excellent.

A true-crime podcast company hires Kate and her partner Tristan to try and solve the thirty-year-old disappearance of thirteen-year-old Janiey Macklin. As they begin their investigation, leads are pointing toward Peter Conway, a convicted killer with ties to Kate's past. Digging deeper, they find three friends, one of whom has already been acquitted of her death may hold the key to her disappearance--but can they be believed?

This is a twisty, compelling read—one of Bryndza's best. Red herrings, subplots, and unreliable characters make this an intricately plotted book that sizzles from start to finish. Although it is the fifth Kate Marshall book, it can be read as a standalone. 

4.5/5 stars.

Thank you, NetGalley and Raven Street Publishing, for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The publication date is July 11, 2024.

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The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels by Janice Hallett

What an imaginative and engaging book. The story and the format in which it is told are interesting and grabbed me from the beginning.

It is eighteen years after the gruesome end to the Alperton Angels cult, where three members committed suicide, one went to prison, and three others disappeared. True crime writer Amanda Bailey and rival Oliver Menzies both decide to attempt to find the members who disappeared. Forced to collaborate by their editors, the long-standing dislike they have for each other must be put aside for the sake of their stories. As they dig deeper into the cult, Oliver struggles not to get caught up in the myths, while Amanda tries to divert his attention away from the direction her story is taking--at best, it is an uneasy alliance.

The story format, which is told through Whats App messages, emails, transcribed interviews, and other source material, is at first distracting, but once I got into the flow, the unusual format worked. This is a fast-paced book as the author not only reveals what happened to the cult but also the effects of the beliefs on both Oliver and Amanda. It is dark and twisty, just the way I like my murder mysteries. 

4.5/5 stars.

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Camino Ghosts by John Grisham

Expert storyteller John Grisham has done it again. In this visit with the characters introduced in "Camino Island," Grisham blends the tragedy of slavery with the current era of developers' greed into a compelling new read.

Lovely Jackson, the last descendant of escaped enslaved people who made the remote Dark Island their home for generations, tells her story in a self-published book that catches the attention of Camino Island bookstore owner Bruce Cable. When developers propose to build a resort community and casino on the now-vacant Dark Island, the question of ownership arises. Does Lovely own the island, or does the State of Florida? Enter author Mercer Mann and environment lawyer Steven Mahon, who join Lovely's uphill battle to share her story and preserve the island's historical significance.

This fascinating read made me uncomfortable at times because of the telling of Africans captured and enslaved. Painful or not, it is a dark period in the history of some countries and one that should not be swept under the carpet. Grisham adeptly tells of the terror and mistreatment suffered by those who were captured. Add courtroom drama to this, and you will have a recipe for an engaging story, as only John Grisham can tell. 

5/5 stars.

Thank you, NetGalley and Doubleday, for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The publication date is May 28, 2024.

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The Lost Children by Michael Wood

 I usually enjoy this series—it's dark and twisty, just the way I like them. This book, however, was just a bit too dark, even for me. It deals with child abuse, a subject I don't enjoy. Even so, it is a trademark Michael Wood crime thriller—fast-paced with many twists and turns.

Peter Ogilvy has been trying to get an investigation into a murder that occurred at his former boys' home, Magnolia House. Still, with no body, the South Yorkshire police have been sweeping it under the carpet for years. Then, a high-profile man is found gruesomely murdered. When DCI Matilda Darke and her team begin investigating, they uncover his unsavory past, a link to the suspected murdered boy, and physical abuse that occurred at Magnolia House over the years. The investigation is thwarted at every turn by those higher up in the police department, forcing Matilda and her team to hide their proper investigation. It raises questions about possible police involvement in the abuse--why else try to hinder the investigation?

This is an emotionally disturbing book that some readers may find off-putting. Still, it is an excellent police procedural that is gripping and character-driven. Wood's plots are intricate, with characters facing moral dilemmas and not always choosing the best way forward. This series is addicting.

4/5 stars.

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