Maybe Tomorrow by Michael Wood

I admit it: I'm a Michael Wood fan — I love both his DCI Matilda Darke and Dr. Olivia Winter murder-mystery series. They feature strong women and are dark and gripping, with interesting plots. In this standalone, Wood outdoes himself in creating an atmospheric thriller filled with good and ruthless characters that examines a flawed justice system.

When Alice, a young woman with Down syndrome, is found raped and murdered in the woods after a violent storm, police are under intense pressure to find her killer. With no leads and no clues, they are stumped until they focus on Anthony, a man with learning disabilities, who was among the last to see her alive. When he confesses to the crime, the case is closed. But not everyone is convinced of Anthony's guilt--including his lawyer and two police officers. They are determined to prove his innocence, at great personal cost.

This is a compelling read that I couldn't put down. It shines an unkind light on the British penal and justice systems, both of which failed Anthony and Alice. It is fast-paced and suspenseful with excellent characters. If you have not yet discovered this author, this book is a good introduction to his dark world. 

4.5/5 stars.

Thank you, NetGalley and One More Chapter, for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The publication date is July 31, 2026.

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Buyer Beware by Catherine Ryan Howard

 

Catherine Ryan Howard already has a following, with one of her earlier books, 56 Days, being adapted by Prime Video. Buyer Beware is the first book from a major publishing house so that it will give her broader exposure. I'm sure her fan base will increase because of this book.

The story is told by Ellie, Hannah, and Erin, spanning three timelines. It begins in the present with Ellie moving into a house in Dundrum, Ireland. She has secrets she wishes to withhold from her neighbors, including her true name. When someone breaks into her house and vandalizes it, Ellie must find out who is targeting her and why. Hannah is a successful businesswoman whose life changed when she, unwittingly, had an affair with a married man. Erin has put her own dreams aside when she married a man who can't hold a job. How these three women are tied together, and their connection to the house, forms the basis of the novel.

I couldn't put this book down at first because I was trying to figure out what was going on. Later, I had a hard time staying connected to it because I kept waiting for something creepy to happen in the house — it didn't. It wasn't until the rushed, final chapter that the secrets of the house were revealed, and by then, I'd lost interest. I liked how the author explored the lives of Hannah and Erin through earlier timelines; each revelation was a surprise. I think many will enjoy this thriller more than I did, and I think the author will gain fans as a result. I plan to read Howard's 56 Days because this book piqued my interest. 

3/5 stars.

Thank you, NetGalley and Simon & Schuster, for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The publication date is July 28, 2026.

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A Deadly Episode by Anthony Horowitz

I enjoy both this series and Anthony Horowitz's other series, which features Susan Ryland. I can count on both series to provide an entertaining read with interesting characters. While this book does provide interesting characters, it wasn't as entertaining as the previous books in the series.

The character Anthony Horowitz, who chronicles former DI Hawthorne's investigations, is pleased when his first book, The Word is Murder, is going to be made into a motion picture. He's a little miffed when he wasn't asked to write the screenplay, and has his doubts when the current screenwriter, an eco-warrior, inserts her agenda into the script. 

All of that aside, Horowitz and Hawthorne are on set when the star of the picture, David Caine, is murdered. When Hawthorne begins his own investigation, he uncovers secrets involving several cast and crew members and numerous suspects; it turns out that Caine was not a nice guy. Given so many motives, the problem now is to sift through them to find the murderer.

Anthony Horowitz has written many screenplays, and he draws on his experience for this book. Unfortunately, the world of filmmaking didn't grab my interest. I was more involved when the story switched to long-ago crimes set in the village where Hawthorne grew up. These occurrences were not only more interesting, but they also revealed some of Hawthorne's backstory. Overall, I did enjoy this book and recommend it to those who love a good murder mystery. 

3.5/5 stars. 

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Kills Well with Others by Deanna Raybourn

In this second book in the Killers of a Certain Age  series, the four semi-retired assassins are back together and out to kill some bad guys. 

Billie, Mary Alice, Helen, and Natalie are called into service when an Eastern European gangster starts targeting Museum agents. Knowing they are on his list because of having killed his father years earlier, they decide to get him before he starts picking them off. In the process, they discover a mole in the Museum leaking information; they are now battling opponents on two fronts in their fight to stay alive.

I enjoyed this book with its shadowy killers matching wits with the four sixty-something assassins. The plot is unpredictable with twists I didn't see coming. Raybourn does an excellent job of exploring the personalities of the four women with humor and snappy dialogue. I highly recommend this series. 

4/5 stars.

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Revenge Prey by John Sandford

It's hard to believe this is the thirty-sixth book in Sandford's "Prey" series. I have been on board since the first book and have watched Lucas Davenport's character develop as he has changed law enforcement agencies and faced numerous villains over the years. Every book has been a welcome addition to the series, and Revenge Prey showcases renegade Davenport at his best.

A high-level Russian intelligence officer and his family have defected to the U.S. and are entering the U.S. Marshal Service's Witness Protection Program. Davenport and his partner, along with the FBI and a CIA operative, are tasked with helping the family settle in Minnesota. When an attempt is made on the man's life by an elite Russian hit team, Davenport and company must step up their protection and try to find out who is supplying the hit team with their information. With the story switching between the hit team and Davenport, the action is non-stop as both factions race against time to either save or kill the defector.

John Sandford can be relied upon for a good, heart-pounding thriller. Revenge Prey is no different. Although I wasn't as enamored with the plot as in his previous books, it was still a satisfying read. It was interesting to get the hit team's point of view, and I found it hard not to root for them. They were under pressure, and failure was not an option — not if they wanted to return to Russia. Once again, Lucas was defying authority, and by teaming with the shady CIA agent, they were an unstoppable pair. 

4/5 stars.

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 April 7, 2026.

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The Devil's Code by Michael Wood

Forensic psychologist and serial-killer researcher Dr. Olivia Winter was introduced in The Mind of a Murderer. The survivor of a serial killer--her own father--Winter has dedicated her life to finding out what makes killers tick. 

Isaac McFadden is on his way to dispose of a dismembered body when a routine traffic stop catches him. He is uncooperative and is quickly convicted of the killing. Then, McFadden's notebook is found, containing a code indicating he may have killed multiple times. Unable to crack the code, the police turn to Olivia to try to get McFadden to open up about the killings and to help in solving the code. Olivia's noted professional reputation and her personal history have drawn unwanted attention and distracted her from her investigation. This, combined with a manipulative McFadden, makes Olivia's task all the more difficult.

I am a fan of Wood's DCI Matilda Darke series, and this series is proving equally enjoyable. As with all of his books, this is a dark and chilling read. It is also suspenseful with good twists and excellent characters. I highly recommend this book and author. 

4/5 stars.

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The Purity of Vengeance by Jussi Adler-Olsen

 This is another winner in the Department Q series. With Adler-Olsen's signature humor and interesting characters, I found myself rooting for the killer. Her vigilante justice was, to me, justified.

In the 1950s, Nettie Hermansen was the victim of forced sterilization and unjustified incarceration. Thirty years later, she plots her revenge against those who wronged her. Now she is a wealthy widow whose past may be catching up with her in the form of Carl Morck and his Department Q assistants. 

Carl and company are focused on the cold case of a brothel owner who disappeared in the 1980s. When they begin investigating, they uncover similar disappearances and a link to a current extreme right-wing political party leader. Just how they are connected is a dangerous puzzle they must solve.

I liked how the story used flashbacks to Nettie's life and her later revenge against those who had harmed her to weave the past and present together. Nettie is a sympathetic character pitted against an unjust society that facilitated the despicable treatment of innocent women. The intricate plot, combined with some truly evil characters, made this a book I couldn't put down. The fact that actual events inspired it made it more compelling. 

4.5/5 stars.

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Never Flinch by Stephen King

 I liked King's Holly Gibney character in the first book she was featured in, Mr. Mercedes; she was unusual and quirky. Over the following books, however, Gibney lost those characteristics. In this book, she is a bland, predictable character, as is the plot. I quit reading halfway through and, as a devoted Stephen King fan, that says a lot. I have read all of his books and have always finished and enjoyed them.

Holly is unofficially consulting with Buckeye City Police Department Detective Izzy James on a case in which the police department received a letter outlining that "thirteen innocents and one guilty" person would die. They assume the letter is related to an innocent man who was murdered in prison. When the bodies begin to pile up, with each left with the name of a jury member who convicted the man, Holly and Izzy gear up to find this vigilante. 

Meanwhile, outspoken women's rights advocate Kate McKay is on tour promoting her controversial agenda with a planned stop in Buckeye City. When threats against McKay's life escalate, she hires Holly as her bodyguard. Now it's up to Holly to help find a serial killer and whoever is behind the threats on McKay's life.

This is a slow-moving book with a predictable plot. As stated above, Holly has become a one-dimensional character whom I no longer care about. I'll pass if King writes another book featuring Holly Gibney. 

2/5 stars.

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No Rest for the Wicked by Rachel Louise Adams

 

This is a promising debut novel by Rachel Louise Adams. It has an interesting premise and a couple of quirky characters--including the main protagonist. 

Dolores Hawthorne left her hometown of Little Horton, Wisconsin, almost twenty years ago and has been estranged from her family. When the FBI calls to inform her that her father is missing, she hurries back to see what she can do to help. She arrives just before Halloween, a holiday the town is famous for, its celebrations as well as tragedy. What's going to happen this year? A celebration, or another tragedy?

Even though I figured out who the murderer was early on, there was still a twist that surprised me. This is a well-crafted book, with the tension mounting with each body that is discovered. I liked the characters and the setting. The build-up to Halloween made me wonder what else could happen. 

3.5/5 stars.

Thank you, NetGalley and Minotaur Books, for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The publication date is September 16, 2025.

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The Lake Escape by Jamie Day

 

I liked Day's two previous books, The Block Party and One Big Happy Family, and was looking forward to this book. Unfortunately, it didn't measure up to her earlier books. While good, it didn't have the "oh, wow!" ending of the other two.

The cabins at a Vermont lake have been in their families for generations, so when Erika, Julia, and David get together with their families for a two-week vacation, they are expecting fun and relaxation. But when David's girlfriend goes missing, it brings up similar disappearances of two women from the lake fifteen years apart. Add in the strained relations in Julia's marriage, and the tension created by David having renovated his home, which now blocks the views of the other homes and the lake, and not all is idyllic. 

The book started slowly, and as more characters and subplots were introduced, it became increasingly confusing. I think the last straw for me was when mobsters were added--the mob in Vermont? Really? None of the characters were particularly likable, and each had their own agenda. I do give credit for Day not taking the obvious path to an ending, however. For once, a character faced a moral dilemma and did the right thing. I admit that I was sucked into the story, and couldn't put it down, despite the gripes mentioned above. 

3/5 stars.

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The publication date is July 15, 2025.

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