Survivor's Guilt by Michael Wood

 Once again, Michael Wood delivers in this eighth Matilda Drake mystery. I'm still catching up in the series, and it gets better with each installment.

It's been nine months since the deadly killing spree that claimed the lives of three of Matilda's murder squad team and the son of her best friend, pathologist Adele Kean; all are dealing with survivor's guilt in different ways. Adele and Matilda are now estranged, and Matilda has just been cleared to work after her long rehabilitation from gunshot wounds when news comes in about a body found in a wooded area. As the squad begins to investigate the latest murder, they find cold cases involving similar victims and the body count mounts. They now know a serial killer is on the loose in Sheffield and targeting prostitutes. Pressure from the press and from above is applied to this fragile team of detectives, and they each respond differently, but all eyes are on Matilda: is she truly ready to be back at work? As the pressure mounts, so do the doubts.

Wood nicely ties in previous storylines from the series in moving the characters forward. This is another twisty, fast-paced police procedural that grips the reader and takes them on a rollercoaster ride. We see the characters at their most vulnerable and a different Matilda who questions herself and her methods of leading her team. Wood is the master of psychological thrillers.

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The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins

 This is the first book by Rachel Hawkins that I have read, but the premise piqued my interest, so I decided to try this book; I'm glad I did. It grabbed me from the start and didn't let go.

Ruby McTavish, the heir to the vast McTavish fortune, was abducted when she was a child, survived four sketchy marriages, and childless, adopted Camden when he was a child. Ten years after Ruby's death, Cam married and a teacher in Colorado, is summoned back to North Carolina to face his remaining relatives, who feel he has no right to his inheritance. While there, questions about Ruby's past, as well as the untimely deaths of her four husbands, surface. What happened when she was abducted, and were the circumstances of her husband's deaths honestly as reported?

Told from the point of view of Cam and his wife, Jules, and unsent letters written by Ruby, the answers to the above questions are teasingly revealed. This is a fast-paced psychological thriller with twists that are excellently plotted. I rooted for Cam to stay true to himself despite the Siren song of wealth and power.

 4.5 stars. 

The publication date is January 9, 2024.

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The Bullet That Missed by Richard Osman

 The gang is all back in this third installment of the Thursday Murder Club series, and romance, as well as murder, is the focus of this book.

A decade-old cold case grabs the attention of Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron, and Ibrahim: TV host Bethany Waites appears to have been murdered over her investigation into a money laundering scheme when her car was sent over a cliff, but the body was never recovered. What became of her body, and who is behind the supposed murder? Focusing on these questions leads them to her former co-host, Mike Waghorn, who is still mourning her even after all these years. While investigating their latest case, they also get involved with a former KGB agent and a mysterious Viking who instructs Elizabeth to kill the former agent, or he will kill Joyce, all because of a misunderstanding involving cryptocurrency. What lengths will Elizabeth go to save her friend?

Osman once again deftly works multiple storylines into a cohesive whole while exploring the intricacy of money laundering and cryptocurrency. Additionally, there are several new, interesting characters introduced who will probably be featured again--or at least I hope so. I loved the intricate plotting and humor the series is known for. This is a terrific addition to the series. 4.5 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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The Rise by Ian Rankin

I have been a fan of Ian Rankin for many years, so I leaped to get this short story by him that was free for Amazon Prime members in October.

DI Jack Milton and DS Gillian Gish are on call when a murder occurs at an exclusive residential high-rise in London, aptly named The Rise. The highly wealthy inhabitants find themselves suspects, and some aren't very cooperative. The detectives must tread lightly to solve the murder.

This is a solid police procedural with a twist. Typical of Rankin, the murderer isn't apparent, and although a few clues are meted out, there aren't enough to figure out the whodunit in this intricate story—that part I didn't like. I felt like the author held back too much information--a fine line for a murder mystery, I admit, and one that often frustrates me. Overall, this is a good, solid read, and the price couldn't be beaten.

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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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Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

I am always pleasantly surprised when a heavily hyped book lives up to my expectations. When I'm disappointed, I often wonder what's wrong with me--what am I not seeing? With this book, there was never any doubt about missing something; I don't like it when an author puts so many obstacles in the protagonist's path that it is downright depressing, which this was.

My problems with the book began with the writing. I don't usually mind first-person narratives, but this was so disjointed I could never get in a reading flow--I often had to go back and reread sentences/paragraphs to make sense of them u. I also tire of the characters continually exploiting the boy, Demon Copperhead.

What I liked about the main character was how he rolled with the punches. Despite his abuse in the social services system, he always seemed to make the best of it. I admit I stopped reading at about 80% when it was apparent that, once again, he was going to be led down a dark path; I couldn't take any more.

I don't usually review books I have not finished, but I had invested so much time in this book and had such strong feelings that I decided to put my thoughts down anyway. 2 stars.

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