If Something Happens to Me by Aex Finlay

 I read and enjoyed two of Alex Finlay's previous books, "The Night Shift" and "Every Last Fear," so I was looking forward to another good psychological thriller with "If Something Happens to Me." I wasn't disappointed. If anything, I think this is Finlay's best book yet.

Five years ago, while Ryan Richardson and his girlfriend, Ali, were at a secluded place, Ali was abducted. Both she and the car vanished that night, and Ryan became a person of interest in her disappearance. Ryan was never charged, but the suspicion and notoriety has haunted him. Now a law student with a different name, Ryan's past comes back to haunt him when Ali's car is recovered from a lake with two dead men in it, but still no trace of Ali, just a coded note with the words "if something happens to me" on the envelope.

Newly appointed sheriff's deputy Poppy McGee is assigned to the task force attempting to figure out who the two dead men are and what is in Ali's note. As Poppy digs into the old case about Ali's disappearance, she doubts the quality of the investigation and suspects a coverup--but why?

The story, told by several characters simultaneously, combines a classic psychological thriller and a twisty, suspenseful murder mystery. Finlay deftly intertwines the characters' lives with plot twists into a seamless story of love and revenge. It is a fast-moving and engaging read that never disappoints. 

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 May 28, 2024.

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The Women by Kristin Hannah

I liked Hannah's "The Nightingale" and "The Great Alone." Both were terrific character studies. Based on the marketing copy for this book, I was hoping for the same, but I couldn't get past the brutality of war, which was so graphic in parts that I found myself skimming.

Sheltered Frankie McGrath follows her family's tradition of serving their country during wartime. She intends to use her nursing degree by volunteering for a tour in Vietnam in 1965. However, she encounters a challenge she doesn't know if she can meet in the front-line trenches of a hospital dealing with extreme casualties. With the support of her fellow nurses and sympathetic doctors, Frankie rises above her self-doubts to become a first-rate surgical nurse.

Robert Dugoni's amazing "The World Played Chess," set mostly in Vietnam, made me think I could tackle another Vietnam-era book. I was wrong. While Dugoni's book did contain graphic war scenes, the characters were more realistic and I cared more for them than the characters depicted in this book. I'm not a fan of books set during wartime; I thought the overarching story in "The Women" would carry me through, however, but it did not. I liked Frankie and the graphic scenes were not extraneous, but I couldn't stomach it. I DNF at 50%. 

3/5 stars.  

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Normal Rules Don't Apply: Stories by Kate Atkinson

 I like almost everything Kate Atkinson has written, and I especially like her books featuring the Jackson Brodie character. These eleven short stories are classic Kate Atkinson: light-hearted, engaging stories that captured my imagination.

These stories are interconnected, with the main characters being a queen in a fable, a man who works on a soap opera, and a recently deceased secretary, among others. Although they don't sound like they could work together, trust me, they do. Atkinson skillfully intertwines these lives interestingly and imaginatively to produce a satisfying read.

4/5 stars.

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Southern Man by Greg Iles

 

This seventh Cage Penn book is the icing on the cake following Iles' amazing Nachez Burning trilogy (Nachez Burning, The Bone Tree, and Mississippi Blood), which also features Penn Cage. Set fifteen years after Mississippi Blood, in 2023, on the eve of the presidential election, it is a microscopic look at the state of US politics, race relations, and the nature of the unrest we are currently experiencing.

When a rap concert turns bloody at the hands of the Sheriff's Department in Bienville, Mississippi, two figures emerge as leaders: one, a Black tourist guide, and the other, a White third-party presidential candidate who has the best chance of winning since Ross Perot. One hopes to quell the retaliatory mood of the crowd, and the other hopes to raise his political aspirations to a national stage. At odds, the stage is set for a confrontation with far-reaching consequences.

This looks like it will be the final Penn Cage book, as it is revealed early on that Cage's cancer is no longer in remission. That's sad news for fans of the series, myself included, but Iles does a good job of handling the characters and dealing with the life-threatening situation. This fast-moving story weaves together today's political climate and Civil War-era slavery issues. It is sometimes uncomfortable to read, but it is a story that needs telling. This political and historical thriller shines a light on corruption, race relations, and family relationships, both past and present. It is an excellently written book that can be read as a standalone--although the other books in the series are so good, I recommend reading them all. 

5/5 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 May 28, 2024.

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Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang

I don't usually care for short stories, but a friend whose opinions I trust suggested this collection. I did like it, and although it didn't change my mind about short stories—they're too choppy; I like a continuous story—I was engaged with most of the stories.

These are stories previously published in magazines, mainly in the 90s, but they have held up well. All are character-driven and deal with various topics, including what it means to be human. Most stories have intriguing premises, are excellently written, and captured my imagination. The author delves heavily into math and physics in several stories that I found hard to comprehend. I admit to having to skim parts, but that didn't detract from the overall readability of the stories. All-in-all, this is an interesting read. 

3.5/5 stars.

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The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton

 I wasn't sure what to expect from this latest Stuart Turton novel. I loved his "The Devil and the Dark Water" but didn't care for "The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle"—although my opinion on the latter was a minority one. The premise of "The Last Murder at the End of the World" sounded promising, and I am happy to report it lived up to all my expectations.

In a post-apocalyptic world, the only survivors are on a small island surrounded by the life-threatening fog that appears to have wiped out civilization. Once home to an advanced scientific facility, the island is now populated by one hundred and twenty-two villagers and ruled over by three surviving scientists. When one of the scientists is murdered, the killer fog begins advancing on the island. With only hours to solve the murder, one villager is tasked with finding the murderer, which will reset the security system that keeps the fog at bay.

This unusual plot is deftly executed. It is a fast-paced, atmospheric book with well-drawn characters and plot twists. It's a science fiction murder mystery—two of my favorite genres that fit seamlessly together. I highly recommend this book. 

5/5 stars.

Thank you, NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark, for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The publication date is May 21, 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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