Mercy Falls by William Kent Krueger

This fifth Cork O'Connor book is another action-packed police procedural whose action takes off immediately and never stops.

Cork and a deputy are on what is thought to be a domestic disturbance call on the Ojibwa reservation when a sniper ambushes them, wounding the deputy and leaving Cork with the disturbing knowledge that he was the target. Just as the search for the sniper begins, the gruesome murder of a Chicago businessman occurs, and Cork has his hands full. The businessman's wealthy family inserts their investigator into the investigation, and ties between the family and Cork's wife, Jo, are revealed. With two seemingly unrelated investigations, Cork and his team see disturbing connections that require them to negotiate the political and emotional threads in the cases carefully.

Although I did figure out who was behind the sniper ambush and the murder, Krueger did a good job weaving together the details into a complex mystery. I always enjoy Cork's interactions with the Ojibwa band and their culture—they are both enlightening and entertaining. As always, the writing and characters are excellent. 

4.5/5 stars. 

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Grimm Up North by David J. Gatward

 I enjoy police procedurals, especially those set in Great Britain. This book ticks both boxes and is a promising start to a series.

DCI Harry Grimm has been seconded from a bustling city to a remote village in the Yorkshire Dales after he almost botched an investigation because of a personal obsession with finding his missing father. Once there, he is disappointed to see that the most significant crime is sheep rustling. When a local teen goes missing, he suspects human trafficking, and his interest is piqued. When a murder occurs, Harry understands terrible things can happen in even the most idyllic surroundings.

I like the setting, the author's description of the countryside, and the peculiarities of the locals. The book moved along, and I liked Harry the more I got to know him. He is a protagonist with a dark past that haunts him. It is a good mix of interesting characters and an unusual setting. 

3.5/5 stars.

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The Lost House by Melissa Larsen

 I love murder mysteries set in Iceland. They are usually dark and atmospheric, and I love that in a book. THE LOST HOUSE is both of those things and does a good job of capturing life in a small Icelandic village. Even though Melissa Larsen doesn't live in Iceland, she does an excellent job of taking the reader there.

Forty years ago, the unsolved murder of a woman and her infant daughter in a small town in Iceland cast suspicion on the woman's husband. Although there was no proof, he was ostracized by the town and their belief of his guilt was cemented when he fled the country with his young son. Now, his granddaughter, Agnes, has joined a true-crime podcaster, Nora, in investigating the crime. Agnes hopes to clear her grandfather, while Nora wants a good story.

Coinciding with Agnes’s and Nora's arrival, a local girl, Asa, goes missing. Agnes and Nora get caught up in the search for Asa, and in doing so, they find that many of the people surrounding Asa have ties to that long-ago murder. By digging into what happened to Asa, Agnes and Nora uncover secrets that may help solve that old murder.

This is a slow-burn story rich in atmosphere and characters. I liked both Agnes and Nora, and their relationship was interesting, although I often couldn't believe Nora's patience as there were times I wanted to wring Agnes's neck. The pacing at the beginning was slow, but the story was interesting enough that I kept reading, and I'm glad I did. The ending was worth it. 

3.5 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 January 14, 2025.

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You Like It Darker: Stories by Stephen King

This book should teach us that one should never anticipate a book based on its title. Because the title is YOU LIKE IT DARKER, I expected these stories to be vintage Stephen King, dark, and, perhaps, creepy. Nope. With a couple of exceptions, there wasn't even much paranormal. Not that anything by King is disappointing; it's just not what I was expecting. Another thing is that the title says "Stories"--not "short stories"--because at least one was more novella length. Live and learn.

I enjoyed all of the stories in this collection, some more than others. My favorites, "Two Talented Bastids" and "The Answer Man," were storytelling at its finest. All had interesting characters, and "Rattlesnakes" used characters from King's oldie but goodie CUJO.

I discovered Stephen King early in his career and have been a constant reader ever since. I'm not a fan of story collections—I prefer one long story—something I can get immersed in—but this is a good one as a collection goes. 

4/5 stars.

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The Business Trip by Jessie Garcia

I like to read a book by an unknown author, and even more so when it is a debut novel. This book, Jessie Garcia's debut, sounded promising with its intriguing plot. Unfortunately, it fell short on the delivery.

Jasmine and Stephanie meet on a long flight. Jasmine is fleeing an abusive relationship, and Stephanie is going to yet another conference for her television newsroom. Although they are far apart on the socioeconomic ladder, they find common ground. A few days after the flight, they both disappear after apparently meeting the same man. Both are in contact with friends and business associates through texts, but as the texts become more alarming, the fate of the two women comes into question. Who is this mystery man, and what has happened to the two women?

Told from multiple POVs and numerous text messages, it is quickly apparent that everything is not as it should be. The reader is led down a winding path of clues as more is revealed about the two women and the mystery man. I was sucked into the story at the beginning as I tried to figure out what was happening. The suspense is good, but I had a problem accepting the twists as the story became more complex, and it became harder to suspend disbelief. Overall, this is a good first effort, but a bit hard to swallow at times. 

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 January 14, 2025.

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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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