Heaven's Keep by William Kent Krueger

Just when I thought this series could not get better,  I read the next book, immersing myself more in the characters and Native American culture.

When a small plane carrying Cork's wife and tribal members goes down in the Wyoming wilderness, Cork joins the search effort. Blame focuses on the pilot, who had been drinking heavily the night before the flight. Later, the pilot's wife approaches Cork, asking him to look into the allegations, and Cork returns to Wyoming to find the truth. What Cork finds is a web of lies and perhaps misdeeds done by the Northern Arapaho tribe, and, hope against hope, his wife is still alive.

This intricately plotted novel grabbed my heart at the possible death of Cork's wife. I couldn't believe Krueger would kill off a major character, so I hoped, along with Cork, for a miracle. Krueger again exceeded my expectations in this ninth book in the twenty-one-book series. The story is riveting, and the location shift from Minnesota to Wyoming is a welcome change. 

5/5 stars.

For more information:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Ten Incarnations of Rebellion by Vaishnavi Patel

 

I like alternate history books: they are imaginative and thought-provoking. "Ten Incarnations of Rebellion" is both of those things, raising issues about colonialism and its effects on native cultures.

It's the 1960s, and India has been under British rule for decades. The restrictions imposed on the Indians have created a climate of unrest. Resistance groups have sprung up, some militant, others non-violent. Kalki Divekar, whose father has been away fighting for freedom, has decided to form her resistance group in her hometown of Kingston. Together with her two closest friends, Kalki begins sewing the seeds of a non-violent movement, designed to harass the British rulers and their Indian collaborators. By working in the British governing hierarchy, they initially sought to disrupt plans. However, as the movement grew, the goals changed, and their once non-violent activities now incorporate sabotage that imperils all their lives.

The interweaving of historical fact and speculation makes this an engrossing read. It is well-researched and doesn't shy away from the injustice done to the Indian people while under British rule. It deals with the morality of the oppressors as well as the power of resistance. The characters are well-drawn, and their situations are believable. 

4/5 stars.

Thank you, NetGalley and Ballantine Books, for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The publication date is June 3, 2025.

For more information:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Player of Games by Iain M. Banks

 

I enjoy science fiction. The world-building, alien cultures, and futuristic themes appeal to me. I especially like space operas where the story is set aboard a spaceship with a few quirky characters. Although "The Player of Games" satisfied my first set of criteria, it was tagged as a space opera, which it wasn't. I liked the first book in Banks's series, "Consider Phlebas, " and was expecting a lot from this second book; it didn't deliver.

Gurgeh is a master game player. He is famous for his tactics and elegant strategies. When the opportunity arises to travel to the distant Empire of Azad to play their challenging game, which is used to determine who becomes emperor, he jumps at the chance. When he begins winning, his welcome sours, and his life is in danger. He faces the dilemma: continue to best the players, or convincingly lose to save face and return home.

For the most part, I enjoyed this book. It delivered a good story, was excellently written, and moved along. What I didn't like was the book's central theme: game playing. I much prefer a shoot-'em-up story set in space to politically heavy books. That's just personal bias. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series, "Use of Weapons. " It sounds much more like what I look for in a science fiction read.

3.5/5 stars.

For more information:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Whistle by Linwood Barclay

I expect an excellently plotted suspense thriller from Linwood Barclay, so I was pleasantly surprised to see he has switched genres. This latest book is a paranormal horror story with all the tension and pacing one gets with a good thriller. 

Annie's life is in freefall. First, her husband is killed in a hit-and-run accident, and then a young reader of her popular children's book series tragically dies. Seeking solace, she and her young son Charlie move from New York City to a small town in upstate New York. All seems fine until Charlie discovers a model train set in a shed. Mysterious events begin, and their retreat no longer looks so idyllic. 

Two months after September 11, 2001, a new store opened on Main Street in the small town of Lucknow, Vermont. Run by an eccentric man known as Edwin Choo, the store offers model train sets that appeal to young and old alike. When people and pets begin disappearing, police chief Harry Cook notices a pattern related to Mr. Choo. Could he be more than he appears?

Switching back and forth in time between Annie and Harry, Barclay expertly leads the reader through a maze of paranormal circumstances that tie the two storylines together. Whistle is a dark and creepy read with interesting characters and plot twists. I hope Mr. Barclay continues to explore this new, darker side. 

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 20, 2025.

For more information:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

A Dead Draw by Robert Dugoni

 I am a fan of Robert Dugoni. I have followed his Tracy Crosswhite series from the beginning and like his standalone novels. I was set to enjoy another good Crosswhite book, but this one let me down. It did deliver Dugoni's brand of murdering psychopath, but it also delved too much into material already covered in previous books.

Tracy thinks she has an air-tight case against killer Erik Schmidt, but when a technicality throws the case out, she is determined to uncover new evidence against him. Schmidt is equally determined to seek revenge against Tracy for a wrong he is convinced she committed. Concerned for her family's safety, they flee Seattle for the remote town of Cedar Grove, where she and her husband grew up. Tracy's hope of escaping Schmidt is short-lived, and she prepares for the showdown with him while fighting the ghosts from her past.

This is a gripping and fast-paced psychological thriller. Where it fell short for me was the rehashing of storylines covered in previous books and the depth to which guns and shooting competitions played a role. I am not a gun enthusiast, so my take may be biased. Dugoni did a good job weaving Tracy's need to improve her gun skills into the plot, but I didn't need that much information. 

3.5/5 stars.

Thank you, NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer, for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The publication date is May 27, 2025.

For more information:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Consider Phlebas by Iain M. Banks

I love space operas and discovering new science fiction authors. Consider Phlebas checks both boxes. It has interesting characters, alien cultures, and a seemingly impossible mission—all things I like in a science fiction book.

Hoza is a Changer whose ability to shift his features has allowed him to assume the identity of a pirate captain. He is allied with the Idirans in their war with the Culture and is tasked with finding a missing Mind owned by the Culture. With his rag-tag crew and a captured Culture agent, he sets off to a long-dead world where the Mind is hiding. Hoza goes against the odds to find the Mind and finds himself in a race that puts his and his crew's lives in danger.

This fast-paced, imaginative, and engrossing story was published in 1988. It has stood the test of time and delivers a satisfying look at two cultures at war with plausible situations. I just discovered this author and this series, although I was sad to learn he has since died. However, he has left a catalog of books, and I look forward to reading them all. 

4/5 stars.

For more information:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Phantom Fleet by Alexander Rose

 

What an informative and entertaining book! It read more like a thriller than a military naval history book. The depth of the research gave insight into the men and the mission to capture a German U-boat. It brought to life the efforts of the U.S. intelligence officers, their superiors, and their British and German counterparts as they played a cat-and-mouse game.
 
Beginning in 1942, with German U-boats off the eastern coast of the United States disrupting supply shipments, to the capturing of a U-boat in 1944, this story unfolds from the perspective of the U.S. and German naval officers. Along the way, the book recounts the critical work done by the British to crack the German Enigma encrypting device and how the U.S. used the information to hunt down the elusive U-boats and break the back of the German Navy.

I liked how Rose got into the personalities of the men involved, making it an intimate read with a depth not otherwise achievable. Owing to his conversational writing, the book is a captivating account of a single incident during World War II, highlighting its relationship to the war effort. I don't usually read World War II-era books, but I'm glad I made an exception for this book. 

5/5 stars.

Thank you, NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company, for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The publication date is May 20, 2025.

For more information:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble