Red Bones by Ann Cleeves

 

In this third book in the Shetland Island series, Cleeves sets it on a smaller island with the same atmospheric environment and interesting characters as her previous novels.

Bones are discovered on an archeological dig on Mima Wilson's land. Mima, who is Perez's assistant Sandy Wilson's grandmother, is then found shot to death in what appears to be an accidental shooting. As Jimmy begins his investigation, he begins to doubt that the shooting is accidental. Mima didn't have many friends on the small island, and her personality created some enemies. The islanders hold secrets, and it's up to Perez and Sandy to find the truth.

I enjoyed the portrayal of life on the small island and the tension between the islanders. Their desire to keep the past hidden created a challenge for Perez. The past and present combine to create an excellent whodunit that kept me turning pages. Cleeves does a fantastic job of keeping the identity of the killer a secret right up to the end. 

4.5/5 stars.

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The Good Liar by Denise Mina

 I like Denise Mina; I can always count on her for an intriguing plot and interesting characters. The Good Liar has both of these, plus a moral dilemma that challenges moral compasses.

Claudia O'Sheil has developed a blood spatter model that has been relied upon as forensic evidence in trials for years; however, it is now being challenged. If the model proves to have inaccuracies, it will reopen cases dating back years and end her career. As she begins to doubt her work, she is called to a ruthless murder of a wealthy man and his fiancée, only to find the man's son is being framed for the murder based on her forensic model. With her career and her son's future in jeopardy, she must decide whether to speak up or let a murderer go free. 

This is a thought-provoking book. Switching back and forth in time, the book follows Claudia on her moral journey from the time of the murder to a speech where she can either keep quiet or commit professional suicide. Mina holds the tension throughout and produces a provocative novel as well as a good murder mystery. 

4/5 stars.

Thank you, NetGalley and Mulholland Books, for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The publication date is July 29, 2025.

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The Keeper of Lost Causes by Jussi Adler-Olsen

 

After watching the "Dept. Q" series on Netflix, I decided to reread the series. I'd only read four books before it fell off my radar. Now I'm determined to follow the series; it's that good.

Copenhagen Detective Carl Morck survives an attack that killed one colleague and left another paralyzed. Upon returning to work, he finds that he has been promoted to be the sole member of the new Department Q — a department dedicated to cold cases. He eventually acquires a driver, Assad, who turns out to be a bad driver but a good detective. Their first case: find a woman who has been missing for five years and is presumed dead. Carl and Assad begin digging and uncover sloppy police work and dark secrets.

This is a fast-paced, darkly humorous book that shifts between timelines and points of view. It is excellently written, with multiple plot twists and an intriguing plot. Both Carl and Assad are great characters, and even though their colleagues view their department as something of a joke, they eventually earn their respect. There are currently ten books in the series, and I look forward to seeing what Carl and Assad get up to. 

5/5 stars.

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The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Once again, Silvia Moreno-Garcia has come up with a winner. Her book, Mexican Gothic, is another historical fantasy with a hint of gothic horror, and is one of my favorites from her. This book, The Bewitching, ranks right up there.

On a farm in Mexico in 1908, Alba's brother vanishes without a trace, animals begin to die, and strange things happen. Alba, who is superstitious, suspects a bewitching has occurred, but who is the witch, and why is she focusing on Alba's family?

In 1998, at Stoneridge College, a small liberal arts college in New England, a student is missing. Alba's great-granddaughter, Minerva, who is working on her thesis there on author Beatrice Tremblay, wonders if there is something unusual about his disappearance.

It's 1934, and Beatrice Tremblay's roommate vanishes from Stoneridge College. Convinced something is amiss, she begins investigating.

The plot revolves around these three women as they delve into the world of witchcraft and folklore. Told in alternating timelines, this is a multi-generational story featuring strong women who aren't afraid to acknowledge the supernatural to come to terms with what is happening. Although it started slowly, I enjoyed how the story unfolded and the role witchcraft played in it. I did figure out who a couple of the witches were, but there were enough surprises to keep me engaged. 

4/5 stars.

Thank you, NetGalley and Del Ray, 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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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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The State of the Art by Iain M. Banks

 I'm not a fan of short stories--I get involved in the story and characters, and then it ends abruptly, transitioning to an unrelated story. These were no different, but their saving grace was the stories related to the Culture series. There were stories unrelated to the series, but they were interesting.

Banks brings back characters from Use of Weapons in a story that not only expands on the characters, but also on our knowledge of the Culture. In the titular story, a ship visits Earth, and one of the characters wants to stay. The author does an excellent job of examining our history and cultures in a way that brings into focus both the positive and less positive aspects of humanity. This was my favorite story in the collection.

This book doesn't change my stance on short stories, but I did enjoy them. There is humor and moral reckoning in them. These stories are a good addition to the series. 

4/5 stars.

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White Nights by Ann Cleeves

In this second book of the series, Cleeves again depicts life on the small Shetland Island in such a way as to bring beauty to a rough landscape and populate it with interesting characters.

The sun never fully sets midsummer on the Shetland Islands. These white nights wreak havoc with the residents' biorhythms and lend an eerie atmosphere to the islands. When a stranger is found hanging from a rafter after an elaborate art exhibition given by local artist Bella Sinclair, it is up to Jimmy Perez to determine if it was suicide or murder. When a second death occurs that is linked to the exhibition, all doubt is erased.

Cleeves brings back characters from the first book, Black Raven, and sets it a few months after those events. Jimmy's relationship with Fran Hunter is progressing, and he is once again teamed with DI Roy Taylor to solve the murders. I love the setting for this series, although I wonder at the number of murders that can occur on such a small island. If I lived there, I'd think about finding a safer place to live!

This book has an interesting plot, and I like Jimmy's relationships with Fran and Taylor. There are subplots that are resolved nicely. This is an excellent addition to the series. 

4.5/5 stars. 

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