Photograph

Title: Photograph
Author: Brian Freeman
Published: October 7, 2025, by Blackstone Publishing, Inc.
Format: Kindle, Hardcover, 306 Pages
Genre: Suspense
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

Blurb: Shannon Wells is a private investigator who helps women with nowhere else to go. Last year, a woman named Faith Selby came to Shannon with a strange Find out who I really am.

Shannon soon discovered that Faith was hiding a whole other life, but was unable to penetrate the web of mystery the woman had built around her past. Now Faith is dead. The only clue to who she was and why she was murdered is an old photograph of a little girl in the rain outside a Midwestern motel.

The hunt for answers takes Shannon from the hot beaches of Florida to a remote small town in Michigan as she peels away layer after layer of a shocking cold case that has rippled violently into the present. With each secret she uncovers, the danger around her grows—and forces Shannon to confront the demons hiding in her own past.

My Opinion: I’ve long been a fan of Brian Freeman’s Jonathan Stride series; his pacing, character depth, and grounded suspense always hit the mark. But when it comes to his standalones, I find myself bracing for the woo-woo. There’s usually a paranormal thread woven in, and while I’m open to a little mystery beyond the veil, shadow twins and reincarnation push me into murkier waters.

The premise is undeniably riveting: a long-lost photo surfaces, hinting at buried secrets and lives lived in the shadows. Freeman knows how to hook a reader, and the opening reels you in with promise. But somewhere along the way, the tension starts to fray. Plot turns feel a bit too convenient, as if the story is straining to keep its momentum. Loose ends are tucked into twists that feel more convenient than helpful, and the emotional payoff gets diluted in the shuffle.

That said, there’s something compelling about the layers of deception and the slow reveal of motive. By the halfway point, a careful reader, channeling their inner Agatha Christie, can likely pinpoint the culprit. But the “why” remains elusive, tangled in a web of past choices and hidden truths. It’s this psychological unraveling that gives the book its weight, even if the structure feels a touch convoluted.

If you’re already a fan of Freeman’s standalone style and don’t mind a dash of the metaphysical, “Photograph” might land better for you. For me, it was a mixed bag: intriguing setup, uneven execution, and a finale that left me feeling glad it was over than satisfied. Still, I admire Freeman’s willingness to take risks, even if I’m not always on board for the ride.

The Man Next Door

Title: The Man Next Door
Author: Sheila Roberts
Published: October 14, 2025, by MIRA
Format: Kindle, Paperback, 368 Pages
Genre: Women's Fiction
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

Blurb: Zona never thought her life was headed this way, but here she is, newly divorced and moving back in with her mom, Louise. After her gambling addicted ex-husband lost all of their savings, including their daughter's college fund, she doesn't really have a choice. She's cutting every coupon she can and she's going to help put her daughter through nursing school, even if it kills her.

This wasn't Louise's plan, either, laid up at home with a broken leg after one unfortunate tumble on the senior singles cruise she'd been looking forward to for months. But if she's going to spend all her time at home, at least she's got her daughter there with her. And there's some hot new eye candy next door to distract them both from their troubles. He appears to be single and just around Zona's age. Could his arrival be the universe making amends for everything it's put her through?

Maybe the universe isn't feeling as generous as Louise hoped. There’s something lurking under that mans surface charm, something…dangerous? And who's the woman they can hear him in all-out shouting matches with on the other side of the fence? When the woman seems to disappear without a trace, imaginations run wild. Or at least, Zona hopes it's just her mother's imagination.

My Opinion: This book was so not what I was expecting and not in a fun plot twist kind of way. Marketed as “Humorous Fiction” and “Women’s Fiction,” The Man Next Door is a second (or maybe third) chance romance masquerading as quirky domestic drama.

We meet Zona, freshly divorced and financially gutted thanks to her ex-husband’s gambling habit. She’s now living with her mother, wrangling a dog, and trying to make ends meet by flipping garage sale finds on eBay and driving for a car app. Sheila Roberts seems determined to cram subplots into this story, as if she’s playing narrative bingo.

Meanwhile, Louise (Zona’s mom) had grand plans for a cruise full of eligible men, but fate had other ideas. She’s now stuck at home, dependent on family, a caregiver, and the man across the street she’s never shown interest in. Naturally, she starts spying on the new neighbor like she’s auditioning for a true crime podcast. I was expecting Rear Window vibes, but what I got was the Hallmark Channel.

The man next door is Zona’s age, and Louise goes full amateur sleuth, jumping to conclusions with the enthusiasm of someone who’s watched too many Dateline episodes. I kept waiting for the suspense to kick in. Instead, the plot meandered into a double-dose of second-chance romance; one for Zona, one for Louise. Because apparently, everyone gets a love story whether we asked for it or not.

The pacing? Glacial. The repetition? Relentless. The payoff? Meh. Honestly, this book could’ve shed 75 pages and still felt padded. If you’re looking for humor, mystery, or even a compelling romance, keep walking. The man next door isn’t worth the peek.

The Incredible Kindness of Paper

Title: The Incredible Kindness of Paper
Author: Evelyn Skye
Published: August 12, 2025 by Atria/Emily Bestler Books
Format: Kindle, 256 Pages
Genre: Magical Realism
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

Blurb: In elementary school Chloe Hanako Quinn is assigned Oliver Jones as her pen pal. Before sending her letter she also whispers a note into it…and he hears her. It is the beginning of a friendship that blooms into something more—that is, until disaster strikes.

Now more than twenty years later Chloe is a high school guidance counselor in New York City, but life is not what she dreamed it would be as she faces a layoff, rising rent, a situationship, and loneliness. Desperate for encouragement, she gives herself a pep talk via uplifting messages written on yellow origami paper that she folds into roses. When one of the roses accidentally finds its way to a neighbor in need of cheering-up, Chloe, feeling a desire to spread kindness and optimism, begins purposely leaving them around town.

Across the city, Oliver has picked himself up from the rough circumstances that forced him to leave everything behind as a teenager—including Chloe. Now a successful financial analyst, Oliver’s past continues to haunt him. But when the city is suddenly inundated with yellow origami roses, a specific one finds its way into his hands and changes his life forever.

My Opinion: This is the kind of book you reach for when the world feels heavy and you need a gentle reminder that love, especially the enduring kind, can still win. Evelyn Skye’s The Incredible Kindness of Paper is a sweet, heartfelt story that wraps you in warmth and hope. It’s a happily-ever-after read, and sometimes, that’s exactly what we need.

I first discovered Skye through her Crown’s Game duology, which captivated me with its lush fantasy and emotional stakes. So, when I saw her name attached to something new, something that leaned into magical realism and women’s fiction, I was curious. What she’s crafted here feels like a genre blend: part women’s fiction, part young adult, with a dash of magic and a whole lot of heart.

At the center are Chloe Hanako Quinn and Oliver Jones, childhood friends whose bond runs deeper than most. They meet as kids, and it’s clear from the start that their connection is something rare. But life intervenes, tearing them apart before they can even understand what they’ve found. Years later, fate nudges them back together, and the question becomes: can love survive time, distance, and heartbreak?

Skye doesn’t make it easy for them. She throws in all the classic obstacles: misunderstandings, missed chances, emotional wounds, but you never doubt that Chloe and Oliver are meant to find their way back. Their journey is tender, frustrating, and deeply satisfying. Even when the pacing stumbles or the prose repeats a beat or two, the emotional core stays strong.

This story is about resilience, about the kind of love that waits patiently and returns stronger. It’s also about the small magic in everyday life, the kind that lives in memory, in paper, in the quiet moments that shape us. If you’re looking for a feel-good read with emotional depth and a touch of whimsy, this one delivers.

A Special Interest in Murder

Title: A Special Interest in Murder
Author: Mette Ivie Harrison
Published: September 2, 2025, by Severn House
Format: Kindle, 223 Pages
Genre: Amateur Sleuth
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.
Series: An Ada Latia Mystery #1

Blurb: Ada Latia is twenty-four years old. She used to be the youngest millionaire in the cosmetics industry. She used to be married. Now, she spends her time studying ways to communicate with aliens. After all, aliens could not possibly be more cruel or deceitful than other humans.

Ada’s spiteful ex-husband Rex believes autistic people like her are monsters, so she’s not surprised when he calls her to share a clickbait article gleefully shouting that one autistic child has killed another at a special school in Idaho.

Rex just means to hurt her, but when Ada reads the article, it’s not the lies about autism being fake that catch her it’s a disturbing photograph of the dead child. The image of the girl is perfect – too perfect. As if someone has committed a murder, and then carefully staged the scene to cover it up.

Ada reports her suspicions to the FBI, and the case crosses the desk of her old classmate Henry Bloodstone, who invites her to assist him. Ada’s not a trained investigator. It’s painful for her to come up against situations she’s not an expert in. She barely remembers Henry, even though it’s clear that he remembers her. But the death is a mystery – and Ada, who counts murder as one of her special interests, has never learned to let a mystery go.

My Opinion: This book won’t be for everyone, which is not necessarily a bad thing. The novel introduces Ada Latia, a 24-year-old neurodivergent protagonist written by a neurodivergent author, Mette Ivie Harrison. That pairing brings a distinct lens to both character development and narrative structure, one that’s different but also challenging in execution.

The slim page count suggests a lean, focused mystery, but instead, the story gets bogged down in repetition. Tangents and teaching moments, likely meant to illuminate Ada’s perspective, start to feel like reruns. The prose itself is choppy, which might be a stylistic choice to reflect Ada’s thought patterns, but it made for a disjointed reading experience.

From the outset, Ada’s ex-husband Rex makes his presence known, and not in a good way. He’s the kind of character you hope ends up as the victim, but alas, he’s just the messenger, nudging Ada toward a murder investigation involving a school for autistic children. His stance on the case is clear-cut, and not in a way that invites nuance.

As the plot unfolds, it leans heavily on convenience. Clues fall into place too easily, and the mystery loses its grip. Instead of feeling immersed in a whodunit, I felt like I was being walked through a tutorial on autism; well-meaning, but not well-balanced.

I genuinely wanted to engage with what the author was trying to portray. The premise had promise, and Ada’s voice deserved space. But by the 25% mark, I was already contemplating a DNF. Sadly, I didn’t get much further before I set it aside.

The Hamptons Lawyer

Title: The Hamptons Lawyer
Author: James Patterson and Mike Lupica
Published: July 21, 2025 by Little, Brown and Company
Format: Kindle, 393 Pages
Genre: Thriller
Series: Jane Smith #3

Blurb: The Hamptons on Long Island is known for its beautiful beaches, its luxury lifestyle—and its exclusive legal advice.

When Jane Smith takes on a famous celebrity client, she’s armed and with brilliant arguments, hard evidence—and two Glocks.

Yet she’s chased down, shot at, and risks contempt of court. That’s when mounting a legal defense turns into self-defense. Knowing every day in court could be her last, she’s a survivor. For now.

My Opinion: Finding your way to The Hamptons Lawyer might take a moment. The series doesn’t follow a neat title sequence, so if you’re trying to track Jane Smith’s journey, you’ll need to do a little digging. And trust me, you’ll want to start at the beginning. This isn’t a series you can just parachute into. Jane’s backstory, her relationships, and the sheer volume of names and job titles flying around require some orientation. The authors offer a few breadcrumbs, but to really feel the weight of what’s happening here, you need the full arc.

Now, about that writing team. James Patterson is often a “love him or leave him” kind of author, but this series feels different. That difference? Mike Lupica. There’s a sharper emotional undercurrent, a more grounded sense of character. It’s not just about the plot twists (though there are plenty); it’s about the people caught in the storm.

Jane’s cancer isn’t just a subplot; it’s a presence. A shadow that follows her into every courtroom, every confrontation. It’s written with a kind of quiet persistence, never melodramatic, but always there. And the characters around her? They’re not just names on a page. Their connections feel lived-in. There’s a real sense of camaraderie, tension, and history. It’s the kind of ensemble that makes you feel like you’re in the room and not just reading about them.

That said, the book isn’t afraid to get messy. People die. Sometimes gruesomely. But when bad people hurt other bad people, well... it’s not exactly a tragedy. And let’s be honest, the cast was getting a little crowded. A little narrative pruning was probably overdue.

There are quirks, of course. Jane appears to run a law practice without any visible staff. Legal filings appear to happen by magic. But if you can suspend disbelief, the dynamic between Jane and Jimmy more than makes up for it. Their banter is sharp, their loyalty unshakable, and their ability to survive increasingly absurd situations is half the fun.

By the end, most threads are tied up; some with a satisfying snap, others with a gasp. But Jane being Jane, there is always something new that she should say no to, but where is the fun in that?

Assailants, Asphalt & Alibis

Title: Assailants, Asphalt & Alibis
Author: Tonya Kappes
Published: December 1, 2023 by Tonya Kappes Books
Format: Audiobook, 4 hrs 13 min, 174 Pages
Genre: Amateur Sleuth
Series: Camper & Criminals #8

Blurb: Telling stories around a campfire at Happy Trails Campground is very entertaining to The Laundry Club women until one of the story teller's tall tale about murder and alibis comes true, leaving the story teller MURDERED!

Once again, Mae and the Laundry Club ladies find themselves doing things they never thought they'd do while trying to get clues to who or why someone murdered the tourist.

Mae discovers an unheeded warning that will bring the tall tale to life if she can't end the story for good before the killer strikes again.

My Opinion: Mae and her Laundry Club crew, plus her formidable foster mother Mary Elizabeth, pile into a camper and head off on what’s supposed to be a lighthearted treasure hunt in the national park. They're chasing the legend of the John Swift Silver Mine, but what they find instead is a dead treasure hunter or two, no cell service, and a whole lot of trouble.

With Mary Elizabeth suspiciously connected to the deceased, the ladies are left to untangle the mystery themselves. Is it murder? A cursed accident? Or something even stranger lurking in the woods? As Mae digs deeper, she realizes the park holds more secrets than she bargained for and the stakes are higher than just clearing Mary Elizabeth’s name.

This installment in the audio series doesn’t aim for emotional depth or high-stakes drama. Instead, it leans into its strengths: quirky humor, small-town charm, and the kind of banter that makes you feel like you’re eavesdropping on your favorite aunties solving crimes. It’s the perfect companion for folding laundry, scrubbing counters, or cruising down the highway. Think of it as a light, cheeky, and reliably fun palate cleanser between heavier reads.

Fade In

Title: Fade In
Author: Kyle Mills
Published: July 29, 2025 by Authors Equity
Format: Kindle, 331 Pages
Genre: Thriller
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.
Series: Fade #2

Blurb: When ex-Navy SEAL Salam "Fade" al-Fayed steps in front of a sniper's bullet, he assumes that he's reached the end of the road—his death wish has finally been answered.

Instead, he wakes in a hospital. As one of the deadliest operatives in U.S. history, he's now incapable of even standing without assistance. Alone and wanted by authorities, he's destined to spend the rest of his life lying in a prison infirmary.

So when a shadowy organization offers him a new identity and next-generation medical care, he has no choice but to agree. Nothing's free, though. After a grueling rehabilitation, he's drafted into an elite paramilitary unit equipped with cutting-edge military technology. But who's in charge?

A dire threat soon provides the a highly contagious pathogen explodes out of China, and a select group of the world's wealthiest and most powerful people decide that governments are no longer capable of controlling the chaos erupting around the globe. It's a power grab by billionaires who've decided that it's their time to rule.

With panic rising worldwide, the leaders of both democracies and dictatorships prove equally willing to destroy anything and anyone to save themselves. Forced into action before he's fully ready, Fade finds himself at the sharp end of a mission to stop a menace unlike any he's faced before. If he fails, the consequences will be unimaginable. But what if he succeeds?

No one elected the people he's working for. And God sure as hell didn't ordain them. Has he signed on to save the human race . . . or to help quietly enslave it?

My Opinion: I picked up Fade In without realizing it was the second book in a series that started twenty years ago. Honestly, I just saw Kyle Mills’ name and remembered enjoying his Beamon series, so I dove in. Turns out, Mills has been busy with other projects since his catalog is packed with multiple series, collaborations, and continuations of other authors’ work.

This book throws a lot at you. Plot threads come flying from all directions, loosely connected but not always convincingly so. By the halfway mark, I started wondering if some of these storylines were just floating around, waiting for a tether that never quite arrives.

The central premise is that COVID was engineered to target the elderly which feels like it missed its moment. It’s not the only plotline, but it dominates enough to give the book a dated vibe. For readers steeped in this genre, it’s familiar territory. Not shocking, not fresh. Just… fine.

What is fresh, though, are the one-liners. The characters, especially the supporting cast, have a knack for dropping snarky gems that made me smirk more than once. That kind of humor is gold in a thriller, and it kept me turning pages. The pacing is solid, the flow smooth, and I found myself reading in long stretches without losing interest.

But then there’s Fade, the main character. He’s less a man and more a myth, invincible, untouchable, and oddly hollow. I never felt pulled toward him. He’s the kind of protagonist who survives everything but leaves no emotional footprint. If Mills revisits this series in another twenty years, I doubt I’ll be along for the ride. There just wasn’t enough of Fade that felt new or compelling.

Still, if you’re in the mood for a fast-paced read with sharp dialogue and a cast that knows how to keep things lively, Fade In delivers. Just don’t expect the main man to steal your heart.