The Library at Hellebore

Title: The Library at Hellebore
Author: Cassandra Khaw
Published: July 22, 2025, by Tor Nightfire
Format: Kindle, Hardcover, 278 Pages
Genre: Horror
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

Blurb: The Hellebore Technical Institute for the Gifted is the premier academy for the dangerously the Anti-Christs and Ragnaroks, the world-eaters and apocalypse-makers.

Hellebore promises redemption, acceptance, and a normal life after graduation. At least, that’s what Alessa Li is told when she’s kidnapped and forcibly enrolled.

But there’s more to Hellebore than meets the eye. On graduation day, the faculty go on a ravenous rampage, feasting on Alessa’s class. Only Alessa and a group of her classmates escape the carnage. Trapped in the school’s library, they must offer a human sacrifice every night, or else the faculty will break down the door and kill everyone.

Can they band together and survive, or will the faculty eat its fill?

My Opinion: I’m glad I didn’t let the negative reviews steer me away from this novel. I devoured it in two days, and if sleep weren’t a necessity, I’d have read straight through the night. It’s that gripping.

Now, let’s talk about the prose. Yes, it’s dense. Some readers called it “word salad,” and they’re not entirely wrong, but they’re missing the point. This isn’t the kind of dark academia that feels like slogging through a thesaurus for sport. It’s more like being dropped into a gothic fever dream where the language itself is part of the atmosphere. You either lean into the lush, labyrinthine sentences or let them wash over you and trust that the emotional and thematic current will carry you where you need to go. And it does.

The story is a mash-up of dark academia and cosmic horror. The opening chapters feel like a vocabulary test wrapped in dread, but it fits. Cosmic horror isn’t about jump scares or gore for gore’s sake; it’s about the creeping realization that we are small, fragile things in a universe that doesn’t care if we understand it. Khaw nails that existential unease. The horror here is psychological, philosophical, and deeply unsettling. It’s the kind of book that makes you question what’s real, what’s knowable, and whether knowing is even safe.

Plot-wise, it’s a non-linear descent. Told in fragments, before and during the final days at Hellebore. You’ll find yourself flipping back, second-guessing what you thought you knew, and wondering who exactly is speaking. I got so caught up in the plot that I missed some of the character nuance on the first pass. Alessa Li stood out, but the rest? I’ll need a second read to untangle their threads. It reminded me of watching The Sixth Sense with that eerie feeling that something’s been hiding in plain sight all along.

And yes, it’s horror. Real horror. Not the kind that makes you say “well, that was interesting” and move on. This one’s gruesome, gory, and weirdly funny in places. It’s quotable, thought-provoking, and not something I’d recommend reading alone at night unless you enjoy being unsettled.

Cassandra Khaw is new to me, and wow, she did not hold back. I’d never even heard of cosmic horror before this, and now I’m wondering what other literary spaces I’ve been avoiding. Will I read more of her work? Eventually. But first, I need to recover from this one.

Dead Line

Title: Dead Line
Author: Marc Cameron
Published: July 29, 2025 by Kensington
Format: Kindle, Hardcover, 336 Pages
Genre: Police Procedural
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.
Series: Arliss Cutter #7

Blurb: Deputy U.S. Marshals Arliss Cutter and Lola Teariki are at frozen Cheney Lake, finally nearing their prey. He’s Butch Pritchard, a killer-for-hire as ruthless as the Anchorage wind, and wanted for the murder of a 25-year-old pregnant woman in Missouri. A cruel hit orchestrated by the victim’s husband, Royce Decker, a former member of the St. Louis Metro PD and on the run too. As quickly as Butch is in the marshals’ sight he disappears, abandoning a bear of a partner who’s terrified for his life. But it isn’t Butch or Royce he’s afraid of.

If it isn’t those two outlaws, then who? And why? Right now, the creep in custody has gone silent and Arliss and Lola soon realize there’s more to this manhunt than they ever imagined. To see it through to the end they’ll have to find Butch first, then close on the cold-blooded husband. There is one lead to go on: a woman Butch has been involved with. His number one. She’s ready to talk. Even as scared to death as she is. When Arliss and Lola suddenly face an all-new case linked to this one, they’ll find out what everyone is so afraid of. And how many ways things could still go terribly wrong.

My Opinion: When a thriller opens with four Kindle pages of character names and descriptions, and the entire book is under 350 pages, you know you're in for a ride. For me, that kind of front-loading signals trouble and too much concentration on who is who instead of focusing on plotting.

By the 25% mark, I found myself double-checking the series order, convinced I’d accidentally reread an earlier installment. I was sure that I had read this before. I was getting the rinse and repeat feeling. The pacing felt off, the energy flat. Gone was the dry humor that usually threads Cutter’s dialogue. Instead, we got descriptions about past characters and relationships. This is book seven. Readers who’ve made it this far don’t need a recap. They need momentum.

I’ve always pitched Arliss Cutter as an Alaskan answer to Jethro Gibbs from NCIS: stoic, sharp, and quietly commanding. But here, Cutter’s signature deadpan wit and moral gravity are muted. The moments where he’d normally deliver a single deadpan line. Missing. The tension that usually simmers beneath his silence? Absent.

Then, around the 200-page mark, the book wakes up. The plot tightens, a little snark shows up, the stakes rise, and suddenly, I’m hooked. The final stretch delivers what the first half lacked: urgency, clarity, and that Cutter edge. Then comes the ending. Out of nowhere, it hits like a sucker punch. I gasped. That twist alone earns the next book a spot on my list.

And then, just when you think the tone has finally gotten back on track, there’s a recipe. A literal chocolate cream pie recipe at the end of a book about federal agents chasing down killers in the Alaskan wilderness. They’re tracking, interrogating, surviving. This isn’t a cozy mystery. Cameron’s usual audience craves tactical grit, not dessert.

So yes, Dead Line is uneven. It drags, it detours, it misfires. But it also recovers. If you can push through the fog, the payoff is real. And when you are finished, you can track down your own dessert.

The Unraveling of Julia

Title: The Unraveling of Julia
Author: Lisa Scottoline
Published: July 15, 2025, by Grand Central Publishing
Format: Kindle, Hardcover, 400 Pages
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

Blurb: Lately, Julia Pritzker is beginning to think she’s cursed. She’s lost her adoptive parents, then her husband is murdered. When she realizes that her horoscope essentially foretold his death, she begins to spiral. She fears her fate is written in the stars, not held in her own hands.

Then a letter arrives out of the blue, informing her that she has inherited a Tuscan villa and vineyard —but her benefactor is a total stranger named Emilia Rossi. Julia has no information about her biological family, so she wonders if Rossi could be a blood relative. Bewildered, she heads to Tuscany for answers.

There, Julia is horrified to discover that Rossi was a paranoid recluse who believed herself to be a descendant of Duchess Caterina Sforza, a legendary Renaissance ruler. Stunned by her uncanny resemblance to Rossi and even to Caterina, Julia is further unnerved when she unearths eerie parallels between them, including an obsession with astrology.

Before long, Julia suspects she’s being followed, and strange things begin to happen. Not even a chance meeting with a handsome Florentine can ease her troubled mind. When events turn deadly, Julia’s harrowing struggle becomes a search for her identity, a race to save her sanity, and ultimately, a question of her very survival.

My Opinion: Forget the comparisons to Rebecca or Jane Eyre, The Unraveling of Julia isn’t trying to be a gothic homage. It’s a psychological thriller with its own pulse, wrapped in layers of astrology, adoption, and ancestral mystery, all set against the moody backdrop of a decaying Tuscan estate. Once I stopped looking for Brontë shadows and leaned into the psychological thriller aspects, I was hooked.

Lisa Scottoline wastes no time pulling you in. From page one, the tension is palpable, and nothing is handed to you on a silver platter. You’re piecing together murder, gaslighting, and tangled family histories with no clear path forward, which is part of the thrill. The narrative keeps you guessing, not just about motives but about who you can trust.

The woo-woo elements of astrology, ancestral echoes, and cosmic timing might stretch the limits for some readers, but in this setting, they feel earned. Tuscany practically hums with old-world mysticism, and Scottoline leans into it with gusto. It’s not just atmospheric; it’s integral to the unraveling.

Fast-paced and immersive, this book doesn’t let up. It’s a ride through emotional fog and fractured identities, and while the twists are sharp, the storytelling never loses its grip. If you’re in the mood for a thriller that makes you work for the payoff and rewards you with a satisfying sense of disorientation, Julia’s unraveling is worth the plunge.

Rage

Title: Rage
Author: Linda Castillo
Published: July 8, 2025, by Minotaur Books
Format: Kindle, Hardcover, 304 Pages
Genre: Police Procedural
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.
Series: Kate Burkholder #17

Blurb: Summer has arrived with a vengeance in Painters Mill, and a macabre discovery by three Amish children brings the quiet to a grinding halt. Chief of Police Kate Burkholder arrives on scene to find the dismembered body of 21-year-old Samuel Eicher, a local Amish man who owned a successful landscaping business. What twisted individual murdered him in such a sadistic way?

The investigation has barely begun when, miles away, a second body is found, stuffed into a barrel and dumped in a ravine. The deceased is 21-year-old Aaron Shetler, Samuel Eicher’s best friend. What could these two young Amish men have done to deserve such violent ends?

With a heat wave bearing down, Kate learns quickly that, for reasons she doesn’t understand, no one is willing to talk about what happened to the men. Just as she begins to fear the case may be hopeless, a mystery woman comes forward and reveals that fun-loving Aaron and Samuel had recently befriended some very unsavory characters―individuals who may have ties to a larger, more sinister, black market.

To solve the case, Kate must delve into the most sordid corners of her community, but when she gets too close, the killers target Kate herself. Will the secrets simmering beneath the surface of Painters Mill take another life before she can expose the truth? Or will Kate be the final victim?

My Opinion: Seventeen books in, and Linda Castillo still knows how to hook a reader from page one. Rage opens with a chilling discovery: the dismembered body of a young Amish man, scattered in eleven pieces. It’s a gruesome scene, so much so that even Kate Burkholder, who’s seen her share of horror, struggles to keep her composure. The brutality is front and center, setting the tone for a case that spirals into darker territory.

The victim’s past is murky. Was it a rumspringa gone wrong? A lawsuit turned deadly? Or maybe the woman his mother warned him about? Castillo lays out the possibilities with just enough ambiguity to keep you guessing. And when the victim’s best friend turns up, things get even messier. What did these boys stumble into?

Kate, Tomasetti, and the Painter’s Mill PD are pulled in every direction, chasing leads that seem to multiply faster than they can pin them down. The first third of the book is especially strong; you’re right there with Kate, sorting through the chaos, trying to make sense of the senseless.

But here’s where things start to wobble. Rage is a linear, plot-driven novel, focused on a single chain of events. For readers who crave layered subplots or emotional depth, this one might feel a bit thin. There’s room, at just over 300 pages, to explore more, but the story sticks to its straight path. And while the title nods to an Amish rage, it doesn’t quite resonate with the actual plot.

The resolution? Not exactly shocking. The clues are there, and the reveal makes sense, but it’s overshadowed by the repeated physical trauma Kate endures. Beaten, drugged, kidnapped—again. It’s starting to feel less like gritty realism and more like a pattern that undermines her intelligence and resilience. Is Castillo trying to retire her superhero, or just testing how much punishment Kate, or the reader, can take?

And where was the twist? This series has always delivered a final jolt, something unexpected that lingers. Rage doesn’t land that punch.

I’ll always pick up a Burkholder novel. The series has earned that loyalty. But would I hand this one to a new reader? Probably not. If you’re just starting out, go back to the earlier books; those had more narrative meat and emotional complexity. Rage feels like it’s running out of steam.

Still, for longtime fans, there’s comfort in the familiar rhythm. Just don’t expect this installment to leave a lasting mark.

The Blue Horse

Title: The Blue Horse
Author: Bruce Borgos
Published: July 8, 2025, by Minotaur Books
Format: Kindle, Hardcover, 368 Pages
Genre: Police Procedural
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.
Series: Porter Beck #3

Blurb: A helicopter driving a controversial round-up of wild horses suddenly crashes and the pilot is found to have been shot. Then the person coordinating the round-up for the Bureau of Land Management is savagely murdered, buried up to her neck and then trampled to death by the very same wild horses. And there's no lack of suspects—with the wild horse advocacy group having sworn to protect the horse At Any Cost! Now the state and federal agencies are showing up looking for answers or at least a scapegoat.

Sheriff Porter Beck has had better days.

Porter Beck's new girlfriend, Detective Charlie Blue Horse, arrives to help with the investigation, which leads them to Canadian Lithium mining operation near the round-up area that sets off Beck's mental alarm bells. Brinley, Beck's sister, is leading a group of troubled kids in a wilderness program, when one of them, Rafa, bolts one night. When Brinley catches up to him, they're just outside the mine—in the wrong place, at the wrong time.

With his personal life in turmoil, too many suspects and too many secrets, the feds pushing for a quick resolution, and his impetuous (if skilled) sister in the mix, one wrong step could be deadly for Porter Beck.

My Opinion: If you’re drawn to characters like Walt Longmire or Arliss Cutter -- men who lead with grit, humor, and a stubborn sense of justice -- Porter Beck belongs on your shelf. Bruce Borgos may not have the same name recognition as Johnson or Cameron, but he’s writing at their level, and The Blue Horse proves it.

Beck’s inherited eye condition, retinitis pigmentosa, means he’s fine in daylight but nearly blind at night. And since trouble tends to come after dark, he’s forced to rely on instinct, experience, and a sharp tongue to survive. Some of the book’s best moments -- funny, tense, and deeply human -- come when Beck is bluffing through danger he can’t fully see.

The story opens with the rounding up, or gathering, of wild horses, and those scenes are emotionally raw. If you’re sensitive to animal distress, brace yourself; the brutality doesn’t stop there. It shifts toward people, and Borgos doesn’t pull punches. The violence is never gratuitous, but it hits hard.

Set in 2020, COVID isn’t just a timestamp; it’s a living part of the story. It shapes the characters’ isolation, urgency, and choices. Multiple storylines unfold, each compelling on its own, but they’re destined to collide. And when they do, the tension spikes.

By the final 20%, you’re not just reading, you’re racing. Borgos tightens the screws, tugs at your heart, and leaves you breathless. That last stretch is what turns this from a solid four-star read into a five-star gut punch.

Three books in, and these characters feel like family. Beck isn’t just a hero, he’s a man you root for, worry about, and want to follow into the dark.

All the Words We Know

Title: All the Words We Know
Author: Bruce Nash
Published: July 1, 2025, by Atria Books
Format: Kindle, Hardcover, 240 Pages
Genre: Labeled as a Mystery, but it's actually Women's Fiction, Aging
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

Blurb: Rose may be in her eighties and suffering from dementia, but she’s not done with life just yet. Alternately sharp as a tack and spectacularly forgetful, she spends her days roaming the corridors of her assisted living facility, musing on the staff and residents, and enduring visits form her emotionally distant children and granddaughters. But when her friend is found dead after an apparent fall from a window, Rose embarks on an eccentric and determined investigation to discover the truth and uncover all manner of secrets…even some from her own past.

My Opinion: After reading the mixed reviews, I’m glad I gave All the Words We Know a full chance. It’s not a book that will resonate with everyone, and that’s precisely what makes it worth reading. Though it’s technically labeled detective fiction, that feels like a misdirection. The mystery here isn’t about solving a crime, it’s about unraveling a life. Women’s fiction or literary fiction centered on aging would be a far more fitting genre tag.

The story is told through Rose, a narrator whose unreliability is both intentional and heartbreaking. She’s in the early to middle stages of dementia, and we know that from the start. But what we don’t know, and what Bruce Nash keeps us questioning, is how much Rose truly remembers, how much she’s been told to forget, and whether she’s confusing the two. Or maybe she’s not confused at all. Maybe she’s playing everyone. That ambiguity is what drives the novel, and it keeps you turning pages with a mix of dread and hope.

The unfolding leans heavily on homophones, which makes the written word essential. I wouldn’t recommend the audiobook version since so much of the nuance would be lost without seeing the language on the page. Nash uses repetition not as a flaw but as a feature. It mirrors the looping patterns of Rose’s mind, and while it can be disorienting, it’s also deeply immersive. You’re not just reading about dementia, you’re experiencing it from the inside.

Rose herself is a marvel. At times, she says things that sound racist, and it’s uncomfortable. But it’s also complicated. Is this her true nature surfacing without the usual filters? Or is it a symptom of her condition, a breakdown in the brain-to-mouth barrier? Either way, you learn to love her. She’s sharp in ways that sneak up on you. She might fumble for everyday words, but then she’ll drop the Latin name of a bird or a plant with effortless precision. You start to suspect she was once a teacher, a botanist, maybe an ornithologist. She’s not just a woman losing her memory; she’s a woman whose mind still holds treasures, even if she can’t always access them.

The setting, a care home, adds another layer of tension. Familiarity is a commodity, and what Rose can afford shapes what she’s allowed to remember. Her son’s evasiveness, her children’s skepticism, and the institutional haze all raise the question: who gets to decide what’s real? And who benefits from that decision?

This book is funny in the way that only truth can be. It’s heartbreaking in the way that only love can be. It’s terrifying in the way that only memory loss can be. And it’s weepy in the way that only a garden, real or imagined, can make you feel. By the end, I couldn’t swear to Rose’s name, even she says it’s unimportant, but good enough. And if the garden she sits in is only in her mind, then for every day she has left, I say let her have it. Let her have all the words she knows.

Vows of Murder

Title: Vows of Murder
Author: Lynn Cahoon
Published: February 4, 2025, by Kensington
Format: Kindle, 208 Pages
Genre: Amateur Sleuth
Series: A Tourist Trap Mystery #17

Blurb: Jill’s wedding to police chief Greg King is just days away, at a historic Spanish mission with a courtyard full of olive trees. But the folks in South Cove are more intrigued by what kind of ceremonies might be going on behind the walls of New Hope, the walled property where charismatic Kane Matthews and his followers reside. Jill isn’t fond of the man, but his followers seem nice, and they buy a lot of books.

After a distraught woman stops by at Coffee, Books, and More with a picture of her daughter, who she believes needs rescuing from the suspected cult—and then Matthews’s body is found, at Jill’s wedding venue of all places—Jill makes a commitment to solve the case. With Greg’s mother as a houseguest, she must play hostess to her future in-law while pursuing a murderous outlaw.

My Opinion: Seventeen books in, and South Cove still reminds me of Cambria, with its breezy beach-town vibe and charming streets lined with shops, and if I didn’t love Cambria as much as I do, I might’ve stepped off this ride a few books ago. The subtle nods to Hearst Castle and the wildlife that once roamed its grounds aren’t just clever Easter eggs as to where Cahoon gets her inspiration; they anchor the story in a place that feels familiar and comforting. It is that sense of place which keeps me coming back, even when the series starts to drift.

Jill and Greg are finally getting married. The ceremony has been postponed so many times that readers might be forgiven for wondering if it’ll ever happen. Greg’s sudden moodiness and flashbacks to his previous marriage cast a shadow over what should be a celebratory lead-up.

Meanwhile, a new cult has settled into town, and with it comes a desperate mother searching for her missing daughter, presumed to be under the cult’s control. Jill’s instincts start to tingle, but she’s determined to stay focused on her wedding. Of course, longtime readers know that Jill doesn’t exactly do “stay focused.” Her sleuthing side inevitably takes over, even with vows looming and danger in the shadows.

The mystery setup has potential, but the execution feels scattered. The identity of the eventual murder victim is telegraphed early, and while the journey to the reveal offers a few twists, it’s more of a meander than a sprint. There’s even a ghost haunting the wedding venue which adds a quirky distraction, though it never quite lands.

Unfortunately, continuity issues abound. This wasn’t an ARC, so I was surprised by the number of inconsistencies that slipped through. The book leans heavily into food and wedding chatter, sidelining the bookshop and, oddly enough, the murder itself. Jill “blacks out” during the ceremony, so readers don’t even get the payoff of the wedding they’ve been waiting for. And as the story progresses, it feels like Cahoon loses grip on both the mystery and the emotional arc. The pacing stumbles, the tone shifts, and the narrative starts to feel like a rather than a cohesive whole.

The ending rushes through the resolution, with more attention paid to restaurant menus than motive. If this is meant to be a cozy mystery, the balance is off; readers need more sleuthing and less small talk about French fries.

That said, Cahoon still delivers a few genuinely funny lines, and the book is an easy, breezy read. But it’s time to ask whether this series still has fresh ground to cover. Either tighten the focus or consider giving Jill and Greg a well-earned retirement. Because while Cambria might be timeless, even the most charming coastal town can’t carry a story that’s lost its spark.

Death at a Highland Wedding

Title: Death at a Highland Wedding
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Published: May 20, 2025, by Minotaur Books
Format: Kindle, Hardcover, 336 Pages
Genre: Time Travel
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.
Series: A Rip Through Time Novel #4

Blurb: After slipping 150 years into the past, modern-day homicide detective Mallory Atkinson has embraced her new life in Victorian Scotland as housemaid Catriona Mitchel. Although it isn’t what she expected, she's developed real, meaningful relationships with the people around her and has come to love her role as assistant to undertaker Dr. Duncan Gray and Detective Hugh McCreadie.

Mallory, Gray, and McCreadie are on their way to the Scottish Highlands for McCreadie's younger sister's wedding. The McCreadies and the groom’s family, the Cranstons, have a complicated history which has made the weekend quite uncomfortable. But the Cranston estate is beautiful so Gray and Mallory decide to escape the stifling company and set off to explore the castle and surrounding wilderness. They discover that the groom, Archie Cranston, a slightly pompous and prickly man, has set up deadly traps in the woods for the endangered Scottish wildcats, and they soon come across a cat who's been caught and severely injured. Oddly, Mallory notices the cat's injuries don't match up with the intricacies of the trap. These strange irregularities, combined with the secretive and erratic behavior of the groom, put Mallory and Duncan on edge. And then when one of the guests is murdered, they must work fast to uncover the murderer before another life is lost.

My Opinion: Kelley Armstrong has long been one of my go-to authors thanks to her ability to shift between the mystery, fantasy, and horror genres. She doesn’t just dabble in these genres; she takes her readers on journeys through grit and grace.

Though I am a fan of this author, Death at a Highland Wedding tested my patience a bit more than usual. Let’s be honest: I’m a dead body in the first chapter kind of reader. I like my corpses early and my tension immediate. This one took nearly 75 pages to get to the “good part”, if a dead body can be called that, which made the pacing feel more like a slow waltz than a brisk reel. Once the mystery finally unfurled, the plot twisted in classic Armstrong fashion, though I’ll admit I occasionally lost track of who was connected to whom. That’s probably more of a “me” issue than a flaw in the writing, but if you’re juggling multiple characters and relationships, a cheat sheet wouldn’t hurt.

Armstrong doesn’t shy away from darker themes, and this installment includes moments of cruelty toward both animals and women that may be difficult for some readers. She handles these scenes with care and sensitivity, yet the emotional weight is still there.

Now, let’s talk characters. Fiona absolutely stole the show for me. She’s bold, brutally honest, and loyal to a fault. Her constant needling of Hugh adds a layer of tension and humor that keeps the story grounded even when the mystery veers into murky territory. And then there’s Mallory and Duncan, still caught in their slow-burn dance. But this time, there’s a shift, a quiet urgency that suggests choices are looming, not just about their relationship, but about what “home” really means.

The ending? It’s a soft landing. Not a dramatic cliffhanger, but a gentle exhale that leaves longtime readers of the series with a sense of satisfaction and maybe a little hope.

If you’re already invested in Armstrong’s world, this one’s worth the read; just know you’ll need a bit of patience before the plot hits its stride.

The Ghostwriter

Title: The Ghostwriter
Author: Julie Clark
Published: June 3, 2025 by Sourcebooks Landmark
Format: Hardcover, 368
Genre: Thriller

Blurb: June, 1975.

The Taylor family shatters in a single night when two teenage siblings are found dead in their own home. The only surviving sibling, Vincent, never shakes the whispers and accusations that he was the one who killed them. Decades later, the legend only grows as his career as a horror writer skyrockets.

Ghostwriter Olivia Dumont has spent her entire professional life hiding the fact that she is the only child of Vincent Taylor. Now on the brink of financial ruin, she's offered a job to ghostwrite her father's last book. What she doesn't know, though, is that this project is another one of his lies. Because it's not another horror novel he wants her to write.

After fifty years of silence, Vincent Taylor is finally ready to talk about what really happened that night in 1975.

My Opinion: I’m still not sure why this book resonated with so many readers. The Ghostwriter promises a haunting family mystery and emotional reckoning, but delivers it in a fragmented, often confusing package. The narrative jumps between timelines and perspectives with little warning, leaving me constantly flipping back to figure out who was speaking and whose trauma we were unpacking.

The word “mother” is tossed around like a plot device, but rarely clarified; sometimes it’s Vincent’s, sometimes Olivia’s, and sometimes I wasn’t sure the author even knew. The structure feels intentionally vague, perhaps to mirror dementia and buried memories, but it ends up muddying the emotional impact rather than deepening it.

There’s a story here, somewhere beneath the scattered chapters and cryptic dialogue, but it’s buried under stylistic choices that prioritize atmosphere over coherence. By the time the big reveal lands, I was too disengaged to care. The emotional payoff felt diluted, and the characters never quite came alive for me.

If you enjoy decoding a novel like it’s a puzzle missing half the pieces, this might be your thing. But for me, it was more ghost than substance.

Wild Dark Shore

Title: Wild Dark Shore
Author: Charlotte McConaghy
Published: March 4, 2025 by Flatiron Books
Format: Hardcover, 300 Pages
Genre: Thriller

Blurb: A family on a remote island. A mysterious woman washed ashore. A rising storm on the horizon.

Dominic Salt and his three children are caretakers of Shearwater, a tiny island not far from Antarctica. Home to the world’s largest seed bank, Shearwater was once full of researchers, but with sea levels rising, the Salts are now its final inhabitants. Until, during the worst storm the island has ever seen, a woman mysteriously washes ashore.

Isolation has taken its toll on the Salts, but as they nurse the woman, Rowan, back to strength, it begins to feel like she might just be what they need. Rowan, long accustomed to protecting herself, starts imagining a future where she could belong to someone again.

But Rowan isn’t telling the whole truth about why she set out for Shearwater. And when she discovers sabotaged radios and a freshly dug grave, she realizes Dominic is keeping his own secrets. As the storms on Shearwater gather force, they all must decide if they can trust each other enough to protect the precious seeds in their care before it’s too late―and if they can finally put the tragedies of the past behind them to create something new, together.

A novel of breathtaking twists, dizzying beauty, and ferocious love, Wild Dark Shore is about the impossible choices we make to protect the people we love, even as the world around us disappears.

My Opinion: I’ll be honest, this book didn’t sweep me away at first. For the first two-thirds, I found myself drifting. Not bored, exactly, but questioning whether the journey was worth it. Charlotte McConaghy has managed to combine literary fiction, thriller, and a TED Talk on climate change, all in one.

The final hundred pages hit with the force of a wave. Suddenly, the characters weren’t just names on a page. They were flesh and soul. Rowan, Dominic, Fen, Raff, and Orly each carry their own burdens, and each one cracked me open in a different way. But it is Orly, who carries the book with his innocence, that will break your heart and stay with you for a long time.

Shearwater, the wild coastal setting, isn’t just a backdrop; it’s a living, breathing force. It mirrors the characters’ pain and resilience, shaping them as much as they shape each other, with its sacred, brutal, and heartbreaking beauty.

At its heart, this is a story about family, not the glossy kind, but the raw, fractured, deeply human kind. It’s about how we break, how we lose our way, and how, if we’re lucky, we find our way back through grief, courage, and the quiet faith that healing is possible.

I picked up Wild Dark Shore because of the buzz. I nearly put it down more than once. But I’m glad I didn’t. It took me somewhere unexpected and gave me truths I didn’t know I needed. It reminded me that sometimes, the most powerful stories are the ones that sneak up on you and then refuse to let go.

The Medusa Protocol

Title: The Medusa Protocol
Author: Rob Hart
Published: June 24, 2025, by G.P. Putnam's Sons
Format: Kindle, Hardcover, 320 Pages
Genre: Thriller
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.
Series: Assassins Anonymous #2

Blurb: When Astrid, known in her assassin days as Azrael, stopped showing up to Assassins Anonymous, the group assumed her past had caught up with her. Only her sponsor Mark, formerly the deadliest killer in the world, holds out hope that she’s okay. Then, during a meeting, the group gets a sign, or rather, a pizza delivery. Is there another psychopath out there who actually likes olives on their pizza, or is Astrid trying to send Mark a message? Meanwhile, Astrid wakes up in the cell of a black site prison, on a remote island. A doctor subjects her to mysterious experiments, plumbing the depths of her memory and looking for a vital clue from her past. She’ll do anything to escape, except…killing anyone. Hmm. Turns out it’s not easy to blow this joint without blowing anything, or anyone up.

My Opinion: The Medusa Protocol didn’t land for me the way Assassins Anonymous did. That first book had Mark at its center with his dry humor, reluctant vulnerability, and the strange warmth of a support group for killers trying to stay “clean.” It was sharp, funny, and surprisingly heartfelt. This sequel shifts the spotlight to Astrid, whose backstory was deliberately withheld in the first book.

Astrid’s been abducted and dumped in a secret black site off the coast of Brazil, where doctors experiment on humans, poisonous snakes form a protective barrier, and inmates wear pink or blue to signal their value. It’s a bizarre setting and Hart doesn’t hold back when it comes to the depravity. The reveal of why she’s there comes late, and the who behind it either blindsided me or wasn’t clearly seeded because it appeared to come out of nowhere. It felt more like ticking boxes rather than unfolding a layered character arc.

Still, the Assassins Anonymous (AA) meetings continue like clockwork and that consistency becomes Astrid’s lifeline. She manages to get a message out, and Mark, despite risking his hard-won “sobriety”, doesn’t hesitate to answer the call. Their bond, forged in violence and redemption, is the emotional core of the book. Astrid knows that taking out evil might mean starting her sobriety over, but she’s willing. And her AA family? They’re there, no judgment, just support.

A few familiar faces from the first book pop in and out, but they’re more cameo than connective tissue. The real throughline is the idea that even assassins deserve second chances, and sometimes, third or fourth ones too.

This book isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s brutal, bleak, and unflinching. There’s blood, gore, and some deeply unsettling Epstein-esque moments that made me queasy.

Even though The Medusa Protocol didn’t resonate with me like Hart’s earlier work, I still think he’s an underappreciated voice. His ideas are bold, his execution fearless, and I’ll keep watching for whatever he writes next.

The Fifth Season

Title: The Fifth Season
Author: N.K. Jemisin
Published: August 4, 2015 by Orbit
Format: Paperback, 468 Pages
Genre: Science Fiction / Fantasy / Dystopian
Series: Broken Earth Book #1

Blurb: Three terrible things happen in a single day. Essun, a woman living an ordinary life in a small town, comes home to find that her husband has brutally murdered their son and kidnapped their daughter. Meanwhile, mighty Sanze -- the world-spanning empire whose innovations have been civilization's bedrock for a thousand years -- collapses as most of its citizens are murdered to serve a madman's vengeance. And worst of all, across the heart of the vast continent known as the Stillness, a great red rift has been torn into the heart of the earth, spewing ash enough to darken the sky for years. Or centuries.

Now Essun must pursue the wreckage of her family through a deadly, dying land. Without sunlight, clean water, or arable land, and with limited stockpiles of supplies, there will be war all across the Stillness: a battle royale of nations not for power or territory, but simply for the basic resources necessary to get through the long dark night. Essun does not care if the world falls apart around her. She'll break it herself, if she must, to save her daughter.

My Opinion: There’s a lot packed into the prologue of The Fifth Season and I wouldn’t blame anyone for setting the book down after those first fourteen pages. It’s dense, dry, and daunting. The appendices at the back don’t help either; they signal that this isn’t going to be a casual read. But for those who press on, there’s a map of the Stillness waiting; a small reward, a hint that this world, however harsh, is worth the effort.

Once you move into the chapters, something shifts. Maybe it’s the book that settles, or maybe it’s you. Either way, Jemisin begins to work her magic. And it’s not the kind of magic that gently pulls you in, it’s the kind that grabs you by the collar and drags you through ash and agony.

Genre-wise, I’m still not sure where this book belongs. Science fiction? Fantasy? Dystopian? It’s all of them and none of them. Jemisin builds a world that defies easy categorization, and maybe that’s the point. The Stillness is a place of constant upheaval—geologically, emotionally, socially—and the narrative mirrors that instability.

Just when you think you’ve found your footing, Jemisin hits you with a new brutality. You’re sideswiped, knocked off balance, and left wondering, “What the rust am I getting into?” There’s shock, surprise, and a relentless stream of “I didn’t see that coming” moments. It’s not just plot twists; it’s emotional whiplash.

The story unfolds through three distinct perspectives:

• Essun, a grieving mother and powerful orogene, searching for her daughter in the wake of her son’s murder.

• Damaya, a young orogene just beginning to understand the terrifying power she holds.

• Syenite, a seasoned orogene on a mission that will unravel everything she thought she knew.

Each voice is unique, compelling, and heartbreakingly human. You’ll try to choose a favorite, but Jemisin won’t let you. Eventually, their stories converge in ways that are both devastating and brilliant, revealing an intricate architecture and the lives within it.

I didn’t see the last hundred pages coming. I read the final fifty with my mouth open, my stomach clenched, and tears streaming. Jemisin did something to me, something I’m still recovering from. And yet, I know I’ll reread this series once I’ve finished all three books. Not just to relive it, but to catch what I missed. Because I know she’s not done with me.

Yes, I’m late to this party. But I’m so glad I showed up. The Fifth Season explores oppression, prejudice, family, loss, and the brutal cycles of destruction and survival. It’s not an easy read, and it’s not meant to be. Book One will sit with you, both physically and emotionally, until you’re ready to face Book Two. And even then, you won’t be ready.

Return to Sender

Title: Return to Sender
Author: Craig Johnson
Published: May 27, 2025 by Viking
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
Genre: Western Police Procedural
Series: Walt Longmire #21

Blurb: When Blair McGowan, the mail person with the longest postal route in the country of over three hundred mile a day, goes missing the question becomes—where do you look for her? The Postal Inspector for the State of Wyoming elicits Sheriff Longmire to mount an investigation into her disappearance and Walt does everything but mail it in; posing as a letter-carrier himself, the good sheriff follows her trail and finds himself enveloped in the intrigue of an otherworldly cult.

My Opinion: At least there wasn’t the Mallo Cup woo-woo that pops up in some of Johnson’s earlier entries. This time around, he leaves the supernatural out of it and lets the oddball cult take center stage instead, which somehow feels more grounded, if no less bizarre.

Walt is brought in by a shirttail relative of his late wife to track down a missing mail carrier. She's eventually found, but Walt sticks around. Is it curiosity about the nearby cult? An excuse not to go back and face Cady? Or is there something deeper gnawing at him? Walt hates leaving a job unfinished, sure, but there’s something here that raises the hairs on the back of his neck. And Walt’s instinct rarely lets go until all the questions are answered.

Walt still sees Cady as a 12-year-old, which is understandable, maybe, but not a sufficient reason to resist the idea of her becoming Wyoming’s next Attorney General. When the truth finally cracks through, it’s sobering: Walt would do anything for his daughter, like she for him, but only if it is the best option for all involved. No threats, only personal choices. That moment of emotional honesty lands with weight, and then vanishes. Johnson never speaks about it again. A missed opportunity, perhaps, or a deliberate choice to leave some things unsettled for the next book.

Some of Johnson’s books require brute force to get through; woo-woo fatigue is real, while others make you wish for a few hundred more pages. But what makes this series an automatic buy for me is the dry, deadpan humor that threads through every page.

For me, the beginning ambled along, and then the second half is a full gallop. There are stretches where you forget to breathe, and then he drops a one-liner, about prairie poodles, and you snort-laugh before being pulled back under again. It’s that rhythm that makes Johnson so addictive. He reels you in, lets you catch your breath, then slams you with another twist.

And as this book ends, you assume to know exactly where the next Longmire story will pick up. Until then, Johnson will be off somewhere collecting local anecdotes, catching up on the history, and when he’s done, his own cult following will be there ready to follow Walt down whatever trail comes next.

The long-time readers of this series will be glad to see that all the familiar characters are here, along with a few others from previous books who pop in to see what’s happening and what kind of trouble is brewing.

The Love Haters

Title: The Love Haters
Author: Katherine Center
Published: May 20, 2025, by St. Martin's Press
Format: Kindle, Hardcover, 320 Pages
Genre: Romance
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

Blurb: Katie Vaughn has been burned by love in the past—now she may be lighting her career on fire. She has two choices: wait to get laid off from her job as a video producer or, at her coworker Cole’s request, take a career-making gig profiling Tom “Hutch” Hutcheson, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer in Key West.

The catch? Katie’s not exactly qualified. She can’t swim—but fakes it that she can.

Plus: Cole is Hutch’s brother. And they don’t get along. Next stop paradise!

But paradise is messier than it seems. As Katie gets entangled with Hutch (the most scientifically good looking man she has ever seen . . . but also a bit of a love hater), along with his colorful Aunt Rue and his rescue Great Dane, she gets trapped in a lie. Or two.

Swim lessons, helicopter flights, conga lines, drinking contests, hurricanes, and stolen kisses ensue—along with chances to tell the truth, to face old fears, and to be truly brave at last.

My Opinion: The Love Haters was my first dip into Katherine Center’s world, and I was surprised since I didn’t expect to enjoy it this much. What I found was a quirky, heartfelt, and emotionally layered story that blends classic romance tropes with genuine character growth and vulnerability.

At its heart, this is grumpy-sunshine done right. Katie Vaughn, a documentary filmmaker with a knack for tripping over her own optimism, isn’t just looking for love; she is looking to keep her job and find something about herself that she likes. Enter Tom “Hutch” Hutcheson, a brooding, self-assured Coast Guard rescue swimmer who’s genetically incapable of watching someone flounder and not stepping in. They’re mismatched in the best way. Hutch is steady and grounded, while Katie’s all sunshine and bungling. Between them is a chemistry that is less about sparks and more about a slow-burning beneath the banter.

What makes this story work isn’t just the romance (though it's adorably fumbly and sweet), but the deep emotional undercurrents. Katie’s journey toward self-acceptance, which is nudged along by her friend Beanie’s body-positive challenge and a self-help strategy she hilariously repurposes, is both funny and tender. Watching her fumble her way to empowerment and turn those insights onto Hutch creates some of the most unexpectedly moving scenes.

Family dynamics also bring real weight. Hutch and his brother Cole carry the scars of losing their parents far too young. Cole’s bitterness toward Hutch, who seems to glide through life with ease, is deep and painful. And when the truth behind their shared trauma finally emerges, it’s a moment that will squeeze a tear out of even the most jaded reader.

Rue, the caretaker who scooped up the broken boys and gave them a home, brings another layer of heart and color to this story. Her backstory? Gasp-worthy. Beautiful. Sad. Hopeful.

Oh, and George Bailey, the terrified Great Dane and Lucky the frog, when you find a friend, you protect your friend. George might be odd in the way he does that, but a friend is a friend.

Katie and Hutch don’t have a traditional meet-cute or a love-at-first-sight trajectory. They stumble, they deflect, they dodge their own feelings until their personal walls start crumbling. It's in those cracked-open moments, full of awkward missteps and vulnerable truths, that they become not just lovers, but partners. Bandages to each other’s bruises.

Katie is hilarious. She could trip into an ant hill and still find a way to make it endearing. Her clumsy charm and resilient spirit carry the story. And Hutch, ever the stoic protector, is there to catch her, sometimes literally.

Amid all the laughs, there's genuine heartbreak and some deep family drama. But Center keeps it balanced, never veering too far from the feel-good vibe. By the end, with its quirky and oh-so-satisfying conclusion, you’re smiling through the sweetness. Who knew hating love would lead to their own love story?

No spice, all heart. A perfect pick for readers craving a warm, romantic escape that won't make them blush but will definitely make them feel.

An Ethical Guide To Murder

Title: An Ethical Guide To Murder
Author: Jenny Morris
Published: January 16, 2025, by Simon & Schuster UK
Format: Kindle, 400 Pages
Genre: Magical Realism
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

Blurb: Thea has a secret.

She can tell how long someone has left to live just by touching them. Not only that, but she can transfer life from one person to another – something she finds out the hard way when her best friend Ruth suffers a fatal head injury on a night out. Desperate to save her, Thea touches the arm of the man responsible when he comes to check if Ruth is all right. As Ruth comes to, the man quietly slumps to the ground, dead. Thea realises that she has a godlike power: but despite deciding to use her ability for good, she can’t help but sometimes use it for her own benefit.

Boss annoying her at work? She can take some life from them and give it as a tip to her masseuse for a great job.

Creating an ‘Ethical Guide to Murder’ helps Thea to focus her new-found skills.

But as she embarks on her mission to punish the wicked and give the deserving more time, she finds that it isn’t as simple as she first thought.

How can she really know who deserves to die, and can she figure out her own rules before Ruth’s borrowed time runs out?

My Opinion: When I first picked up this novel, I was expecting something else, maybe along the lines of Rupert Holmes’ How to Murder Your Employer. What I got instead was a narrative far more layered: imagine the moral tangle of Nickelback’s “Savin’ Me” video spliced with the eerie notes of Victoria Laurie’s When, then add an ethical dilemma at the top of each chapter like a philosophical pop quiz.

From the moment Thea realizes her ability to see how long someone has to live simply by touching them, you’re hooked. Then the questions start to creep in. What do you do with that kind of knowledge? Can you redirect lifespans? Can you steal years from the villain and hand them to the saint? And if you do… are you playing God, or just playing the odds?

Morris doesn’t hold back. Each chapter opens with a new ethical quandary that forces you to pause and ask yourself what you would do. The bright, cheerful cover may suggest cozy mystery vibes, but what waits inside is a moral tug-of-war. As Thea’s grandfather wisely warns: “Doing a wrong thing for a right reason is still a wrong thing. Especially if you're the one deciding what the right thing is.” That line? It lingers. Right up there with, “just because you can, should you.”

Now, that’s not to say it’s all doom and dread. There are moments of humor, irony, and even dry wit, as you find yourself muttering, “Come on, Thea,” while she ignores red flags that are practically neon. Thea’s desperation to be seen makes her vulnerable, and Sam swoops in with just enough charm to make the reader suspicious. I didn’t trust him from the start. He was moving too fast. The charm is too polished. He found Thea’s weakness and took full advantage of it. Come on, Thea, believe in yourself and stop using a hypocrite as a moral compass.

Watching Thea evolve and how power changes her is stomach-wrenching. As she slips deeper into her role as an avenging angel, wielding mortality as a weapon and justifying her choices, the tension intensifies. Is this still the Thea we first met, or has the power transformed her into something else?

Throughout all of this, Thea balances life math with emotional fallout and giving, taking, and never quite letting the reader know where her finish line is. And then come the reveals. A twist knocks the wind out of you. The answers that click into place are tender and devastating, especially for a girl who never truly felt she belonged after losing her parents.

The ending surprised me, not just once, but twice. Just when I thought the story had neatly tied itself up, Morris tugged on a thread that unraveled even more. And that final passage? Worth it. It reframes the entire story in a way that had me revisiting earlier chapters in my mind.

So don’t let your expectations or the cover steer you wrong; this one’s worth sticking with. An Ethical Guide to Murder asks what happens when moral clarity runs headfirst into personal grief and unchecked power. And long after the last page, you’ll still be chewing on the choices made. And the ones that weren’t.

Badlands

Title: Badlands
Author: Douglas Preston, Lincoln Child
Published: June 3, 2025, by Grand Central Publishing
Format: Audio, Kindle, Hardcover, 355 Pages
Genre: Thriller
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.
Series: Nora Kelly #5

Blurb: In the New Mexico badlands, the skeleton of a woman is found—and the case is assigned to FBI Agent Corrie Swanson. The victim walked into the desert, shedding clothes as she went, and then died in agony of heatstroke and thirst. Two rare artifacts are found clutched in her bony hands—lightning stones used by the ancient Chaco people to summon the gods.

Is it suicide or… sacrifice?

Agent Swanson brings in archaeologist Nora Kelly to investigate. When a second body is found—exactly like the other—the two realize the case runs deeper than they imagined. As Corrie and Nora pursue their investigation into remote canyons, haunted ruins, and long-lost rituals, they find themselves confronting a dark power that, disturbed from its long slumber, threatens to exact an unspeakable price.

My Opinion: If you’re planning a long drive and need something gripping enough to make nine hours feel like ninety minutes, Badlands delivers. I literally laughed out loud when one of the characters mentioned listening to a Preston & Child audiobook during a long trek. Felt like an odd full circle moment.

Once again, the writing team has pairs archaeologist Nora Kelly and FBI Agent Corrie Swanson, two women with wildly different temperaments and skill sets who somehow make a compelling crime-solving duo using skill, sarcasm, and just the right field gear, as they navigate some seriously harsh terrain, both literal and moral, in their pursuit of the truth.

Yes, Homer Watt took his sweet time entering the scene, but once he arrived, the energy shifted in all the right ways. And Skip… Skip just can’t help himself. He’s the kind of character you root for while shaking your head.

Between cults, sacrificial rites, shadowy professors, priceless artifacts, and a buffet of ethically challenged individuals, this novel serves up plenty of intellectual insight, intrigue, and a splash of horror. One of the twists blindsided me in the best way. I’d given little thought to one particular character, and that was precisely the misstep the authors were counting on. Way to go, Preston & Child.

Their ability to describe grotesque scenes with vivid detail might test your gag reflex, but somehow, not including those moments would feel like cheating the reader out of the raw intensity their work is known for. It’s part of their signature that readers are expecting.

What I love most is how this writing team consistently introduces readers to concepts and histories that feel like secret chapters ripped from dusty archives. I left the book not only entertained but curious, diving into rabbit holes I hadn’t even known existed before page one.

When Nora and Corrie are driving the narrative (with Homer hitching a ride now and then), I’m in. The ending? Intense. It grabs you, shakes you, leaves you breathless, and doesn’t quite let go even after you’ve hit the last page.

A Lethal Engagement

Title: A Lethal Engagement
Author: April J. Skelly
Published: April 22, 2025 by Crooked Lane Books
Format: Kindle, Paperback, 336 pages
Genre: Amateur Sleuth
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

Blurb: 1890. American heiress, Cora Beaumont is celebrating her engagement to Terrance Tristan, the second son of a duke. Their union will solidify Cora's place in British society and put her in a rare position of power, but as they embark on the Lady Air’s maiden voyage to England, Cora soon finds that not everyone in society is accepting of her recent engagement, and tensions fly as high as the airship. When a body is discovered the first night on the ship, with a calling card for Cora on the victim, she’s determined to find the killer hidden among the passengers before they come for her next.

As Cora tries to solve the murder without attracting unsavory attention, her fiancé’s wandering eye may cause even more problems for her position in society. Gossip travels fast aboard the airship and bad news could sink the Lady Air, as well as Cora's own social status, before they reach their final destination. When more bodies are discovered, Cora teams up with her soon-to-be brother-in-law, Nicholas, as they scour the ship for clues. If she fails, it won’t only be her reputation visiting the undertaker.

My Opinion: I knew I was in trouble from the first couple of chapters when nothing grabbed me. I switched to the audiobook, hoping it might redeem the experience, but instead it became white noise. This one was background static with delusions of more. Set in 1890, the book attempts to captivate the reader with a high-society mystery aboard an impossibly massive airship, but the atmosphere feels cardboard and cut-and-paste. It has been arranged that American heiress Cora Beaumont is to marry the son of a Duke, in thanks for some favor her father once arranged for getting the duke out of sticky situations. Predictably, she’s engaged to the unremarkable “spare,” Terrance, while the elder brother Nicholas slides into the brooding helper role and the obvious love interest slot. It’s paint-by-numbers romantic plotting.

The tone flip-flops at every turn. Cora is treated like a disposable ornament in one chapter, then suddenly equals the aristocratic men in the next, as if historical constraints and character consistency just weren’t worth editing for. The period language reads more like checked boxes, while modern vocabulary sneaks in, throwing off the immersion entirely.

Comparisons to Deanna Raybourn and Agatha Christie? Please. That’s wishful thinking. The mystery isn’t compelling, the twists come too late to matter, and by the time the “big reveal” happens, I’d already stopped caring. The writing felt clunky, overstated, and desperate to be clever. Honestly, this needed a ruthless red pen and some tough talk.

Hitches, Hideouts, & Homicides

Title: Hitches, Hideouts, & Homicides
Author: Tonya Kappes
Published: December 1, 2023 by Tonya Kappes Books
Format: Audio, Paperback 170 Pages
Genre: Amateur Sleuth
Series: Camper & Criminals #7

Blurb: Everyone in Normal is excited for the Hoe Down to celebrate the opening of the new Old Train Station motel grand opening.

The evening comes to an abrupt end when a lightning storm knocks out all the power. At least, that's what appears to have knocked out the electricity. But things aren't always as they appear.

Mae West has a way of sticking her nose where it doesn't belong and finds herself in a dangerous situation when she finds a treasure map that leads to more than just treasure... a dead body!

My Opinion: Seven books deep into the Camper & Criminals series and it seems we’ve officially reached the land of rinse and repeat. I’ve enjoyed these cozy mysteries as breezy palate cleansers between other reads and think of them as light and fun popcorn. But this latest installment feels more like stale leftovers.

Kappas leans on her signature formula of quirky small-town, unexpected crimes, and Mae West running circles around local law enforcement, and boyfriend, Hank. This time, we get a Hoe Down, a motel grand opening, a suspicious bank robbery, a conveniently timed power outage, and, naturally, a murder. Sprinkle in some cute pups and the ever-gabby Laundry Club ladies, and voilà! Another installment wrapped up with a bow.

To be fair, the series does a solid job of random onboarding with quick introductions to key characters and town dynamics, so you won't feel lost even if you’re landing in mid-series. But for longtime fans, the narrative pattern is starting to show its wear. It’s like déjà vu with a southern twang.

Rumor has it Hallmark may be eyeing this for adaptation. That tidbit’s been floating around for a while, though, so it’s hard to tell if it's a real possibility or just wishful thinking.

Love on the Brain

Title: Love on the Brain
Author: Ali Hazelwood
Published: August 23, 2022 by Sphere
Format: Paperback, 368 Pages
Genre: Romance

Blurb: Bee Königswasser lives by a simple code: What would Marie Curie do? If NASA offered her the lead on a neuroengineering project - a literal dream come true - Marie would accept without hesitation. Duh. But the mother of modern physics never had to co-lead with Levi Ward.

Sure, Levi is attractive in a tall, dark, and piercing-eyes kind of way. But Levi made his feelings toward Bee very clear in grad school - archenemies work best employed in their own galaxies far, far away.

But when her equipment starts to go missing and the staff ignore her, Bee could swear she sees Levi softening into an ally, backing her plays, seconding her ideas... devouring her with those eyes. The possibilities have all her neurons firing.

But when it comes time to actually make a move and put her heart on the line, there's only one question that matters: What will Bee Königswasser do?

My Opinion: It’s funny. It’s goofy. It’s grounded in glorious miscommunication and the delicious chaos of smart people who can’t read a room. That’s the best way to sum up Love on the Brain. Ali Hazelwood’s spicy dive into enemies-to-lovers with a STEM twist.

This was my second Hazelwood read after Love, Theoretically, and I’m happy to say it delivers the same sharp wit, swoony tension, and heart-squishing charm. Bee Königswasser, a petite neuroengineering nerd who might worship at the altar of Marie Curie if she weren’t busy trying to survive NASA bureaucracy, project sabotage, and the confusing signals coming from her broody co-lead.

Levi Ward is tall, handsome, and radiates frustration behind piercing green eyes. Compared to Bee’s petite, chaotic brilliance, and signature Target dress aesthetic. Levi’s is the epitome of quietly tortured intellect. Bee will poke all his buttons. That mismatch leads to some amusing physical logistics down the line, but Hazelwood makes the journey to that point fun. Their banter alone is worth the price of the book. The email chain between “Marie” and “Shmacademics” is heartfelt in the way that “if they only knew” tugs at you. It’s the kind of dialogue that’ll have readers grinning and shaking their heads.

Just as things begin to move in the right direction, the inevitable wrench is thrown. A failed project. A haunted past. One partner is ready to fight. The other is unsure if she’s even worth the battle. Cue drama. Cue longing. Cue Hazelwood’s signature ability to twist the knife just enough before healing the wound with warmth and connection.

Do I understand the science? Not a clue. Do I care? Nope. That’s not what this book is about, and frankly, that’s not why Hazelwood fans keep coming back. We’re here for the tension, the heart, and yes, the spice. And it’s all there.

If you're into rom-coms with brainpower, snark, and bite, Love on the Brain won’t disappoint. Consider me officially invested in Hazelwood’s STEM standalones.

This Book Will Bury Me

Title: This Book Will Bury Me
Author: Ashley Winstead
Published: March 25, 2025 by Sourcebooks Landmark
Format: Kindle, Hardcover, 475 Pages
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

Blurb: After the unexpected death of her father, college student Jane Sharp longs for a distraction from her grief. She becomes obsessed with true crime, befriending armchair detectives who teach her how to hunt killers from afar. In this morbid internet underground, Jane finds friendship, purpose, and even glory.

So when news of the shocking deaths of three college girls in Delphine, Idaho takes the world by storm, and sleuths everywhere race to solve the crimes, Jane and her friends are determined to beat them. But the case turns out to be stranger than anyone expected. Details don't add up, the police are cagey, and there seems to be more media hype and internet theorizing than actual evidence. When Jane and her sleuths take a step closer, they find that every answer only begs more questions. Something's not adding up, and they begin to suspect their killer may be smarter and more prolific than any they've faced before. Placing themselves in the center of the story starts to feel more and more like walking into a trap.

Told one year after the astounding events that concluded the case and left the world reeling, when Jane has finally decided to break her silence about what really happened, she tells the true story of the Delphine Massacres. And what she has to confess will shock even the most seasoned true crime fans.

My Opinion: This novel was my first introduction to Ashley Winstead, and if this isn’t considered her best, then I’m buckling up, because what’s in her earlier works must be phenomenal. From the first page, I was swept into a mix of memory, grief, digital sleuthing, and narrative trickery that pulled me deeper with each chapter.

Told in distinctive parts, the story is told from the perspective of Jane Sharpe (aka Searcher24), who enters the true crime world not out of voyeuristic obsession, but out of personal grief. Her plan was to learn more about her late father, whose past is knotted in shadows. That pursuit leads her to an underground collective of amateur sleuths, each with their own skills and motives: Lightly, the retired cop and father figure; Mistress, a retired librarian; CitizenNight, has a navy background; and Lord Goku, a high-level techy.

As the narrative shifts into co-ed murders that echo the recent Idaho Kohberger case and the Richard Speck case from the mid 1960’s, Winstead ups the ante. Relating a storyline to true events isn’t a bad idea, since Paula McLain did the same thing in her book ‘When the Stars Go Dark’ and the abduction and murder of Polly Klaas.

There are moments when you feel like you’re reading investigative journalism, but then Winstead reminds you that with fiction, nothing is safe. Even the structure itself is a sly deception: we’re reading Jane’s book, layered with footnotes and reflections that hint at motive, defense, and possibly guilt. A book within a book. A crime within a question.

The storytelling is laced with references to real-life cases and famous true crime voices. Ann Rule floated to the surface early for me, like a breadcrumb meant to be followed. It’s oddly satisfying how Winstead dances between homage and originality, grounding readers in familiar territory while leading us toward a disturbing and ultimately shocking ending. And let’s talk about that ending; yes, I spotted the twist early, but still, she managed to keep my interest all the way through. What I didn’t see coming was how satisfying and unsettling the final pages would be.

This book is for anyone who enjoys crime fiction that not only entertains but also raises questions about obsession, morality, storytelling, and the individuals who pursue ghosts in digital back alleys.

And with this book, Ashley Winstead earns her spot on my “be on the lookout for” list.

Broken Country

Title: Broken Country
Author: Clare Leslie Hall
Published: March 4, 2025 by Simon & Schuster
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
Genre: Women's Fiction

Blurb: Beth and her gentle, kind husband Frank are happily married, but their relationship relies on the past staying buried. But when Beth’s brother-in-law shoots a dog going after their sheep, Beth doesn’t realize that the gunshot will alter the course of their lives. For the dog belonged to none other than Gabriel Wolfe, the man Beth loved as a teenager—the man who broke her heart years ago. Gabriel has returned to the village with his young son Leo, a boy who reminds Beth very much of her own son, who died in a tragic accident.

As Beth is pulled back into Gabriel’s life, tensions around the village rise and dangerous secrets and jealousies from the past resurface, this time with deadly consequences. Beth is forced to make a choice between the woman she once was, and the woman she has become.

A sweeping love story with the pace and twists of a thriller, Broken Country is a novel of simmering passion, impossible choices, and explosive consequences that toggles between the past and present to explore the far-reaching legacy of first love.

My Opinion: I’m honestly puzzled, not by the storyline, but by the glowing reviews. A farmer dies, someone’s on trial, and there’s a slow-moving triangle that should have built suspense. But instead of a gripping mystery, the reader was given a meandering narrative that tiptoes around its revelations.

That’s not to say that the writing isn’t smooth since Hall knows how to craft a sentence and set a scene. I could see the farm, feel the heat of the summer, and sense Beth’s quiet unraveling. But the pacing? Painful. By a third of the way in, I still wasn’t sure what I was supposed to care about. The trial chapters tease just enough to keep you curious, but never offer the kind of breadcrumbs that make you lean in.

We get Beth’s before and after, Gabriel’s reappearance, and Frank caught in the middle, a brother’s anger, and the emotions at stakes, but other parts felt diluted by all the vagueness. I kept waiting for the moment that would hook me. It never came. Not really.

Things do pick up toward the end. The trial gains momentum, names are finally dropped, twists emerge, and it all ties together in a way that makes you reassess some characters. But it took too long to get there.

A love story, yes. One filled with broken promises, miscommunication, unresolved grief, and to be honest, more lies than insight. By the final chapter, I understood what the author was trying to do, but it didn’t hit me the way I’d hoped. I kept wanting more, but didn’t get it.

The Diva Poaches a Bad Egg

Title: The Diva Poaches a Bad Egg
Author: Krista Davis
Published: May 27, 2025 by Kensington Cozies
Format: Kindle, Harcover, 320 Pages
Genre: Amateur Sleuth
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.
Series: A Domestic Diva Mystery #18

Blurb: Stylish brunches are all the rage this autumn in Old Town Alexandria, and everyone’s posting their parties on social media. But while Domestic Diva Sophie Winston juggles her event-filled calendar, she’s approached by local designer Mitzi Lawson—who is afraid someone is following her. The very next day Mitzi loses her best friend and business partner, Denise. The two were renovating a generations-old house where Denise died unexpectedly, and Mitzi fears that it wasn’t a medical condition to blame, but murder.

It could just be the shock talking, but Sophie agrees to help Mitzi involve the police. Then she receives a panicked phone call from Mitzi, and when she rushes to the old house, Mitzi is nowhere to be found. Now Sophie’s appetite for investigation is piqued even more than her appetite for eggs Benedict and mimosas.

Could Denise’s death be connected to her viper’s nest of in-laws or the house she was working on which her husband just inherited? What of the self-proclaimed etiquette expert with some improper secrets, or the scheming mistress? Or does the old house harbor secrets of its own? There’s a generous buffet of suspects to keep the Diva scrambling for an answer . . .

My Opinion: Eighteen books in, and Sophie Winston is still at it in Old Town, Virginia. Solving murders, relying on gossip and rumor, and somehow always wearing the perfect seasonal outfit from her magic closet, since she rarely steps inside a boutique.

If you’re new to the series, don’t worry. Davis gives a friendly recap of the usual cast of characters (because who can remember seventeen books' worth of backstory?). That said, this installment throws in a whole batch of new names and you might need to reference a family tree, or at least a nap and a notepad, to keep them straight.

The setup is classic cozy: a historic mansion, a dead interior designer with complicated connections, and a whodunnit that hinges on hearsay and social slipups. With so much in the mix, Sophie is summoned, yet again, because being an amateur sleuth seventeen times gives you lifetime murder-solving privileges. And yes, on occasion, she lets the actual police do their job.

Aunt Faye’s maybe-haunted portrait (this was a plot point in an earlier book) gets a revisit in this book. The light is golden, the frame tilts, but alas, the supernatural subplot from previous books seems to have fizzled into little more than a nod. Still, that detail, plus a twisty discovery of bones from the late 1960s found behind a wall, and Faye’s journal, offers just enough surprise to keep things rolling.

The Diva Poaches a Bad Egg is exactly what you'd expect from Krista Davis: a cozy mystery that’s more about quirky charm and familiar rhythms than heart-pounding suspense. Is this groundbreaking? Nope. But it’s not supposed to be. This is your revisit with fictional friends who get the job done while never missing brunch.