Rose Madder/ Stephen King/ 608 pages/ Horror

          After fourteen years in an abusive marriage, Rose Daniels leaves her husband, Norman. Her first step is to find a place he won't find her and start her life over again.
          Rose meets new people, finds friends, gets her own apartment, a job, and meets a new guy, Bill. Even with all this that she has built for herself she still is nervous of Norman finding her. He is a cop and is very good at hunting down who he is looking for. As we follow Rose and her new life we also follow Norman and see his mind as he mentally unravels while searching for his wife.
           This novel had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. It was an incredible novel with a terrible villain that had me checking over my shoulder while reading. The fantasy in the novel is a little out there but still interesting. Before starting, I was thinking this was going to be boring since it's not like other King novels but I was very wrong. I would recommend looking into this one if you are looking for a mystery/horror novel to try.

The Glass Ocean / Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, Karen White / 408 pages

Having 3 different authors put their voices together to create this novel was an interesting premise. I enjoyed the historical part of the story the best. Several of the main characters are on the Luisitania in 1915 on a voyage that was doomed when a German sub torpedoed the oceanliner as it crossed the Atlantic. As a reader, you know historically what is about to happen so it is a bit of a mystery and thriller following the events leading up to the ship's demise. The current day story concerned two descendants of the Luisitania passenger list and how they might be able to rewrite history if they found out the truth of who was a traitor on the ship that may have leaked information to the Germans.

Beyond Danger/Kat Martin/535 pages (Mystery)

          When Beau's father, the former senator, is found dead in his

home office, Beau and the pretty private detective, Cassidy, that the senator had hired to look into who it was that was following him around join forces to find out who is the killer.  Beau only know for sure that he is innocent.  Cassidy only knows for sure that she is innocent.  Neither can rule out the other but from the beginning they seem to trust their instincts and believe in their partner. 

     The little town of Pleasant Hill becomes an active crime scene as someone else dies, Cassidy is hurt and things just keep happening!  Of course it turns out that while Beau is one of the good guys, his father was not.  Good reading until the somewhat predictable end.

     Is this relevant reading?  Is it unique and fresh and totally different from everything else you have read?  Of course not.  Is it an interesting story with solid characters that lets you try and solve the mystery as you read along? Yes.  Would I recommend it?  Yes.  Kat Martin has a loyal following and no one will be disappointed with this romantic and suspenseful story.

Long Road to Mercy by David Baldacci

The first chapter of the story grabbed me instantly. However, the rest of the book did not explore that storyline except to use it as a basis for the main character's motivation. 
   This is the first in the Atlee Pine character series.  Atlee is an FBI agent serving in the Grand Canyon area. She is an accomplished agent and is highly motivated to avenge her twin sister's murder when they were only six years old.  
    Atlee is brought in to investigate a mule's death in the Canyon.  The mule has strange markings that are the beginning clues to a very involved plot.  With many twists and turns, Baldacci takes us into a sinister plot to overtake our government.  Atlee is determined to get to the bottom of this threat, but has to do it without support from her regional supervisor who has told her she needs to take an extended vacation.  He has decided his agent, Atlee, is over the top in her suspicions.
     Atlee's sister's murder will be solved in a sequel.  It was only a minor introduction in this book.

B is for Burglar / Sue Grafton / 321 pages

Kinsey Millhone is back into business, and she is assigned to locate Elaine Boldt, a woman who had been missing since her departure to Florida.  Kinsey interviews close friends and anyone who was familiar with her, in both Santa Teresa, California and Miami, Florida.  She also learns the story of Miss Boldt's friend, Marty Grice, who had been murdered six months before her disappearance, and one part of Kinsey believes that Miss Boldt may have took off as a result, either from paranoia or she may have been one of the suspects responsible for the murder; another says that she might already be dead.

I liked this book better than the first one, for the characters were more diverse in both appearance and personality, Kinsey revealed hidden depths to herself that made her more three-dimensional, and wowIdidnotexpectthatplottwistatall.
Overall, a very a good novel; I'm already partway through the third book, C is for Corpse, which I'll blog about in March.

Pieces of Her/Karen Slaughter/470 pages

                                              Pieces of Her by Karen Slaughter is a suspense novel that opens with an
                                       active shooter scene.  Andrea Oliver and her mother, Laura, are in a

                                       restaurant when the killer starts shooting.  Bullets are flying but Laura is not

                                       diving for cover.  She is approaching the shooter, challenging him,

                                       taunting him--and when he suddenly pulls a knife she turns the tables on him

                                       and he is dead.

                                               What follows is unexpected.  The police are questioning

                                        why the shooter is dead.  They are looking at Laura not as a victim but

                                        as a criminal. A stranger shows up threatening Laura and someone else

                                        dies!  Andrea is abruptly on the run following her mother's instructions,

                                        slowly uncovering what is really going on, trying to save herself and

                                        solve the puzzle that appears to be her mother's former life.

     This is a truly involved mystery.  It is written in the back and forth style that is not my favorite but is necessary to explain what happened originally and how it is causing the current events.  Pick this one up when you have time to devote to reading.  You'll be drawn in immediately.

                                    

Then She Was Gone/ Lisa Jewell/ 359 pgs/ audiobook

Another long weekend drive meant that I resorted to listening to my second audiobook. I most definitely liked this narration better than the other one. In Then She Was Gone, Lauren Mack's daughter Ellie vanished one day while heading to the library. She was 15 years old and no clues to her disappearance were ever found. Almost 10 years later, Lauren is living a half life. She's divorced from her husband, though it's clear he's a good guy and there is still affection between them. She has very distant relationships with both of her remaining children, Jake and Hannah. She readily admits that Ellie, the youngest, was her favorite. Out of the blue, the police call to tell her they have found some of Ellie's remains plus her backpack. A funeral is held and then we jump ahead a few months where Lauren meets a man named Floyd. The story is told from a few different viewpoints, Ellie's in the months before her death, Lauren's at the present time, Ellie's tutor at the time of her disappearance. It's all well written, but in truth this is more women's fiction than suspense. It tries to add an element of suspense at the very end but it falls flat. The story of Lauren coming back to life and re-engaging with her family and the world is a good one, just don't expect a suspense novel in the truest sense.

Perish/ Lisa Black/ 320 pgs/ audiobook

Another first for me--I listened to this audiobook from Hoopla on a long weekend drive. I'm not very fond of being read to. I think that might be because I'm a fast reader as well as a visual learner. Anyway, this narration wasn't the best but I got through it. This is the third novel in the Maggie Gardner/Jack Renner series. It's set in Cleveland. Maggie is a crime scene tech and Jack is a detective. A detective who also happens to be a vigilante killer because he feels it's okay to get rid of the baddest of the bad guys. (Again, this is not a spoiler--it's in the cover copy of the first book.) Maggie figured out Jack's secret but now he has something on her: she killed the abusive woman Jack's been tracking for years. It's interesting and different to read about anti-heroes in an otherwise ordinary suspense. The case here is that three women, all of whom work at a mortgage company, are brutally murdered. While I did enjoy the surprise ending, there is far too much information about the mortgage business and the housing crisis of 2008. It gets rather bogged down but if you can stick it out, the ending has a nice twist.

Secrets in Death/J.D.Robb/370 pgs.

In this latest Eve Dallas installment, Lt. Dallas becomes involved in solving the murder of Larinda Mars--a gossip reporter of the rich and famous. It turns out that Larinda had a side business going--blackmail. It's up to Dallas to find out whose secrets resulted in Mars's death. It's a fast paced, enjoyable addition to a very entertaining series!

Come Sundown/Nora Roberts/466 pgs.

The Bodine ranch and resort are in Montana, and cater to folks who want a ranch experience, but want their creature comforts, too. Bodine Longbow runs the resort part, while other family members run the ranch--a family operation that's been in existence for years. Life is relatively calm until one of the resort's female bartenders is murdered. In addition, there is the family history of Alice Longbow who ran away decades ago at the age of 18, never to be heard of since. These two incidents merge, creating a story of horror and suspense. Since it's a Nora Roberts novel, there is also romance to add to the mix. One her better efforts. Recommended!

My Cousin Rachel/ Daphne du Maurier / 400 pgs

I've always meant to read something by Daphne du Maurier, an acclaimed English writer of suspense novels with Gothic elements. When I heard that My Cousin Rachel was being made into a movie, I decided to read the book first. Published in the early 1950s, the novel is set in Cornwall but the time is indeterminate. The characters travel by horseback and carriage, so I would assume 19th century. The story is told entirely from the point of view of Philip Ashley, a twenty-four-old who is essentially a Gothic heroine in a man's body. He's naïve and emotionally malleable and I loved seeing this trope turned on its head.

Philip was orphaned at a young age and taken in by an older cousin, Ambrose. Ambrose owns an estate on which he raises Philip in an entirely masculine and misogynistic atmosphere (no female servants). However, once Philip is grown, Ambrose suffers from an unnamed illness which forces him to spend the winter in warmer, dryer Italy. One year, Ambrose writes back to Philip that he's met a distant cousin of theirs, Rachel. Before long, bachelor-for-life Ambrose has married Rachel in a surprise move. Then tragedy strikes and Ambrose dies unexpectedly after writing some cryptic and incriminating letters to Philip. Philip suspects Rachel of playing a part in Ambrose's death and he creates a picture of her in his mind of an ugly, mean-spirited shrew. Then Rachel comes to England and Philip is lost to her charm, beauty, and femininity. The rest of the story plays out with Philip's emotions and feelings toward Rachel zigzagging here, there, and everywhere.

I loved du Maurier's evocative writing and the way she could have a character say something simple and yet multiple meanings lay beneath those words. You won't get a definitive account of what actually happened in Italy with Ambrose but the journey is interesting nonetheless and the ending surprised me.

Wait for Dark/Kay Hooper/327 pgs.

In the latest Bishop/SCU novel, strange accidents are occurring in the small town of Clarity, North Carolina. Sheriff Mal Gordon is faced with mounting evidence that there might be a killer loose in his town, and seeks the aid of the specialized FBI unit known as SCU (Special Crimes Unit). The agents in this elite unit have psychic abilities that assist in identifying the evil entity that makes itself known on occasion. Agent Hollis Templeton, along with other specialized agents, is sent to Clarity to uncover, and stop, the person wreaking havoc in town. What they discover makes for a fast, intense read--a welcome addition to this series. Recommended!

The Dry/ Jane Harper / 328 pgs

The Dry (which I think is an unfortunate name for a novel) is a suspense story

set in an isolated rural town in Australia The town is suffering from a severe drought and in turn, economic hardship. I thought the setting and its different facets were well done by the author. A father, mother, and six-year-old boy are found shot to death on their farm (warning for disturbing content). The only survivor is a year-old baby. Initially, this looks like a down-on-his luck farmer who ended the lives of his family members and then took his own. Aaron Falk, a forensic accountant for the federal government, returns to the town he left behind abruptly 20 years ago to attend the funeral of his friend, the supposed killer of his family. Aaron is NOT warmly welcomed back, as he and his father were driven out of town by accusations that Aaron killed a teen-aged friend, Ellie, all those years ago. Though reluctant, Aaron finds himself drawn into the current investigation of the murder-suicide, even while his presence in town stirs up memories and emotions from the past. This book kept me interested from start to finish, although I do think the flashbacks got to be a bit much. There were two mysteries here and I did not guess the solution to one of them, which is good, while I felt the other one was not really resolved in a satisfactory way, i.e. there was no closure and no justice for the victim.

The Devil's Triangle/Catherine Coulter & J.T. Ellison/495 pgs.

This is the latest Nicholas Drummond and Michaela (Mike) Caine series entry, and it's a doozy! Nicholas and Mike are FBI agents working the U.S. government's Covert Eyes operation--the best of the best in defeating criminals nationally and internationally. They are contacted by Kitsune (the Fox), an international criminal they have dealt with before. Her husband has been kidnapped, and she needs Nicholas's and Mike's help to get him back. That might not be so bad if her husband wasn't kidnapped by a pair of psychotic twins who are seeking the Ark of the Covenant. It's a fast paced story with some interesting turns, and a satisfactory conclusion. I think it's one of the best ones in the series, so far. Recommended!

The Woman in Cabin 10/Ruth Ware/340 pgs.

Lo Blacklock writes for a travel magazine, and has been given the opportunity to be a passenger on the new cruise ship, Aurora, and to write about the experience. It's the chance of a lifetime, and could boost her career. The only problem is that Lo has recently been burglarized, suffers from panic attacks and anxiety, and has recently been drinking too much. It's a small cruise ship, and something happens on board that has Lo questioning her own sanity. I don't want to give too much away, so I will say that it is similar to Paula Hawkins' The Girl on the Train, but more suspenseful. Taking a cruise has lost some of its appeal after reading this! Recommended!

The Girl Before/ JP Delaney / 336 pgs

Despite my weariness with publishers using the word "girl" in titles when referring to full-grown women, I decided to read this suspense novel I'd heard a lot about. And unlike with The Couple Next Door, I'm glad I read this one! While it is also written in the present tense, it's first person, and though I occasionally found this annoying, it wasn't nearly as bad as the third person present of the previous book.

It's told from the alternating viewpoints of Emma and Jane, two women who end up renting the same house, years apart. It's creepy and intriguing and there are many twists--good twists. You really have no idea what's going on until the very last page. I'd love to say more about the plot but almost everything would be a spoiler. This is an emotional story too. Jane has recently lost a stillborn child and her feelings are real and palpable. I can definitely recommend this story.

The Couple Next Door/ Shari Lapena / 308 pgs

I'd heard a lot about this book and since I love suspense, decided to give it a try. Now I wish I hadn't. My first complaint is that the book is written in 3rd person present tense. Ugh. This is a terrible way to read a story. It never stopped irritating me.

So, on to the story and characters. Marco and Anna are parents to 6 month baby girl Cora. They are invited to an adults-only dinner party at their next door neighbors. They do the responsible thing and get a babysitter. Only she cancels at the last minute. Deciding that their snotty neighbor Cynthia won't allow them to bring the baby after all, they leave her in her crib, bring the baby monitor (audio only), and check on her every 30 minutes. Despite all these precautions, baby Cora goes missing while her parents are getting drunk and her father makes out with the neighbor.

There is a lot going on in this story and I didn't like any of it. The characters are all horrible people. The only one who might be able to garner some sympathy is the mother, Anna, but even she ends up being not very likable. These characters spend too much time wallowing in their own poor decision-making. And the ruminations--each character goes over the same information again and again, trying to decide if this person or that person could have done this or that. There were plenty of twists, but all of them left a bad taste in my mouth. Not to mention I spent the whole book worrying about poor little Cora's well-being:(

Under the Harrow/ Flynn Berry / 240 pgs

This is a mystery/suspense novel set in England. Nora is on her way to visit her sister, who lives in a countryside village. She arrives to discover her sister stabbed to death. There is also a disturbing image of her sister's dog, which was also killed. The story is told completely from Nora's point of view, which I found troubling. While she's supposed to be in her late twenties, Nora read very child-like and immature
to me and I couldn't really relate to her. She makes lots of very poor choices. She and the rest of the characters seemed to be only sketched out. They lack depth, which I think results from the book being too short at only 240 pages. The ending felt a bit abrupt as well.

Right Behind You/Lisa Gardner/389 pgs.

This is the latest entry in the Pierce Quincy/Rainie Conner series. Quincy and Rainie are in the process of adopting their foster daughter, Sharlah May Nash, when they become involved in a murder that appears to have been committed by Sharlah's older brother, Telly. Telly and Sharlah haven't seen each other in eight years--they were put in separate foster homes because their abusive parents had been murdered. Now it appears Telly is trying to contact Sharlah at the same time he is being hunted for the murder of his foster parents. As in most mysteries, all is not what it appears to be, and the reader is in for a roller coaster ride with the book. Highly recommended!

The Perfect Stranger/ Megan Miranda / 336 pgs

The Perfect Stranger is a mystery/suspense set in western Pennsylvania. Leah is a former journalist for a newspaper in Boston who has moved to rural Pennsylvania to "start over." She's now teaching high school and living in a cabin on a lake with a roommate, Emmy. Leah and Emmy also roomed together briefly after college. Leah was forced to quit her job at the newspaper because of an accusation she made in an article she wrote. The details of that are dribbled out slowly. Meanwhile, a young woman named Bethany was found coshed in the head with a rock near Leah's house and is in a coma in the hospital. Also, Leah's roommate Emmy appears to be missing, though she's not really sure since Emmy works odd shifts and is a bit flighty. The story essentially revolves around these three young women, Leah, Emmy, and Bethany, and how their lives are related, or not, as the case may be.

I thought this was a solid read, although maybe not quite as good as Miranda's first book, All the Missing Girls. The mystery unravels bit by bit and there is a creepy element with someone stalking Leah. Some of the details of earlier circumstances remain murky even at the end, so that was a little disappointing. I also thought the "romance" subplot fell flat because the characters didn't really know each other but aside from those flaws, I would recommend this one.