A Madness of Sunshine/ Nalini Singh/ 352 pgs

I've always wanted to read something by Nalini Singh but she writes paranormal romance which is not my thing. So I was happy to see she'd written a suspense novel. This one takes place in a remote little town in New Zealand and the descriptions of the landscape really make me want to travel there. Anahera returns to her small hometown after the death of her cheating husband. A lot of ghosts still reside in town, including that of her abused mother, now deceased, and her abusive father, still living. As soon as she returns, a young woman goes missing while on a run. The only police officer around is Will, an outsider banished to this remote town after an "incident." The cast of characters are well done and Singh lets you see them from outsider Will's eye as well as Anahera's, a local but one who's been gone for twelve years. Add in some missing hikers from years ago and the insulated location and this is a tense, well-done suspense. I hope she writes more of them.

The Stranger Inside / Laura Benedict / 341 pages

The setting for this story is St. Louis!  It was fun seeing places mentioned that I knew and made the story more interesting.  Kimber Hannon is a divorced woman that lives in a house in Richmond Heights.  She returns from a weekend at the Lake of the Ozarks to find the locks changed on the doors of her house and a stranger living inside.  Lance Wilson has a rental agreement with Kimber's signature.  He tells the police that Kimber left to move in with her boyfriend and rented the house to him until she decides what to do with the house. With the help of her ex-boyfriend, Gabriel, who is also a lawyer and her ex-husband, Shaun, Kimber sets out to get her house back.  However, Kimber has a dark secret from her childhood that Lance threatens Kimber that he knows and will reveal.  The story has many twists and turns and keeps the reader in suspense!

The First Mistake/ Sandie Jones/ 290 pgs

This was my first Sandie Jones novel. Alice is an interior designer with her own company. Her current husband, Nathan, runs the company. Alice's first husband disappeared on a skiing trip and was never found. This devastated Alice (so we are told yet she married Nathan within 2 years) and she's a bit of a worrywart who relies on alcohol to make her feel better. When her best friend Beth tells her about the man who fathered her daughter and stole money from her and her mother, Alice is shocked to find this con artist was her first husband. There are many twists in this story, but many of them were predictable and some unbelievable. The story is well-told though and I liked the ending, despite the vagueness of it. I might give Jones another try.

The Turn of the Key/ Ruth Ware/ 336 pgs

I enjoy most of Ruth Ware's novels but I'm still unsure what to think of this one. The construct of the novel doesn't work at all: a female prisoner writing to a lawyer she's never met, telling him every excruciating detail of what led to her being imprisoned. However, by the end of the novel it's clear why this construct was chosen (I still don't think it works). Rowan Caine works at a daycare in the baby room. She happens across an ad for a live-in nanny in Scotland and decides to go for the job. She hints that she has an ulterior motive for wanting the job. In a whirlwind, she sends off her application, gets an interview, quits her daycare job, and steps in as the 5th nanny to the Elincourt girls, ages 8, 5, and toddler plus a 14-year-old teenager who enters the story towards the end of the book. The Elincourts are architects and both mum and dad are off to work out of the country as soon Rowan arrives. Their house, a Victorian, has been mostly modernized, especially as a "smart" home. Creepy things start to happen almost immediately and Rowan is left in no doubt why the other nanny's left. The creep factor is mostly well done though I expected even more of the "smart house driving me crazy" stuff. This whole story is build up to Rowan explaining to the off-page attorney that she did not cause the death of "that little girl." (not a spoiler--the child's death is mentioned at the get go). There is a LOT of build up here with very little payoff. Oh, there are twists at the end, one that probably could have sufficed for the whole book and another, final one that just left me disturbed and unsure how I felt about the whole thing.

The Last House Guest/ Megan Miranda/ 343 pgs

This takes place on the coast of Maine, in a resort town that is one place in the summer when all the wealthy vacationers arrive, and another the rest of the year when just the locals are around. Every year at the end of summer, the young people throw a party. Avery, a local who now manages the rental properties of the Loman family, is the unofficial hostess. The party comes to a screeching halt, however, when her best friend, Sadie Loman, is found dead at the bottom of a cliff. The death is ruled a suicide. A year later, Avery is still feeling the loss of her friend when Sadie's brother Parker returns and weird things start happening around the rental properties. I loved the setting for this story and there are some twists that surprised me. Avery's character had an interesting background and her relationship to the townspeople and the vacationers was intriguing.

No Mercy/ Joanna Schauffhausen/ 305 pgs

This is the second book in the Ellery Hathaway series. At fourteen, Ellery was the only girl to survive being kidnapped by a serial killer. Reed Markham was the young FBI agent who found her. The serial killer is in prison, but Ellery, now in her twenties, is imprisoned as well, never able to escape her past or the events of book one. In this installment she is in a victim/survivor group, trying to get back on the police force by doing what they want. She definitely has a long way to go to heal but in the beginning, she's not interested in that. She's more interested in solving the rape of one group member and the killing of another's toddler son in an act of arson. The most fascinating thing about this book is watching Ellery try to navigate the normal world that she feels she can never be a part of and that includes her friendship with Reed. I was relieved that Ellery did not really suffer further trauma in this book (although she sets herself up for an assault). The psychological exploration is intriguing and I am looking forward to the next book.

Pretty Girls/Karin Slaughter/396 pages

         Pretty Girls is a really different kind of suspense novel.  The basic story is about a family where a teenage girl went missing and afterwards, her two young sisters became estranged for over

20 years.  Claire married well and leads a life of shopping, tennis, and social functions.  Lydia is 17 years sober and drug free raising a child as a single parent struggling to make ends meet.  The riff so long ago started when Claire's husband, Paul,attempted to rape Lydia--and no one believed her. Now Paul has been murdered and Claire is finding files and folders and videos of a violent nature in

Paul's space.  The FBI and police are at the door and acting

suspiciously.  Could Paul have been involved with the disappearance of young girls?--the filming of their rape and

torture and murder?  Its all too much for Claire to handle so she 

re-connects with her sister, knowing that she is the one person

that will understand and believe and help her make sense of the

whole mess.

          Some of the descriptions in this book are pretty disturbing

but then, so is the subject matter.  The chapters written by the girls' father are hauntingly beautiful and sad.



The Last Time I Saw You/ Liv Constantine/ 308 pgs

If you are looking for a book similar to Mary Higgins Clark's suspense novels, this is the one for you. Wealthy people, family dysfunction, murder, revenge, the ingredients are all there. Dr. Kate English's mother has been murdered just before Christmas. All of the suspects are laid out neatly in the first few chapters--Kate's possibly unfaithful husband, Kate's father who had an argument with her mother, Kate's estranged best friend, Kate's nanny. To top it off, the alleged killer is sending Kate threatening messages and dead animals. I wish we had seen a glimpse of Kate at work because I found it hard to believe she's really a doctor. The twist at the end doesn't really add to the story. If you haven't already read Constantine's first book, The Last Mrs. Parrish, I would recommend that over this one.

Watching You/ Lisa Jewell/ 324 pgs

This is a thoroughly engrossing psychological suspense. Jewell creates well-rounded characters who breathe on the page. This story is all about the title: who is watching who. I don't want to go into the plot too much but here's a rundown of the characters: a twenty-something trying to get her life back on track, a charming headmaster who (almost) everyone likes, an awkward 14-year-old boy just discovering girls, a clinically paranoid mother, a teenage girl trying to do right by her mother, her best friend, and herself. Plus a heart surgeon, a pregnant systems analyst, and a moody, depressed mother. There is a murder here and the resolution is well done. If you like suspense, give this one a try. It's excellent.

The Stranger Inside/ Laura Benedict/ 345 pgs

This is a suspense novel set in St. Louis, though the setting doesn't have a whole lot to do with the story. Kimber is 27 and has just returned from a retreat to find the locks on her house changed and a stranger living inside. She calls the police but the man inside has a rental agreement with her signature on it. Reluctantly, Kimber calls her ex-boyfriend Gabriel, who is a lawyer. This story involves another dual timeline told from her sister Michelle's point of view from the inexplicable year of 199_. The man in the house starts threatening to reveal secrets about Kimber and her neighbor dies under suspicious circumstances. The premise of this story is interesting but the execution was rather weak. As more and more is revealed about Kimber, the more difficult it is to care about what happens to her. The plot is convoluted, though much of it is also obvious. All in all, this is a mixed bag.

The Au Pair/ Emma Rous/ 360 pgs

The Au Pair is a decent mystery/suspense novel. It has your usual, for these days, dual timeline. Seraphine is 25. She has an older brother Edwin and a twin brother Danny. Their family has been marred by tragedy. Their father has just passed away. Their mother jumped off a cliff the day Seraphine and Danny were born. The oldest brother Edwin had a twin Theo who died as a toddler. Seraphine has always felt different and as if she didn't fit into her family. When she's cleaning out her dad's things and finds a family photo from the day she and Danny were born that only pictures one infant, her spidey senses go off. Soon she's looking for her older brother's former nanny, Laura, and asking questions of anyone she can. The other timeline belongs to Laura, from twenty-five years before when she was employed by the family. There are several revelations at the end, some surprising, some not.

Baby Teeth/ Zoje Stage/ 304 pgs

I've finished this book and I'm still not sure what to make of it. This is the story of the Jensen family: father Alex, mother Suzette, and 7-year-old daughter Hanna. Hanna is super intelligent, but she does not speak. The story is told from her point of view and that of her mother. Suzette was raised by an indifferent mother and she's never sure if she's doing the right things for Hanna, especially since the girl doesn't talk, though she communicates well. Hanna adores her father (as Suzette adores her husband) but Suzette and Hanna have their issues. For the first half of the novel, I thought this was a creepy horror story of a diabolical little girl out to kill her mother and the suspense was really well done. Until the midway point, when the story seems to become more of a family drama and much of the tension fizzles out. It ended with a whimper. But the more I think about it, it's interesting to think about the actions of the adults in this book, especially the parents, and wonder if they had been less selfish, and more committed to their family relationships, as opposed to their individual relationships, if things would have turned out differently.

Zero Day/Jan Gangsei/359 pgs/Mystery

I’m pretty sure you can’t go wrong with a Truman Award nominee this book is no exception.

Addie Webster reappears after being kidnapped eight years ago.  But, Addie is not the same girl.  On her return, Addie tells about how she escaped her captors, but the are those who question her story.  And they should.  Addie’s father is currently the President of the United States and that is exactly why she reappeared at this time.  Addie is a major player in a security threat to the United States.  Her childhood friend, Darrow Fergusson realizes that something is amiss with Addie and he makes it his mission to protect his friend at the risk of his own life.  A well written good read if you enjoy mystery, crime and intrigue.

In a Dark, Dark Wood/ Ruth Ware/ 310 pgs

Ruth Ware's books are hit or miss for me. Though it's an older title, In a Dark, Dark Wood was mostly a hit for me. Nora is an author herself, but also a loner. Out of the blue, she receives an invitation to an old friend's hen (bachelorette) party. A friend she hasn't spoken to in 10 years. Another friend also receives the same invite and reluctantly the two agree to go. The party is being held at a house deep in the woods and things seem off to Nora from the start but it gets really twisted when she realizes the bride, her old friend Clare, is set to marry Nora's former love, James. The story takes off from there. While there were definitely parts of this book that were hard to believe, it grabbed my attention and kept me hooked until the end.

The Girl Who Lived/Christopher Greyson/284 pages

     Faith was 12 years old when her sister, best friend and father die in a

bloody knife massacre at the family's lake house.  Faith survived but for the past 10 years she has been hospitalized with crippling survivors guilt.  The official ruling from the investigation was that Faith's father was the one who killed everyone and then took his own life.  No one believes her story of a rat faced man who hums being the killer.  Everyone is convinced that Faith is crazy, that she would harm herself if left alone.

     The 10th anniversary of the killing is coming up.  Faith's mom (who wrote a tell-all book that made Faith and her story famous) helps get Faith released into her custody with strict rules--survivors meetings, therapy sessions, AA meetings.  Faith tried but it really seems that the deck is stacked against her.  Chapter after chapter gets her roughed up, stolen from, terrified, stalked and more.  Many people try to help her but she becomes convinced that the original killer is back.  Faith wants to find and kill him and she doesn't care what happens to herself.  Worst of all, she doesn't know who to trust.

     What a powerful book!  The story grabs you as soon as you start reading and you simply cannot put it down.  Towards the end of the book you start doubting that everything Faith is experiencing is real which makes the ending perfect!  Really a great story.

                                                                                                                            

Projekt 1065/Alan Gratz/303 pgs

Most young teenagers will do anything to fit in with their peers.  For Michael O’Shaunessey that means being a part of the Hitler Youth Corp during WWII. He hated everything for which the Nazi Party stood.  Michael’s reasons for joining were not to help or promote the organization, but to spy and/or hinder its activities.

Shortly after we meet young Michael, the Hitler youth are sent out to find the American pilot whose plane has been shot down and crashed nearby.  Michael finds the pilot and leads the others in the group away from the pilot until he can later return and bring the man to his parent’s house.  Talking to the injured pilot, Michael learns about a plane the Germans are designing that could be disastrous for The Allies if it is built.  Michael realizes that one of his Hitler youth friend’s father is the designer of that German plane and he must try to get the plans.

He risks much to help out his parents who are also spies.  His father is actually the Ambassador from Ireland which gives the family a perfect cover for the spy operations.  It is obvious as you read this story why is was a Truman Award nominee.  A very good read.

Dead Girls/ Graeme Cameron/ 298 pgs

Dead Girls is the sequel to Normal, reviewed here. If you plan to read Normal, I suggest not reading this review due to possible spoilers. I'm glad I read it fairly soon after the first book so the events were fresh in my mind. However, this one is not nearly as good as Normal. The story is mostly told from the perspective of Ali Green, a police detective. She was seriously injured by the serial killer in Normal. Though she can't remember anything that happened that day and is still having medical issues, she's pulled back onto the case. While this should be an exciting book as the police work to catch the serial killer, this one lacks the dark humor and engaging style of Normal. Also, these are the absolute worst police ever. They don't follow any sort of procedure, they never tell their colleagues what they are doing, they don't share information. I'm not sure if this was meant to be humorous (bumbling cops) but it really just made me frustrated with the story. Fortunately this one does wrap up the story started in Normal, so for that at least, I'm glad I read it.

Normal/ Graeme Cameron/ 294 pgs

This book is...not normal. At all. I loved it nonetheless. This book has the darkest and blackest humor you'll find, so if that isn't your thing, this book isn't for you. Normal is told from the point of view of a serial killer. He's never given a name so we don't really identify with him, which is good. He describes his life in a matter of fact way. Killing his victims, cleaning up afterwards, cooking their flesh (yes indeed, I did say dark), all of these things are described in a humdrum manner. His tone is engaging and it's easy to get drawn in. While he's been at this for a while, things start to go haywire when he's discovered during cleanup by the friend of his last victim. So he kidnaps her and keeps her in a cage in his basement. The only thing is, Erica doesn't just sit there quietly. She turns her sassy attitude on him, complains, and generally turns his "normal" world upside down. He meets another woman, Annie, who becomes a pseudo-friend (though she does not know what he's really like). And finally he meets a third woman, Rachel, who he falls for and begins to date. All three of these relationships are completely foreign to him and he doesn't know how to navigate them. As well, the police are finally onto him and the suspense comes from waiting to see when they'll catch up to him. So, good book but only if you like really dark humor and can handle graphic violence.

Lies/ TM Logan/ 418 pgs

This is the story of Joe, a happily married father of one, who is driving home with his young son when they spot his wife's car. On a whim, Joe follows her. To a hotel. Where she is seen meeting and arguing with her best friend's husband, Ben. Joe then confronts Ben in the parking garage and his life begins to unravel from there. Ben ends up disappearing and it looks like he's setting Joe up for murder and gaslighting him in every way possible. This is a very readable book that moves right along. While I liked it, I didn't love it because there were times when I really wished Joe would wise up and stop being so naive. In addition, at the end two of the characters seem to do a complete 180 in terms of personality which made the ending highly doubtful.

Cross Her Heart/ Sarah Pinborough/ 340 pgs

I loved the final twist in Pinborough's Behind Her Eyes. This novel isn't quite as good but it's still a solid read. Lisa seems like a normal woman with a normal middle class life. She has a job she likes, a best friend she can count on, and a teenage daughter she's raising by herself. But as we go back in time, we begin to realize there is something dark in Lisa's past and it's coming back to haunt her and her daughter. Ava, the teenager, is a typical teen looking for attention and she finds it in an online relationship. Lisa's past is exposed when, to the horror of all around her, a picture of her and Ava appears in a local newspaper. This story turns crazy about halfway and has a wild finish. I also want to warn that parts of this book deal with violence against a child.