Anne Griffin somehow manages to give perfect voice to an 84-year-old Irish codger, still grieving the death of his wife two years ago and taking a good, hard look at his life before he moves out of his home and into the next phase of his life. In each section, Maurice toasts five influential people… Read More When All Is Said by Anne Griffin
In 2014, journalist Fiona Sheridan finds out that an elderly woman plans to re-open the long-abandoned boarding school where the body of Fiona’s sister was found 20 years ago. In 1950, the school was where “troubled” girls were sent. Four roommates from very different backgrounds form a friendship in the strict, dreary school. When one… Read More The Broken Girls by Simone St. James
Quincy seems to be fine, years after she was the only survivor of a mass murder at a lake cottage. But meeting another “final girl” will change her perceptions of how well she’s coping. Fast paced and twisty Characters are not likable Nonlinear timeline Some unbelievable plotting Enjoyable thriller if you don’t think too hard… Read More Final Girls by Riley Sager
An undercover cop reluctantly returns to the Irish neighborhood where he grew up when a discovery in an abandoned house forces him to reconsider the event that changed his life over 20 years ago. Though technically part of the Dublin Murder Squad series, this novel functions perfectly well as a standalone. Tana French takes a… Read More Faithful Place by Tana French
First in series – Chicago Mystery featuring Cass Raines. Cass was a Chicago cop until the ego-driven actions of a bad cop forced her to shoot a young black kid. The incident didn’t cause her to resign – the commendation she received for her actions did. Now, she’s a private investigator still dealing with the… Read More Broken Places by Tracy Clark
It pains me to give such a high rating to a James Patterson book but I actually enjoyed this story, even at over 500 pages. The plot serves up a compelling, intricate thriller with interesting behind-the-scenes detail of how the U.S. government might react to a cyber-crisis. The main character, President Duncan, is way too… Read More The President is Missing by Bill Clinton and James Patterson
This book caught my eye because of the Chicago setting but the narrative contains almost no regional detail or flavor. As psychological suspense goes, The Good Liar lays out the story well, creating tension through multiple unreliable narrators who all have something to hide and through flashbacks to build the characters and show the experiences… Read More The Good Liar by Catherine McKenzie
Novik again depicts a fairytale Russian setting in this alternate take on Rumpelstiltskin. Miryem’s father is a tender-hearted moneylender who cannot bring himself to collect from his neighbors, even when his family is cold, hungry, and ill. Miryem takes up the task and discovers she has a colder heart than her father as well as… Read More Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik
Standard psychological suspense with a few clever tricks.
#3 in The First Law trilogy The conclusion to an adventurous, inventive, and bloody trilogy with fascinating characters and complex plots. Say one thing for Joe Abercrombie – he knows how to spin a good yarn. This final book in the First Law trilogy hits all the notes. The odd combination of travelers has returned… Read More Last Argument of Kings by Joe Abercrombie
