2024 releases

Review: A Mask of Flies by Matthew Lyons

~ megs14malloy

A Mask of FliesA Mask of Flies by Matthew Lyons
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**2.5-stars rounded up**

After a failed bank heist, Anne Hiller is forced to go on the run, along with her wounded partner, Jessup, and the policeman she has taken hostage.

Anne goes to the closest place she can think of where they can safely take refuge, her family’s abandoned cabin. This place should hold a lot of memories for Anne, but her entire childhood is hazy at best. She does remember that the cabin was the site of her mother’s untimely death though.

As she waits for help from other members of her crew, Anne ends up discovering some old relics of her mother’s. Could these items help her piece together the missing bits of her past. She’d love some closure.

Her mission to delve into the past is interrupted when the injured Jessup goes missing. They end up finding his dead body. They decide to bury him, thinking that’ll be the end, but when the dead man returns, knocking at the door in the night, they realize, this is only the beginning.

A Mask of Flies is the third book that I’ve read from Matthew Lyons. On paper, this should have worked really well for me. A Horror-Crime Thriller blend with people returning from the dead and a woman on the run for her life. What’s not to love about that?

Sadly, this didn’t end up being a good fit for me. I’ve enjoyed both of the other novels I’ve read from this author, but this ended up being a miss for me.

I never became fully invested. Anne was very meh, as were the characters surrounding her. The only person who ever really interested me was Dutch, just because of the circumstances he found himself in, but it still wasn’t enough for me to actually feel truly engaged with his plight.

With this being said, it’s not all negative. The writing is great and the ideas are solid. It just failed to capture my attention. That doesn’t mean it won’t work for others, however, including you, so please take my opinion with a grain of salt.

I did read this directly after reading Blood Like Mine, another new release Crime Horror novel that I absolutely loved. Perhaps reading them back-to-back was detrimental to my experience with this one. It disappointed in comparison.

I will also say, Lyons creates his landscapes really well. I’ve noticed this throughout his work that I’ve read. I can always picture these beautifully-stark landscapes the characters travel through.

This one, as with A Black and Endless Sky, gave me slight Desperation mixed with Revival vibes, which I even mentioned in my review for that previous novel. There’s something very Fundamentalist Religious group meets Tak about all this. IYKYK.

At the end of the day, even though this wasn’t the most fun experience for me, I still believe Matthew Lyons is one heck of a writer. He takes risks and is creative with his storylines. I’m definitely planning to pick up whatever he writes next.

Thank you to the publisher, Tor Nightfire and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review.

There’s a book for every Reader and a Reader for every book. Just because this wasn’t great for me personally, doesn’t mean it won’t be amazing for you.

Give it a shot. Check it out. Available now!!!

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Review: Blood Like Mine by Stuart Neville

~ megs14malloy

Blood Like MineBlood Like Mine by Stuart Neville
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

Ooo, Blood Like Mine was so, so good.

A fabulous blending of Horror with Crime Fiction. It was gripping, fast-paced, included excellent character work and a bloody sensational ending!

After seeing a couple of trusted Book Friends write glowing reviews for this one, I started to experience my typical high-levels of FOMO. They were enjoying it, therefore, I wanted to be enjoying it. I couldn’t rest until I was.

I requested an audio copy and very luckily, my request was granted. I started right away and was so very happy that they brought this book, and this author, onto my radar.

In this story, we are following Rebecca and her daughter, Moonflower. It’s clear the two are on the run from a difficult past, but the full truth of that isn’t revealed right away.

As we get to know Rebecca and Moonflower, the truth behind their past, current situation and close connection, is beautifully-exposed. I loved getting to know these two characters. They were both so real to me and fascinating.

We also meet a Special Agent with the FBI, Marc Donner. For the last two-years, he has been hunting a serial killer across the American West, a killer who drains their victim’s bodies of blood.

As the trail he is following leads him closer to Rebecca and Moonflower, the existence Rebecca has worked so hard to create for them is inexorably threatened. Donner isn’t giving up, he’s not turning back, and they’re all set on a crash course with disaster.

The synopsis describes this one as cat-and-mouse and I absolutely agree with that. I love those types of stories, so that played a huge role in my enjoyment.

It was intense. I grew to care for all of these characters, not just Rebecca and Moonflower, but also Agent Donner. The high stakes involved, you know it can’t end well for everyone though, which made it particularly gripping for me.

Who was going to end up on top?

I vibed so well with the way the author told this story. The level of intrigue is high from the get-go and for me, it really never let up. You can intuit what is going on with Moonflower and Rebecca, but there’s a certain level of uncertainty that did keep me guessing.

Until there’s not. Once it’s clear, I was loving this even more, because if anything it only upped the stakes of the game playing out on the page.

I would love to read more from this author. I think the genre-bending nature of this really took the cake for me. The Horror aspects blended perfectly with the Crime Fiction elements. It was seamless.

I would recommend this to Horror Readers who enjoy fast-paced, high-stakes Thriller-type reads. This is unique, fun and for me, memorable. I’m looking forward to seeing what more Readers think of this one.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Recorded Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. The audio narration was so well done and definitely helped to bring this story to life for me!

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Review: A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher

~ megs14malloy

A Sorceress Comes to CallA Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

A Sorceress Comes to Call is an Adult Fantasy release from T. Kingfisher, one of my favorite authors. It’s a release I’ve personally been anticipating for almost a year.

This is a re-imagining of the Brothers Grimm’s Goose Girl fairy tale, and while I’ve never read the original source material, I am familiar enough with it to appreciate the clever connections Kingfisher made here.

In this story, we meet our girl, Cordelia. She lives with her Mom and her Mom’s equine companion, Falada. Cordelia’s Mom is…let’s say, eccentric. Reading of their relationship is a bit painful at times, be forewarned.

Her Mom rules their house with an iron fist. Cordelia is made to bend to her will, always. One may wonder how Cordelia’s Mother is able to exude such authority and I guess, the answer is fairly simple, she’s a sorceress.

After a suspicious death in their small village, Cordelia is forced to flee town with her Mom and Falada. They end up at a remote country manor, where a wealthy bachelor, known as the Squire, lives with his unwed sister, Hester.

Cordelia’s Mom sets her sights on the Squire, hoping to lure him into a marriage arrangement. Cordelia sees her Mom’s intentions and fears for the well-meaning older gentleman and his kind, intelligent sister.

Hester isn’t fooled though and has no desire to see her bro end up with such a conniving witch. It’s not just her brother she’s worried about though. She’s noticed Cordelia shrinks into herself anytime her mother approaches.

That can’t be a good sign.

What follows is an insanely humorous romp where good battles evil. There’s magic and intrigue, hijinks, betrayals and lies. Humor and love and kindness and wrath, all rolled into one. Witty banter and lovable characters like only Kingfisher can do.

Unsurprisingly, I fell in love with this story. It was so creative and well-crafted. I was transported while reading it. It felt all-consuming.

I’m sure some of you are wondering, if I loved it so much, why didn’t I give it 5-stars? I think upon reread, I probably will bump it up.

There’s a lot happening, bordering on chaotic, and I feel like I maybe missed some of the finer details. Now that I know where it’s all going, I feel like upon reread, I’ll be able to pick up, enjoy and retain more of those smaller details.

Let’s be clear though, a 4.5-star is still a super stellar rating from me, and I do absolutely plan on reading this one again; as I do with most of Kingfisher’s works.

The character development was fantastic. I felt so bad for Cordelia initially. She was such a timid thing, all at her mother’s hand. It def tugged at the heart-strings. The best thing that ever happened to her, IMO, was meeting Hester.

Hester was by far the star of the show for me. I loved her so much. Maybe because we have a lot of common. We’re both old maids, both way more witty than people give us credit for and both ready to kick some ass if necessary.

With Cordelia and her Mom staying at the Squire’s, Cordelia and Hester get the opportunity to spend time together and it was nice to watch their relationship blossom.

There was such a fun element too involving a house party, planned by Hester, and the horrific aftermath of that leads to a bit of a suspicious death investigation. I wasn’t expecting it to go in that direction, so was delighted when it did.

Our good characters band together to try to vanquish the evil which surrounds them. It was hilarious and wacky and wild and fun. Kingfisher’s writing is sure to make you forget everything else going on in your life.

This story becomes your life when you’re reading it. It was just as darkly magical and enchanting as I was anticipating.

This was an absolute delight to read. I can’t wait to get a hard copy for my shelves, although I would recommend the audiobook to anyone who has that available to them. The narration by Eliza Foss and Jennifer Pickens truly brought this story to life.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Tor and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. Kingfisher is such a talent.

This is a perfect blend of humor with darker Fantasy elements! Recommended for all!

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Review: Only the Guilty Survive by Kate Robards

~ megs14malloy

Only the Guilty SurviveOnly the Guilty Survive by Kate Robards
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

In Only the Guilty Survive, Claire, the only survivor of a cult known as The Flock, must re-examine the tragic events that happened a decade earlier, including the disappearance of her best friend, Laurel, when a podcaster arrives in town to investigate the case.

The Reader is treated to Claire’s perspective in the present, Laurel’s perspective in the past, and another perspective, which I’ll keep mum on for spoiler’s sake.

The back-and-forth between the women was a good way to tell the story. Claire, in the present, has very hazy recollections of her time within The Flock, so Laurel’s past perspective is really essential for building that aspect out.

This is a fine book. It does nothing wrong. It tells a story that I feel like a lot of Readers will have fun with. For me though, the mystery just wasn’t engaging enough to feel invested in. It didn’t pull me in.

The character work was fine and I did think that Laurel’s past perspective showcasing the lives of those within The Flock was fairly interesting. Overall though, it did nothing to make it memorable, or really stand out for me in this genre.

I think if you are looking for some light entertainment, or a story you can easily fit into your weekend schedule, this could be a good selection. I did feel the audiobook narration was strong and would suggest that format.

Thank you to the publisher, Crooked Lane Books and Dreamscape Media, for providing me with copies to read and review. I’m glad I gave this one a shot!

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Review: Chaos at the Lazy Bones Bookshop (Halloween Bookshop Mystery #1) by Emmeline Duncan

~ megs14malloy

Chaos at the Lazy Bones Bookshop (A Halloween Bookshop Mystery Book 1)Chaos at the Lazy Bones Bookshop by Emmeline Duncan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

Chaos at the Lazy Bones Bookshop is a Cozy Mystery set in a Halloween-themed town, Elyan Hollow, Oregon.

Yes, you read that right, Halloween-themed town. We’re talking 365-Halloween. Sounds like my life, actually.

.

In this story we are following Bailey, the owner of Lazy Bones Bookshop, who has recently organized Elyan Hollow’s first ever Literary Festival. She’s anxious for it to be a hit and has a good line-up of authors at the ready, including a hometown boy, Rex, who is now a popular Horror author.

Coinciding with the Festival, the crew of a ghost-hunting television show, Gone Ghouls, has come to Elyan Hollow and they want to use her shop as one of their filming locations.

After which, chaos ensues…

Just as she thinks things couldn’t get more out of hand, Bailey and her best friend, Colby, discover a dead body in the local hay bale maze. They’re quiet moment of relaxation exploring the maze is over before it ever truly began.

It’s clear the individual died by nefarious means, and unfortunately, Bailey then finds herself as the main suspect.

Bailey, along with her friends, must then try to find out the truth if they want to clear Bailey’s name. She knows she had nothing to do with the murder, but that means the killer is still out there, on the streets of Elyan Hollow and no one will be safe until they’re caught.

I thought this was really cute. I loved the small town setting and how everything felt Halloween-inspired. The names of the businesses, the foods and drinks served, as well as the way the whole town leaned into that vibe, it was fantastic.

The mystery was a little slow to kick off, but I did enjoy getting to know Bailey and what her life was like in Elyan Hollow. Her fabulous canine companion, a Great Pyrenees named Jack, was the icing on the cake of this one for me.

We love a doggo playing a large role in a Cozy story!

Once the dead body appeared, I was hooked. I wanted to know what had happened. I could see some motives, but who would have had the will to do it? Everyone seemed so nice!

I did enjoy following along as Bailey tried to figure it all out. I could have used a bit more substance in that area, but overall, I do feel like it had a fun mystery and that this is a great start to a series.

I feel like this was such a comforting read as well. It def pandered to my tastes and I’ve already recommended it to a few friends. It’s like a love letter to those of us who carry Halloween in our hearts all year round.

In addition to the aspects mentioned above, there’s also a bit involving Bailey’s family and her position within it. That part of the story def tugged at my heartstrings.

Bailey’s relationship with her mother is basically non-existent, for which there are many different reasons. I did really feel for Bailey in the moments that explored that and I appreciated the author including that in the story.

I am hoping as the series continues that we do get to see that whole aspect expanded on some more. I guess this would be a good time to say, if there are more books, I will absolutely be picking them up. I truly hope there are.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Kensington Cozies, for providing me with a copy to read and review. Duncan delivered exactly what I anticipated with this one.

I would recommend this for any Reader who loves Cozy Mysteries, bookshop-based stories, knitting, adorable dogs, and/or Halloween!

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Review: The Drowning House by Cherie Priest

~ megs14malloy

The Drowning HouseThe Drowning House by Cherie Priest
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

The Drowning House is the second book that I have read from Cherie Priest. The first being, Cinderwich, which I read earlier this year and thoroughly enjoyed.

Upon finishing this one, I had to really sit and think how I would ultimately rate it. I’ve finally decided to round up to 4-stars, mainly because I just had such an enjoyable time with the experience of taking in this story.

I did Buddy Read this one with a friend, and as we were discussing it after we were both done, it made me realize, I really didn’t understand what happened here as far as the conclusion goes.

However, and this is a very big however, the journey getting to the end was so intensely-interesting for me that I don’t even care. I genuinely-enjoyed this story and the process of trying to figure it out.

So, what’s it all about?

In this story, we are following Melissa and Leo. They’re adults now, but have been friends since childhood, having spent many Summers together on Marrowstone Island, a remote island in the Pacific Northwest.

Their other really good friend, Simon, recently reached out to them in distress from Marrowstone. In the middle of the night, during a terrible storm, a mysterious house ((yes, a house)) washed ashore on the beach adjacent to where Simon lives with his grandmother, Mrs. Culpepper. Seeing the house upon the sand, Mrs. Culpepper’s heart stops.

The woman who presided over these ruffians, Simon, Melissa and Leo, every Summer for years is now gone.

In the immediate aftermath, Simon reaches out to his friends, but by the time they are able to reach his Grandmother’s house, Simon is nowhere to be found.

What follows is Melissa and Leo digging in, trying to discover the truth behind that night, the mysterious house on the beach and Simon’s sudden disappearance. They know he wouldn’t just leave, so where is he?

From the very start, I was gobsmacked. This kicks off quickly as far as the events surrounding Simon and his grandmother, and then getting Melissa and Leo to the island. What in the hell was going on?

Then it slows down a little as Melissa and Leo re-acclimate to being around one another, settle in and decide what to do about Simon’s disappearance. I enjoyed the slow burn of it and I did appreciate all the work that Priest put into these two main characters.

Their relationship is complicated, as they both felt more deeply connected to Simon. Simon was really the link keeping them all together, and as the Reader, you get to watch these two process their feelings about Simon possibly being gone for good.

I wouldn’t say either Melissa, or Leo, were particularly likable people, but I enjoy the messiness. Characters that are too perfect aren’t generally believable to me anyway, so I was happy with what I was served here.

Additionally, I like a lot of what Priest explored within this story. To me, it was a surprising blend of Folk Horror mixed with Occult elements and a solid mystery. It even at times, held a bit of a Cosmic Horror flair. The thing I appreciated most though, was the atmosphere.

Marrowstone Island was remote and isolated. The locals that Leo and Melissa interacted with while trying to find Simon, were helpful, but also a little odd. It had a very creepy vibe.

With this being said, there is a lot happening at once. There’s no denying that and it was hard to track at times, particularly in the later half.

Once it got to a certain point, while I was following the action, I can’t say I could explain to anyone what was actually happening, or what the true meaning of it was.

I’m also not really sure if that was Priest’s intent, to leave much of it up to the Reader’s own imagination, or if she had the answers there and I was too dense, or perhaps too distracted, to see them.

Overall though, I walk away a happy girl and I’ll continue to pick up Cherie Priest’s work. I loved the mystery of it, so who cares if a lot of it is still a mystery to me.

Thank you to the publisher, Poisoned Pen Press, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I’m looking forward to seeing what Priest comes up with next. Her creativity cannot be denied!

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Review: A Haunting in the Arctic by C.J. Cooke

~ megs14malloy

A Haunting in the ArcticA Haunting in the Arctic by C.J. Cooke
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

💙🖤💙🖤💙🖤💙🖤💙🖤💙🖤💙

Ooo, this was very, very clever. Cooke delivered the exact level of unsettling atmosphere I was hoping for.

In this story we are treated to two very distinct and very memorable perspectives. We follow Nicky, whose story begins for us in 1901, as well as Dominique, who offers us a more present day perspective.

There are a few other, one section, perspectives we get every now and then just to help buff out some of our action. Cooke’s execution of this was fantastic, IMO. It sounds like a lot, but when you are reading it, it flows so well.

All of our drama sort of surrounds a ship known as the Ormen. In 1901, Nicky was attacked one night and wakes aboard the Ormen, a ship her father owns, where she is then kept and abused throughout an entire sea voyage.

Over a hundred years later, the wreck of the Ormen has washed ashore in a remote area of Iceland. It’s scheduled to be destroyed, but explorer Dominique feels compelled to document its last days.

I don’t want to say too much. This is so cunningly done, it’s best to just know the basics from above, or the publisher’s synopsis, and let the rest wash over you as it comes.

Some aspects of the story are absolutely gut-wrenching, particularly all that Nicky was subjected to aboard the Ormen. Her evolution as a character is horrific and also broke my heart. I loved being on this journey with her. It felt like honoring a memory in a way by bearing witness to it all.

I really enjoyed the back-and-forth between Nicky and Dominique. As the story was building, I was so curious how it was going to intersect. You could feel the past influencing Dominique, but how would it ultimately play out?

I was sad for Nicky, chest-achingly sad, and scared for Dominique. My emotions were all over the place. The stark atmosphere, cold and desolate, def got under my skin.

Additionally, the audiobook was fantastic. I felt like the narrator’s accent brought a certain level of authenticity to it that enhanced my experience.

I would 100% recommend this to Horror fans, particularly fans of Historical Horror, or Arctic Horror. The way this beautifully-blends those 2-subgenres is top shelf indeed!

Thank you to the publisher, Berkley, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I have truly enjoyed Cooke’s work thus far, and am definitely looking forward to more.

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An Unfinished Murder (Medlar Mystery #5) by Jude Deveraux

~ megs14malloy

An Unfinished MurderAn Unfinished Murder by Jude Deveraux
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

An Unfinished Murder is the 5th-book in the Medlar Mystery series by veteran author, Jude Deveraux.

This is the 2nd-book I’ve read from this series, the other being A Forgotten Murder, the 3rd-book in the series. I enjoyed it a lot and hope to eventually get to them all.

This series follows Romance novelist, Sara Medlar, who along with her niece, Kate, and their friend, Jack, tend to solve a lot of mysteries.

Like many other amateur sleuths before them, this trio seems to be at the right place, at the right time, when it comes to mysteries, particularly murder mysteries.

At this point, the trio has built up quite a bit of a reputation for themselves due to their superior sleuthing skills. Now known as the Medlar Three, in their small town of Lachlan, Florida, there’s no case they’re afraid to tackle.

This latest mystery arises after Kate, a real estate agent, is given a listing for the storied Lachlan House, a local property with a dark past. Alarm bells may ring, but it’s a substantial listing, one she has no intention of turning down.

Their first time visiting the property, the trio make a stark discovery, an actual skeleton in the closet. This one dressed in a rotting tuxedo. It’s this shocking moment that causes Kate to realize, she did spend some time there as a child.

This skeleton seems to have connections to her father, and it makes Kate wonder if the childhood she can’t remember may be one she’d rather not anyway.

As Sara, Kate and Jack dive deeper into the skeleton’s history, they discover it was a man who was last seen attending a lavish party at the Lachlan House in the 90s. Apparently, he had many enemies and most of them were in attendance that very night.

With multiple motives and a suspect list as long as the party’s guest list, the Medlar Three are determined to find the culprit and put an end to this decades long mystery.

I listened to this one on audio recently while embarking on a solo road trip. It was a great way to pass the hours and kept me fully-entertained while tackling Boston traffic.

I found it to be a little convoluted at times, with all the characters involved, some were hard to keep straight, but it could have just been my frazzled vacation brain.

I liked how the Medlar Three were pulled into the mystery at Lachlan House. It made sense to me how urgently they would want to solve it.

I also found their method, sort of recreating that decades ago lavish party, to be such a fun idea. The cast eventually assembled was vast and quite interesting. The culprit really could have been any of them.

Deveraux embraces the classic Cozy Mystery format that I tend to be drawn to and find to be so comforting. This type of book with keep you engaged, and on your toes, without requiring every single brain cell in your head.

This has inspired me to hunt down the rest of these books, because I do love this trio: Sara, Kate and Jack. I need more cases to solve with them.

As with many Adult Cozy Mystery series, these don’t necessarily need to be read in publication order. Clearly, I’m not reading them that way and I’ve never felt lost, or like I wish I had more information.

From the synopsis, this could be the final intended book in this series, which makes me sad, but on the bright side, I still have three more to go, which I’m excited for.

I’d recommend this to any Cozy Mystery fan, particularly if you enjoy friends, or family, solving mysteries together.

Thank you to the publisher, MIRA, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I’m stoked to wrap-up the rest of the published books in this series!

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Review: One Big Happy Family by Jamie Day

~ megs14malloy

One Big Happy FamilyOne Big Happy Family by Jamie Day
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

One Big Happy Family is an entertaining Summer Thriller set in a small town, Jonesport, on the rocky coast of Maine. I adore that setting, so was sold on this one by that fact alone.

This novel is an inheritance story of sorts, with murder to boot. We’re transported to The Precipice, a family-owned hotel, in Jonesport. The elder, George Bishop, has recently passed and his daughters, Iris, Vicki and Faith, are arriving for a weekend to hear his Will and claim what is now theirs.

The three sisters bring with them a whole host of dangerous secrets, heavy baggage and more. Tensions are running high. It’s not exactly a lovey-dovey family reunion.

Also in the mix, are a few employees of The Precipice, including 19-year old chambermaid, Charley, who desperately needs to hold on to her job.

This is the kind of book so full of drama that once you start, it’s hard to stop. I found it to be incredibly fun with the toxic family relationships that I love to watch play out.

I was gnoshing my popcorn the whole way through!

The setting was fantastic, made better by the fact that a hurricane stranded the characters at The Precipice. I love inclement weather stories and I feel like Day absolutely nailed that vibe here.

I actually listened to this audio while I was on vacation in Maine, so that’s a bit fortuitous. In a way, that made it extra fun, but in another way, I actually think I may have enjoyed it more if I hadn’t had vacation brain at the time.

I did find the narration by Saskia Maarleveld to be a perfect fit for the story. She def succeeded in bringing it to life. I highly recommend that format should it be available to you.

Overall, I was really impressed with this. I found it to be gripping, entertaining, fast-paced and dramatic. The setting and set-up were both fantastic.

My only small gripe would be that I sometimes found it hard to distinguish between the sisters. With this being said, that could be 100% attributable to the aforementioned vacation brain. It’s hard to tell. Either way, I am looking forward to more from this author.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review.

I think a lot of Readers are going to love this one!

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Review: House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen

~ megs14malloy

House of GlassHouse of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

💕✨️💕✨️💕✨️💕✨️💕✨️💕✨️💕

I found House of Glass to be incredibly gripping, fascinating and thrilling. I enjoyed it so, so much. I absolutely flew through it. Another great delivery from Pekkanen!!

This story focuses on the Barclays, a wealthy couple currently in the midst of a heated divorce. Adding fuel to the dumpster fire, their live-in nanny very recently plunged to her death out of one of the windows of their estate.

Their 9-year old daughter, Rose, hasn’t spoken since the traumatic incident. The family now finds themselves shrouded in suspicion. Was the nanny’s death a freak accident, or was she pushed?

We follow Stella Hudson, a Best Interest Attorney, who has been called in to evaluate the family, as well as Rose’s condition, to determine what is in the best interest of the child when it comes to the divorce.

The recent suspicious death of the nanny adds a whole new layer to what should have been a fairly standard evaluation for Stella. Nevertheless, she is ready for the challenge and is anxious to determine what is actually going on within the Barclay household.

I’m not going to say anything further about the plot, or set-up, of this one. It’s definitely best to just go in and let Pekkanen roll it all out for you as she sees fit.

I got pulled into this story incredibly-quickly. The audiobook narration was fabulous for Stella’s perspective, IMO. I felt like I was going along with her on this investigation.

I have never read a story where the MC has had this profession before. I thought the idea of a Best Interest Attorney was such a clever way to insert our main character into the lives of the Barclays.

Stella had a real reason for digging into all the dirt in this family and she wasn’t afraid to do it. I thought it was a nice change of pace from following your typical law enforcement type handling the investigation.

We also got quite a bit of background into Stella herself and she was a fascinating character. Through her backstory, you could see what inspired her to pursue this particular career.

The mystery around the death of the nanny kicks off so quickly. It was easy to get lost in this one. It was clear Stella didn’t think it was an accident and I had my suspects too.

I loved the vibes and mystery that Pekkanen built up around Rose as well. It was extremely well executed for ultimate creep factor. This actually got my pulse racing.

While I may have wanted a different resolution to the mystery, at the end of the day, I’m still so freaking happy with this reading experience.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio, and St. Martin’s Press, for providing me with copies to read and review.

I recommend this to anyone looking for a gripping Psychological Thriller. This one is an absolute ride!!

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