Mystery

Review: The Curse of Penryth Hall by Jess Armstrong

~ megs14malloy

The Curse of Penryth HallThe Curse of Penryth Hall by Jess Armstrong
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Curse of Penryth Hall is a Gothic Mystery mostly set at a large manor home in the Cornish countryside.

We follow an American heiress, Ruby Vaugh, who after a scandal back home, gets sent to live in Exeter, where she helps run a cozy bookshop.

One day Ruby is given an assignment to go deliver a box of books to a folk healer living in Cornwall. It just so happens her destination will take her to the doorstep of Penryth Hall, where her once dear, now estranged friend, Tamsyn, lives with her husband, Sir Edward Chenowyth.

Ruby hasn’t seen Tamsyn since her wedding. The women didn’t part under the best of conditions and there’s a lot of tension simmering just under the surface, but Ruby feels compelled to reconnect nonetheless.

The property itself feels dark and stifling. There’s not a lot of lightness flowing through the corridors. Tamsyn is a mother now and her young son seems to be her pride and joy. Her husband, however, not so much.

After a tense and uncomfortable dinner, Ruby isn’t sure what to think. It seems Tamsyn has gotten herself into a bad position, but how can Ruby possibly help? Tamsyn is an adult. She made her choices.

For her part, Ruby can’t wait to get out of there. She’ll spend one night and then go, back to her life in Exeter. Ruby’s plans for leaving are dashed though when Edward’s dead body is discovered the following morning in the orchard.

The state of the body point to the most gruesome of deaths. Shortly thereafter, talk of the curse begins. Ruby is puzzled by this. Surely, these people don’t truly believe that a curse killed Sir Edward?

She begins to look into it. She wants to prove that a person, a real human being in the flesh, must have killed Edward. And if they did, anyone in Penryth could still be in danger, including Tamsyn and her son.

She ends up teaming up with the person who brought her to Cornwall in the first place, Ruan Kivell, the folk healer, known to the locals as a Pellar. Although Ruby isn’t sold on his brand of healing, she can’t help but admit when he begins to help her in big ways.

Will the two of them be able to put their differences aside long enough to discover what happened to Sir Edward, or will their bickering get in the way?

The Curse of Penryth Hall was a delightful surprise for me. I’m an Atmosphere Girlie, first and foremost, and this entire story was dripping in it.

I also loved Ruby as a main character and the chemistry between her and Ruan, and I don’t even mean that in a romance way, just the overall dynamic between the two of them, was fantastic. Their back-and-forth; the pull and push of their relationship was so fun to watch.

I enjoyed the gothic vibes and having Ruby being a plucky, outspoken protagonist seemed perfect for the setting. She was almost like a fish out of water, but ended up really becoming invested in the goings-on of that little village.

I also really enjoyed how Armstrong played this out. It had a lovely is it supernatural, is it not feel to it that I always enjoy. I thought it was well paced and the mystery was intriguing.

The only thing I wasn’t crazy about was the relationship between Ruby and Tamsyn. I didn’t like Tamsyn, so didn’t really get why Ruby seemed so attached her. I guess I just didn’t get enough of their history to have their relationship make sense to me.

Overall, this was just a really good, solid mystery with fantastically-gothic vibes. I had a lot of fun with the setting, story and characters.

There were a few statements at the end that lead me to believe this could be the first in a series. Personally, I would be super stoked if that were the case. I would love to follow Ruby on more adventures.

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys historically-set mysteries with heavy gothic vibes. I would also definitely recommend it to fans of Hester Fox, or Sarah Penner.

Thank you to the publisher, Minotaur Books and Dreamscape Media, for providing me with copies to read and review. The Curse of Penryth Hall releases on December 5, 2023!!!

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Review: Murder on The Christmas Express by Alexandra Benedict

~ megs14malloy

Murder On The Christmas ExpressMurder On The Christmas Express by Alexandra Benedict
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

Murder on The Christmas Express is an engaging and dramatic Locked Room Mystery by Alexandra Benedict.

This story is set aboard a Sleeper Train, traveling from London to the Scottish Highlands, on Christmas Eve.

I have a thing for stories set on trains. It’s one of my favorite set-ups and this story did not disappointment in that regard.

I was a little nervous starting this one, since the overall rating seemed on the low-end for a newer release. I almost didn’t pick it up because of that. I’m so glad I ignored the rating and gave it a go. It sure paid off for me.

This story mainly follows Roz Parker, a former Met Detective, who is about to become a Grandmother for the first time. She’s traveling on the train to try to reach her pregnant daughter’s side before Christmas.

Unfortunately, due to a severe storm, the train schedules are a mess, with many routes cancelled. This Sleeper Train is the only way to get to the Highlands for the holiday.

Eighteen passengers. Seven stops. One killer.

That tagline sold me, and for the most part, I feel like this story delivered on that. It did give me what I was looking for. I’ll admit, initially, the writing style did feel a little wonky. It took me a minute to get myself grounded in this author’s style and to connect with the narrative voice.

I did end up enjoying Roz quite a bit. Her no-nonsense attitude drew me in. She’s tough, but she’s also at a turning point in her life and still grappling with some earlier trauma that’s had a hold on her ever since. In that regard, I found her realistic and relatable.

We did get various other perspectives as well and some of those were a little strange. I did feel most connected when I was reading from Roz’s perspective.

The other passengers are quite a mix and it was fun watching them all interact. There’s some real jerks aboard, make no mistake about that. I tend to really enjoy an unlikable cast of characters though, and that was definitely the case here.

There is a murder foreshadowed in the beginning and then it takes a wee bit to catch up with that event. I had a lot of theories as the story was building-out.

I liked how this is a true locked room mystery. That type of set-up, figuring out how the killer would have been able to achieve their goal is always so fun for me and I enjoyed Roz trying to piece it together here.

There were many red herrings and false leads. Enough to keep me engaged and guessing throughout. Some things I got right, others I didn’t, but regardless of the outcomes, I enjoyed scratching my head about it.

I think some Readers may have been turned off by the repetitive theme of sexual assault and its aftermath. I think perhaps this was marketed as a Cozy Mystery and you generally wouldn’t explore that type of thing to the depths that this story does in a Cozy.

I will say, for me, I didn’t think this was a Cozy going in, so didn’t end up having that experience with it. I don’t think I’ve ever read a Cozy with a black cover, so when I picked this up, I was just expecting a straight-forward Adult Mystery, which I would argue this is.

Either way, Readers should be aware that this does discuss sexual assault, as well as abuse, in detail on page. If that could be triggering for you, proceed with caution.

For me, I was much more invested in the actual mystery than in the side details of the characters lives, so that portion of it didn’t really impact me. Further, I think just anticipating an Adult Mystery, versus a Cozy, I felt this fell right in line with my expectations.

While this isn’t perfect, I enjoyed it a lot. The ending dragged a bit, but I still felt it to be a solid Locked Room Mystery. The train setting was an absolute delight and I always love when inclement weather traps characters in an unsavory circumstance.

Thank you to the publisher, Poisoned Pen Press, for providing me a with a copy to read and review.

I had fun with this and would actually love to see another story with Roz Parker in the lead. Perhaps she can solve a New Years Eve murder next?

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Review: A Likeable Woman by May Cobb

~ megs14malloy

A Likeable WomanA Likeable Woman by May Cobb
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A Likeable Woman is the third novel that I have read from May Cobb and it will not be my last.

There’s no denying that Cobb has a knack for writing Rich People Drama and I’m here for every OTT-minute of it.

In this story we meet Kira, a single-woman living in L.A., who is headed back to her wealthy and traditional hometown in East Texas for the first time in decades.

She’s been invited to attend the vow renewal ceremony of an old frenemy. Although that’s not high on her priority list, there are other things calling her back as well. It’s time.

Kira fled town all those years ago following her mother’s mysterious death. Having left the way she did though, there’s of course unfinished business.

Additionally, her grandmother has been hounding her recently, telling Kira she has something to give her of her mother’s. That’s definitely piqued Kira’s interest.

Thus, after reaching out to her childhood best friend, and biggest crush, Jack, Kira makes a plan and heads home. Jack agrees, if Kira is going, he’ll go as well.

After they reunite, Kira’s surprised when her grandmother gives her a memoir that was apparently written by her Mom just prior to her death. Her Mom, Sadie, was an artist, but Kira didn’t know she was a writer too.

Even with everything going on that weekend, Kira can’t help but diving into the memoir. The story she finds there, in her mother’s own words, makes Sadie’s death look a lot less mysterious and lot more like murder. Is that possible?

This novel is told from two perspectives: Kira in the present and her Mom, Sadie’s, perspective that’s put forth in her memoir. I enjoyed this choice for telling the story and found both perspectives equally enjoyable.

Kira’s return to her hometown played into one of my favorite tropes too, so right off the bat, we were starting off ahead. As someone who left my hometown decades ago, and also rarely, if ever goes back, I always find something intriguing and relatable about that type of narrative.

I particularly enjoy when the MC is looking into some mystery from their past. Kira has never felt comfortable with the accepted story of her Mom’s death. She’s always felt there was more going on and through this memoir, she finally gets the opportunity to look into it further.

Upon returning, Kira feels completely out of place, like an outsider even though she knows everyone there. I found it interesting that through her Mom’s recollections, you could tell that Sadie also frequently felt like an outsider.

Sadie was an artist and a bit of free spirit, who didn’t quite fit into the mold that was expected of her in their small conservative town. Both Kira and Sadie ended up trying to fight the constraints put on them, but luckily for Kira, she was able to move away and build a new life for herself.

Unfortunately, Sadie never got that lucky.

In addition, I also really enjoyed watching Kira explore past relationships, particularly with Jake and her sister, Katie. Kira seemed to want to make connections so badly, but maybe because she had been on her own for so long, was a little clumsy in trying to express herself, or her needs.

The whole idea of the memoir was also great for me. I loved that idea of Kira finally learning about her Mom and having it be through her Mom’s own words, even though she wasn’t there to speak for herself. There was something so special about that.

I feel like there were some great messages in here too, which I won’t get into for risk of spoiling anything, but honestly, this is more than an OTT-story. There’s actually some great take-aways as well.

I know May Cobb’s stories can be hit or miss for some, but I always enjoy her drama-fueled, East Texas-set, Domestic Thrillers. There’s just something about well-to-do women and men behaving badly, that I am always down for.

I will say this one does feel more subtle than her previous stories that I have read. The others sort of pushed the limits in certain areas, or taboo subjects, but this one felt much more traditional, but also a bit more powerful. It’s thoughtful, even in spite of all the drama. I liked that.

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys small town Domestic Dramas, or Thrillers, where long-buried secrets are revealed. Also, to anyone who enjoys some quality Rich People Drama. Cobb always excels at that.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Berkley, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I cannot wait to see what Cobb delivers next!!

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Review: The Haunting on West 10th Street (Detective Maria Miller #1) by Helen Phifer

~ megs14malloy

The Haunting on West 10th Street (Detective Maria Miller, #1)The Haunting on West 10th Street by Helen Phifer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Haunting on West 10th Street is the 1st-book in the Detective Maria Miller Police Procedural Mystery series by Helen Phifer.

In this story we follow Detective Miller and her partner, Frankie, as they investigate a brutal crime in the attic of a Greenwich brownstone, where decades earlier a beautiful actress was murdered in the same way. The detectives are puzzled by the disturbing similarities between the crimes occurring in this house.

How could they be connected? Do they just have a sadistic copycat on their hands, or something more sinister?

Immediately upon entering the brownstone, Maria feels something dark. It’s a tickle in her senses; unpleasant and unsettling. The dramatic staging of the crime scene only enhances these feelings.

In both the past and present cases, body parts were removed from the victims and not recovered. Additionally, evidence of satanic rituals have been found. Who could possibly want to recreate something so evil?

This story is told using a dual timeline. We follow Maria and Frankie in the present, but we also get a historical perspective featuring the events leading up to the previous murder in the house. Lastly, we do get a modern perspective from an unknown individual, who appears to be our baddie.

I enjoyed getting the multi-perspectives, as well as the history. Although I did find the past sections a little slower-paced than the modern perspectives. With this being said, I still enjoyed the fact that it was told this way and I feel like it gave a lot of needed insight into the property and the characters involved.

The brownstone on West 10th feels like a haunting presence in this story. It becomes a character unto itself and I always appreciate when an author can provide us with such a vivid sense of place.

There is quite a bit of focus on the partnership between Maria and Frankie. They’ve been together for a long time and you can tell that they both care deeply for one another, but with Frankie’s marriage failing, could there be something more?

I know some Readers won’t care for the slight romance plot that’s woven throughout this story, but for me, I found it made the characters feel more realistic.

When you’re working with someone as closely as these two are, over a number of years, there’s bound to be some types of complicated feelings intrinsic to that relationship.

I didn’t feel like the author overplayed that, or let it overshadow the investigative aspects of the story. For me, it was blended in well and felt natural.

I did have the chance to listen to the audiobook for this one and I definitely recommend it as a format for this story. The back-and-forth between the timelines was handled well and the narration is fantastic.

Overall, this was super entertaining. I vibed well with Maria as a character and am definitely looking forward to going along on future investigations with these detectives. The ending was such a great set-up for the continuation of the series. I can’t wait to see what will come their way next.

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys darker, Police Procedural Mysteries. Particularly, if you are a Horror fan like me, this may work really well for your tastes. Phifer definitely has a knack for incorporating some paranormal aspects into her mysteries.

Thank you to the publisher, Storm Publishing, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I can’t wait to continue on with this series!

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Review: The London Seance Society by Sarah Penner

~ megs14malloy

The London Séance SocietyThe London Séance Society by Sarah Penner
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars**

The London Seance Society is a Historical Mystery following Lenna Wickes, a young woman looking into the untimely death of her younger sister, Evie.

Lenna is an apprentice for acclaimed spiritualist Vaudeline D’Allaire in Paris. Vaudeline is summoned to London, after the death of an old colleague, which provides Lenna the perfect opportunity to investigate Evie’s final days, as she was living in London at the time of her death.

We also get the perspective of Mr. Morley, the Vice President of the London Seance Society, a secretive men’s club.

Mr. Morley is looking into a murder of this own, that of his friend and fellow Seance Society member, Mr. Wolckman. Incidentally, both Evie and Mr. Wolckman were killed on All Hallow’s Eve. Dun, dun, dunnnnn.

I really enjoyed the opening of this. The vibes that Penner created in the beginning, as we met the two main characters and discovered the dual mysteries, that pulled me in right away. I enjoyed learning about the Seance Society and Vaudeline’s work as well.

By five or six chapters in though, I realized we weren’t just shifting perspectives, we were going back and forth in time as well. I had no clue prior to that. Then I was wondering if I knew what I think I knew…

I think part of that issue for me was that I was listening to the audiobook. Though fabulously narrated, I wasn’t able to refer back to the beginning of each chapter to check the date, so if something I wasn’t sure about happened, there was no quick way to reference where I was in time.

In spite of that, at that point, I was still finding the story itself quite intriguing. Around the middle it did begin to drag for me a bit and I felt myself thinking about other things while reading. In other words, it was a mixed bag.

I think in the middle there were also aspects, particularly surrounding a romance, that I didn’t care for. It felt unnecessary to me and I wished that certain characters could have just been two people working together towards a common goal, instead of wanting to jump each others bones.

Obviously, I am being a little blunt about it, but that’s how that relationship made me feel. However, with my mini-rant out of the way, I did enjoy this. It’s a good book.

Overall, it was entertaining and I definitely enjoyed the atmosphere and mystery elements Penner included. I’m interested in checking out more of her work.

The ending got twisty and I did enjoy some of the things that were revealed. I would say my interest started hella strong and slowly went down as the story continued.

I wish I could have enjoyed this one a bit more, but I am definitely in the minority opinion. There are many glowing reviews and I’m happy that so many people loved it and connected with it.

If you haven’t read it yet and the synopsis sounds intriguing to you, I recommend you give it a go. You could find a new favorite book. It’s especially a great selection for this time of year; quite Autumnal in feel.

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Review: It Found Us by Lindsay Currie

~ megs14malloy

It Found UsIt Found Us by Lindsay Currie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

It Found Us is the latest release from my personal Queen of Spooky Middle Grade, Lindsay Currie.

Upon seeing this cover, I knew I would need to get my hands on this ASAP. I mean, look how creepy it is. It’s stunning!

In this story we meet 12-year old, Hazel Woods, an aspiring detective, who puts her skills to the test while trying to solve the case of a missing teenager.

Hazel has always wanted to be a detective, but her biggest dream currently is to start her own podcast focusing on cases she’ll solve. So far, her cases have been small. That’s really all her neighborhood has to offer.

That is until the night her brother’s best friend, Everett, mysteriously disappears.

On the night Everett disappeared, he’d been at the local cemetery, playing an epic game of hide-and-seek with Hazel’s older brother, Den, and some other kids.

Hazel, who had overheard the boys plans, had sneaked after her brother, unbeknownst to him to observe what would happen in the purportedly-haunted cemetery. She saw it as the perfect opportunity to do some sleuthing on whether or not it is actually haunted.

At the conclusion of the game, all the other hiders were found by the seeker, but Everett seemed to have just vanished. As scared as they were, the kids knew they had to let some adults know and an investigation begins.

Hazel and Den believe the police aren’t looking in the right places though, so they decide to undergo their own investigation, along with Hazel’s best friend, Maggie.

The kids dive into the history of the cemetery and the lives of some the souls that may be buried there. Will their chilling search for evidence reveal what happened to Everett? And will they be able to get him back before it’s too late?

This was so cute and fun. It reminded me a lot of Scritch Scratch as far as the mystery elements went, so if you enjoyed that one, you should definitely check this one out.

Hazel was a fabulous MC. She’s so determined to start her podcast and even though she hasn’t been able to convince her parents to allow her to do it yet, she’s not giving up.

I love watching characters work hard toward a goal and Hazel was overflowing with grit and optimism. I also loved her sleuthing skills. The way she tackled the mystery and her clue journal were impressive.

Her clue journal was also a great device for helping to track the progression of the story. Hazel would go through the list of clues they had discovered so far in relation to the mystery. I thought this was a really fun aspect, particularly for the younger readers.

I also appreciated how Currie connected the history of this town and cemetery into the story. She always brings some interesting historical aspects to her stories that are so fun and compelling.

There’s also great atmosphere and healthy relationships amongst the characters. I loved the kids working together, particularly Hazel and Den. It’s always refreshing to see siblings get along and support one another.

Overall, I found this to be well-written, engaging and lot of fun. I would definitely recommend this to all readers of Spooky Middle Grade, regardless of age.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Sourcebooks Young Readers, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I will pick up anything Lindsay Currie writes and this book is a perfect example of why.

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Review: The Raging Storm (Two Rivers #3) by Ann Cleeves

~ megs14malloy

The Raging Storm (Two Rivers #3)The Raging Storm by Ann Cleeves
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars rounded up**

The Raging Storm is the third release in the Two Rivers series by beloved Mystery author, Ann Cleeves.

This Police Procedural Mystery series follows Detective Matthew Venn. I loved the first book in the series and have been hooked on it ever since. I feel like I have been waiting for this release for so long and it did not disappoint!!

The setting for this story is the small village of Greystone, Devon, a place Venn is very familiar with. He spent time there as a child, and due to personal reasons, has since parted ways with the community.

This might sound ominous, and it sort of is. If you’ve read the previous books, you’ll know, but basically, Matthew was raised in a very religious household; part of the Barum Brethren, who have many members living in Greystone.

Matthew’s sexuality, among other things, forced his separation from the group and family. Even the thought of returning makes him uncomfortable, but he’s a professional and goes where he must.

Duty calls after the body of minor-celebrity sailor, Jem Roscoe, has been discovered in a dinghy anchored off Scully Cove. The residents of Greystone are shocked.

Roscoe, who grew up there, had returned after many years away and was renting a cottage. He just came back a few weeks ago, who could possibly want him dead?

Everyone seemed to find his presence entertaining. Many were curious as to why he came back. When asked, he claimed to be waiting for a visitor, but never indicated who. Could this person be the one responsible for his death?

Matthew, along with his team members, Jen Rafferty and Ross May, head to Greystone to investigate this highly mysterious death.

As they begin their investigation, talking with the locals and digging into the lore and history of the town, they discover this mystery may run much deeper than they initially expected. As mentioned, Roscoe did have roots in the community, even if he had been away for many years.

With storm fronts ripping through the small town, the investigation takes many unexpected turns as we rushed towards the surprising and satisfying conclusion.

I had so much fun with this. The audiobook is fantastic. I definitely recommend that as a format for this story.

I love Matthew as a character. He is smart, dedicated, but also still processing his childhood and schism from his family and community. This makes him feel vulnerable at times. He’s healed a lot, is happily married and obviously successful in his career, but those old insecurities sneak up on him sometimes.

I feel like his character is just so relatable and I think a lot of Readers will be able to really connect with him.

In addition to a compelling leading man, these novels contain exceptionally well-plotted mysteries. I loved how this one evolved over the course of the story.

You can tell from the very start that Cleeves is a veteran-Mystery writer. This lady knows what she is doing. All you have to do is sit back, relax and take it all in.

I love mystery stories set in small towns and this one is a perfect example of why. As the detectives began questioning the locals, they certainly learned a lot. There are so many connections and everyone knows each other’s business.

It was interesting that Jem Rosco, who was originally from the town, had gained some celebrity. They all had opinions on that, whether it was based on who he was when he was young, or assumptions they made about his character now. I loved how he created such a fervor just by returning to town.

The rumor mills were churning even before he got himself killed. That may sound harsh, but seriously, the town was just a’clucking about his return.

I would definitely recommend this series to anyone who enjoys Police Procedural Mysteries. I think this whole series is just incredible. The writing is fantastic, the characters well-developed and the mysteries all super compelling.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. I cannot wait for the next book!!!

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Review: In a Quiet Town by Amber Garza

~ megs14malloy

In a Quiet TownIn a Quiet Town by Amber Garza
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

In a Quiet Town is the latest release from one of my auto-buy authors, Amber Garza. I have read all of Garza’s published works and have enjoyed them all.

There’s just something so addicting and entertaining about her style of tense Domestic Dramas. There’s always a bit of mystery and intrigue, as well as interesting explorations of different familial relationships.

In this story we meet Tatum, a mother of two grown children and wife to a pastor in a small California town.

At the beginning of the story, we learn that Tatum has recently reconnected with her estranged daughter, Adrienne. Years ago, Tatum’s husband basically disowned Adrienne because she wasn’t living up to his lofty expectations.

Adrienne was happy to get out from under the thumb of her overbearing father and has been living her own life ever since, recently working as a bartender.

Tatum has missed having her daughter in her life and has started secretly visiting her at the bar. She was delighted when Adrienne seemed open to them reconnecting.

Tatum has become a regular at the bar, going in once a week on a night she knows Adrienne will be working. One night though, Adrienne isn’t there and none of her coworkers have seen or heard from her.

Tatum knows something is wrong. Adrienne is not the type of girl to just not show up at work. Plus, she knows it is the night her mother visits. She would have called in. Something must have happened to her.

As Tatum starts searching for Adrienne, she doesn’t find a lot of help. The police seem to think she has just run off for space, or whatnot, but Tatum knows that’s not true.

Eventually, she meets a man claiming to be Adrienne’s fiance. This comes as a complete shock to Tatum. Why didn’t Adrienne mention she was engaged?

Then again, they have just rekindled their relationship, perhaps her daughter felt it was too personal to share.

Regardless, Tatum is just happy that someone else is as distraught about Adrienne’s disappearance as she is. At the end of the day though, can she really trust this guy?

They begin working together trying to figure out where Adrienne is. As the intensity builds, it becomes clear that she didn’t leave of her own volition and could still be in terrible danger. Can Tatum find her before it’s too late?!

As always, I was immediately drawn in by Garza’s characters. From the start, I wanted to know more about Tatum and enjoyed learning about her life and family.

Garza excels at creating believable mother-child relationships. Sometimes I will be reading along and a quick line, or thought pattern, will give me chills or bring me close to tears. I always love the relationships she builds within her stories, because they aren’t always easy.

This one actually made me uncomfortable at times because it felt so real. There is a strong religious aspect due to Tatum’s husband being a pastor, which played a large role in Adrienne’s estrangement.

While I don’t have a lot of that in my background, and can’t really comment on how it would impact a family dynamic, the circumstances put forth in this novel seemed very believable to me.

I liked how Tatum, even though she was a mother of grown children, felt like she was still learning about herself, growing and coming into her own.

Part of her growth was due to the love of her children and her unwillingness to give up on Adrienne. I found that character growth really powerful. It was nice to see that just because she was a well-established adult, her life didn’t have to remain static. She could make changes.

It did get pretty intense. By about the halfway point, I was yelling at the book while reading. Particularly any scene involving a man. I wanted to smack them all.

Please note, that’s not my general demeanor, but these guys deserved it.

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a tense domestic drama blended with a nice mystery. Bonus points, if you enjoy reading about mother-child relationships. Also, if you have enjoyed any of Amber Garza’s work in the past, you should definitely pick this one up.

Thank you so much to the publisher, MIRA, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I will continue to pick up anything from this author and am already anticipating the next release!!

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Review: Zero Days by Ruth Ware

~ megs14malloy

Zero DaysZero Days by Ruth Ware
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

Ruth Ware is one of my favorite authors. I look forward to her new releases every year. Part of my attraction to her writing is the style of her storytelling.

Her mysteries have a classic-feel, while also feeling ultra-modern in settings and set-ups. The Turn of the Key would be a good example of what I mean by that.

Her last release, The It Girl, channeled a bit more of a dark academia setting; a popular sub-genre of the past couple years. Even in that setting though, I found her mystery elements still held the classic-feel of her earlier works.

In Zero Days, Ware traverses into Techno-Thriller territory and while that’s not a sub-genre I tend to gravitate to, when I pick them up I do often enjoy them. I’m happy to report, I feel like Ware really delivered with this story.

I found it incredibly gripping from the very first moments. I couldn’t put it down. It was exciting and fast-paced, with great moments of tension.

In this story, we’re following Jack, a penetration specialist by trade. Sounds intriguing already, doesn’t it? Basically, her and her husband, Gabe, are hired on by companies to break into their buildings and systems, to see where they need to improve their security.

It’s after one of these jobs that Jack returns home to find her husband has been murdered. Overcome with despair, Jack makes a series of mistakes, which after she contacts the police, make her look suspicious.

It’s clear the police think she is responsible for her husband’s death, but Jack is innocent. This means the killer is still out there somewhere and Jack will need to find them in order to clear her name.

Jack goes on the run. From what she can tell, someone is trying to frame her. She’s not going to go down for this. Not without a fight, anyway.

Unsure who she can trust, Jack does the best she can to lay low and evade detection, all while performing an investigation into Gabe’s murder.

The police are never far behind though, turning this one into a fierce game of cat-v-mouse.

Jack is shocked at the things she uncovers, but will she have time to prove the things she has found, or will she end up being another victim in a vast conspiracy?

I thought this was a fantastically-entertaining ride. I listened to the audiobook and per usual, really vibed with the narration of Imogen Church; one of my favorites.

She became Jack to me and the tension she was able to illicit with her voice-work only helped to heighten the experience of this story for me.

I felt the desperation of this protagonist. Jack did have a lot of skills that were helpful to her in these circumstances, but things definitely got dire. I was at the edge of my seat with anticipation. I just wanted her to be okay.

I did predict the baddie, but that didn’t lessen my enjoyment. I think Ware was leading us there pretty close to when I figured it out anyway. Then once you know, there’s still extra levels of tension and intrigue continuing to build. Because even though Jack knows, she still has to prove it.

Overall, I was impressed with this. It’s out of the box for Ware and I found it to be extremely fun and refreshing. I really think she did a great job with it.

While I am looking forward to more of her classic-feeling locked room mysteries, I definitely wouldn’t turn down another one like this either. That’s a good sign!!

Definitely recommend!

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Review: Good Bad Girl by Alice Feeney

~ megs14malloy

Good Bad GirlGood Bad Girl by Alice Feeney
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Good Bad Girl is the latest release from the Queen of the Twist, Alice Feeney. I’m not ashamed to start this review by saying I am a Feeney-Fangirl. I love her stories.

As for this one, I have been anticipating it all year and am so happy to report, it did not disappoint.

I loved the tagline of this book’s synopsis: Sometimes bad things happen to good people, so good people have to do bad things. From the moment I read that I wanted to know more.

Like the tagline, the book itself delivered that kind of intriguing teaser, chapter after chapter. This story does follow multiple perspectives and initially, I’ll admit, to having moments of slight confusion.

I didn’t let that bother me though. I trust Feeney’s process and knew all would be revealed in good time. I just sat back, relaxed and let the story flow over me. It was amazing.

This follows 80-year old, Edith, currently residing in Windsor Care Home, but it wasn’t by her choice and she’s not happy about it. Patience, a care home worker, is Edith’s closest confidant, but she’s harboring secrets of her own.

Edith’s daughter, Clio, gets most of the brunt of her mother’s anger about her current living situation and with Mother’s Day upon them, that should make for an interesting visit.

Frankie, a librarian at a prison, is also saddened with Mother’s Day approaching, but for reasons of her own. Her only daughter left home in anger a year ago and she hasn’t seen her since.

After a murder at the care home, things begin to really heat up for our characters. People on the run, confrontations, incidents with the police, it’s non-stop action and eyebrow-raising reveals until the very end.

As mentioned above, initially the number of perspectives did seem like a lot, but they were all interesting. I never minded learning more about each specific character.

Additionally, discovering the truth behind how all the perspectives were connected was just so fun. There were a lot of different layers to the drama.

One aspect of this I found especially interesting was how a lot of this has to do with individuals, who are in a vulnerable position, having decisions made for them. Then it sort of unpacked the circumstances and the repercussions of that.

The relationships involved in these scenarios, while over the top here, were actually quite relatable and believable. Particularly those pertaining to an aging parent, or to the early stages of motherhood.

I feel like Feeney did a great job bringing that level of substance to her signature style of twisty-Thriller. The added element to it all was the murder mystery at the heart of the story. That was so fun to try to figure out.

Overall, I think Feeney delivered with this one. It’s a real page-turner. If you have patience with it and let the perspectives fall into place, I think you’ll be able to enjoy it as much as I did.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Macmillan Audio, for providing me with a copy to read and review.

At this point, I will pick up anything Alice Feeney writes. I have never been disappointed. Her perfect record continues!

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