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Review: The Secret Dinner by Raphael Montes

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The Secret Dinner: A NovelThe Secret Dinner: A Novel by Raphael Montes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

When I picked up The Secret Dinner, I’ll be honest, I expected a typical dinner party Thriller, but Raphael Montes definitely had something different in mind.

I went on a journey with these characters and could not put this down once I started it. This is Hostel II meets Tender is the Flesh, dishing up plenty of food for thought.

This story was originally published in 2016, but has just recently been translated to English. It follows four friends living together in Rio, who find themselves in dire straights and in desperate need of money.

Through a series of interesting interactions, they develop an unorthodox plan to get the funds they need, but it’s not exactly above-board. They decide to host secret dinner parties, a recent trend among the elite, and it sucks them into dark places they never expected to find themselves in.

What starts as a bit of a half-joke, ‘get rich quick scheme’, quickly spirals out of control. Our main narrator is Dante, and he relays to us just how wildly-unruly their lives become because of these parties.

They started on a slippery slope as is, and are now steamrolling downhill with haste. I couldn’t believe the lengths they were going to, and it certainly pushed their friendships past the limit.

When I got to the concluding bits, I was shook. I loved how far Montes took this. I get this might not be for everyone, but as a Horror Reader, it’s definitely to my tastes.

I would compare the dark and gritty nature of this story to something like The Devil Takes You Home by Gabino Iglesias, or Coffin Moon by Keith Rosson.

The characters here, as in both of the stories mentioned above, are so well-developed. Their desperate circumstances were understandable, but man, the lengths they went to in order to get out of them…yikes.

The Epilogue had my jaw on the floor. I actually read it twice, because it was that good. I couldn’t believe it. I never saw what was revealed coming. Well done, Montes. Well done.

I would recommend the audiobook as well if you’re going to pick this one up. I thought the narration by Andre Bellido and André Santana felt so authentic and true to the story. It felt like I was listening to a friend telling me a story of something wild that had happened to them.

And when I say wild, I mean, WILDDDD!

Thank you so much to the publisher, Macmillan Audio and Celadon Books, for providing me with copies to read and review. This was such a surprising treat.

I’m so happy to have read it!

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Review: Carry Me to My Grave by Christopher Golden

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Carry Me to My Grave: A NovelCarry Me to My Grave: A Novel by Christopher Golden
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

Wow, this was excellent. A brutal and bloody road trip story that I never saw coming!

I’ll be honest, I don’t think I read the synopsis prior to picking this up. I see Christopher Golden’s name on a cover, and that’s enough for me.

I don’t want to say too much about the plot either, as I feel like it’s best just to be swept up into the story knowing as little as possible. However, I will give you a few key points in the hopes of intriguing you enough to pick it up.

This is set in the U.S. in the 1950s, and we follow Malcolm and his sister-in-law, Violet, after Malcolm’s Mom, Maggie, passes away. On her deathbed, Malcolm promised her that he would see her body safely buried in the ground of the town of her birth, Shediak, Maine.

They have a timeline, a very specific and important timeline, and are to make their way to Maine via train, all the way from the middle of the country.

Maggie’s death has awoken an ancient evil, buried in the ground. It’s risen, with the sole aim of preventing Maggie’s burial at Shediak. Needless to say, Malcolm and Violet’s journey is not going to be an easy one.

By 25% in, my jaw was on the floor. What in the heck was going on? It was insane, but I was here for it. I popped my popcorn and settled in for the wild ride Golden was setting up to take me on.

I loved the historical setting and how we got to travel via train for a good part of the story. It also took modern tech, like cell phones and GPS tracking out of the equation, which was refreshing, IMO. I think Golden did a phenomenal job of setting the scene and sticking with it.

I became completely immersed in the story. The direction it went, I was not expecting at all. It was so good. I was feeling pretty bleak for a while for these characters, and upon completion, yeah, still sort of bleak, but I love the way Golden concluded it.

There were a couple of sections I felt dragged a little, and then towards the end, a couple sections that were so chaotic, I had a hard time picturing the action. Overall though, a very well-rounded, horrific story. I loved the level of blood and gore brought to the page, and how intense it felt.

Even in the quieter moments, there was an overriding sense of urgency due to the extremely high stakes. That made it a very fun reading experience.

Thank you to the publisher, St. Martin’s Press, for providing me with a copy to read and review. Christopher Golden is one of my go-to Horror authors, and I love checking out his latest works.

You never know quite what you’re going to get!

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Review: I’m Not the Only Murderer in My Retirement Home by Fergus Craig

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I'm Not the Only Murderer in My Retirement HomeI’m Not the Only Murderer in My Retirement Home by Fergus Craig
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

After a decades-long stint in prison, former serial killer, Carol, is looking forward to starting afresh at her new retirement home, Sheldon Oaks, upon her release. At 75-yo, Carol has a lot of life left to live and she’s ready to do it as a free woman.

Unfortunately, after a fellow resident suddenly falls to his death, all eyes are on her. Although Carol has tried to keep her unsavory past a secret, there are people who know and they’re quite suspicious of her now.

Carol had nothing to do with this death, and it seems she’s gotta prove it if she ever wants to achieve her dream of living in peace.

We follow Carol, and the other residents, as they dig into this mystery and try to figure out the whodunit. This is a cute story. Please don’t let my 3-star rating scare you off.

It’s a fine story. It did absolutely nothing wrong, though it did struggle holding my attention. I feel like if I wasn’t already such a big fan of the Marlow Murder Club Mysteries, or even The Thursday Murder Club, I might have enjoyed it more.

I just feel like for me personally, the fact that I’ve read and loved those other series first, made this seem a little lackluster in comparison. That may not be fair of me, but it is the experience I had with it, and I do rate based on my own personal reading experience.

With this being said, if you are just looking for an easy, cozy read, following an elderly protagonist starting over and solving mysteries, this could definitely be the book for you. I would never discourage anyone from reading it, and I’m sure a ton of Readers are going to fall in love with Carol.

I’m not sure if I’ll continue with the series or not, but I am going to check out the premise of the next book. I would consider it if I think it’s a case that would be super fun.

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

I always love checking out new Cozy Mystery series. Some stick and some don’t, but that’s perfectly fine. There’s a book for every Reader and a Reader for every book!

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Review: Lights! Camera! Frendo! (Clown in a Cornfield #4) by Adam Cesare

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Lights! Camera! Frendo!Lights! Camera! Frendo! by Adam Cesare
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**4.5-stars**

Lights! Camera! Frendo! is the highly-anticipated 4th-installment to Adam Cesare’s Teen Scream Slasher series, Clown in a Cornfield.

I’ve enjoyed the trajectory of this series. It feels like an ode to Teen Scream and Slasher movies, with this installment being no exception. Cesare is clearly a huge fan of this subgenre of Horror and it shows on the page.

In this installment, we’re heading back to Kettle Springs where a big budget movie focusing on the original Kettle Springs Massacre is ready to start filming. Sabrina Alvarez, a young, fairly unknown actress, has been selected to play the role of Final Girl, Quinn Maybrook.

Sabrina is nervous. It’s a huge role for her, and it’s her first time being on a shoot like this on her own, without her Mom. The rest of the cast and crew already seem well-acquainted, so she’s definitely the new girl on the block.

The director’s methods are also not what’s she is used to, but for the most part, everyone on set is friendly and welcoming. It’s the town itself that seems off.

And it’s Kettle Springs, so you know her instincts in that regard are correct. There’s definitely something off.

We follow along, via multiple different perspectives, as this film tries to get off the ground. Not everyone in Kettle Springs is happy about the exposure.

It’s not long before bodies start dropping again. Who’s going to be the Final Girl this time?

This was excellent. I enjoyed it so, so much. I loved the Scream 3 feel of a movie being made on the Kettle Spring Massacre. All the actors and actresses, it was fun to follow them on the set and watch as things started to get unhinged in a real Kettle Springs kind of way.

I recently read Your Favorite Scary Movie: How the Scream Films Rewrote the Rules of Horror, which covered the making of the Scream franchise, and a lot of the different elements Cesare included here involving the cast and crew, reminded me of things I learned in that book.

I think Cesare did a great job making the film shoot feel believable, and then pulling in the Frendo lore and the rest of the town as well. We also see some old favorite characters again, like Cole and Rust.

For me, this is the best installment since the 1st-book. I loved being back in Kettle Springs. It was a great set-up, with copious creative kills and a solid continuation of the lore. I am so pleased with how Cesare concluded it. Will we be blessed with a book 5!?

Thank you to the publisher, HarperCollins Children’s Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I highly recommend this series to Horror fans, and this book in particular if you’ve already started this series. I’m hoping we get at least one more book!

I don’t want it to end!

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Review: Bridget & Gabe Are Not Okay by Lex Croucher

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Bridget & Gabe Are Not OkayBridget & Gabe Are Not Okay by Lex Croucher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Bridget & Gabe Are Not Okay is the 2nd-book in Lex Croucher’s The Camelot Disasters series. This is a Queer Medieval YA Rom-Com series that is a reimagining full of Arthurian lore.

I’ll be honest, I’ve never read any of the original source materials that make up the backbone of these characters and lore. I have only ever partaken in adaptations and retellings, but I have read and watched a lot of those.

For me what sets Croucher’s versions apart is the humor and the beautifully-developed characters. This group of characters are just so lovable, but also relatable, and their interactions together are top shelf. I love them.

Whereas the 1st-book focused on Gwen and Arthur, and the peculiarities of their relationship, this 2nd-installment focuses on Gwen’s crush, the lady knight, Bridget Leclair, as well as the newly-crowned King Gabriel (Gabe).

Bridget was actually my favorite character from the 1st-book, due to the descriptions and personality that reminded me so much of Brienne of Tarth.

In this book, we find Bridget has lost their spark, and Gabe too has been struggling since the battles of the first book, having lost his father and his arm.

Don’t let this fool you though, there’s still plenty of humor and heart-warming interactions to enjoy. I also really enjoy following along with characters as they work through personal struggles. I appreciate how Croucher allows the characters to communicate openly and honestly as well.

Arriving at the end, I realized I didn’t want it to stop. The concluding bits had some fun little inclusions that I’d love to see expanded, particularly in regards to a wizened old man they came upon. I’m really hoping we get at least one more book in this series. I’m not sure what the actual plans are, but I’d happily pick up another installment.

I’d also highly recommend the audiobook if you have that available to you. The narration by Kishore Walker and Theodora Taylor somehow feels very time period appropriate. I’m not sure what it is, the accents, or just the delivery, but it truly transports you into the story.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Wednesday Books and Macmillan Audio, for providing me withcopies to read and review. This series introduced me to Lex Croucher and I’m super grateful for that!

I look forward to more.

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Review: She’s a Doll by Barbara Truelove

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She's a DollShe’s a Doll by Barbara Truelove
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

She’s a Doll follows Lucy McQuinn, who is not like other girls main characters. Even though she’s smart and sweet, Lucy doesn’t quite fit in with her contemporaries.

The thing that really sets her apart though, happens after she’s murdered by a vile man named Kyle. At the time of her death, her soul takes possession of an 18-inch porcelain doll and she’s ticked.

Vowing to get revenge, Lucy, in her new form, wants to find Kyle and end his life like he ended hers. That proves tricky though. Her size and the fact that she’s made of porcelain, it all works against her. She’s gonna need some help.

Lucy turns to Nicola, a gal she knew in life, a fellow outsider, and someone who also hates Kyle. Understandably, it’s initially difficult to get Nicola to believe what she’s hearing and seeing. I mean, can you imagine a doll coming to you and proposing you work together to kill someone?

We then follow their friendship and their mission, as both women grapple with the unfairness of it all. Will Lucy be able to find the peace she deserves, or will she be forced to stalk the Earth an angry doll forever?

This is such a creative story. I enjoyed it so much. With the synopsis, I wasn’t sure how campy Truelove would end up taking it, as I’ve never read from her before, so was unsure of her style. I was impressed with the nuance in the story, and appreciated all that Truelove brought to the table here.

It’s actually a really nice blend of humor with darker, more serious topics that were thoughtfully explored. It actually packs quite the punch emotionally, and had quieter moments that definitely pulled at my heartstrings.

The audiobook, narrated by Tegan Bourke, was super fun and I definitely recommend that format if you have it available to you. Tegan’s accent and delivery were perfect for Lucy’s character. The narration added such life to the story, and I found it very believable.

Overall, I think this is a great book, offering up much more depth than I initially anticipated. Readers are going to love it. A perfect read for your Spooky Season.

Thank you to the publisher, Dreamscape Media and Bindery Books, for providing me with copies to read and review. I’m so stoked to read more from this author!

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Review: The Ghost Women by Jennifer Murphy

~ megs14malloy

The Ghost WomenThe Ghost Women by Jennifer Murphy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Ghost Women is an atmospheric blend of Dark Academia, Police Procedural and Occult Horror, all in a believable historical setting. I had no idea what to expect going into this, having never read from Jennifer Murphy before, and man, was I impressed.

Our story kicks off on a hot Summer morning in 1972, when the body of Abel Montague, a wealthy student at St. Luke’s Institute for the Arts, is found hanging upside down from a tree in the forest abutting the school.

In his back pocket, a tarot card, and you guessed it, it’s The Hanged Man. Upon examination, it’s clear that his body has been arranged in the exact pose as the man on the card.

Detective Lola Germany is the investigator in charge of Abel’s murder and we do get her perspective throughout the novel. She’s originally from the area, and ended up being my favorite character.

As she starts her investigation, interviewing students and the school administration, Lola meets Abel’s live-in girlfriend, Pearl. It’s clear Pearl is not just upset about Abel’s death, she’s hiding something.

Lola’s digging takes her further into Pearl and Abel’s world, and brings her into contact with Pearl’s group of girlfriends. They’re all a little quirky and do consider themselves a coven of witches.

They’ve also openly been using the tarot. Could the coven be involved in Abel’s murder? Perhaps helping Pearl, if Abel has crossed her in some way?

But soon more people are found dead. Again, their bodies arranged to match a tarot card left at the scene. Lola realizes these ritualistic killings could be connected to something much larger, and older, than she’d initially expected.

I ended up enjoying this story so much. More than I thought I would, actually. I loved the 1972-setting and the location being in the Lowcountry of South Carolina.

It does have Dark Academia vibes, being set at a secluded private art school, and that’s not always my jam, but having the perspective of Detective Lola looking into the mysterious murders definitely helped for my personal tastes.

I thought the mystery was also very intriguing. The incorporation of the tarot cards into the murders was fun and only added to the atmosphere. I liked the occult feel it brought to the story.

Additionally, Murphy’s writing was just great. It was so fluid and compelling. I’m surprised more people aren’t talking about this one. I need more people to read it.

My only minor issues were some of the perspectives, of the young ladies at the school, I did have a little bit of trouble differentiating amongst them. That could have been totally the headspace I was in at the time of reading it though. So take that with a grain of salt.

Thank you to the publisher, Dutton, for providing me a copy to read and review. I’m very happy to have been introduced to this author; looking forward to more!

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Review: Marion by Leah Rowan

~ megs14malloy

Marion by Lean Rowan is a modern-feminist retelling of Robert Bloch’s 1959-Horror Classic, Psycho. Rowan’s version is the Villain Flip that I never knew I needed.

I enjoyed this a lot. More than I expected actually. I appreciated Rowan’s creativity, as well as all the nods she gave to the original story whilst truly making it her own.

We follow two perspectives, “Marion”, which was the name of the MC in Hitchcock’s adaptation of the novel, though Bloch’s original protagonist was Mary, and a young private investigator named Hannah.

Marion works at an ad agency in NYC, and ends up having a large sum of money come into her possession, given to her by her boss to deposit, and decides, after a hassle at the bank, to take the money and use it to help her sister, Lauren.

She flees with the money on a bus to Saratoga Springs, but the bus ends up breaking down and she finds herself stranded, late at night, far from her final destination.

It’s through this series of unfortunate events that Marion eventually finds herself at the small roadside motel that’s own and run by Norm.

From there things evolve fairly true to the original, but when the infamous shower scene kicks off, Marion gets the upper hand, kicking Norm in the balls, grabbing the knife and stabbing the life out of him.

Now Marion’s not just a thief, she’s a murderer as well. My, my, my, how quickly things can escalate.

Hannah, the private investigator, is on the hunt for a missing girl named Emily. She’s dogged in her efforts and ends up at the hotel in the aftermath of what went down with Marion.

These two perspectives weave back and forth, building out the bigger picture and carrying us towards the wild, and IMO, satisfying conclusion.

I did definitely enjoy Marion’s perspective more, but I always like an investigator as well, and Hannah supplied that for me. I would say some of the messaging from Hannah’s perspective was a little heavy-handed, but for the most part, it was well-done.

Personally, I wish it would have been set in the same time period as the original, the modern setting and the incorporation of Covid, was sort of a downer for me. I also feel like the twist of Marion getting the upper hand would have been more impactful in a historical setting.

Other than those minor things, I think this is a great debut. I loved the creativity and the way Rowan played true homage to the original, while also making it enough of her own story to feel original. I’m looking forward to reading more from her.

Thank you to the publisher, St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. It’s a macabre delight!

Review: She Had Enough by Stacie Grey

~ megs14malloy

She Had EnoughShe Had Enough by Stacie Grey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars rounded up**

While out to dinner on a Girl’s Night with her college friends, Mallory Taylor has an interaction in the bathroom with a member of their group, Caitlin, that she doesn’t know as well as the other women. Caitlin is quiet, and Mallory doesn’t know too much about her, except that she comes from money and her mother recently passed away.

If pressed, Mallory might describe Caitlin as someone who has always seemed a little lost, like she’s not living up to her potential. Nevertheless, when Caitlin asks Mallory to hold something for her, she does and then forgets about the object shortly thereafter.

Mallory’s not a forgetful person, but shortly after the dinner breaks-up, with all women going their separate ways, a giant earthquake rocks their city of San Francisco.

It’s a really scary night, and Mallory is lucky that she and her two cats survive unscathed, though her apartment, not so much. In the aftermath, Mallory realizes that she still has the object Caitlin asked her to hold. Thinking it might have sentimental value to her, Mallory vows to find her and return it when things settle down.

However, with the city in shambles, that task isn’t as simple as it may sound. As it turns out, Caitlin disappeared the night of the earthquake and no one has seen her since.

No one else seems alarmed though, reasoning that a lot of people left the city after the quake, but Mallory knows it’s more than that. The more she digs, the stronger her feelings that something terrible has befallen Caitlin.

Mallory begins her own investigation, and what she discovers is disturbing. All her digging hasn’t gone unnoticed either. Soon she find herself in the hot seat. Will she be able to find the truth about what happened to Caitlin, and expose the perp before they get to her too?

This was fun. It’s the 3rd-novel that I’ve read from this author, and I’ve enjoyed them all. I loved the backdrop of the San Francisco earthquake, and I enjoyed following Mallory as a main character.

Mallory felt very relatable to me. She just seemed like just an average woman, but one who wasn’t willing to turn the other way when someone may be in trouble. She was determined and plucky, and I liked that about her a lot.

She was also smart, and I enjoyed the way she worked through all of the information she had, and came up with steps to take next in order to try to find out the truth about Caitlin. She was very methodical about it all, which obviously made her dangerous to the baddie.

The mystery though, while intriguing throughout, did wrap-up a little too quickly and easily for my tastes. It had this great build, and Grey did a good job of steadily giving new info and adding tension to progress the plot. However, the big reveal lacked oomph for me.

Also, some of the side characters’ reactions, or more like non-reactions, to the who and what of it all, seemed lackluster. This was a major event, and they were like, ‘huh, weird, can’t believe they did that. Let’s brunch!’

It seemed odd right there at the very end.

At the end of the day though, I did find it gripping and entertaining. I liked many aspects, and even though the ending didn’t have quite the impact that I would’ve hoped for, I’m still happy with the experience overall.

Thank you to the publisher, Poisoned Pen Press, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I’m looking forward to future work from this author. She’s quickly becoming a go-to author for me!

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Review: Cross My Heart, I Hope You Die by Mallory Arnold

~ megs14malloy

Cross My Heart, I Hope You Die: A NovelCross My Heart, I Hope You Die: A Novel by Mallory Arnold
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

**3.5-stars**

Cross My Heart, I Hope You Die follows three women, Cham, Ruby and Nora, who through a very odd twist of fate, all discover that they’re dating the same man.

None of the three had any idea, or suspicions. He’s that good of a liar, apparently. Furious and disappointed, the three get together and over drinks hatch a revenge plot.

They lure him to a remote cabin at the top of a snow-covered mountain, planning to scare the living daylights out of him. Things don’t go quite as planned, and he’s killed, but no one is admitting to the dastardly deed.

They’re stranded at this cabin now, at least for the overnight and suspicions are starting to grow. How well do they even know each other? They just met.

With pressure mounting, they need to figure out if one of them is a murderer, or if they’re not as alone on this mountain as they thought they were.

I had fun with this, I did. The beginning, in particular, I found so intriguing. Did Arnold ultimately do too much, though? That’s the question I’m asking myself.

When do we cross from camp to cheese? I feel like at a certain point, this novel sort of crossed that line into less enjoyable territory for me.

There’s no denying that it’s an entertaining story and I did enjoy it more than Arnold’s last book. I love an upward trajectory with an author. I think this had a fun concept and some truly gripping scenes.

At the end of the day, it was a bit uneven for me though, as far as my enjoyment level. Therefore, I feel like the 3.5-star rating is the most fair.

This is purely an assessment based on personal taste though, and I know so many Readers have loved this one. I’m down for anything Arnold writes next. This had a lot of great aspects, and is sure to bring some chills into your life.

Thank you to the publisher, Poisoned Pen Press, for providing me with a copy to read and review. Overall, I had a good time with this. It’s a fun Winter Thriller!

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