Do No Harm by Robert Pobi

 

Meet Lucas Page:  devoted husband, father, professor, astrophysicist, ex-FBI agent, double amputee, and a genius when it comes to analyzing numbers and patterns, and spotting unexpected connections. Which is why he's the only one who notices the strangely high number of doctors either committing suicide in the city or suffering fatal accidents. The odds are mathematically impossible. Now he just has to convince the FBI they were all murdered. And then try to figure out why. And by whom.

My thoughts:  I could not put this book down. This psychological thriller is propulsive and perfectly plotted. And Lucas Page is the greatest character. He sees things others don't, and he has no tolerance for small talk or fools. I loved his snark and his smarts. Though it puts him and his wife (who's a doctor) both at risk. His investigation becomes a race to find the murderers before the killers come for him. This book is fast-paced, full of action, and so well written. I loved it. I can't wait to read Pobi's first two books about Lucas Page.

My rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Happy Reading!

The Day After the Party by Nicole Trope

 

The plot:  Saturday night, Katelyn throws a party for her thirty-sixth birthday; Monday morning, she wakes up in the hospital unable to remember anything about the party, or what happened that night. And her husband, Toby, and her best friend, Leah, aren't talking. Katelyn suspects they're keeping secrets, maybe even lying to her. And when her memory starts to come back, she doesn't know who to trust or what to believe.

My thoughts:  This is the first book by Nicole Trope that I've read, but it won't be my last. It reads fast. (I read it in a day.) And I liked the unease and slow build of suspense as Katelyn starts to piece together the truth about that night, as well as the flashback scenes with her and Leah growing up. Their relationship is complicated. Katelyn and her husband also have their struggles. It kept me guessing about who was lying and why. There was one small twist at the very end that I didn't think was necessary...in fact, I would have liked the book even more without it...but all in all I enjoyed this quiet psychological/domestic thriller. It's what I would label a fun summer popcorn read. 

My rating:  3.5/5 stars.

Happy Reading!

The Big Fix by Holly James

 

First line:  "An estate sale at a dead guy's suburban mansion was not how I'd planned to spend my first Saturday of summer break."

The plot:  Penny Collins did not plan on finding a dead body at the estate sale, either. But now she's involved in a murder investigation along with the mysterious and brooding Anthony Pierce, who knows more about the dead guy than he's admitting. And it all connects somehow to a billionaire's missing wife. Penny's supposed to be finalizing her case for tenure this summer, instead she's running from bad guys, arguing with Anthony, and just maybe falling in love.

My thoughts:  This book has the feel of an amusing cozy mystery with lots of action, humor and romance. Penny's a bit impulsive--which gets her in trouble sometimes--but she's also tenacious and resourceful. She got on my nerves a little at the very beginning, but by the end I enjoyed her enthusiasm. And Anthony's great. I liked how the two of them problem solved, bantered, and rescued each other. And their madcap adventure trying to escape the bad guys? Very entertaining! This is a fun summer read.  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Happy Reading!

That's Not My Name by Megan Lally

 

The GIRL:  "I think I might be dead."  She wakes up in a ditch by the side of the road, bruised and bloodied. And unable to remember who she is or how she got there. The police find her, and so does a man claiming to be her father. He says her name is Mary Boone. And he has photos of her, an old school ID, and her birth certificate. He must be telling the truth. So why does nothing about him feel familiar?

DREW:  "Life really goes to shit when everyone thinks you killed your girlfriend."  Drew's girlfriend, Lola, went missing five weeks ago, and everyone in their small Oregon town blames him, including the police. They keep trying to get him to confess. But Drew knows he didn't hurt her; he thinks someone may have taken her. And he's determined to do everything he can to find her. 

My thoughts:  What a fun summer thriller! Lally does a great job of building a sense of dread and unease as she alternates between Mary's and Drew's POV.  Mary's fears grow as she notices inconsistencies in her father's story; and Drew's desperate search for Lola is equally compelling. These two characters are both believeable and easy to root for. The story itself has suspense and tension and a good twist at the end. I really liked it. 4.5/5 stars.

Broken Fields by Marcie R. Rendon

 

From the blurb:  

"1970s Minnesota. It's spring in the Red River Valley and Cash Blackbear is plowing a field for a local farmer when she discovers a dead man on the kitchen floor of the property's rented farmhouse. The only possible witness to the murder is the young daughter of a Native laborer. The girl, Shawnee, is too terrified to speak about what she’s witnessed, and her parents seem to have vanished. 

"In the wake of the murder, Cash can't deny her suspicions of the dead man's grieving widow. While Cash scours the county and White Earth reservation trying to find the missing mother before Shawnee is placed in foster care, another body turns up. Concerned about the girl and her mother's fate, and with the help of local Sheriff Wheaton, Cash races against the clock to figure out the truth of what happened in the farmhouse."

My thoughts:  Cash Blackbear is young, guarded, and doesn't always make the best decisions. And her intuitive gift, those dreams and impressions that often lead her to the truth, seems to be on the fritz. But she's stubborn and tough and refuses to give up on Shawnee and her mom. And I liked that about her. I hope someday she'll learn to let in the people who care about her, and connect with them on a deeper level. I'm obviously invested in her journey! And these mysteries do such a good job of immersing you in that 1970s time period and Red River Valley setting, with all its injustices towards women and Native Americans. It's another reason I find them so compelling and interesting. This is another 4-star read from Rendon. All four of her Cash Blackbear mysteries are worth checking out. 

Happy Reading!

Other book from this series that I've read and reviewed:

Murder on the Red River (#1)

Sinister Graves (#3)

Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak

 

The plot:  A recovering addict who's been clean for eighteen months, Mallory Quinn, just got a job as a nanny for Caroline and Ted Maxwell's five-year-old son, Teddy, for the summer. She's desperate to prove herself, and they're willing to give her a chance despite her past drug use. And it's all because of Teddy. He's a sweet, shy boy who likes to wear purple and draw pictures of rabbits. He also draws pictures of his imaginary friend, Anya; those aren't as cute. Then his pictures get even darker, showing a man dragging a woman into the forest and then burying her. And Mallory begins to suspect that Teddy is being haunted by something sinister. Was Anya murdered? Mallory gets drawn into solving the mystery in order to protect Teddy, but his parents start to question her honesty...and her sanity. 

My thoughts:  I loved Teddy and how cute he is with Mallory; I also really loved getting to see his artwork throughout the book...and the eerie story his pictures start to tell. And a mystery with a touch of the supernatural like this one has is one of my favorite kinds of books to read. I appreciated the atmosphere and suspense Rekulak creates and how he keeps you guessing about the truth behind the haunting until the very end. This is such a compelling read. I loved it.  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Happy Reading!

Why Didn't They Ask Evans? by Agatha Christie

 

The plot:  A man falls from the top of a cliff in Wales. His last words: Why didn't they ask Evans? Bobby Jones is the only one to hear him. In the dead man's pocket is the photograph of a hauntingly lovely young woman. But at the inquest, the dead man's sister looks nothing like the photograph. And then an attempt is made on Bobby's life. And he and his childhood friend, Lady Frances "Frankie" Derwent, start to think that the dead man might have been murdered. So they come up with a scheme to look into the matter themselves.

My thoughts:  I never know how much to say about a mystery like this. But I do think that the less you know going in the better. And Agatha Christie's mysteries are always full of hidden clues and unexpected surprises. I've been working my way through her books and quite enjoy them. There's no Hercule Poirot or Miss Marple to solve the murder in this one, but Bobby and Frankie make for two delightful amateur sleuths. They get into several entertaining escapades along the way, and their interactions are pretty funny. I liked them. And the mystery itself kept me guessing. Though I thought it got a little too convoluted. And I didn't love the long letter at the end explaining all the reasons and details of the crime. But it was still a fun read.  3.5/5 stars.

Happy Reading!

A Whisper of Death by Darcy Burke

 

Setting: Victorian London, 1868

Main characters:

HADRIAN BECKET. The intelligent and curious Earl of Ravenhurst is determined to find the man who stabbed him and left him for dead. The attack left him with something else--psychic visions of past events when he touches certain objects; visions that he thinks might be others' memories. And some of those memories are from the man who tried to murder him.

TILDA WREN. 25 and a self-proclaimed spinster. She lives with her grandmother and works as a private investigator with the skills she learned from her father who worked for Scotland Yard. Hadrian hires her to help him find his attacker; she's even more invested in their investigation when they discover the same man might have also murdered her grandmother's cousin.

My thoughts: Despite their different backgrounds, these two characters work really well together. (Something that probably would not have happened in real life.) Hadrian is deferential to and respectful of Tilda and her investigative ablilies while he struggles to understand and make use of his own new psychic gifts...or curse, as he calls them. And Tilda is down-to-earth, clever, and unshirking. I liked them both. I also really like that Victorian time period! Burke includes fun historical details, and her novel is well-paced and suspenseful. It's an entertaining mystery and I look forward to reading the next book.  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Happy Reading!

Head Cases by John McMahon

 

First lines:  Riddles. Those are my specialty. That is, when I'm not studying patterns. Or decoding enigmas. Some might say that solving puzzles is all I'm good for. That leaving my desk in the Jacksonville office of the FBI to interact with real people is not the best use of my time or talent. And I would agree with them. 

The plot:  FBI agent Gardner Camden is a genius, except when it comes to his social skills. And he's just one of the quirky agents that make up the FBI's Patterns and Recognition (PAR) unit. They get called in when a recently murdered man is discovered to be a serial killer the FBI thought died years ago. The death of a second serial killer who was just paroled makes Camden realize they have a unique killer on their hands:  a serial killer of serial killers. And one who leaves behind a trail of enigmatic clues and riddles. Let the cat-and-mouse game begin.

My thoughts: When I check out a book like this I'm always hoping for a thriller that's both riveting and unexpected. And this book blew me away! I loved Gardner Camden with all his quirks and amazing analytical abilities. The other members of PAR were also engaging and likable. I was drawn in with those first lines and could not put this one down. It reads so fast, and the mystery is so compelling! I loved how McMahon wove all the threads together...and how Camden figures it out. This will definitely be on my favorite reads list at the end of the year. And I really hope McMahon writes a sequel.

My rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

Happy Reading!

Out of Air by Rachel Reiss

 Five friends.

One last summer diving adventure.

A spectacular hidden underwater sea cave.

And a curse.

My thoughts:  This novel is immersive, unexpected, and compelling. I really liked Phoebe and her four friends--Gabe, Will, Lani and Isabel--who call themselves the Salt Squad, and who love to spend all their free time diving and exploring the ocean. And I quickly got up caught up in their unbreakable friendship and all their underwater adventures. Especially when they discover that cursed cave, and strange and scary things start to happen to Pheobe and Gabe. It made for an unputdownable read. And all the scuba diving parts felt so real! I could tell Reiss has a lot of experience diving herself.  And I loved how Reiss builds tension throughout the story. She kept me guessing about what was going to happen to Phoebe and her friends right up until the end, and I loved that. I'm so glad I won a copy of this book from Goodreads! It's a fast-paced and fun book.  If you're looking for an entertaining summer thriller, grab some popcorn and a beach chair, and check this one out!  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Crack in the Lens by Steve Hockensmith

 

The plot:  October, 1893. Gustav "Old Red" Amlingmeyer, Sherlock Holmes-loving cowboy detective, and his younger brother, Otto "Big Red" Amlingmeyer, are on another case. Only this time it's personal. Five years ago Gus's sweetheart was murdered, but back then he didn't know how to 'deducify' the truth about what happened to her. Now that he knows Sherlock Holmes' Method for solving crimes, he's hoping to track down  the real killer. Only San Marcos, Texas, is not the same town it once was; and no one there is glad to see the Amlingmeyer brothers. But they're about to stir up some trouble, because Gus isn't going anywhere until he finds out the truth. 

My thoughts:  What a fun read! Otto, who narrates their adventures with amusing sarcasm and homespun humor, and his much more serious, even grumpy, brother, Gus, are the best characters. I loved getting a glimpse into Gus's past in this book. And the way these two get into and out of impossible situations is always entertaining. They're such a great team. And the time period is one of my favorites. Plus, I find the whole premise of these two cowboy sleuths acting like a Western version of Holmes and Watson irresistible. This is the fourth book in this series (though it could easily be read as a standalone), and just as good as all the others. 

My rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Happy Reading!

Other Steve Hockensmith reads:

Holmes on the Range

The White Magic Five and Dime

The Next Grave by Kendra Elliot

 

First line:  The breeze carried the scent to Detective Evan Bolton's nose, and he instantly knew his day was going to suck.

The case:  First, retired cop Rod Mcleod, Detective Evan Bolton's friend and mentor, is murdered. Then Rod's daughter, Sophia, goes missing. As Evan investigates the murder, he discovers that Rod was looking into some old cases. It's puzzling. Could the killer be someone in law enforcement? And is Evan next on his hitlist? 

My thoughts: This mystery has great writing, likable characters, and some nice twists. The suspense really mounts as Evan's investigation puts his own life in danger. Rowan and her search-and-rescue dog, Thor, are also on the scene. She and Evan are so great together; I love how they support each other both on the job and at home. And I really like how Kendra Elliot writes mysteries. She's become on of my most favorite authors. And this book? As compelling and entertaining as all her others.

Happy Reading!

Previous book about Rowan and Evan:  The First Death

Please Tell Me by Mike Omer

 

First lines:  Kathy limped alongside the road in the dark, hugging her doll to her chest. The doll was scared, because of the shadows, which was why Kathy clutched her so tightly. Sometimes, when you're scared, the only things that helps is a hug.

The plot:  Kathy is eight when she's abducted; when she shows up on the side of the road a year later she won't tell anyone where she's been. In fact, she won't speak at all. Child therapist, Dr. Robin Hart, is called in to help. She uses play therapy to help Kathy process her traumatic memories. "But as their work continues, Kathy's playtime takes a grim turn: a doll stabs another doll, a tiny figurine is chained to a plastic toy couch. In every session, another toy dies. But the most disturbing detail of all? Kathy seems to be playacting real unsolved murders." Which makes Robin turn to the police. Because if there is a serial killer out there, Kathy just might hold the secret to his or her identity. 

My thoughts:  The chapters in this quietly suspenseful psychological thriller flip between Robin, Kathy's mother, Claire, and Nathaniel King, the police detective working on the case, as well as a few chapters from the POV of the killer himself. My favorite part was Robin's work with Kathy; I found their play therapy interesting. I also really liked Nathaniel.  My least favorite character was Robin's selfish and narcissistic mother. What a piece of work! The mystery was well-paced. And the murders, though dark and based on horror movie murders, are never described in graphic or gory detail, which I appreciated. And I thought the ending was very gripping. All in all, I really liked this mystery. 

My rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Happy Reading!

Home Sweet Homicide by Craig Rice

 

From the blurb:  "Unoccupied and unsupervised while their mother is working furiously on her new book, the children of widowed mystery writer Marion Carstairs find diversion wherever they can. So when the kids hear two gunshots at the house next door, they jump at the chance to launch their own amateur investigation into the murder--after all, why shouldn't they? They know everything the cops do about crime scenes, having read all about them in their mother's novels. They also know what her literary sleuths would do in such a situation. Plus, if the children solve the mystery before the police, it will do wonders for the sales of their mother's novels. And maybe, they can hook her up with the lead detective on the case at the same time."

My thoughts:  I don't always enjoy reading books about precocious children--I often find them annoying rather than funny--so I wasn't sure I was going to like the three Carstairs children. But Dinah, the most responsible and also oldest at 14, April, the dramatic and all-knowing middle child, and Archie, their impish and active 10-year-old brother, quickly grew on me. Despite their bickering and disagreements, I loved how they worked together to solve the murder of Mrs. Sanford and get a date for their mother with Detective Bill Smith. Their King Tut alphabet language and 1944 slang sprinkled throughout the book was also fun. And their meddling in the investigation, from lying to the police to hiding clues and interrogating suspects on their own, led to some very entertaining antics. This classic mystery was unexpectedly comedic. And I enjoyed every page of it. 

Happy Reading!

P.S. Craig Rice is the pen name of Georgiana Ann Randolph Craig who, in 1946, became the first mystery writer to appear on the cover of Time magazine.  

The First Death by Kendra Elliot

 

Deschutes County, Oregon

When Rowan Wolff was five, she and her brother, Malcolm, were kidnapped. Rowan was saved; her brother was never found. Now, twenty-five years later, Rowan helps to find the lost and the missing with her SAR dog, Thor. And every year on Malcolm's birthday, she returns to the forest where she was found to search for his remains. On one of these searches, she discovers the body of a young woman. Her death seems to match the recent murders of two other young women. Detective Evan Bolton, who's assigned to the case, suspects they might have a serial killer on their hands. And the more he investigates, the more convinced he becomes that these cases relate somehow to Rowan's and her brother's kidnapping.

My thoughts:  Kendra Elliot knows how to craft a compelling mystery with some very engaging characters. Her Mercy Kilpatrick series is a favorite of mine, which is where she first introduces readers to Evan and Rowan. But now they have their own book. And I loved getting to know them better. Thor, too, of course! Elliot does an excellent job of weaving Rowan's past experiences in with Evan's current investigation. And the ending, as the truth of the situation finally comes out, is both exciting and satisfying. I really enjoyed this one and can't wait to check out The Next Grave, and read more about Evan and Rowan and their developing relationship. 

My rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Happy Reading!

Other Kendra Elliot novels I've posted about:

A Merciful Secret

In the Pines

Grimm Curiosities by Sharon Lynn Fisher

 

First line:  They say York is the most haunted city in England, but I'm probably the only person in it named after a ghost.

The plot:  December 1851. Lizzy Grimm and her mother live above their small shop, Grimm Curiosities. For awhile, Lizzy's mother worked as a medium to help pay the rent, but a year ago she was stricken silent. Now it's up to Lizzy to take care of her mother and to keep her late father's antique shop open, but things aren't going well. She finds unexpected help from Antony Carlisle, the oldest son of the local baron. His younger sister has also been stricken silent. He and Lizzie team up to try and discover why. And they think they just might find the answers they're seeking in her father's treasured set of books about ghosts, faeries, doorways, otherworldly creatures, and yuletide myths. Only someone else really wants those books--an older gentleman who is also interested in Lizzy.

My thoughts:  This book is an enchanting combination of mystery & romance with a touch of fairy tale magic. Oh, and ghosts! I loved the Grimm's small curiosity shop and the ghostly atmosphere permeating York. All the old buildings and narrow alleyways called ginnels made for a great setting. And Lizzy and Antony are both very engaging characters. I loved how their cautious friendship deepened into something more over the course of their search. There's even a ball. And the magical elements made this book even more fun. I thoroughly enjoyed it.  ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

Happy Reading! 

Two Quick Recommendations...

 

An Instruction in Shadow by Benedict Jacka

This urban fantasy novel picks up right where An Inheritance of Magic leaves off with Stephen Oakwood meeting his mother for the first time. He's also looking for his father, trying to find wells of Essentia and master the magic of Drucraft, and survive the ambushes and attacks coming from new enemies and members of his own aristocratic family. It's fun and full of action. I really like Stephen and his friends, and can't wait to read the third book in this captivating series. I'm only sad I have to wait at least another year before it comes out. 

(I also really love Jacka's Alex Verus series!)

The Night Woods by Paula Munier

I bet you can guess one of the reasons I love this mystery series. Mercy Carr and her Belgian Malinois, Elvis, are favorites of mine, as are her game warden husband, Troy, and his Newfoundland, Susie Bear. Despite being eight months pregnant, Mercy gets drawn into a murder investigation, which doesn't make her mother very happy. Then a billionaire out hunting goes missing. And someone's threatening Mercy. Plus, there are wild boars loose in the Vermont wilderness near their home. It's another compelling and entertaining novel from Munier.

(I highly recommend checking out the first book in this series, A Borrowing of Bones.)

Happy Reading!

My Child Is Missing by Lisa Regan

 

The plot:  Two go into the woods, but only one comes out. That's the legend of The Woodsman. And it's spreading across Pennsylvania--scaring elementary-age children, challenging the teenagers. Detective Josie Quinn knows it's just a story, but when two sister go missing, and only the younger girl is found, she also knows something sinister is going on. The investigation into Kayleigh's disappearance is hard enough, but Josie's not sleeping because of some recent traumatic events, and then she learns about two other murders linked to the story of The Woodsman... and she starts to wonder if they have a serial killer on their hands.

My thoughts:  This is the eighteenth Josie Quinn book, and another excellent mystery in this addictive series. Josie and her partner, Noah Fraley, are so good together. I've liked seeing how their relationship has developed and grown over the course of these mysteries. And I found this particular mystery nicely twisty and unexpected. I've been reading this series in order, which I recommend, because Josie's past is fairly complicated. But all the books in this series aren't long and they read fast. 

My rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Happy Reading!

Other Josie Quinn mysteries I've reviewed:

Vanishing Girls (#1)

The Girl With No Name (#2)

Her Mother's Grave (#3)

Her Silent Cry (#6)

Cold Heart Creek (#7)

The Drowning Girls (#13)

Watch Her Disappear (#14)

The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter

A cryptic invitation.

A trip to Mistletoe Manor.

A Christmas snowstorm.

And a puzzling locked room disappearance. 

It's up to Maggie Chase and fellow author, Ethan Wyatt, to solve this mystery.

First line:  It wasn't until the elevator doors were sliding open that Maggie realized she was about to come face-to-face with her three lest favorite things in the world:  Christmas. A party. And Ethan Freaking Wyatt.  

My thoughts:  This entertaining novel is a great combination of mystery and romance. And I loved it. There's fun banter, and lots of action and humor. Maggie is a very engaging character; she's clever and funny, but also vulnerable and alone. I liked how Ethan really saw her, and how he wanted to help her, and protect her. I enjoyed their swoony kisses, too. They made a great team (even though she saw him as her nemesis at the beginning of the book). And the mystery was very Christie-esque. If you want a fun holiday mystery/romance, check this book out. 

My rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Happy Reading!

Middle of the Night by Riley Sager

 

From the blurb:

"The worst thing to ever happen on Hemlock Circle occurred in Ethan Marsh’s backyard. One July night, ten-year-old Ethan and his best friend and neighbor, Billy, fell asleep in a tent set up on a manicured lawn in a quiet, quaint New Jersey cul de sac. In the morning, Ethan woke up alone. During the night, someone had sliced the tent open with a knife and taken Billy. He was never seen again.

Thirty years later, Ethan has reluctantly returned to his childhood home. Plagued by bad dreams and insomnia, he begins to notice strange things happening in the middle of the night. Someone seems to be roaming the cul de sac at odd hours, and signs of Billy’s presence keep appearing in Ethan’s backyard. Is someone playing a cruel prank? Or has Billy, long thought to be dead, somehow returned to Hemlock Circle?

The mysterious occurrences prompt Ethan to investigate what really happened that night, a quest that reunites him with former friends and neighbors and leads him into the woods that surround Hemlock Circle. Woods where Billy claimed monsters roamed and where a mysterious institute does clandestine research on a crumbling estate.

The closer Ethan gets to the truth, the more he realizes that no place—be it quiet forest or suburban street—is completely safe. And that the past has a way of haunting the present."

My thoughts:  I've read six other books by Riley Sager: I really liked three of them, disliked two, and thought the sixth landed somewhere in the middle. So I didn't know what to expect with this one. But I'm happy to report that I ended up really liking it. Ethan's guilt and grief felt so real, as did his desire to figure out what happened to his friend that long ago night. And Sager does an excellent job of interweaving the past with the present through the different characters' POVs. The way he lets the story unfold builds good suspense and made me want to keep reading. I also really liked the touch of supernatural in it. All in all, this is a fun mystery!

My rating:  4.5/5 stars.

Happy Reading!

The other three Riley Sager novels I really liked:

Home Before Dark

The Last Time I Lied

Lock Every Door

I did post reviews of the other three Sager books that I've read, so you can find them on my blog if you're interested in knowing what I didn't like about them.