The Zero Night (Jonathan Stride, #11) by Brian Freeman

The Zero Night by Brian Freeman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I am so glad the Jonathan Stride series is continuing! Despite all that happened with Jonny and Serena, I rooted for their happiness in tough police work. Maggie has been standing in as Jonathan recovers but she calls him back with a wife's abduction and a lawyer who may be hiding a lot. I loved Serena's dog Elton and the adulation she desperately needed from her furry lifesaver. I could not stop turning the pages, the story captivated me and the suspense was thrilling!

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What She Found (Tracy Crosswhite, #9) by Robert Dugoni

What She Found by Robert Dugoni
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Loved this 9th book in the Tracy Crosswhite series! There is a cold case Tracy takes on that takes her to many places of lies, secrets, and betrayal. I loved this latest cold case that follows Tracy on many paths (some she can't reveal, others she must push forward) and I loved her family story and her police family story too! A must read!

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Sudden Death (Andy Carpenter #4) by David Rosenfelt

Sudden Death by David Rosenfelt
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Andy is hired to represent a football player accused of killing another football player. While still missing Laurie who is now in another state with her renewed family. Tara the golden is still the best friend and confidante of Andy.

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Criminal (Will Trent, #6) by Karen Slaughter

Criminal by Karin Slaughter
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is my first Will Trent book, so I do not really know what he is like--that said, I did not like him (even though he has ghosts and a past) and his boss, Amanda, throughout the whole story. Even more, I have read other Karin Slaughter books --but the way she depicts the abhorrent sexism in the police force at the time, really turned me off. Also, the way these girls were killed sickened me time and time again as they discover/uncover the murders. Even the end did not do much for me.

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Open and Shut (Andy Carpenter, #1) by David Rosenfelt

Open and Shut by David Rosenfelt
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this 1st book in the Andy Carpenter series, although I read the 2nd book, First Degree first in the series and my sister passed along the very first David Rosenfelt book, The 12 Dogs of Christmas and I was instantly smitten----I have to read all of Rosenfelt's books 1- they are funny, 2- they are mysteries, 3 they have dogs in them!!!, and 4 Andy Carpenter is a hoot! This first book sets up Andy's personality as a defense lawyer with his wisecracks to the reader (he loves sports, hates exercise, loves Tara, his golden retriever). Suddenly Andy's father an ex DA dies in front of him, a firestorm happens and Andy is left to pick up the pieces---number one, why did his father leave him $22 million dollars? Rosenfelt had me turning those pages- there was suspense, humor, and a deep love for dogs----I was hooked! I have been recommending this to all my friends because we love dogs and mysteries; I can't wait to read the 3rd book next, Bury the Lead!

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First Degree (Andy Carpenter, #2) by David Rosenfelt

First Degree by David Rosenfelt
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love this series! Just the right amount of humor (hysterical) and suspense and dogs (Ilove dogs!) from author David Rosenfelt as he lays the story line for the reader---Andy Carpenter is in love with Laurie Collins (who used to be a police officer & now has her own PI business) and has a possible client tell him that he committed a murder. Since Andy can't share this with anyone, when a slimy low life drug dealer is arrested for the murder, decapitation, and burning of bad cop Alex Dorsey's body, Andy decides to represent him (since he knows he did not do it---once again can't tell anyone, even Laurie who will be his PI on this case). When Laurie is arrested for this murder with all kinds of evidence, Andy gathers his team to help Laurie. There was suspense, lots of info being withheld by authorities and plain old good detective/lawyer plot and I love how Rosenfelt wove the story; I already have the 3rd book on hold at the library!

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The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I saw this book recommended/reviewed by a few of my friends and oh did I enjoy this juicy, humorous mystery taking place at a retirement community. Four friends meet weekly to discuss cold cases (one of the friends TOOK the files upon her retirement) until there is a real murder in their community, then another, and another. What I loved was how the seniors were able to "make things happen" with real law enforcement. The way these seniors live, finagle, and maneuver was a delight; the plot twists were believable and had me turning the pages.

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The Escape (John Puller, #3) by David Baldacci

The Escape by David Baldacci
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this 3rd John Puller book! His brother, Robert is in jail for treason and when a storm and no power open the cell doors, prisoners flee and pandemonium occurs. As John gets involved as a CID agent, he is joined by a mysterious woman, Veronica Know who is also trying to solve the case but lying about lots of things. As they work together and try to trust one another, I could not stop turning the pages as I fell in love with his brother Robert's mind, and the strong bond the brothers have despite Robert being in prison. You will love how the mystery builds, Robert eludes murderers out to kill him, Puller and Knox trying to thwart a devious agent and bring justice---but who can they trust???

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We Are All the Same in the Dark by Julia Heaberlin

We Are All the Same in the Dark by Julia Heaberlin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

OMG, what a mesmerizing gut wrenching read/listen! Awesomely narrated Jenna Lamia , Catherine Taber , MacLeod Andrews , Kirby Heyborne there are 3 main characters and their POV telling this compelling mystery. Wyatt is the 1st narrator, he talks to his dead sister and as a trucker, finds a comatose girl in a field with dandelions all around her. Wyatt calls old lover and friend from high school, Odette-now a police officer with a prosthetic leg and an undying wish to find out what happened to Wyatt's sister, Trumanell (and her father) ten years ago. Odette is the 2nd narrator and we follow her quest into past and present as she tries to uncover what happened to her friend and Wyatt's beloved sister (heroine to the town) and the closer she gets, the reader sees she is compelled to silence because she does not trust anyone---not her husband, not Wyatt, not her partner. I ached for Odette and wanted so much for her, she was drowning and my heart ached as she pushed forward following clues all these years later. The final narrator is Angel, the silent girl Wyatt found on the road. Now 18, Odette changed/saved her life and she promised herself and Odette she would give one full week to try to solve her disappearance. Her voice (I was so glad she was finally speaking---I wished she had done it for Odette) is positive, all knowing, and willing to put herself in danger to get answers. What will she uncover? A compelling suspenseful read!

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The Crooked Street (Frost Easton, #3) by Brian Freeman

The Crooked Street by Brian Freeman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book until the ending, I love series and there are many times the endings are cliff hangers, both good and bad, but this one was bad and upsetting and annoying! That is the end of what I am going to say about the ending because I loved the rest of the book and will not give a bad review, but I am definitely going to write to Brian Freeman. So, Frost is taken back when old friend (but not a friend for years) Denny bangs on his door near death and utters one word, Lombard. This begins a cat and mouse thriller where Frost encounters many problems. First and foremost is that a PI tells/convinces him this is just one murder among many that has a red snake spray painted (looking like the crooked Lombard Street in San Francisco) near the murder site. When Frost begins investigating there is another police man, Trent Gorham, who has been investigating the murders but does not believe the snake and PI investigations. As Frost begins to chase down leads and read the jackets of the other murders he begins to see/believe he cannot trust anyone, both on the force and in his daily life, except Herb his 70 yr old best friend (love him). I read this book in a day, it was thrilling, with anxiety the whole book through as Frost goes deeper and deeper into the lies, intrigue in search of the truth. I love Frost but I did not like that he was not taking care of himself---he was really getting beaten up, not going to the hospital and working without steam and taking care of himself--this is a recipe for disaster so I hope this gets resolved very quickly in the next novel because unfortunately nasty Lombard is insidious...and the cases do not get solved in this book.

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The Jury Master (David Sloane, #1) by Robert Dugoni

The Jury Master by Robert Dugoni
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this 1st book in the David Sloane series, but I have to admit, I read all the books OUT of ORDER in this series but I loved every single one. This book begins the David Sloane series; he is a lawyer who wins every trial. But it also shows his backstory which is a stunner in addition to sociopath killers, political machinations, a suicide, and a 30 year old secret that was thought buried. How Dugoni weaves this heart stopping story had me turning the pages; reading it in a day (because I did not want to put it down!) and thoroughly enjoying the depth of characters in David Sloane, his secretary, Tina, Charles Jenkins and Detective Tom Molia. A must read; I urge everyone to read ALL Dugoni books; they are addicting!

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The Last Agent (Charles Jenkins, #2) by Robert Dugoni

The Last Agent by Robert Dugoni
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this 2nd in the Charles Jenkins series; the plot never stopped---full forward with suspense and thrill! Also included is the espionage aspect and Charles Jenkins' rescue of Paulina, an agent who helped him in the first book in his search for the 7 Sisters. I loved seeing agent Federov return, and his help with Paulina and Jenkins. Readers of Dugoni, mysteries, espionage stories will LOVE this book! Highly recommended!

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The Conviction (David Sloane, #5) by Robert Dugoni

The Conviction by Robert Dugoni
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love the David Sloane series and this book kept me riveted and so scared for Jake and TJ. Dugoni sets the stage perfectly with Jake's anger issues from his mother's death and trauma from seeing her murdered. Also he is a teenager who has been drinking and doing drugs while back with his real Dad. When Jake arrives for the summer, his attitude is awful toward everyone and Sloane despairs about the summer. A chance talk with his detective friend, Tom Molia has Sloane planning a hiking and fishing trip with their sons. Despite his misgivings and warnings about Jake, they set off for Truluck, CA. What happens after is from a horror show as TJ and Jake are arrested and prosecuted without a lawyer while their fathers sleep. Worse still, the boys are sentenced to a juvenile detention camp. What happens to these boys and their fathers as they try to reunite had me turning the pages late into the night, another spine tingling thriller from the master of suspense!

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Alter Ego (Jonathan Stride #9) by Brian Freeman

Alter Ego by Brian Freeman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this 9th book in the Jonathan Stride series and Cab Bolton's appearance with Maggie investigating together was awesome. There is a movie being produced about one of Stride's cases and Duluth just loves the actors and actresses filming right in their neighborhood. The serial killer's son is the producer and is trying to film uninterrupted but when a teen goes missing and ends up dead leads take Jonathan and Maggie to the film crew. I loved the continued psychological thriller that Brian Freeman excels in with his Stride series! There are the creepy characters, the criminal characters and the regular characters that push the mystery forward and I could not stop turning the pages. I have the 10th and final book to read now, but I don't want Jonathan Stride mysteries to end, what great detective mystery stories!

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What's Done in Darkness by Laura McHugh

What's Done in Darkness by Laura McHugh
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the advance reader copy, What’s Done in Darkness by Laura McHugh in exchange for an honest review. What an intense look at the psychological trauma of a girl before, during, and after, her kidnapping in a rural farm community where religion is grasped wholeheartedly by members and families and taken to extremes in daily life. Sarabeth is the female protagonist, living with her family in a small town. Suddenly her father injures himself and with his recuperation he undergoes a religious epiphany that Laura’s mother profoundly grasps. Now the normal family she truly loved; Sarabeth sees her books taken away, TV thrown out, switched for a move to a remote farm with no amenities, a new church, fervent sermons, bible readings, and crushing punishments, anger, and distance from her parents. Sarabeth is seventeen and wants to escape this stifling new family dynamic. But before she is able, she is abducted by a masked man, bound, stripped of her clothes, and kept in darkness and silence. After a terror filled week, Sarabeth is released and finds her family and sheriff do not believe her claims of the masked abductor. It is only when advocates finally get to speak with Sarabeth that she is able to flee and begin a new life, away from her family and thankfully, no contact. What I loved about this suspenseful mystery is how McHugh goes back and forth each chapter with Then and Now. This technique is perfect in building the taut uncertainty that permeates this deliciously deceptive thriller as the reader turns those pages in hopes of solving not only Sara’s (she now goes by Sara in a new town, with a new job and life) kidnapping but also other girls. A detective is able to state a case to her for the similarities in other girls’ disappearances. I rooted for Sara and readers will totally engage as the mystery compounds and unfolds. Both absorbing and affecting as a taut psychological mystery; readers will LOVE this riveting read! This book will be available June 2021, preorder it now!

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Spitting Devil (Jonathan Stride, #5.5) by Brian Freeman

Spitting Devil by Brian Freeman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this audiobook read by Joe Barrett detailing the period between Serena and Maggie as Johnny investigates a creepy mystery happening inside a home, driving the occupants apart and crazy. Another winner by Brian Freeman!

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Turn to Stone (Jonathan Stride, 5.6) by Brian Freeman

Turn to Stone by Brian Freeman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Awesomely narrated by Joe Barrett, this novella kept me hooked as a 5.6 mystery claims Jonathan Stride as he visits his hometown where his mother is buried (he is broken up with Serena) and sees a policeman kill himself in the cemetery. Needless to say he gets drawn in, the town cop hates his involvement but there are other bodies turning up, women who have been abused, and teens with secrets. Another awesome read in the Jonathan Stride series by Brian Freeman!

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The Perfect Couple by Elin Hilderbrand

The Perfect Couple by Elin Hilderbrand
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh did I love this mystery romance involving a wedding on Nantucket between Benji and Celeste; fun thing though as the wedding gets closer, Celeste is stuttering, falling for Shooter, the best man and she finds her maid of honor, Merritt, face down in the ocean on the morning of their wedding. You will turn the pages as the many guests are interviewed, many couples once seemingly perfect are now so not perfect, and as the reader goes back and forth in time and the present, a delightful, drama-filled scene, lives of characters cracked open and secrets spilled; they will be hanging on til the last page. Highly recommended!

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Goodbye to the Dead (Jonathan Stride #7) by Brian Freeman

Goodbye to the Dead by Brian Freeman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Boy these Jonathan Stride detective mysteries just keep getting better! I think this may be my favorite because Cindy and Serena both appear, so past and present converge. I really liked getting to know Cindy and saw why Jonathan fell in love and never fell out of love with her (his devastating loss when she dies) and her pursuit of that forest camo guy who shoots trees...and his threat to her when she spots him and pursues him. The mystery in the book was also rooted in the past and the present and the plot with all the delicious suspense kept me turning those pages! I have the next book in the series on my kindle already, but I amgoing to hate when there are no more Jonathan, Maggie and Serena murder mysteries!

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The Summer House by James Patterson and Brendan DuBois

The Summer House by James Patterson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh boy, I could not put this mega mystery down; a multiple murder by Rangers and an elite investigative team made up of Major Cook, a woman investigator, a lawyer and a psychiatrist, some who have never shot a gun. As the evil sheriff continues to dump the evidence on the public and the team, the Rangers will not accept representation from them. How will this unfold? With lots of twists and turns and I could not stop turning the pages; the psychological drama keeps the book moving. A great summer read!

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