The Housemaid (The Housemaid, #1) by Freida McFadden

The Housemaid by Freida McFadden
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Many thanks to Donna Compton for giving me this great mystery read as I heal from knee surgery. I absolutely LOVED the characters of Millie, Nina and Andrew; even minor characters like Nina's daughter & gardener were taut and masterfully drawn. Just how long will it take for just released convict, Millie, to be drawn into the total chaos of that family that on the outside looks so wonderful, on the inside is anything but. I could not stop reading this psychological mystery and I am definitely going to read the other books in this series!

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Someone We Know by Shari Lapena

Someone We Know by Shari Lapena
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Many thanks to Tara Smith for this suspenseful audiobook, awesomely narrated by Kirsten Power. A neighborhood has someone breaking into their house, there is a murder, maybe 2, and some marital infidelity. The title, Someone We Know, is good on many levels; this is a sizzling mystery, lots of head games, and family drama. A must read!

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Two Nights in Lisbon by Chris Pavone

Two Nights in Lisbon by Chris Pavone
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

January LaVoy does a spectacular job narrating this taut thriller with so much psychological drama!!! I enjoyed listening to this book, Ariel's husband is kidnapped while they are on a business trip in London. The police and the American Embassy do not take her seriously, until the FBI & CIA are involved. A real who done it!

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Down the River Unto the Sea (King Oliver, #1) by Walter Mosley

Down the River Unto the Sea by Walter Mosley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A great new series by Walter Mosley introduces the reader to disgraced police officer wrongly accused and jailed. Fast forward and Joe King Oliver is now a private investigator and readers learn how he was freed from jail but not really why. As he plods along with his daughter as his secretary, he takes a case while also investigating who in police force framed him. I could not stop turning listening, I loved narrator, Dion Graham's taut rendition of this suspenseful mystery where Joe and his family are in danger as a result of his cases. What will he learn and will he live? Highly recommended!

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The Stranger by Harlan Coben

The Stranger by Harlan Coben
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Awesomely narrated by George Newbern, this mystery was so suspenseful with a creepy stranger approaching main character, Adam, a lawyer happily married with 2 sons to a wife he loves, Corinne, and gives him devastating information about his wife. When Adam verifies the awful facts and confronts Corinne, she does the unthinkable and flees, telling Adam she will make it right and be back in a few days. As Adam and his sons deal with a missing wife/mom, Adam continues to dig further and what he finds out scares him, but Adam is determined to find his wife and the Stranger. A spine tingling superb suspense story from Harlan Coben!

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The Coldest Case: A Black Book Audio Drama by James Patterson

The Coldest Case by James Patterson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is my first audiobook by James Patterson about Detective Billy Harney (father and twin sister are police too) narrated by: Aaron Paul , Krysten Ritter , Nathalie Emmanuel , Beau Bridges , and a full cast, I loved the characters as the knuckle bearing story of Harney's investigation of a drug ring which involved in addition to police work, the use of social media, technology, and gaming. The only problem I had with the audiobook was the background sounds many times overwhelmed the narration by being too loud or too long. But I loved the conspiracies which involve those with power and money and even police corruption. A taut, mesmerizing audiobook!

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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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The Cousins by Karen McManus

The Cousins by Karen M. McManus
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Awesomely narrated by Sarah Skaer , Kate Reinders , David Garelik , Julia Whelan; I loved this narrated mystery!!! McManus is an author who writes mystery books you CAN'T put down! Milly, Jonah and Aubrey are cousins who are invited to work at their grandmother's summer camp. Their parents all hope to be back in the will and find out why they were disinherited with the words, "You Know What You Did!" which they don't. The suspense and thrills drew the reader in with present day and slipping back into the past from Allison's POV. The way the cousins interact after hardly knowing each other was nice to see and believe. The other characters like the demented doctor and his history buff daughter, Hazel, and Uncle Archer really fleshed out the mystery keeping the reading guessing about what is really going on. A spine tingling, thrilling must read!

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Something In the Water by Catherine Steadman

Something in the Water by Catherine Steadman
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This mystery was not the psychological thriller I hoped it would be; Erin and Mark are in love, the next step is marriage but Mark loses his job. As they plan their wedding and honeymoon, the plans Erin has do not match what Mark has in mind. Even as they begin their honeymoon in Bora Bora there is something not quite right. On a dive, they find something in the water and the decisions they make (yet you see it all from Erin's POV) set in motion a series of events...As Erin began taking over and thinking large, making mistakes, but not quite caring...Erin's choices and Mark's become very questionable. I was not rewarded with suspense, I did not like the characters, this mystery shows how going to the dark side ends up.

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The Hive by Barry Lyga

The Hive by Barry Lyga
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read this awesome page turned by one of my fave authors, Barry Lyga, for the Oct twitter chat with #YearofYA which includes any kind of creepy mystery scifi books - come join us Thursday 10/24 at 8PM EST. But about this book---Cassie is deeply angry due to her father's death 6 months ago (he was famous hacker Harlon Mckinney and Cassie spent her life right next to him as a coder, hacker, social media king). In a new school with no friends and still really angry, Cassie spurns a new friend and joins with a mean girl coven, and remains ridiculously callous toward her mom and life. One awful jokes gets Cassie noticed, not in a good way, and in days she is being vilified by the HIVE, loses her few friends, her mother and must run for her life because the HIVE wants her dead. This was a deliciously creepy, thrilling page turner on the world as it exists with social and political upheaval, mob justice, apathy abounding, and violence just around the corner. I ached for Cassie's grief and rooted for her anger to leave, a great book teens will be passing around!

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The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I listened to this audiobook as part of the October #yearofya twitter chat featuring mysteries, science fiction, and horror books to take place 10/24 at 8PM EST. Please join us! Awesomely Narrated by: Jack Hawkins, Louise Brealey, this absorbing mystery revolves around a psychotherapist, Theo Faber (who has a past he has spent a lifetime getting over) who is obsessed with treating and curing a silent patient, Alicia Berenson (painter with a past) who shoots her husband in the face 5 times and immediately stops talking. I could not stop listening to Theo and his musings and Alicia's journals as they are discovered and then read...There are many red herrings as the mystery unfolds, I could not put this mystery down!

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Missing Pieces by Heather Gudenkauf

Missing Pieces by Heather Gudenkauf
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Sarah and her husband, Jack are going to Penny Gate for the first time in over twenty years; his aunt (who raised him and his sister after his parents' death) has had a tragic fall and everyone rushes to the hospital. What Sarah finds rocks her world; her husband has been lying to her their whole marriage. As Sarah begins to dig deeper into the many mysteries and lies; she questions everyone and herself. Not only is the aunt's fall questionable; now Sarah knows the truth of Jack's parents--Mom was murdered and Jack was a prime suspect as well as his Dad. Using her old investigative background; she accesses old case files and photographs. As she learns more and more; the layers become so distressing but Sarah can't accept Jack's apologies. The finale was awesome; so tense and surprising! Another great psychological thriller from Heather Gudenkauf.


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Truly Devious (Truly Devious #1) by Maureen Johnson

Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read this truly spine tingling YA mystery (even better, it is a series!!!) for #2jennsbookclub twitter chat taking place 10/11 at 8PM EST, join us for a great book and even better chat!!! Stevie is such an awesome female protagonist who knows who she is and what she wants - to go to Ellingham Academy and solve the Ellingham mystery & murders. She gets into the exclusive school despite her parents being against it (and Stevie) for a host of reasons that were so annoying. Stevie meets many different students, jumps into solving the mystery, and loves her classes. From day one though, Stevie senses something is weird and it will take the death of a student, tunnels, friends and their "isms" and makeout sessions that will scare Stevie into believing Truly Devious has struck again. Although I wasn't a fan of the ending; I was a fan of Maureen Johnson's awesome ability to write a detective/mystery thriller that had me gobbling up this suspenseful crime thriller. Highly recommended.

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She Lies in Wait (DCI JOnah Sheens #1) by Gytha Lodge

She Lies in Wait by Gytha Lodge
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the advance reader copy, She Lies in Wait by Gytha Lodge, in exchange for an honest review. Oh did I love this book! There was so much suspense as a group of friends goes into the woods for a night of camping, fun, and drinking; and the next morning one of their group is missing. Fast forward thirty years, and the body is discovered very close to their camp site. I especially enjoyed the very capable but human police detectives being led by Detective Chief Inspector Jonah Sheens as they painstakingly reconstruct the crime and investigate without sleep and food to catch a killer (maybe one of the friends?). As Jonah leads his detectives to track down the stories from the suspects, I was riveted until the last page. The suspense kept building and did not disappoint; I will definitely continue to read this thrilling new series. Highly recommended.

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I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh

I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book flew! The mystery of a hit and run 6 year old boy is told from multiple view points; the mother, the detective, the driver of the car. People are not who they seem to be; Jenna Gray runs from Bristol to a seaside resort where no one knows her. She is skittish, dreaming and screaming her son's death each evening. Police Detective Ray, Kate and team work hard to find the driver but a year goes by, will they ever catch the killer?

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My Sister Rosa by Justine Larbalestier

My Sister Rosa by Justine Larbalestier
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

OMG! What a terrifying sick read, my heart broke for Che, a nice, normal 17 yr old teen in a totally dysfunctional family, with the daily torment of psychopath sister, Rosa. Oh she is such a sinister character, but not many people see her evil (she is a cute 10 year old blonde with curls and a sweet smile) or believe Che. So Che has had to worry his whole life and try to circumvent Rosa without letting her see/know what he truly thinks/feels. Thankfully when Che, Rosa, Sally and David (they must call their rentals by their first names) Che meets his benefactors family and becomes friendly with Leilani and her little sister, Maya (they instantly dislike Rosa) while Rosa targets May's twin as her "best friend" and begins working out at the gym and meets Sojourner. I love Larbalestier's other books Liar & Razorhurst and would really love to see this book as a series! Totally creepy, teens will love this book.

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My Sister's Grave by Robert Dugoni

My Sister's Grave by Robert Dugoni
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I am definitely going to read this series, I could not put this book down! Tracy Crosswhite is a thoroughly likable hard headed detective who has suffered (felt responsible) for the last twenty years about her sister's disappearance and murder. Even though Edmund House was convicted and is serving his sentence, Tracy still has questions that were not resolved during the trial. Dugoni's thriller was consuming; I read it in two days and am going to be reading the other books in this series. For a great mystery and detective story, this series fills the bill!

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Perfect (Flawed #2) by Cecelia Ahern

Perfect by Cecelia Ahern
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

OMG, I loved this 2nd and final book in the Flawed series - there is heart racing and heart wrenching action as Carrick and Celestine stand up against Crevan who hates Celeste & is hiding his involvement. It is horrifying to Celeste when she runs into all these missing people in Crevan's Highland Castle. Celestine really became a stronger character in this book- she used her mathematical abilities and some other tricks up her sleeve to become a heroine to the Flawed and all the other Perfects. I really liked Carrick, his group of friends and family who helped Celestine at great risk to themselves. I also was so glad to see her granddad, mom and sister, Juniper jump to her defense- there was real love and acceptance and a willingness to do whatever it took - just like Celestine became emboldened to use her voice to rally a cry against the Flawed system and the Guild's handling of the Flawed cases. The plot moved swiftly, with lots of suspense and I could not put this book down, so thrilling! Great writing and characterization, teens will love this dystopian duology!

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Color Blind ( Dr. Jenna Ramey #1) by Colby Marshall

Color Blind by Colby Marshall
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

First in a series, this psychological thriller was thoroughly enjoyable and I have already order the 2nd in the series, Double Vision from my public library. Dr. Jenna Ramey is a forensic psychologist who is famous for profiling serial killers because she has a specific ability to see colors as a way to read people and situations. Her mother is in jail because she a serial killer who tried to kill her latest husband (as well as her first 3) and Jenna's brother. Isaac Keaton has landed in jail because he killed many people at a park while a comrade in arms shot innocents at a ferry. As Jenna tries to unravel the clues, she races against time on little to no sleep, and worry for her family to catch a killer.

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Bad Blood (The Naturals #4) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Bad Blood by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved The Naturals series and was very happy with this final book, story, and the many heart stopping twists and turns it took! Cassie has always blamed herself for her mother's murder and she continues to try to find the killer(s) but she and her team and the FBI are also dealing with a cult that kills people (certain amounts, certain dates, etc), looking for a missing person (who one of the profilers grew up with) and interspersed with chapters narrated by YOU, which is super horrible with gore, torture, blood, death, and forces beyond YOU's control. I loved the continued "family" feeling of these naturals (they are flawed, have bad backgrounds and specialties hones to solve heinous crimes) and I liked the addition of new characters (Laurel, Celine, Kane) as the plot thickened. Barnes really knows how to write mysteries, psychological thrillers, dealing with serial killers, murderers, people gone bad and the Naturals trying to save the world one step at a time. Highly recommended, read this book & the whole series!

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