The Summer Skies - Jenny Colgan

I've read most of Jenny Colgan's books and I always pick up the latest, knowing I'm in for a feel good read. The Summer Skies is newly released. 

The Summer Skies is a stand alone, introducing us to a new set of characters to enjoy and more wee villages on a set of islands off the coast of  Northern Scotland. I always want to live in the villages Colgan creates. And I'd be quite happy to call the characters friends. (I have to say that Barbara the chicken is one of my favourite supporting charterers!)

Our lead character in The Summer Skies is Morag MacIntyre, the third generation of her family to be a pilot. Her grandfather pilots the small island plane that delivers the mail, tourists, medicine, supplies and pretty much anything! Morag learned to fly on 'Dolly' but has moved to the city and onto bigger planes. Two recent incidents though, have her questioning her choices - in love and in the air.

Tales from Colgan always give us a plucky lead, a love life that doesn't quite work out, decisions to be made, some laugh out moments, a wonderful supporting, tightknit family, some 'aha' moments that will have you thinking 'what if'... and so much more. Oh, and lots of flying stuff. 

The Summer Skies was another wonderful for me. Heartwarming and heart tugging See for yourself - read an excerpt of The Summer Skies.

(And for fans of all of the wee villages Colgan has created - see if can catch the Mure reference.)

With A Kiss We Die - L.R. Dorn

With A Kiss We Die is L.R. Dorn's new novel. 

L.R. Dorn is the pseudonym for two award winning film and television writers. That skill set bring much to the writing of With A Kiss We Die.

The novel is told in an epistolary style, which is one of my absolute favorites. The entire book is told as a podcast! It totally rang true and I felt like I was reading the transcript of an actual case.

And it is about a case - the viscous murder of the parents of college student Jordan. The police seem to be leaning towards him and his girlfriend Victoria as the lead suspects. In an unexpected development, the pair make a preemptive move, calling on The Raines Report podcast to tell their story on air.

Dorn keeps the reader guessing right down to the last pages. Ryanna Raines spends a lot of time with them and slowly but surely the pair provide details that seem to prove their innocence. But are they telling the truth? I'll that answer for you to discover. (And there's a nice gotcha waiting for you in the last few pages.) 

It's just so well plotted! I couldn't put the book down. See for yourself - read an excerpt of With A Kiss We Die. (And I bet the audio version would be just as good. I see that a full cast was used.) 

Gentle readers there are some triggers in this tale. 

The Clearing - Simon Toyne

The Clearing is the second entry in Simon Toyne's Laughton Rees series. It can absolutely be read as a stand alone though.

Laughton is an academic, but she is also a forensic expert with ties to the Met. Her latest research has uncovered a large number of missing women - far too many - for the small village near the Forest of Dean. Another woman has just been listed as missing, so she decides to visit the area herself.

What does she run into you ask? A town steeped in folklore and legends, unhelpful police, a lord of the manor with his own agenda and a hostile settlement in the forest. Laughton and the missing woman's sister start their own investigation.

I really liked Laughton as a lead character - she's tenacious, highly intelligent and brave. She has a way words - she can easily tie up someone with her speaking. And she's somewhat rash, often acting before she thinks. A protagonist that's easy to like. Toyne has given her a personal life that rounds out the character.

Toyne does a great job building the setting. The forest descriptors gave me shivers and the town and it's residents had me looking over my shoulder.

The plot uses some familiar elements, but Toyne puts his own spin on things. He also gives the reader many choices for the final whodunit. Lots of red herrings had me changing my final answer more than once on the way. Lots of suspense scenes as well that gave me goosebumps.

I quite enjoyed The Clearing. I look forward the next book in this series. See for yourself - read an excerpt of The Clearing. 

The Librarianist - Patrick deWitt

The Librarianist is award winning author Patrick deWitt's latest novel. 

The life of Bob Comet is the heat of the plot. The timeline opens with Bob at seventy one years old, ruminating on his life. The next jump takes us back to Bob as young man, next a child, and finally, circling back to the end.

Bob, in his words and thoughts, lives a small life, and it is and has been enough in his opinion.

"Bob had long given up on the notion of knowing anyone, or of being known. He communicated with the world partly by walking through if, but mainly by reading about it."

I liked Bob immediately and enjoyed his observations of time, people and place. But I also felt sad for him - he seems so very alone. But that view is seen through my own filters and opinions. I loved the childhood time frame and the epic adventure he embarks on. I wanted him continue to grow that venturesome spirit. But on the flipside, his quiet, calm, thoughtful manner is very appealing. And his love for books is much appreciated by this reader. 

deWitt's writing is quite different for me. The interactions, escapades, situations, thoughts and more took on the feel of vignettes. The dialogue is often funny, but I had to get used to the bantering, off center style. I quite enjoyed the ending. A bit implausible, but fitting.

If you enjoy character drawn tales, this is for you. See for yourself - read an excerpt of The Librarianist. 

The Door-to-Door Bookstore - Carsten Henn

Carsten Henn's novel, The Door-to-Door Bookstore is an international best seller. I was hooked by the title and the premise. And isn't that cover wonderful!

Door-to-door to most of us means buying online and having it delivered to our homes. In Henn's novel, the door-to-door involves a bookstore employee, a hand chosen book meant just for one customer, a carefully wrapped parcel, delivery in person at their home and a personal conversation. All done after the shop closes. Sounds wonderful doesn't it? I very much enjoyed the descriptions of reading and the love of books.

The deliveries have been a part of Carl Kollhoff's job for over thirty years. He likes the routine of it, the peace of walking his route, and the happiness of delivering the books people need and want. 

Indeed, Carl has not left his small village for decades. His world is turned upside down when a precocious ten year old girl decides she will join Carl on his deliveries. And.....you can see where things might go. 

I liked Henn's writing, it's measured and thoughtful. His characters are engaging, especially Carl. What a wonderful tale of books, friendship and finding what you didn't know you needed!

If you enjoyed A Man Called Ove, you would absolutely love The Door-to-Door Bookshop. See for yourself - read an excerpt of The Door-to-Door Bookstore. 

The Ex-Husband - Karen Hamilton

Karen Hamilton's new novel, The Ex-Husband, has just released. 

Hamilton opens up with a prologue from the past that introduces us to Charlotte, an employee on a cruise ship. She's waiting in line at customs clearance, with her husband Sam, but they get separated. And it's Charlotte's suitcase that has a passenger's missing necklace in it..

The timeline switches to the present. Charlotte has rebuilt her life - without Sam. They've had no contact, so she is quite surprised to hear from him. Sam tells her to be careful. It looks like their past is going to catch up with them - he's been threatened and wants to warn Charlotte to be careful. So, when she is offered a job on a private yacht is seem like the right time to be on a boat on the sea. Unless, of course, danger follows her.....

Hamilton unspools her tale in a past and present format. I always enjoy this method of storytelling. The reader becomes aware of whose lives crossed paths with Sam and Charlotte and the how and why. So, in present day, there are many choices for the person seeking retribution. I also liked the 'locked room' setting with all of the suspects in one place.

I felt like I should be behind Charlotte - but couldn't convince myself to like her. Perhaps because I did become aware of her past - and her skill sets.

The run up to the final pages is a bit of a slow burn. The ending requires a few grains of salt, but certainly isn't beyond the possible. You know what they say about leopards and spots...

Domestic suspense fans will enjoy this one. See for yourself - read an excerpt of The Ex-Husband.

Find Me - Alafair Burke

I'm always excited to see that Alafair Burke has a new book coming out. But, I try not to read the synopsis beforehand. I know I'm going to enjoy whatever she's written - and I like a surprise. Well, that latest - Find Me - releases today. And it was as good as I knew it would be!

I've read all of Burke's novels and was thrilled to see that Ellie Hatcher was in Find Me. I've always hoped Burke would continue her story. But you don't have to have read the Hatcher books, as this latest can absolutely be read as a standalone. 

Fifteen years ago, Lindsay Kelly rescued a woman from a car crash. She survived, but has no memories of her life before she was found. She goes by the name of Hope. Lindsay is her best friend and is now a lawyer. Hope decides it's time to move out of the small town she's called home for the last fifteen years. Lindsay supports her, but is more than a little worried when she doesn't hear from Hope. And rightly so.....

Where does Ellie fit in you ask? Ahh.....those who will have read the Hatcher books will know about the case that led to her father's death. (And it won't detract from this book if you haven't!) How in the world could these two incidents be connected? Hampered by a cop who can't be bothered to do his job right, Lindsay and Ellie start to work the case themselves. 

Burke weaves seemingly unrelated incidents, occurrences and overlooked clues on the way to resolution. I couldn't predict what that resolution might be and happily joined the search for answers. The reader only knows what the two women do, so we can only hypothesize as the links to then and now start to  start to coalesce. And I loved that kick at the end!

Burke has given us some strong lead characters in Ellie (my fave) and Lindsay. Hope is a wild card and I had my reservations about her past....and her memory. There are a number of supporting players and at times I had to stop and think who was who.

Burke is a former Deputy District Attorney and is now a Professor of Law teaching criminal law and procedure. The plots of Burke's books are enhanced by the author's background and legal knowledge.

Another great read for me. See for yourself - read an excerpt of Find Me.

Seasonal Work - Laura Lippman

I've read every one of Laura Lippman's books. But what I haven't read are any of her short stories! I was eager to listen to Seasonal Work - Lippman's newly released collection. These stories have been published previously in various compilations but the last one is new, novella length and set in these Covid times.

What I love about short stories is an author's ability to introduce characters, a setting, a plot and a satisfying ending - all in a short space of time. They're like mini getaways. Now, some short story lovers are purists - listening in the order presented. Me? I hop around, picking a tale on it's length and how much time I have to listen. 

I enjoyed each and every story. There's a broad selection of tales, all quite different. What they do have in common are strong female protagonists, varying in ages and mind sets. They're not all nice...

Lippman brings life into her tales, with all the joy and hurt that living brings. Some of them were just desserts in my opinion, others were the inevitability of society and those who prey on others. And yes, there's some good mixed in as well!

It's hard to pick favorites, as I truly did enjoy them all. I was very happy to see Tess Monaghan (a series character) in two stories that were new to me. And surprised by the story inspired by Tess's parents as newlyweds. Book Thing was an ode to books in a novel situation. (yes, pun intended ;0) ) The title tale, Seasonal Work, was a great leadoff and ended with a lovely twist. And the last one - Just One More - had a great gotcha at the end as well. There's no repetition here - each story is fresh, different and and satisfying.

I chose to listen to Seasonal Work. I've said it before and I'll say it again - I find I become much more immersed in a book when I listen. Seasonal Work had a stellar list of narrators that I was looking forward to. Each only read one story. And each turned in an excellent performance. I do have my favorite readers and was happy to see many familiar names. And the opportunity to discover new narrators. Each performance was clearly spoken, the speed was right. And each interpreted the story they were presenting very well, capturing the tone, emotions and action. I enjoyed the author's comments about her work and inspiration for the stories.

Hear for yourself - listen to an excerpt of Seasonal Work. And if you've not read Lippman before, this is a great way to experience her very talented writing. 

There are twelve tales ranging in length from twenty four minutes to an hour and ten minutes. Total run time is 8 hours 56 minutes.

The Killing Kind - Jane Casey

Jane Casey is a Sunday Times bestselling author. Her latest book is a standalone titled The Killing Kind.

Ingrid works as a barrister. She defended John Webster on stalking charges and won. But, he then turned his attentions to Ingrid and her life.

Novels with stalkers in the mix are quite frightening. I think that's because it's quite real, especially with social media playing such a large part in so many lives.  For a novelist, it gives a plot many directions to take.

Casey did a great job creating a wonderfully creepy antagonist in John Webster. His dialogue and actions let the reader experience his sociopathic tendencies. I'm torn on Ingrid. She started off as a likable character, but then seemed to become a different person. In the end, I didn't like her at all. There are unknown characters that also play a part in this plot. We only know there's something afoot from their email exchanges.

Casey flips the timeline from past to present as we learn that what has transpired is affecting what's happening now. The connection is fairly obvious, but Casey puts a nice twist into the mix in the final chapters. (Saw that one coming too)

The Killing Kind was a bit of a chunkster coming in at 480 pages. I do think it could have been pared down a bit. The first bit had me totally engrossed, but the hold the book had on me lessened as it progressed. Ingrid got repetitive, essentially doing the same thing again and again. Cat and mouse games are fun, but only for so many times.  I will be the first to say that I'm quite pragmatic. I did find some of Ingrid's actions to also be more than a little far fetched for a number of reasons including - is she not in fear for her life? 

The Killing Kind is entertaining, but not as believable has I would hoped. That being said, I can see this one as a movie.

Dream Girl - Laura Lippman

Today is release day for Laura Lippman's latest novel - Dream Girl.

Here's the premise....."After being injured in a freak accident, novelist Gerry Andersen lies in a hospital bed in his glamorous but sterile apartment, isolated from the busy world he can see through his windows, utterly dependent on two women he barely knows: his young assistant and a night nurse whose competency he questions." There are so many possibilities in this plot! 

I don't want to spoil the details for you, but let me say that Misery and Gaslight sprang to mind as I started listening. But Lippman puts her own spin on things as the book progresses, with a nice gotcha at the end.

Dream Girls is fully stocked in unlikable characters. I found Gerry to be a pompous, self inflated lout who is quite sure in his own mind that he is not. He's been married many times and is also quite sure he has been a more than adequate lover to many along the way. The two young women he has hired are Victoria, the personal assistant and Aileen the night nurse. Victoria seems passable, but his hiring of Aileen had me questioning his competency. Which of course, is part of the plot....

As always, Lippman's writing is clever and I quite enjoyed the dark, satiric humor she ascribes to Gerry's inner dialogue. Lippman slowly builds the tension with every new turn in the story. And we explore Gerry's life through his past memories and present predicament.

And....Tess Monaghan makes a cameo appearance! I miss her...sigh....

I chose to listen to Dream Girl. The reader was Jason Culp and he was the perfect choice for this tale. His voice has a lovely gravelly undertone that's quite pleasant. He enunciates well and is easy to understand. Culp's voice suited the age of the character and cemented my mental image of Gerry. He speaks at just right speed, allowing the listener to fully appreciate every word. He captures and projects that dark humor so well with his voice. Different voices used for the the supporting cast. And this was the perfect book to listen to, rather than read, for me.

Hear for yourself - listen to an excerpt of Dream Girl. 

How Lucky - Will Leitch

I really like the simple unassuming cover of Will Leitch's new novel How Lucky. But the real reason I picked it up was Stephen King's blurb - "A fantastic novel. . . . You are going to like this a lot." And yes, I really, really did!

Daniel lives in Athens, Georgia, works for an airline answering customer issues online, goes to football games on the weekend and hangs out with his best friend Travis. One morning while out on his porch, he sees what he thinks is a kidnapping of a student who walks by daily. But did he? She seemed to get in willingly. But then Ai-Chin is reported as missing. Daniel attempts to let the police know about what he's seen, but....

And a lot of that but has to do with the fact that Daniel has a degenerative physical disability - SMA - Spinal Muscular Atrophy. The police officer sent to talk to him, can't seem to see beyond the wheelchair. Daniel's concerns and information are blithely explained and written off. 

What a fabulous lead character! I loved Daniel's voice, his sense of humor and his refusal to define himself with his condition. The supporting cast is just as great - everyone needs friends like Travis and Marjani.

I learned so much about SMA through Daniel. The hard, cold facts but also the human emotions, attitudes, strengths and joys that Daniel embodies. He considers himself to be lucky. You'll need to have a tissue handy in more than one chapter. And maybe see your own life through his lens.

Back to Ai-Chin - she's still missing and Daniel decides to investigate online. And I'm going to leave it there.....

I chose to listen to How Lucky. With such an engaging lead character, the reader needed to be just right. I'm happy to say that Graham Halstead was the perfect choice. His voice is clear and both easy and pleasant to listen to. His voice matched the mental image I had created for Daniel. There's lots of movement in his voice, capturing Daniel's thoughts, emotions and interactions and bringing them to life. Halstead captures the overall tone of the book easily. I've said it before and I'll say it again - I find myself more drawn into a tale by listening. And that is definitely the case with How Lucky. Hear for yourself - listen to an audio excerpt of How Lucky.

V for Victory - Lissa Evans

I've always hoped Lissa Evans that would write a follow to the absolutely  wonderful Crooked Heart. And she has! V for Victory has just released.

I fell in love with Vee and Noel in the previous book. Vee, aka Mar, has left the scamming behind and instead runs a lodging house, giving Noel a stable home.  Their lives are as good as they can be, given the times. But when Vee is called as a witness to an accident, their carefully constructed life may come crumbling down.

Evans has created such tangible characters in Vee and Noel. I like them both very much, but I must admit that my heart belongs to Noel. He's clever and kind, a teenager now, but inside he's still the boy without parents. That need to know propels one of the plot lines in this latest. There are other characters, each with their own plotlines as well - Winnie the local air raid warden, her twin sister turned author, and the myriad lodgers. And slowly but surely, the disparate threads start to weave themselves together. The wartime setting is also a character in Crooked Heart. The rationing, the attitudes, the bombings and more all shape, direct and change the course of each and every character.

Now, yes, there are sad situations, but.....Evans has a wickedly dark sense of humour that's quite appealing. Her sly wit is visible in a description, a look or a snippet of dialogue, or a passage from a book.

I love books that speak to the human condition - life, love, death and everything that comes in between. Even more poignant in wartimes. Evans easily captures all of the above.

V for Victory is heartwarming, heartbreaking and so very good. Heartily recommended! Read an excerpt of V for Victory.

Anywhere For You - Abbie Greaves

There's something about reading a first chapter and thinking 'I've stumbled onto something really good here..." Well, it didn't take a full chapter to know that I was going to love Abbie Greaves' new novel, Anywhere for You. I was hooked immediately.

Mary O'Connor finishes her shift at the grocery store every day and heads to Ealing Station. There, she stands in the same place day after day, holding up her sign that reads 'Come Home Jim'. She's kept this routine for seven years....

Okay, my curiosity was peaked - I needed to know more about Mary, why is she looking for Jim, who is Jim, where has he gone?  Alice, a young reporter who needs a story to save her job sees the answer to her problems in Mary's story. Maybe she can even find Jim...

Greaves tells Mary's story in alternating chapters from present and past. I love this style of storytelling - it's guaranteed to keep me up late reading one more chapter as we slowly get to know who Jim was and what he meant to Mary. What a brilliant lead Greaves has created. My feelings for Mary ran the gamut - sad, happy, worried and more. All of the other players are just as well portrayed. Alice also has her own chapters and she too has 'baggage' - and a good heart. The supporting cast is made up of Ted, Olive and Kit - all volunteers at the local helpline. (I adored Kit.) And they too are harboring their own heartaches.

The journey to Jim's whereabouts is so very, very good. Greaves' writing is wonderful. I was caught up in the story from start to finish, I genuinely cared about the characters and the message woven into the book is true, timely and more. Anywhere for You is by turns heartbreaking, heartwarming and life affirming.  Definitely recommended. 

The Killings at Kingfisher Hill - Sophie Hannah

Agatha Christie created some of the most memorable and beloved characters ever to populate a mystery novel, including Hercule Poirot. The first Poirot novel was published in 1920 and the last in 1975. Sophie Hannah has continued the series with the Christie estate's blessing. The latest is The Killings at Kingfisher Hill.

Poirot has a new sidekick in the Hannah books - Scotland Yard Inspector Edward Catchpool. Catchpool documents the cases and it is through his eyes that we see the unfolding mystery. He is a delightful character and he's clever in his own right. But, no one can match Poirot's deductive powers, so Catchpool's personal thoughts and comments are more in line with what the reader may be thinking and postulating. 

Poirot and Catchpool are taking the train to the Kingfisher Hill estate for a reason only Poirot knows. But before they arrive there are number of odd events on the train. A woman is afraid to sit in the last available seat as she has been told she will die if she does. Ah hah! Poirot is intrigued... And there's more once they arrive at the estate. Murder to be exact. Hannah's plotting is clever, serpentine and makes for addictive reading.

It is Poirot's 'little gray cells' that drive the investigation. I always have enjoyed the deductions, the piecing together, the reasoning, the seemingly innocuous clue tucked into a paragraph along the way.  The reader needs to pay close attention. The 'old fashioned' method of solving a crime is quite enjoyable and challenges the reader.

I think that Hannah successfully captures Poirot's style, mannerisms, dialogue and idiosyncrasies.Those looking for a book written as Agatha Christie won't find it in The Killings at Kingfisher Hill. But those looking for a classic mystery written in the style of Christie will enjoy this book. I did! Here's an excerpt of The Killings at Kingfisher Hill. And I had a quick listen to the audio version. It sounds great as well.

Christmas at the Island Hotel - Jenny Colgan

Is it too early to read Christmas fiction? Absolutely not! And especially when it's the latest novel from Jenny Colgan! Christmas at the Island Hotel releases today.

Colgan takes us back to the remote, wee, Scottish island of Mure - and it's residents. I'd be quite happy living there myself. I always feel like I'm catching up with old friends when I turn the first page of the latest Mure tale. And making some new ones as well - new characters are introduced with each new book. Some who may have been in a supporting role in previous tales now take a bigger part. But, each and every one of them has a part to play in the tapestry that is the life of Mure.

Christmas at the Island Hotel picks up where the previous book left off. Flora and her large, noisy, eccentric family are still working to get the Island Hotel up and running by Christmas. They'll need staff - and here's where the new characters and storylines are introduced. But Colgan also continues on with the lives of many other recurring players. I've become quite invested in their lives. Colgan does a bang up job with the interactions, complications, emotions and feelings of her characters. They ring true. Everyday life, love lost, love found, friendship, family rifts, family uniting and community are the driving forces behind Colgan's works.

This is the time of the year when I enjoy seasonal reading, cosying up with a feel-good read, along with a cup of tea and a warm blanket. Christmas at the Island Hotel is the perfect choice - heartwarming, engaging, joyful, romantic, humourous and a great escape. I was sad to turn the last page, but I just know there's more in store for the folks in Mure And this reader can't wait!

The Pull of the Stars - Emma Donoghue

If Emma Donoghue writes it - I need to read it. I've been waiting for The Pull of the Stars to release - and I couldn't help myself - I finished it in a day. Yes, it's that good (as are all of Donoghue's books)

Donoghue wrote The Pull of the Stars before Covid 19 came about. But the similarities are frightening. History truly does repeat itself.

The Pull of the Stars takes place over three days in a maternity quarantine ward in a hospital in Dublin - at the height of the 1918 Flu Pandemic.

Julia Power is in charge of the three bed ward as there are very few nurses to go around. The local nunnery provides young Bridie as a helper for Julia. And the third of this triangle is Dr. Lynn. Kathleen Lynn is an actual historical figure who was a pioneer in her field - and deeds. I truly enjoy Donoghue's blending of fact and fiction in her books.

The setting is so detailed, I felt like I was in the little ward, struggling to grab just a bit of the fresh air trying to get in through the wee window. The smells, the lack of privacy, the desperate struggle to just breathe. All while pregnant. The descriptions of childbirth are visceral - and again, true to the time. Julia's care of the sick women in her care and her sense of duty are impeccable. But there are cracks in her carefully cultivated public persona. Her obligations do battle with her want of more. More for her patients, more for women - and more for herself. A partner, a confidant, a child. Bridie's enthusiasm, quickness in mind and body and her outlook on life despite the hardships she has endured will endear her to the reader. Donoghue does a fantastic job as well at bring Dr. Lynn to life. A woman truly ahead of her time.

Ahh, this book is heartbreaking. The treatment of women during this time period, the mortality rate of infants, the Catholic Church's abuse of power, life and death, the effects of war and so much more.  But the spark of light (and pull of the stars) lives in these pages too. A story you won't be able to put down.

So very, very well written. Read an excerpt of The Pull of the Stars.

You Can Go Home Now - Michael Elias

I like finding new authors or taking a chance on a book. Such was the case with the newly released You Can Go Home Now by Michael Elias.

Nina Karim is a tough Queens detective. Ask her why she became a cop and she'll give you her stock answer - but not the truth. The truth is she wants revenge on the man who killed her father. Until she hunts him down, she works cold cases. A disturbing pattern emerges as she peruses the latest stack of files. Dead men - and all their widows were in the same shelter.

Right off the bat, I liked Nina - her irreverence for authority, her drive for answers and her own brand of justice. I'm a sucker for troubled lead characters. Supporting players were just as well drawn. Nina's boyfriend, a loan shark is more often the voice of reason. But he too is happy to bend rules.

Elias is a screenwriter and that skill added wonderfully to the 'readability' of the book. (It kind of reads like a movie) The emotions, twists, turns and action all leapt off the page. The dialogue, the investigations, the settings all really well done. And there's lots of current social issues woven in to the plot. It moves along at a good pace. There are a few plot pieces that I wondered about, but didn't detract from my enjoyment of the book.

But what I liked the most? Nina. She was a fantastic protagonist. And I'd like to hope that the little opening left in the final pages is enough to bring Nina (and Bobby B.) back for a second book. Read an excerpt of You Can Go Home Now.

Gentle readers - there are some triggering scenes and topics in this novel.

Don't Turn Around - Jessica Barry

I read Jessica Barry's debut novel Freefall last year - and really liked it! (my review) I was excited to pick up her just released second book - Don't Turn Around. And I'll tell you up front - I think the thrill factor was even higher in this book!

Cait works as a bartender, really wants to be a writer and volunteers with the Sisters of Service. The Sisters will get a woman what she needs or where she needs to be. Rebecca needs help and Cait is her driver on an overnight run, taking her from Lubbock, Texas to Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Okay, I was hooked from the prologue. "And then she hears it: a long, shivering scrape of metal against metal. She sees a face at the window. It's him. He's outside and he's trying to get in."

And from there, the timeline moves back and forth from past to present, and told from each woman's perspective. They both have secrets - but which woman is he after? It doesn't much matter - they're alone in the dark on a deserted stretch of road. They'll have to trust each other to make it through the night. We also have chapters from a number of men - any one of which could be the unknown truck driver following them. The vitriol in their chapters is palpable.

Barry employed the same back and forth technique in her first book. It's absolutely one of my favorite methods of storytelling. It's so hard to not read just one more chapter.

I was surprised to find out the reason Rebecca needed a ride - and then I wasn't. It's a story you'll find in some newspaper every day. Cait's reasons tie in as well. I'm going to be obtuse here as I don't want to provide spoilers. But the reasons are real and serious themes.

But what had me almost breaking my rule of not flipping ahead in a book is the tension, suspense and danger of the pursuit of Cait and Rebecca. So well written! And well played. The chapters count down the mileage to their destination which was another great way to ramp up the suspense. There was no way to predict where the plot was going to go and I was kept on my toes. One big twist near the end had me shouting out loud - no way!

An excellent suspense novel - one I definitely recommend. Read an excerpt of Don't Turn Around. I'll be watching for book number 3!

The Butterfly Girl - Rene Denfeld

Rene Denfeld follows up her last novel, The Child Finder (devoured it in a day) with The Butterfly Girl.

This latest continues the story of Naomi and the search for her missing sister. Naomi is a private investigator with a specialty - she finds children - lost, stolen, missing and kidnapped. She seems to have an uncanny ability to ferret out clues and traces of a child's passing or presence. That ability is honed from experience - she too was a lost child. She escaped, but has no memory of what came before that time.

A year has passed, a year of following hunches - and Naomi senses she is close when she arrives in Portland, Oregon.....

The reader knows more than Naomi - we're privy to the what is happening with the children on the streets of Portland through one girl's voice. The danger is palpable and we can only urge Naomi forward. But is she any closer to finding her sister? Tension populates the pages of The Butterfly Girl. And turned this into a one sitting read for me.

Naomi is such a great lead character - driven, determined, intelligent, but wounded. The supporting cast of Jerome and Diane are just as complex and have their own stories to tell. And the young players at the heart of the book will break your heart.

Denfeld's measured prose conjure up detailed images and ideas. The novel is never rushed, despite the urgency of the search. Ties between the characters are explored, as is the relationship with one's self - all with a keen eye for the human condition. As with The Child Finder, love, loss, redemption and the power of the human spirit are woven throughout The Butterfly Girl.

Gentle readers, note that there are abuse triggers in this novel. How is Denfeld able to capture and portray such difficult situations and events with such a keen eye and thoughtful voice? This quote from the author's notes speaks volumes....

"This book was raised by libraries and love. I wouldn't be a writer today if not for the public libraries of my difficult childhood, and the books that saved me with story. I will never forget the librarians of the downtown Portland, Oregon, library who expressed care for me when I, too, was a homeless kid. Thank you for showing me a path through the pain, and the beauty in the darkness." "Thank you to my clients in my day job as a public defense investigator, including the trafficking victims, homeless, refugees, immigrants, veterans and others who have filled my life."

Another excellent read from Denfeld. Here's an excerpt of The Butterfly Girl. I'm hoping there's going to be another Naomi book.

Freefall - Jessica Barry

It's a bit hard to see in this small picture, but the image on the cover of Jessica Barry's new novel Freefall, is a shot of the clouds taken from an airplane.

And that's where the book begins - a plane crash. Ally Carpenter is the only survivor when her fiancee's plane crashes. She picks up a few things, stuffs them in a backpack and starts limping off the mountain. She's hurt - but from her inner thoughts we learn she's desperate as well...."I know what's coming for me."

Ally's mother Maggie is informed of the crash - and the death of her daughter. And the news is all the more gut wrenching as she and Ally have been estranged for the last two years.

Freefall is told in alternating chapters from Ally and Maggie. We know Ally is alive - and her desperate flight from the crash has only raised more questions for the reader. Who or what is she fleeing? Why? Will she make it? Or is she too hurt? And then the narrative switches to Maggie. She can't believe Ally is gone and starts to try and piece together the last two years of her daughter's life.

I adore this method of storytelling. But I have to admit, it keeps me up very late - I desperately want to know what's going on with each character. And boy, oh boy, does Barry ever keep the tension high. Every chapter seems to end on a cliffhanger or a revelation. And you just have to keep turning pages! The who and why become clearer as the book progresses and more is revealed, but it didn't detract from my enjoyment of the book.

Freefall is a plot driven novel, but I found the characterizations done just as well. I really liked Maggie, her self awareness and her determination.

This was the right book at the right time for me - I was looking for a fast paced, action filled read. And I found it in Freefall. See for yourself - here's an excerpt of Freefall.