REVIEW: Mother May I by Joshilyn Jackson

Title: Mother May I
Author: Joshilyn Jackson
Publisher: William Morrow
Publication Date: April 2021
Genre: Mystery / Thriller
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: Revenge doesn’t wait for permission.

Growing up poor in rural Georgia, Bree Cabbat was warned by her single mother that the world was a dark and scary place. Bree rejected her mother’s fearful outlook, and life has proved her right. Having married into a family with wealth, power, and connections, Bree now has all a woman could ever dream of: a loving lawyer husband, two talented teenage daughters, a new baby boy, a gorgeous home, and every opportunity in the world.

Until the day she awakens and sees a witch peering into her bedroom window—an old gray-haired woman dressed all in black who vanishes as quickly as she appears. It must be a play of the early morning light or the remnant of a waking dream, Bree tells herself, shaking off the bad feeling that overcomes her.

Later that day though, she spies the old woman again, in the parking lot of her daugh­ters’ private school . . . just minutes before Bree’s infant son, asleep in his car seat only a few feet away, vanishes. It happened so quickly—Bree looked away only for a second. There is a note left in his place, warning her that she is being is being watched; if she wants her baby back, she must not call the police or deviate in any way from the instructions that will follow.

The mysterious woman makes contact, and Bree learns she, too, is a mother. Why would another mother do this? What does she want? And why has she targeted Bree? Of course, Bree will pay anything, do anything. It’s her child.

To get her baby back, Bree must complete one small—but critical—task. It seems harmless enough, but her action comes with a devastating price, making her complicit in a tangled web of tragedy and shocking secrets that could destroy everything she loves. It is the beginning of an odyssey that will lead Bree to dangerous places, explosive confrontations, and chilling truths.

Bree will do whatever it takes to protect her family—but what if the cost tears their world apart?

My Thoughts: Mother May I by new to me author Joshilyn Jackson takes the reader on a fast paced, twisty and suspenseful story about a woman whose baby is kidnapped practically under her nose and the journey she has to go on to get her child back. I was initially surprised that the protagonist and kidnapper connected on an emotional level, though there is still anger and fear on Bree’s part as well as desperation. The kidnapper appears hostile, bitter and angry at the start but the reader is given a sense of the pain she has gone through and the level of desperation she is also feeling to exact the revenge she feels she is owed to make everything right.

I really enjoyed that the lines between good and evil in this story are very blurry, making it a challenge for the reader to empathize with only the mother of the kidnapped child. I even began to feel some empathy for the kidnapper as well as more layers of the story were peeled back. I liked Bree and the range of emotions she expresses were easy to relate to. The author does an excellent job of creating characters that are so well developed, they come alive on the page. The plot is very complex and not one I could easily predict the outcome; there are several moments in the story that took me by surprise and the ending was completely unexpected. I listened to the audio version of this story, which was narrated by the author, who did an excellent job with the different voices and the precise elements needed for each scene, which I feel would have been missing had I read this book in my voice.

My Final Verdict: I highly recommend this story for readers who like complex plots featuring characters that demonstrate many layers to their personalities. Fans of domestic thrillers, suspense and women’s fiction novels will find this book appealing and riveting. I really enjoyed this author’s style and will be looking for more of her work.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of Mother May I from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Witness to Slaughter by K.A. Lugo

Title: Witness to Slaughter (Jack Slaughter Thrillers #2)
Author: K.A. Lugo
Publisher: Tirgearr Publishing
Publication Date: December 2020
Genre: Mystery / Thriller
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN

Description: Jack has coped through previous holidays, but this one feels different. It's been four years since he lost his family, and clues to finding those responsible have dried up. Hopelessness has him so tightly wound that he's often driven out of his claustrophobic apartment before the ever-present black dog of depression drags him to a place where there's no coming back from.

Jack wants to be left alone with his sorrow, but when he's offered double his fee by the wife of one of the city's most elite families, how can he refuse? She wants him to follow her husband, Franklin, as she suspects he's cheating and needs photos to get around the strict prenup. Franklin leads Jack across the city to The Majestic Lounge, the Castro District's most popular gay nightclub. By the time he finds Franklin, Jack is forced to break up a heated argument between him and club owner, Chad Lucas.

Lucas approaches Jack the following day, wanting to hire him for added security during the club's popular annual Drag Queen Extravaganza. The event's usual excitement is marred by the deaths of several of Lucas' friends that authorities are calling suicides. Lucas convinces Jack something more nefarious is going on and agrees to the job.

Does the city have another serial killer on its hands, one who's targeting the LGBTQ community? Can Jack find a witness? Surely in the crowded nightclub, someone must have seen something.

My Thoughts: K.A. Lugo delivers another intense thriller and a complex case for Jack Slaughter, one of the most interesting characters I have had the pleasure to get to know. Jack has not come any closer to discovering who murdered his daughter and dog or where his wife is, and I worry he may give in to his dark thoughts. I really like this character. He has suffered the worst kind of pain imaginable and it has cost him everything. In spite of that, he doesn’t take it out on those around him who care about him. He withdraws into himself and tries to stay busy taking long walks in sketchy neighborhoods at God-awful hours or have the occasional booze bender.

I really enjoyed this case Jack is hired to do, which goes beyond, way beyond, the typical husband cheating, wife needs proof so she can take him to the cleaners. I found the gay bar and drag queen backdrop very interesting and a little intriguing. Jack follows his client’s husband to The Majestic Lounge where he is known as Carol. After breaking up an argument between Carol and the club owner, Jack is hired by the club owner for security detail as several patrons of the club have died and the police are ruling them all suicides.

Jack and his former partner, Ray Navarro, team up once again to investigate these deaths as the clues and evidence do not point to suicide. This story really worked all of my emotions, anticipation, surprise, amusement and sadness and I loved seeing Ray and his wife, Maria with a sizable role in this book. You really can’t ask for better friends than these people and if Jack is ever going to find his way out of his depression, I believe these people will be part of the reason for that. The author did a brilliant job researching her subject matter and environment and gives the reader a lot to consider while putting the pieces together.

My Final Verdict: I highly recommend Witness to Slaughter to readers who enjoy intense thrillers featuring characters that are complex but easy to care about and relate to. I look forward to another adventure with Jack.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of Witness to Slaughter from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Shadows in Death by J.D. Robb

Title: Shadows in Death (In Death #51)
Author: J.D. Robb
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Publication Date: September 2020
Genre: Mystery / Thriller / Urban Fantasy
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: Lt. Eve Dallas is about to walk into the shadows of her husband's dangerous past.

As it often did since he had married a cop, murder interrupted more pleasant activities. Then again, Roarke supposed, the woman lying in a pool of her own blood a few steps inside the arch in Washington Square Park had a heftier complaint.

When a night out at the theatre is interrupted by the murder of a young woman in Washington Square Park, it seems like an ordinary case for Detective Eve Dallas and her team. But when Roarke spots a shadow from his past in the crowd, Eve realizes that this case is far from business as usual.

Eve has two complex cases on her hands - the shocking murder of this wealthy young mother and tracking down the shadow before he can strike again, this time much closer to home. Eve is well used to being the hunter, but how will she cope when the tables are turned? As Eve and the team follow leads to Roarke's hometown in Ireland, the race is on to stop the shadow making his next move . . .

My Thoughts: Another wonderful installment that brings Roarke’s shadowy past into the spotlight when a case Eve catches leads her to a killer who is determined to destroy Roarke. This story takes the reader back to Ireland to visit with Roarke’s family, which is always a treat, because it really throws Eve out of her element being around a large and loving family. I have enjoyed watching her adjust and accept these people as her family as well.

I thought the villain was intriguing as well. Plain old-fashioned jealousy motivates him. He grew up with Roarke and wanted the approval and acceptance of Roarke’s father probably more than Roarke did. His need to always outshine Roarke still drives him, but he does not factor in Eve and her tenacity.

There are some very intense scenes that Eve struggles with and her worry over the safety of those around her plays to her strengths, which I have always admired in this character. This series continues to be very character driven, with interpersonal relationships at the center of each story. I feel a connection with these characters, they are part of my family and that is crucial for a reader.

My Final Verdict: As with most of this series, there is not a lot I can say that I have not already said before. This series continues to surprise and entertain me. I anticipate the next installment with excitement, like a child coming downstairs on Christmas morning to see what Santa left.