REVIEW: I Can See You by Karen Rose

Title: I Can See You (Romantic Suspense #10)
Author: Karen Rose
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Publication Date: August 2009
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Buy The Book: Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble | Audible

Description: New York Times bestselling author Karen Rose delivers her latest pulse-pounding suspense novel, where the line between the virtual world and everyday reality blurs when it comes to murder.

Eve Wilson's face was once scarred by a vicious assault. Terrified and ashamed, she escaped to the online realm, where she could choose the face she allowed people to see. Years later, her outer scars faded and inner scars buried, Eve has fought her way back to the real world and is determined to help others do the same. Now a graduate student moonlighting as a bartender, Eve researches the addictive powers of online communities. When her test subjects begin turning up dead as a result of apparent suicides, she doesn't know where to turn.

Homicide detective Noah Webster is one of the few people who believe the victims are connected murders. Eve becomes Noah's online guide and realizes that the handsome detective may have secret scars as painful as her own. As Eve and Noah chase a killer who is always one step ahead of them, together they try to overcome the tragedies of their pasts and learn to trust again, but they soon discover that danger is much closer than they think.

My Thoughts: A very good story in a good series where the characters are easy to relate to and empathize with. The author does an excellent job of developing the characters throughout the series in way that keeps them fresh and the stories interesting. This story features Eve who has been in this series from the beginning. I really liked this character. She has been through Hell, nearly dying at the hands of a deranged psychopath in Don’t Tell and recovering with her scars on the inside and the outside in Nothing To Fear. Now it’s time for Eve to get her happily ever after, but not without some tense and anxiety ridden moments.

As part of her graduate studies, Eve is participating in a research project of the online gaming communities. It made me think of The Sims but in this story the world that Eve is researching is dark and evil lurks in the shadows waiting to strike. Eve’s test subjects begin turning up dead and Eve reaches out to homicide detective Noah Webster for help. He believes that the murders are connected and jumps right in to help Eve, especially when the killer’s sights become locked on her.

I really loved Noah and thought he and Eve are perfect for one another. They both carry traumatic and painful emotional baggage, but are able to connect with one another in spite of it. They are so in tune with one another and slowly they let their guard down and learn how to trust and eventually love again. With Eve and Noah, the author has created two characters that have overcome so many obstacles in their life and it has made them wary and on edge, not willing to open themselves up to most anyone. When they get together, it’s like a deep sigh of relief. You know the kind where you sink down into a bubble bath and feel all the trials and burdens of the day just lift away and peace and serenity settle in.

The story moves at a fantastic pace. Ms. Rose is exceptional at keeping the reader interested and entertained without giving everything away in the first few chapters. She keeps me guessing but I never feel frustrated because the story is so riveting, it really doesn’t matter who the bad guy is as all will be revealed and the conclusion will be satisfying for all.

My Final Verdict: Fans of thrillers and suspense stories will enjoy this offering for the gritty and tense moments as well as fans of romance stories for the happy ending.

REVIEW: Faking It by Leah Marie Brown

Title: Faking It (It Girls #1)
Author: Leah Marie Brown
Publisher: Lyrical Press
Publication Date: May 2015
Genre: Chick-Lit / Women’s Fiction
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN

Description: Haven't you ever told a little lie in the name of love?

Vivia Grant couldn’t be happier. She has her dream job and is about to marry her dream man. Does it really matter that she’s led him to believe she’s a virgin? After all, being in love makes every experience feel like the first time anyway! But an unexpected encounter with an ex-lover is about to expose her embarrassing lie…

When Vivia’s fiancé discovers the truth, he ends their engagement—via text—and uses his connections to get her fired. Unemployed and heartbroken, Vivia begins planning her new future—as a homeless spinster. But her best friend has a better idea. They’ll skip the Ben & Jerry’s binge and go on Vivia’s honeymoon instead. Two weeks cycling through Provence and Tuscany, with Luc de Caumont, a sexy French bike guide. Too bad Vivia’s not a big fan of biking. And she’s abysmal at languages. Will she fib her way through the adventure, or finally learn to love herself—and Luc—flaws and all?

My Thoughts: Faking It by new to me author Leah Marie Brown is a very enjoyable story and the first book in a series. Vivia Perpetua Grant (Holy Mother of God, what is the matter with her Mother to name her that???) has always felt she doesn’t measure up to the ideal expectations of who she should be. She was named after a long-dead saint and as such, should live a life of purity and chastity, or so her Mother thinks. The first problem with that is Vivia enjoys sex; a lot. Though she is far from being a tart, she has been around the block several times. The second problem with that is Vivia feels enormous guilt for her colorful sexual past. The third problem is she has lied to her fiancé and led him to believe she is a virgin. I’m assuming was is the operative word here because I have a hard time believing she has been with Nathan for any length of time and they never slept together. Yeah, I know; semantics.

Unfortunately for Vivia, whether she and Nathan have been physically intimate or not, she allows Nathan to believe he was her first and mere days before their wedding, Vivia runs into a one-night stand from college. Not a big deal, I know, but thanks to his big-mouth friend, all of Vivia’s secrets are exposed. Of course, Nathan doesn’t take it well and ends their engagement, via text! And to add insult to injury, he has her fired! Good job, Nathan, you have won Knob of the Year award.

Vivia’s best friend, Fanny, decides they will go on Vivia’s honeymoon and like the Travelocity Gnome, document all the adventures Vivia’s engagement ring is having in France. What follows is a grand adventure, bicycling through Provence and Tuscany with a really hot Frenchman as their guide.

Any woman having the rug ripped out from under her by love can relate to Vivia. Yes, she shouldn’t have lied, but I had a huge problem with the way Nathan reacted, especially with having her fired. I found that petty and vindictive and for that, I am praying for bowling ball sized kidney stones for that creep. I also had a slight problem with how quickly Vivia moves on to Jean Luc. Rebound romances rarely work and for some make things worse. I was disappointed that Vivia didn’t take more time for herself. Figure out who she is and be OK with that so that she never again has to be someone she isn’t. I mean, that ALWAYS works out, doesn’t it? Vivia hates bicycling so she reverts to old patterns and isn’t truthful about that either. Honestly, it’s her honeymoon, though Nathan the Knob, picked it out, and she should be allowed to honeymoon the way she wants. Her need to be accepted and not disappoint anyone pushes her to do some pretty bizarre things.

Overall, this story ends on a high note and Vivia comes out on top, but there are loose ends that the epilogue didn’t answer for me. I will have to look for the second book in this story to find out what happens between the last chapter and the epilogue. I really liked Fanny and there’s a book for her too in this series.

My Final Verdict: I recommend this very entertaining story to every woman who has been let down by love or who is trying to be someone she isn’t because she doesn’t think she is good enough. Fans of interesting storylines taking place in amazing locales with strong characters will also enjoy this story.

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

REVIEW: The Defense by Steve Cavanagh

Title: The Defense (Eddie Flynn #1)
Author: Steve Cavanagh
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Publication Date: May 2016
Genre: Thriller / Suspense
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: The truth has no place in a courtroom. The truth doesn't matter in a trial.

The only thing that matters is what the prosecution can prove.

Eddie Flynn used to be a con artist. Then he became a lawyer. Turned out the two weren't that different.

It's been over a year since Eddie vowed never to set foot in a courtroom again. But now he doesn't have a choice. Olek Volchek, the infamous head of the Russian mafia in New York, has strapped a bomb to Eddie's back and kidnapped his ten-year-old daughter Amy.

Eddie only has 48 hours to defend Volchek in an impossible murder trial—and win—if wants to save his daughter.

Under the scrutiny of the media and the FBI, Eddie must use his razor-sharp wit and every con-artist trick in the book to defend his 'client' and ensure Amy's safety. With the timer on his back ticking away, can Eddie convince the jury of the impossible?

Lose this case and he loses everything.

My Thoughts: I may have never known about this book or this author if it hadn’t popped up on my audible recommends list. It was riveting as an audiobook and kept me on the edge of my seat, tension high, nails bitten down to the knuckles. If you enjoy audiobooks, I highly recommend this format for this story.

Eddie Flynn was a con artist who then became a lawyer. I know for some people there isn’t much difference between the two professions. Over a year ago, Eddie walked away from it all after he learned the truth is irrelevant in the courtroom.

Unfortunately for Eddie, he gets caught up with some very bad, very sinister people in the Russian mob. Their leader, Olek Volcheck is going on trial for murder and Olek wants Eddie to defend him and win an acquittal. Eddie wants to say no but they have a bomb strapped to his back and they have kidnapped Eddie’s ten-year-old daughter, Amy. If Eddie refuses or loses, both Eddie and his daughter will die.

Eddie is caught in a macabre cat and mouse game where he has to stay several steps ahead of the Feds who seem to suspect something is going to on and convince the mob he is doing his best to defend Volchek before someone with an itchy finger presses the detonator.

This story was very intense and it was difficult to set it aside to accomplish everyday real life tasks. The story moves at a very fast pace but kept me engaged. I felt great empathy and sympathy for Eddie and was very vocal in encouraging him to hurry up, don’t open the door, sit down, etc., as Eddie takes massive risks to convince everyone he is just defending his client. Eddie is between a rock and a hard place and has no idea who he can trust.

My Final Verdict: Fans of legal thrillers and suspense stories will really enjoy this series. There are 5 books and one novella. Eddie is a very intriguing and likable character that draws quite a bit of empathy and support from the reader. I found myself completely bewildered how he would manage to survive this ordeal, much less acquire an acquittal from the jury. Obviously, with 5 books in the series, we know Eddie is victorious, but you will be amazed at how it goes down. I am forever grateful to Audible for knowing me so well and recommending a winner.

REVIEW: Only When It's Love by Olivia Spring

Title: Only When It’s Love
Author: Olivia Spring
Publisher: Hartley Publishing
Publication Date: February 2019
Genre: Chick-Lit / Women’s Fiction
Buy The Book: Amazon

Description: Alex’s love life is a disaster. Will accepting a crazy seven-step dating challenge lead to more heartbreak or help her find Mr. Right?

Alex is tired of getting ghosted. After years of disastrous hook-ups and relationships that lead to the bedroom but nowhere else, Alex is convinced she’s destined to be eternally single. Then her newly married friend Stacey recommends what worked for her: a self-help book that guarantees Alex will find true love in just seven steps. Sounds simple, right?

Except Alex soon discovers that each step is more difficult than the last, and one of the rules involves dating, but not sleeping with a guy for six months. Absolutely no intimate contact whatsoever. Zero. Nada. Rien. A big challenge for Alex, who has never been one to hold back from jumping straight into the sack, hoping it will help a man fall for her.

Will any guys be willing to wait? Will Alex find her Mr. Right? And if she does, will she be strong enough to resist temptation and hold out for true love?

Join Alex on her roller coaster romantic journey as she tries to cope with the emotional and physical ups and downs of dating whilst following a lengthy list of rigid rules.

Only When It’s Love is a standalone, fun, feel-good, romantic comedy by British author Olivia Spring, about self-acceptance, determination, love and the challenge of finding the one.

My Thoughts: In today’s day and age, Alexandra is a woman most single people can relate to. Looking for and hoping to find “The One.” With a plethora of online dating sites at our finger tips, it should be easy, right? Not so, in Alex’s case. For years, she has experienced one disastrous relationship after another. Alex cannot understand why she is continuously ghosted and is convinced Mr. Right does not exist. When Alex’s married friend shares what worked for her, Alex immediately dismisses it. It’s crazy and will never work. There is NO WAY Alex can go six-months without sleeping with someone she is dating. This self-help book guarantees Alex will find true love if she follows the steps and the six-month abstinence is one of them.

First of all, I was just as skeptical as Alex. I had serious doubts she would find anyone willing to go that long with zero intimate contact. No heavy kissing, petting or any of that other stuff. None of it. Hearken ye back to the 19th century, people, where a chaperone was present when a gentleman was courting a lady. I even asked my husband if he would have waited six months when we started dating. He’s still laughing. My first thought was, “OK, she finds a guy willing to wait and six months later, they become intimate, and it’s complete CRAP! Now what?” That’s six months our Alex will never get back. But, here’s the thing. What does Alex have to lose? If it doesn’t work, she hasn’t lost anything; not really. She’s already wasted loads of time on guys who are ghosting her, so she decides to go for it.

I really enjoyed tagging along with Alex as she embarks on her challenge. Some of the characters she meets, THANK YOU GOD, don’t last beyond that first meet and greet. I won’t go into detail about who she ends up with because that was the best part, so you are going to have to read this book. I adored Alex and related to her and her situation completely. Dating is a precarious precipice and whether you are male or female, the ups and downs can be quite the roller-coaster ride.

My Final Verdict: This witty rom-com will resonate with fans of chick-lit and women’s fiction. Interesting characters and a highly entertaining story will draw the reader in and provide several hours of enjoyment.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of Only When It’s Love from the author in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: The Heist by Janet Evanovich & Lee Goldberg

Title: The Heist (Fox and O’Hare #1)
Author: Janet Evanovich
Publisher: Bantam
Publication Date: June 2013
Genre: Mystery / Contemporary Romance
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: From Janet Evanovich, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Stephanie Plum novels, and Lee Goldberg, bestselling author and television writer for Monk, comes the first adventure in an electrifying new series featuring an FBI agent who always gets her man, and a fearless con artist who lives for the chase.

FBI Special Agent Kate O’Hare is known for her fierce dedication and discipline on the job, chasing down the world’s most wanted criminals and putting them behind bars. Her boss thinks she is tenacious and ambitious; her friends think she is tough, stubborn, and maybe even a bit obsessed. And while Kate has made quite a name for herself for the past five years, the only name she’s cared about is Nicolas Fox—an international crook she wants in more ways than one.

Audacious, handsome, and dangerously charming, Nicolas Fox is a natural con man, notorious for running elaborate scams on very high-profile people. At first he did it for the money. Now he does it for the thrill. He knows that the FBI has been hot on his trail—particularly Kate O’Hare, who has been watching his every move. For Nick, there’s no greater rush than being pursued by a beautiful woman . . . even one who aims to lock him up. But just when it seems that Nicolas Fox has been captured for good, he pulls off his greatest con of all: he convinces the FBI to offer him a job, working side by side with Special Agent Kate O’Hare.

Problem is, teaming up to stop a corrupt investment banker who’s hiding on a private island in Indonesia is going to test O’Hare’s patience and Fox’s skill. Not to mention the skills of their ragtag team made up of flamboyant actors, wanted wheelmen, and Kate’s dad. High-speed chases, pirates, and Toblerone bars are all in a day’s work . . . if O’Hare and Fox don’t kill each other first.

My Thoughts: I must start this by stressing that if you go for this series thinking it will be the same wacky and zany shenanigans you have to come to expect with this author’s Stephanie Plum series, you will be disappointed. If, however, you are looking for something a little different than Stephanie Plum but features interesting characters that you would like to get to know, then this would be a good series to start.

FBI Special Agent Kate O’Hare is described as tenacious by her boss. Her sole focus is bringing down the most wanted criminals and will stop at literally nothing to bring them to justice. The few friends she has think she is a tad obsessed and I would have to agree with them for the most part though I admire her dedication to her career.

Nick Fox is your typical con-man, thief, liar, scammer, etc. He’s also very charming and gosh darn it, very likable. Kate doesn’t care about that. She wants to capture him and throw him in jail until the end of time. She almost gets her wish but just as quickly as she slaps the silver bracelets on him, the next thing she knows, Nick has worked a deal where they are partners working together to bring in much bigger fish than he.

I liked Kate and Nick. They have great chemistry and though Kate tries hard to ignore that fact, the spark practically jumps off the page. Kate is wound a little too tight and Nick is exactly the type of character to bring her back to the Kate that has forgotten how to lighten up and enjoy life.

The story-line was interesting and I quite enjoyed the precision with which Nick put together their team. It’s early days yet to decide if Nick has turned over a new leaf or is just working another con, but that mushy soft-center heart of mine is hoping that Nick can be redeemed in both the eyes of the law and in Kate’s heart.

REVIEW: Pippa's Cornish Dream by Debbie Johnson

Title: Pippa’s Cornish Dream
Author: Debbie Johnson
Publisher: Harper Impulse
Publication Date: July 2015
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN

Description: Since Pippa Harte was forced to take over her parent’s farm, she’s barely had time to shave her legs let alone make time for love. Now she’s more likely to be getting down and dirty mucking out the pigs – and avoiding those of the human male variety.

When Ben Retallick walks out of her childhood and back into her present it seems that perhaps Pippa has more time than she thought. All Poldark smolders and easy-going charm, Ben’s definitely worth whipping her wellies off for!

But Ben is a man with his own past and his own issues – and as much as she’s enjoying having him around, she’s got to get a grip. After all life isn’t always a beach … even if you are in Cornwall.

Set on the gorgeous Cornish coast at the height of summer, this is the perfect romance to take on your hols!

My Thoughts: An enjoyable story about a woman who has to carry the burden of taking over her parent’s farm and looking after her younger siblings. She has no time for anything else, especially not a romance. Even if the guy walking in the door is the guy she harbored a secret crush on in her youth.

Ben spent a lot of time at the farm in his youth and feels this would be the best place to come for a respite from his past, get some peace and quiet, work on his novel. Unfortunately, that’s not in the cards. Pippa’s younger siblings come to depend on Ben much too quickly for Pippa’s liking and she’s having a hard time trying to maintain a distance herself. Ben seems to be the answer to their prayers. Along the way, Pippa and Ben find themselves feeling much more than either expected.

I liked Pippa but found she was too stubborn when she didn’t need to be. She has shouldered so much responsibility for someone so young, but never asks for help. Whether it’s pride or fear, she keeps most people at an arm’s length. I really enjoyed it when Pippa finally lets Ben in. The author does a great job of bringing two characters together, baggage and all. Both Pippa and Ben have a lot of scars and trust issues. I enjoyed seeing these characters let their guard down and begin to trust and like one another.

My Final Verdict: I found this story engaging and the characters easy to relate to. The descriptions of the Cornish countryside added to the story and gave it more vibrancy. Fans of stories featuring characters overcoming the hardships life throws at them will enjoy this story.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of Pippa’s Cornish Dream from the author in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Secrets In Death by J.D. Robb

Title: Secrets In Death (In Death #45)
Author: J.D. Robb
Publisher: Platkus Books
Publication Date: September 2017
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: The chic Manhattan nightspot Du Vin is not the kind of place Eve Dallas would usually patronize, and it’s not the kind of bar where a lot of blood gets spilled. But that’s exactly what happens one cold February evening.

The mortally wounded woman is Larinda Mars, a self-described “social information reporter,” or as most people would call it, a professional gossip. As it turns out, she was keeping the most shocking stories quiet, for profitable use in her side business as a blackmailer. Setting her sights on rich, prominent marks, she’d find out what they most wanted to keep hidden and then bleed them dry. Now someone’s done the same to her, literally—with a knife to the brachial artery.

Eve didn’t like Larinda Mars. But she likes murder even less. To find justice for this victim, she’ll have to plunge into the dirty little secrets of all the people Larinda Mars victimized herself. But along the way, she may be exposed to some information she really didn’t want to know…

My Thoughts: Another very good installment of the In Death series where the story opens with Eve Dallas having drinks with Garnet DeWinter to work on their communication. I know, I know, that in itself is enough to take the reader out of the story, but the story opens with it so the reader has the whole rest of the book to process this anomaly. Like Eve, I’m having a hard time warming up to DeWinter. Nothing specific about this character puts me off exactly, but I just don’t feel a connection to her. Maybe I’m protective of Morris and I don’t want to see him hurt again and as he and DeWinter seem to have gotten really friendly, I’m a tad skeptical that she’s good for him. I think Eve feels the same. They have a frosty relationship, not hostile but definitely not friendly, so this story begins with an ice-breaker of sorts for Eve and Garnet, to have a drink or two, talk and get to know one another better. I got the feeling that Eve was a little relieved when the murder goes down so she can get out of that booth and get to work.

One of the biggest characteristics Eve demonstrates that I absolutely adore is her black and white approach to her cases. It doesn’t matter to her who the victim was in life, the lives they led or the kind of people they were. In death, they are all hers and she works tirelessly to bring them justice.

I found it interesting that this murder was so brazen while being subtle at the same time. Public place and to the average patron, nothing unusual about the victim stumbling as she comes out of the bathroom, but to Eve’s eagle eye, she sees death all too often not to recognize its arrival. In the blink of that eagle eye, Eve has her cop hat on, drinks forgotten and she gets to work.

My Final Verdict: Overall a solid addition to the series. I don’t expect Eve and DeWinter to become besties, but I think there’s a level of professional respect that is very slow to come to the surface. I didn’t care for Nadine at first, but now she is one of Eve’s most solid allies, so honestly with this series, absolutely anything can and will probably happen. J.D. Robb does an amazing job of surprising me so I’m looking forward to seeing where this series goes next.

REVIEW: The 9th Girl by Tami Hoag

Title: The 9th Girl (Kovac and Liska #4)
Author: Tami Hoag
Publisher: Dutton
Publication Date: June 2013
Genre: Mystery / Suspense / Thriller
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: "Kovac had seen more dead bodies than he could count: Men, women, children; victims of shootings, stabbings, strangulations, beatings; fresh corpses and bodies that had been left for days in the trunks of cars in the dead of summer. But he had never seen anything quite like this . . . "

On a frigid New Year's Eve in Minneapolis a young woman's brutalized body falls from the trunk of a car into the path of oncoming traffic. Questions as to whether she was alive or dead when she hit the icy pavement result in her macabre nickname, Zombie Doe. Unidentified and unidentifiable, she is the ninth nameless female victim of the year, and homicide detectives Sam Kovac and Nikki Liska are charged with the task of not only finding out who Zombie Doe is, but who in her life hated her enough to destroy her. Was it personal, or could it just have been a crime of opportunity? Their greatest fear is that not only is she their ninth Jane Doe of the year, but that she may be the ninth victim of a vicious transient serial killer they have come to call Doc Holiday.

Crisscrossing America's heartland, Doc Holiday chooses his victims at random, snatching them in one city and leaving them in another, always on a holiday. If Zombie Doe is one of his, he has brought his gruesome game to a new and more terrifying level. But as Kovac and Liska begin to uncover the truth, they will find that the monsters in their ninth girl's life may have lived closer to home. And even as another young woman disappears, they have to ask the question: which is the greater evil--the devil you know or the devil you don't?

My Thoughts: The 9th Girl begins with murder when a young woman’s body falls from the trunk of a car on New Year’s Eve. Her murder is attributed to Doc Holiday, making her the ninth victim of this vicious and elusive predator. The press quickly nicknames her Zombie Doe because of questions as to whether she was still alive when she fell out of the trunk. I found that truly crass and heartless, but then I’m not a real fan of the media personally, and I find it unethical and abhorrent how they twist a story to sensationalize it for ratings, like they do in real life.

When she is identified as Penelope Gray, we also learn she was a classmate of Detective Liska’s son and that’s where it should hit home to people that this young girl’s life has been taken, along with the promise of what she could have been, what she could have done had she lived. Instead, we learn that Penelope, known as “Gray” to the people who knew her lived a troubled life. She was an unhappy person, struggling to find her place in a world that seemed to be against her. She didn’t have many friends and the people that got close enough, usually got pushed away. Suffice it to say there weren’t many people who mourned her passing.

As Kovac and Liska begin investigating, a lot of clues don’t add up to support the theory that Doc Holiday is responsible for this murder. In spite of the media’s rabid insistence that it is. One thing I enjoyed is this book gives us some first-person perspective and insight from Doc Holiday giving the reader the opportunity see how his mind works, particularly when he hears the media reports that a murder is being attributed to him. As the clues lead the reader to believe Gray’s murder was not the work of Doc Holiday, what will he do next?

I enjoy the partnership and friendship Kovac and Liska share. They work well together but I got a strong sense they are getting burnt out and this series will be coming to an end in the near future. Hopefully it ends because Kovac retires or Liska takes an assignment out of homicide so she can spend more time with her family. I really like these characters and don’t want to see anything bad happen to either one of them.

My Final Verdict: Overall, an intense nail-biter, edge-of-your-seat offering that continues the story of the serial killer introduced in The 1st Victim, but what is interesting is this book segues right into Cold Cold Heart, which is not part of the Kovac and Liska series. After reading this book, you should follow up with Cold Cold Heart to bring things full circle and get closure with Doc Holiday. This was another great thriller that I highly recommend to fans of thriller, suspense, mystery genres.

REVIEW: Six Years by Harlan Coben

Title: Six Years
Author: Harlan Coben
Publisher: Dutton
Publication Date: March 2013
Genre: Mystery / Thriller
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: Harlan Coben, the master of domestic suspense, returns with a standalone thriller in the vein of #1 bestsellers Hold Tight, Caught and Stay Close that explores the depth and passion of a lost love . . . and the secrets and lies at its heart.

Six years have passed since Jake Fisher watched Natalie, the love of his life, marry another man. Six years of hiding a broken heart by throwing himself into his career as a college professor. Six years of keeping his promise to leave Natalie alone, and six years of tortured dreams of her life with her new husband, Todd.

But six years haven’t come close to extinguishing his feelings, and when Jake comes across Todd’s obituary, he can’t keep himself away from the funeral. There he gets the glimpse of Todd’s wife he’s hoping for . . . but she is not Natalie. Whoever the mourning widow is, she’s been married to Todd for more than a decade, and with that fact everything Jake thought he knew about the best time of his life—a time he has never gotten over—is turned completely inside out.

As Jake searches for the truth, his picture-perfect memories of Natalie begin to unravel. Mutual friends of the couple either can’t be found or don’t remember Jake. No one has seen Natalie in years. Jake’s search for the woman who broke his heart—and who lied to him—soon puts his very life at risk as it dawns on him that the man he has become may be based on carefully constructed fiction.

Harlan Coben once again delivers a shocking page-turner that deftly explores the power of past love and the secrets and lies that such love can hide.

My Thoughts: With Harlan Coben, I know I am going to get a story that’s hard to put down and draws me in, trying to guess what is going to happen next. The bad news is I’m usually wrong. The good news is I’m usually wrong. Just when you think you know what’s coming next, you get thrown for a loop with a twist you never saw coming. I love that. This book doesn’t disappoint in that area, either.

First of all, Jake was a great character, very well written, very easy to relate to and quick to like. I felt for him and the heartbreak he has been living with and admired him for trying to move on with his life after the woman he has always loved married another man. He definitely goes down the rabbit hole when he sees an obituary in the paper for the man that Natalie married. Against his better judgment, he decides to go to the funeral to get a glimpse of her. Imagine his surprise and mine, when he gets to the funeral to learn that the mourning widow is not the woman he once loved!

This story takes the reader on a roller-coaster of intrigue, mystery, lies and cover-ups as Jake begins to research to find the truth, which puts Jake’s life in danger from unknown parties. I felt like Jake can’t trust anyone. He is being lied to by people he has known for years and he has nowhere to turn for help.

My Final Verdict: Readers looking for a nail-biter of a story that keeps you on the edge of your seat will devour this one. The characters are very developed and easy to relate to. Readers who want stories with characters they feel deep empathy and compassion for will lose themselves in this story worrying about Jake and cheering him on. Readers who love to immerse themselves into stories that take them out of their minds and the distractions of daily life should give this one a shot. Well done, Mr. Coben, I look forward to more from you.

REVIEW: Mid-Life Ex-Wife by Stella Grey

Title: Mid-Life Ex-Wife
Author: Stella Grey
Publisher: Harper Paperbacks
Publication Date: May 2017
Genre: Memoir / Non-Fiction
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: Nora Ephron meets Bridget Jones's Diary in Guardian columnist Stella Grey’s heartrendingly honest, witty memoir about her online odyssey to find real love in a virtual world.

Singers may croon about love being lovelier the second time around, but it can also be far more complicated. When Stella Grey’s husband leaves her for another woman, she fears she'll be unhappy and alone for the rest of her life. But daytime vodka-drinking and ice-cream are only short-term consolations. Realizing that she needs to take her future into her own hands, Stella dives into the world of online dating. What follow are 693 days of hilarious, depressing, and baffling encounters that unfold both in person and online. Stella quickly discovers that the more perfect a man appears on her screen, the warier she should be. It's a game of chance, with some players perfectly willing to lie to get what they want, whether that’s a lifetime of love or a very brief encounter.

Amid flirty emails, Skype chats, and awkward small talk over glasses of bad wine (which may or may not lead to awkward sex), Stella struggles to remain optimistic. To succeed, does she have to redefine the kind of man she’s looking for—or change the kind of woman she is? Funny, raw, and heartwarming, this book is a brutally honest account of the world of online dating—a world which so many of us are a part of, no matter our age—drawn from Stella’s hugely popular Guardian column, “Mid-life Ex-Wife” (and expanded with new material) about her search for a second chance at love.

My Thoughts: First time reading any of this author’s work and I absolutely loved it. I’m usually not drawn to non-fiction, though I do enjoy watching documentaries.

This author does a brilliant job of illustrating her experiences with on-line dating so vividly, I honestly felt like I was sitting next to her in a coffee-shop, having a chat with my friend, listening to her as she tells me about the wanker she met for drinks on Friday. It was wonderful as with each date, I was completely drawn in with sympathy, empathy, outrage on her behalf, laughter and tears.

Though this author isn’t the only one to experience the fun as well as the horrors of on-line dating, she takes it one step further and journals nearly 2 years of her experiences, offering sage and logical advice she learned the hard way. This book was a very fast read and I found it hard to put down.

My Final Verdict: Told entirely from the author’s point of view, each encounter offers a no-holds-barred honesty and some tongue-in-cheek humor that gives the reader a very enlightened impression of what finding “the one” online can be like. This book is a must-read for anyone looking for their happily ever after, especially if they are considering going on-line to find them.

REVIEW: Turbo Twenty-Three by Janet Evanovich

Title: Turbo Twenty-Three (Stephanie Plum #23)
Author: Janet Evanovich
Publisher: Bantam
Publication Date: November 2016
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: In the heart of Trenton, N.J., a killer is out to make sure someone gets his just desserts.

Larry Virgil skipped out on his latest court date after he was arrested for hijacking an eighteen-wheeler full of premium bourbon. Fortunately for bounty hunter Stephanie Plum, Larry is just stupid enough to attempt almost the exact same crime again. Only this time he flees the scene, leaving behind a freezer truck loaded with Bogart ice cream and a dead body—frozen solid and covered in chocolate and chopped pecans.

As fate would have it, Stephanie’s mentor and occasional employer, Ranger, needs her to go undercover at the Bogart factory to find out who’s putting their employees on ice and sabotaging the business. It’s going to be hard for Stephanie to keep her hands off all that ice cream, and even harder for her to keep her hands off Ranger. It’s also going to be hard to explain to Trenton’s hottest cop, Joe Morelli, why she is spending late nights with Ranger, late nights with Lula and Randy Briggs—who are naked and afraid—and late nights keeping tabs on Grandma Mazur and her new fella. Stephanie Plum has a lot on her plate, but for a girl who claims to have “virtually no marketable skills,” these are the kinds of sweet assignments she does best.

My Thoughts: Another installment of Stephanie Plum and company and this series has run its course for me in terms of story-lines and character growth and development. I don’t see much more for Stephanie in terms of career opportunities or her relationships. What keeps me coming back is the mindless fluff this series provides for me. Hours of entertainment whereby I can enjoy a laugh out loud story without worrying about the details or if the story-line remains consistently accurate to the rest of the series.

I also keep coming back for Ranger, of course. Why he keeps coming back is beyond me, but I am glad he does. He has no problem conveying to Stephanie that he wants her in his bed, but for the umpteenth time, Stephanie manages to avoid temptation. I honestly don’t know why she puts up a fight. Joe Morelli is a decent guy, but their entire relationship has become boring to me. I know he loves her, but sometimes he comes across as a little condescending when he’s interacting with her. We all know Stephanie is a hot mess and the fact that she is still alive is beyond miraculous, but if I could see Joe, I suspect he is eye rolling to the extreme and, God Forbid, patting her on the head like she’s some precocious child that we tolerate because she’s adorable. Ranger is there for her. He lets her crash at his place when it isn’t safe for her at her own, he doesn’t mind when she wears his t-shirts or uses his shower gel, and he looks out for her, literally. He has her wired with GPS in just about every place you can think of. OK, that sounds a little stalkerish and is probably illegal to track someone’s whereabouts without their permission, but come on, she needs a freaking babysitter!

I also come back for Grandma Mazur. She can always be counted on to keep Stephanie and her mother on their toes. Their problem is they underestimate her so when she does something zany, they freak out. Honestly, they should be expecting the unexpected where Grandma Mazur is concerned. At least that way, they won’t be shocked or upset when she pulls one of her stunts.

I enjoyed the addition of Randy Briggs in this installment. He is usually a reprehensible character and that hasn’t changed really, but his interaction with Lula in their quest to become movie stars was highly entertaining.

My Final Verdict: If you are deep into this series, character growth and fresh storylines are expected and should be the rule. The storyline for this installment was pretty interesting with Stephanie helping Ranger, which also helps herself. As we find out, the ice-cream business can be pretty cut-throat. Fans of the series should enjoy the interesting plot, but don’t expect anything else new in terms of any resolutions to Stephanie’s same old, same old situation.

REVIEW: Straight To Hell by Michelle Scott

Title: Straight to Hell (Lilith Straight #1)
Author: Michelle Scott
Publisher: HQ Digital
Publication Date: October 2013
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN

Description: The Devil Never Forgets a Deal

I, Lilith Straight, was the woman you always wanted to be. I was married to someone better looking than your husband; we lived in that house you always wanted. Within a year, however, all of that changed. My marriage dissolved, my house burned down, and my job hardly paid the bills. So when I was hit by a car and died, I thought my life couldn’t get any worse. Boy was I wrong.

Hell was not the place I imagined. It was worse. During my brief stay, I learned some disturbing truths about my family. Most worryingly my ancestor’s deal with the devil promising him every female descendent as a succubus.

So these were my options: Life on earth as a soul-sucking seductress. Or death and pass the succubus baton to my sweet little daughter. There was no choice. Welcome to hell on earth, Lilith. Mother, teacher, wanton she-demon.

My Thoughts: I received this book from the publisher via Net Galley and man, oh man, how fortuitous it was that I noticed this book and submitted a request to review it. Never having read anything by this author, I was not familiar with her voice or writing style, but after reading the description of this book, I couldn’t resist. Lilith Straight isn’t the type of woman I would seek out a friendship with. She even puts it quite eloquently, herself. She’s the woman the rest of us want to be. From the better looking husband and amazing home and money out the wazoo, the rest of us peasants can only stand on the sidelines and dream of that kind of life. But then everything changes for Lilith. She loses it all. Husband, house and money all go bye-bye. Can it get any worse? Lilith finds out first hand just how worse it can and does get. Lilith gets hit by a car and dies; oh and then she wakes up in Hell. Still not that bad, you say? Lilith finds out her ancestor made a deal with the Devil and her soul, along with the souls of every female descendant are in service to Hell as a Succubus. The fine print puts Lilith between a rock and a hard place when she learns that if she refuses her assignment, then her young daughter is up next.

This book was a lot of fun. Though Lilith is dealt a very bad hand, she tries to make the best of it, trying to find some balance between her succubus duties and her Mom duties, all while keeping it a secret from her friends and family. Throw in a sexy incubus that Lilith spends a lot of time with and a demon or two, Lilith has her hands full. In case you are wondering how demons shop, this book will show you and trust me, they don’t hit the racks at Ross or Nordstrom!

My Final Verdict: This book was highly entertaining. The plot flowed smoothly and the characters were interesting and easy to relate to. I liked Lilith immediately and couldn’t wait to see what she would do next. She struggles with authority and it will be interesting to find out what is in store for Lilith next.

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

REVIEW: Ghost Shadow by Heather Graham

Title: Ghost Shadow (Bone Island, #1)
Author: Heather Graham
Publisher: Mira
Publication Date: June 2010
Genre: Mystery / Romantic Suspense
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: There are those who walk among us who are no longer alive, but not yet crossed over. They seek retribution…vengeance…to warn. Among the living, few intuit their presence.

Katie O'Hara is one who can.

As she’s drawn deeper and deeper into a gruesome years-old murder, whispered warnings from a spectral friend become more and more insistent. But Katie must uncover the truth: could David Beckett really be guilty of his fiancée’s murder?

Worse – the body count’s rising on the Island of Bones, and the dead seem to be reenacting some macabre tableaux from history. The danger is increasing by the moment – especially as Katie finds herself irresistibly drawn to David, who may be responsible for more than just one killing….

My Thoughts: Not a bad story, overall, though the mystery felt contrived. I liked Katie and David and I'm hoping the rest of the books in this series are better.

What kept me engaged in this book and what will bring me back to this series is Bartholomew, the ghost. I found him to be the most engaging character in the story and the poor man has been dead a few hundred years! He was witty and charming and sometimes hilarious while being pompous and arrogant. I really liked how he has Katie's back, even though from Katie's point of view, it's an annoyance. I'm not quite ready for him to go into the light, but I feel bad for what he endured while he was alive and am rooting for him to get his reward and eternal peace.

REVIEW: Skinny Me by Charlene Carr

Title: Skinny Me (A New Start, #1)
Author: Charlene Carr
Publisher: Charlene Carr
Publication Date: September 2014
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN

Description: Whirling from a life that's crumbling around her, Jennifer Carpenter devotes herself to the one thing she can control: becoming the ideal version of herself—a thinner version—no matter the cost.

She isn't always nice. She isn't always likable, but she's honest.

Skinny Me is an in-depth look at the complicated layers of insecurity and depression that can stem from seeking self-worth and beauty in the numbers on a scale.

This novel is beautiful, harsh, and truthful in its characterization of a woman who is flawed, yet inspirational.

My Thoughts: I ended up liking this story overall, but I have to be honest here and say, it was a real struggle to like it, much less finish it. I never warmed to the main character, Jennifer Carpenter, because in a story that features a woman who is down on her luck in all areas of her life should harvest feelings of empathy and compassion from the reader, I felt contempt. Why, you may be asking? The reason is because this character is not a nice person. She’s hostile and rude to everyone around her, even the people that truly care about her. She’s a downer to be around. She is insecure about her weight and though that is a big problem for most of us, it doesn’t give her the right to be hateful. A lot of us struggle with weight and seeking our self-worth from the scale or mirror but being nasty and rude to people isn’t acceptable. So, no, I didn’t like her.

The main reason I stuck with this story is because I was curious to see if her journey to lose weight would also lead her on a journey of self-discovery to work on what’s wrong on the inside and not just the outside. I did begin to empathize with her feelings of self-loathing and disappointment when she wasn’t seeing the results she wanted to and I admired her determination to stick with it.

My Final Verdict: Unfortunately, I wish I could say I was cheering Jennifer on until the finish line and she completely redeemed herself by the end of the book. Instead, I will say, she is headed in the right direction but has a long way to go. The best thing I took away from this book is that becoming the best version of yourself is always a work in progress. The journey is mostly up-hill and you will stumble and fall a lot, but the key is to never give up.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of Skinny Me from the author in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Echoes In Death by J.D. Robb

Title: Echoes In Death (In Death #44)
Author: J.D. Robb
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Publication Date: February 2017
Genre: Mystery / Urban Fantasy
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: After a party in New York, Lieutenant Eve Dallas rides home with her billionaire husband, Roarke, happy to be done with cocktails and small talk.

After another party, not far away, a woman retires to her bedroom with her husband—and walks into a brutal nightmare.

Their paths are about to collide…

When the young woman—dazed, naked, and bloody—wanders in front of their car, Roarke slams on the brakes just in time, and Eve, still in glittering gown and heels, springs into action. It’s been a long night for the tired homicide cop, and it’s far from over.

Daphne Strazza is rushed to the ER, but it’s too late for Dr. Anthony Strazza. A brilliant orthopedic surgeon, he now lies dead amid the wreckage of his obsessively organized town house, his three safes opened and emptied. Daphne would be a valuable witness, but in her terror and shock the only description of the perp she can offer is repeatedly calling him “the devil” . . .

While it emerges that Dr. Strazza was cold, controlling, and widely disliked—and that he treated Daphne like a trophy wife—this is one case where the evidence doesn’t point to the spouse as the first suspect. So Eve and her team must get started on the legwork, interviewing everyone from dinner-party guests to professional colleagues to caterers, in a desperate race to answer some crucial questions:

What does the devil look like? And where will he show up next?

My Thoughts: Once again J.D. Robb delivers another edge of the seat nail-biter story when Eve Dallas’s next case jumps in front of her, literally. This story has some disturbing content with the crimes committed, but once I got through that and just focused on Eve’s brilliant powers of deduction and the interaction between her and the Scooby gang, I found the story intriguing. I had a hard time figuring out the who and the why, but that’s OK. Eve and the crew do a much better job than I could.

Peabody can be annoying and a little over the top and sometimes she makes Eve’s eyes roll back into her head so hard, the reader feels it, but their relationship dynamic is wonderful to witness. They play off one another perfectly and sometimes Peabody will say something that renders even Dallas speechless. Peabody can be such a girl sometimes, but she has come so far in this series and after forty-four books of blood, mayhem and death, she’s owed a little leniency.

Roarke is brilliant as the civilian consultant we have come to know and love. I especially love his devotion and dedication to his cop and how he will rearrange the universe to make Eve his top priority. His care and concern for Eve is not something she was used to ever receiving from anyone, but after a few year of marriage, she is slowly adjusting and letting Roarke take care of her, which is also wonderful to witness.

Eve shows the same concern and devotion to her victims. It doesn’t matter who they were in life, saint or demon. In death, they are hers and she will fight for them, bring them justice, no matter the cost. Eve will give up her blood, sweat and tears to make it happen and that is what brings me back to this series over and over.

My Final Verdict: Though I have loved books in this series more than others, as a whole, this is a series I cannot get enough of. I highly recommend this series to fans of mysteries, suspense, police-procedurals and yes, even romance. Readers who love stories that draw them in and keep them plugged in with characters that really resonate and stories that keep the reader guessing will never be disappointed with this series.

REVIEW: The Curvy Girls Baby Club by Michele Gorman

Title: The Curvy Girls Baby Club (The Curvy Girls Club #2)
Author: Michele Gorman
Publisher: Notting Hill Press
Publication Date: August 2015
Genre: Chick-Lit
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN

Description: As the co-founders of The Curvy Girls Club, where loving yourself is the only rule, can these friends practice what they preach?

Ellie is fresh back from her honeymoon and can’t wait to share her news with her best friends Katie and Jane. She's going to have a baby on Christmas day! To everyone’s surprise, mother-of-two, Jane, has news of her own… The women will be due a day apart, and Katie can’t wait to be an honorary aunt to the babies.

But as the months go on, everyone is finding it hard to keep their sense of humor, not to mention their self-esteem, in the face of swollen feet and pregnancy pants. Add a clingy mother-in-law, a career in cardiac arrest and a sex life that's making Mother Theresa look lusty, and soon the women's lives are as out of control as their bodies.

My Thoughts: One of my favorite go-to authors when I want a story with characters the reader can really relate to and a story the reader can completely immerse themselves in.

I really enjoyed the premise of these best friends who all fall pregnant at the same time. The ups and downs, the morning sickness, the swelling ankles, the expanding waistline, the food cravings, the emotional roller-coasters, meddling in-laws, unsympathetic bosses, the list goes on and on. Through it all Ellie, Katie and Jane have each other to support one another, celebrate the ups and sympathize with the downs.

This is a sequel to The Curvy Girls Club so I recommend reading that one first to get to know Ellie, Katie and Jane a little bit beforehand.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of The Curvy Girls Baby Club from the author in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Troubled Spirits by Elizabeth Delisi

Title: Troubled Spirits
Author: Elizabeth Delisi
Publisher: Amber Quill Press, LLC
Publication Date: August 2015
Genre: Urban Fantasy

Description: When widow Laura St. Clair loses her eight-year-old son to a rare disease, she’s lost everything and has no desire to live without him. Desperate, she tries to reach the spirit of her son with a Ouija board she finds in his room amongst his favorite toys.

Laura is stunned when she actually makes contact with something. But what is it...a friendly spirit, or an evil one? Can the mysterious entity truly bring her news of her son? And if so, what will it expect from her in return?

My Thoughts: This book wasn’t what I was expecting. I was expecting a romance, but there really isn’t one. The main character is grieving the loss of her little boy when she discovers a Ouija board in her son’s room. For obvious reasons, I would have run from the room after smashing the thing to smithereens, but Laura doesn’t. Instead, she starts using it and very quickly makes contact with someone. The problem is Laura has no idea if the soul she is communicating with is benevolent or malevolent. If it were me, we would never find out because no good has come from messing around with items of supernatural power. Go watch The Exorcist, Jumanji, Hocus Pocus or The Mummy. Fortunately for Laura, what she discovers changes her life completely.

My Final Verdict: This was a short and very quick read and I found the story to be OK. The story held my interest and I liked the characters, though I had major concerns about Laura playing with a Ouija board.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of Troubled Spirits from the author in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Practical Passion by Elizabeth Delisi

Title: Practical Passion
Author: Elizabeth Delisi
Publisher: Tirgearr Publishing
Publication Date: April 2016
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN

Description: Julie Preston worked hard raising her younger sister, Emily, after their parents died, and creating a career. She gave up simple pleasures like love and relationships. So when a friend drags her to a singles bar, Julie’s ready for anything. She meets a gorgeous guy and they spend several passionate hours together. There’s real chemistry there, but Julie regretfully sticks to her promise: a one-night stand, no strings.

When Julie hires a tutor to help Emily pass English, she’s shocked to find Douglas Dean is the man from the bar. Seeing him in her house makes it hard to keep her hands off him, but he isn’t looking for a long-term relationship since he’s a singles bar patron. Right?

How many miles can Julie jog before she gives in and jumps him?

My Thoughts: Short story about a woman who learns that having responsibilities and working hard doesn’t mean you can’t have a life and find a little something for yourself along the way.

Julie Preston doesn’t know what it’s like to have a life, to pursue her dreams or to love and be loved in return. All of that changed when Julie’s parents died and she stepped in as guardian for her younger sister, Emily. Over the years, Julie’s primary focus has been building a career to support herself and Emily. Julie finally agrees to go out with a friend to a singles bar and even agrees that a one-night stand with no strings would be a good respite from her current day to day routine. At the bar, she meets a man who stirs up feelings she didn’t think she would feel. They have a passionate night, but Julie sticks to her guns that it will only be one night.

When Julie hires a tutor to help Emily, I was NOT shocked, though Julie is, the tutor, Douglas Dean, is the man from the bar. If you are going to have a one-night stand with a stranger, Doug is the kind of guy every woman should be lucky enough to find. A man who is attractive, smart, attentive and kind, Doug is exactly the kind of man Julie needs in her life. Now here is where I had an issue with the story. Julie fights her attraction and feelings for Doug, thinks if she takes off jogging every time he comes over, she will somehow purge those feelings from her. Yeah, right… Julie also decides that since she met Doug in a bar and they had a one-night stand, he can’t possibly be looking for a long-term relationship. Who cares, Julie? Up until you met Doug, YOU weren’t looking for a long-term relationship! You weren’t looking for ANY term relationship! Luckily for Julie, Doug has a plan and isn’t a quitter and Emily, isn’t a baby and thinks its way past time for Julie to have a life.

My Final Verdict: Despite Julie almost ruining this book for me, Emily and Doug save the day and Julie gets her happily ever after. I don’t like “big misunderstanding” plot devices that drag a story into boring blah blah blah and though it appeared that this was going to happen, thankfully, it didn’t. I recommend this story to fans of contemporary romance who enjoy seeing good people get their happily ever after, no drama and no long-suffering Wuthering Heights tragedy.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of Practical Passion from the author in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: The 1st Victim by Tami Hoag

Title: The 1st Victim (Kovac and Liska #3.5)
Author: Tami Hoag
Publisher: Dutton
Publication Date: May 2013
Genre: Mystery / Thriller
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: Sam Kovac and Nikki Liska return to investigate the death of a Jane Doe in New York Times bestseller Tami Hoag’s short story The 1st Victim.

New Year’s Day is a time for new beginnings, but Minneapolis homicide detectives Sam Kovac and Nikki Liska are focused on endings: specifically, the tragic end of their latest murder victim, an unidentified young woman discovered on the side of the freeway. Believed to be the victim of a serial killer, Kovac and Liska are determined to do the girl the small justice of returning her body to her family as they investigate her case, but it is no simple task matching the broken corpse to any of the scores of missing persons reports, especially when no one seems to be looking for her.

Meanwhile, recent widow Jeannie Reiser is frantic when she is unable to get in touch with her daughter, Rose, who, as an eighteen-year-old, is a legal adult rather than a missing child in the eyes of the law. Jeannie’s desperate attempts to get the police to believe her child is in trouble lead her closer and closer to the New Year’s Doe and to an evil even Sam Kovac and Nikki Liska may be unable to stop.

My Thoughts: The 1st Victim is a short story that introduces us to Doc Holiday, the serial killer who we get to know better in The 9th Girl and whose actions are a direct catalyst for Cold, Cold Heart.

As with most short stories, there isn’t a lot of time spent fleshing out or otherwise developing the characters and I normally don’t read short stories for that reason. But when they are part of a series, they are more a filler story, bridging a gap between books where the character development really happens. With some series, it’s a treat for the readers; a fix to get them through their DT’s of waiting for the next book.

I can’t say I loved this story but I did enjoy it and spending time with Nicki and Sam are always a treat. This story was more of a preview, of sorts, of what is coming down the road for Nicki and Sam. As homicide detectives, they have seen their share of the heinous and horrendous. They work perfectly as a team, always there for one another and having each other’s back. Their partnership is the kind we should all strive to have with our workmates. Tami Hoag does a brilliant job of creating characters that readers easily connect to and empathize with. Even the characters that the readers do not like are able to grab the attention of the reader, keeping them engaged throughout the story.

Unfortunately there are no happy endings or justice for the victim’s family in this book. The killer is just getting started and his reign of terror is far from over. I recommend this book to readers of mysteries, thrillers and police procedurals. The suspense isn’t as nail-biting as the author’s earlier books, but this is a short story and a good segue into the next book.

REVIEW: Hello From The Gillespies by Monica McInerney

Title: Hello From the Gillespies
Author: Monica McInerney
Publisher: NAL Trade
Publication Date: November, 2014
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Buy The Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: For the past thirty-three years, Angela Gillespie has sent to friends and family around the world an end-of-the-year letter titled “Hello from the Gillespies.” It’s always been cheery and full of good news. This year, Angela surprises herself—she tells the truth....

The Gillespies are far from the perfect family that Angela has made them out to be. Her husband is coping badly with retirement. Her thirty-two-year-old twins are having career meltdowns. Her third daughter, badly in debt, can’t stop crying. And her ten-year-old son spends more time talking to his imaginary friend than to real ones.

Without Angela, the family would fall apart. But when a bump on the head leaves Angela with temporary amnesia, the Gillespies pull together—and pull themselves together—in wonderfully surprising ways....

My Thoughts: Ah, yes the annual Christmas letter that we have all sent and/or received. Filled with news of how lovely our year has been, focusing and, often, exaggerating on the positive bits. For the past thirty-three years, Angela Gillespie has done just that. Until this year, after a conversation with her best friend, Joan, Angela unloads her thoughts and feelings about her family, marriage, life, everything into this letter. The good, the bad, and the ugly all go in, like an episode of Jerry Springer. Angela has no intention of sending it, but it feels so good to get it off her chest. In a way, it’s therapeutic. Without judgment, Angela can vent her fears and frustrations. Angela doesn’t count on her son having an accident and rushing him to the hospital, where she forgets about the letter sitting on her computer. Her husband, trying to be helpful and thinking he is doing a good thing, clicks send for her and Angela’s moment of truth goes out to over 150 recipients.

What ensues is a story of a family trying to come to terms with what has been revealed about them and the fallout they fear will happen as a result. It’s also a story about forgiveness and healing, making mistakes and being human and living life the best way we can with what we know and how we feel.

I really enjoyed this story. Ms. McInerney writes a story that flows smoothly with characters that are vibrant in their different personalities and lives. I was very curious for what would happen next and hoping for a happily ever after for all of them. Every single member of this family experiences a loss and I enjoyed how they each overcome it and grow from it.

My Final Verdict: I highly recommend this book to readers who like stories of imperfect people living their best lives, the best they can, holding on to love and hope.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of Hello From the Gillespies from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.