Happy August!
I’m keeping my reading goals low for August. I do have some ARCs to read, but that’s it. August should be a busy month. With school starting back up and our schedules changing, I’m not sure how much reading I’ll get done.
• Invisible Girl by Lisa Jewell
• Until I Find You by Rea Frey
• Three Perfect Liars by Heidi Perks
• The Day I Disappeared by Brandi Reeds
• Checked Out for Murder by Allison Brook
• Murder in the Bayou Boneyard by Ellen Byron
1. The End of Her by Shari Lapena
2. The Night Swim by Megan Goldin
3. If I Die Tonight by Alison Gaylin
4. All is Not Forgotten by Wendy Walker
5. The Wife Who Knew Too Much by Michele Campbell
JULY BOOKS READ
· print – 8
· digital – 13
· audio – 3
YEARLY READING CHALLENGES
· Genre Bingo – 25/25 – completed in June
· Popsugar – 47/50
BOOK REVIEWS
· The Dilemma by B.A. Paris
· The Request by David Bell
· The Girls Weekend by Jody Gehrman
· A Perfect Day by Sarah S. Brannen
· Hurry Home by Roz Nay
· Blacktop Wasteland by S.A. Cosby
· Zero’s Journey Book 4 by D.J. Milky
· The Vacation by T.M. Logan
· Handbook for Homicide by Lorna Barrett
· He Started It by Samantha Downing
· His & Hers by Alice Feeney
· After Squidnight by Jonathan E. Fenske
· Book Review: The End of Her by Shari Lapena
· The Wife Who Knew Too Much by Michele Campbell
WEEKLY WRAP-UPS
· Weekly Wrap-Up (Jul 3)
· Weekly Wrap-Up (Jul 10)
· Weekly Wrap-Up (Jul 17)
· Weekly Wrap-Up (Jul 24)
BOOKISH UPDATES
· July 2020 TBR
· Netgally & Edelweiss Shelves (July 2020)
· July 2020 Wrap-Up
Thanks for stopping by Nightcap Books. Happy Reading!
Title: The Wife Who Knew Too Much
Author: Michele Campbell
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Publish Date: July 28, 2020
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Series: na
My Rating: 4/5
From Michele Campbell, the bestselling author of It’s Always the Husband comes a new blockbuster thriller in The Wife Who Knew Too Much.
Meet the first Mrs. Ford
Beautiful. Accomplished.
Wealthy beyond imagination.
Married to a much younger man.
And now, she’s dead.
Meet the second Mrs. Ford.
Waitress. Small-town girl.
Married to a man she never forgot,
From a summer romance ten years before.
And now, she’s wealthy beyond imagination.
Who is Connor Ford?
Two women loved him. And knew him as only wives can know.
Set amongst the glittering mansions of the Hamptons,
The Wife Who Knew Too Much is a decadent summer thriller about the lives of those who will do anything for love and money. Who is the victim? Who is the villain? And who will be next to die?
Tabitha fell in love with Connor when she was a teenager. Their relationship only lasted one summer, but she has never felt the same way about any other man. When Connor walks back into her life, she can’t believe it. He’s married now though… to an extremely wealthy woman, who also happens to be twenty years older than him. Soon after they reconnect, Connor’s wife dies. It seems Tabitha and Connor can finally be together. Then suspicions about the first wife’s death have Tabitha questioning how well she knows her new husband, and everyone else questioning Tabitha.
The novel opens with an entry from the first wife’s diary. Otherwise, the story is told from Tabitha’s point of view. Tabitha is often naive and blinded by love. I like a strong female protagonist, so I wasn’t loving Tabitha. Later in the novel, she does show some growth and I started liking her more. The story was gripping, dramatic, and fun. A dose of romance, plenty of betrayal, and a murder mystery.
I read this in one sitting, which I hadn’t planned to do. So, that’s a sign that I definitely enjoyed it. Dark, twisty, and entertaining.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Title: The End of Her
Author: Shari Lapena
Publisher: Pamela Dorman Books
Publish Date: July 28, 2020
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Series: na
My Rating: 5/5
The new domestic suspense novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Couple Next Door and Someone We Know
A long-ago accident–and a vistor from out of the blue. . .
Stephanie and Patrick are adjusting to life with their colicky twin girls. The babies are a handful, but even as Stephanie struggles with the disorientation of sleep deprivation, there’s one thing she’s sure of: she has all she ever wanted.
Then Erica, a woman from Patrick’s past, appears and makes a disturbing accusation. Patrick had always said his first wife’s death was an accident, but now Erica claims it was murder.
Patrick insists he’s innocent, that this is nothing but a blackmail attempt. Still, Erica knows things about Patrick–things that make Stephanie begin to question her husband. Stephanie isn’t sure what, or who, to believe. As Stephanie’s trust in Patrick begins to falter, Patrick stands to lose everything. Is Patrick telling the truth–is Erica the persuasive liar Patrick says she is? Or has Stephanie made a terrible mistake?
How will it end?
Stephanie and Patrick are a married couple struggling with being new parents. A woman from Patrick’s past appears, and starts raising questions about the death of Patrick’s first wife. Patrick fears the questioning will raise doubts about him and destroy his family and his career. Stephanie believes Patrick when he says it was an accidental death, but she starts to suspect there is more to the story.
Told using multiple points of view. There are a lot of characters, but the main characters are Stephanie, Patrick, and Erica. Erica is the woman from Patrick’s past. She says he killed his first wife. Patrick says it was a tragic accident. Stephanie believes her husband. In addition to these characters, there are several other characters and subplots. These include Niall (Patrick’s business partner), Nancy (Niall’s wife), Hanna (Stephanie and Patrick’s neighbor), and Cheryl (mother of Devin). There are connections between the different people and events, but some things could have been left out. With so much going on, it did seem a little chaotic at times.
A gripping domestic suspense with secrets, betrayals, and unlikable characters. Fast and fun read with plenty of twists.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
Title: After Squidnight
Author: Jonathan E Fenske
Illustrator: Jonathan E Fenske
Publisher: Penguin Workshop
Publish Date: July 28, 2020
Genre: Childrens – Picture Book
Series: na
My Rating: 4/5
From the creator of the award-winning A Pig, a Fox, and a Box comes a sly, silly picture book about artistic squids that will get every reader giggling!
Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor-winning author and illustrator Jonathan Fenske’s appealing illustration style and clever text make this intriguing book a must-have for every young reader’s shelf.
When the clock strikes midnight, a squad of squids creeps out of the ocean–and over to your house! Their mission? To leave their inky mark by drawing on walls, the floor, and even your toys. This rhyming tale showcases a crew of creative creatures as they make art (or maybe just a mess) and leave you to deal with the consequences!
While people are sleeping at night, squid creep out of the ocean and into homes. The squid leave behind their inky marks around the house, including on the floors, walls, and toys.
A fun rhyming picture book. The mischievous squid leave their inky artwork all over the house. Fantastic illustrations. Silly and humorous.
I received a free digital copy of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
Title: His & Hers
Author: Alice Feeney
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Publish Date: July 28, 2020
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Series: na
My Rating: 4/5
There are two sides to every story: yours and mine, ours and theirs, His and Hers. Which means someone is always lying.
When a woman is murdered in Blackdown, a quintessentially British village, newsreader Anna Andrews is reluctant to cover the case. Detective Jack Harper is suspicious of her involvement, until he becomes a suspect in his own murder investigation.
Someone isn’t telling the truth, and some secrets are worth killing to keep.
His & Hers is a twisty, smart, psychological thriller. A gripping tale of suspense, told by expertly-drawn narrators that will keep readers guessing until the very end.
Anna is a news reporter, and she returns to her hometown to report on a murder. The murdered woman was a friend of Anna’s. One of the detectives on the case is Anna’s ex-husband Jack, and he also knew the murdered woman.
Told with the alternating points of view of Anna, Jack, and the killer. Anna and Jack are divorced. Anna still lives in London, but Jack moved back to Blackdown. Anna’s return to Blackdown is more involved than simply reporting on a murder. While there is a murder investigation, there is also a lot of drama going on in Anna and Jack’s personal and professional lives.
A complex mystery that kept me guessing. Flawed and unreliable characters. Lots of drama. Dark, twisted, and clever.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Title: He Started It
Author: Samantha Downing
Publisher: Berkley
Publish Date: July 28, 2020
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Series: na
My Rating: 4/5
From the twisted mind behind mega hit My Lovely Wife comes the story of a family—not unlike your own—just with a few more violent tendencies thrown in…
Beth, Portia, and Eddie Morgan haven’t all been together in years. And for very good reasons—we’ll get to those later. But when their wealthy grandfather dies and leaves a cryptic final message in his wake, the siblings and their respective partners must come together for a cross-country road trip to fulfill his final wish and—more importantly—secure their inheritance.
But time with your family can be tough. It is for everyone.
It’s even harder when you’re all keeping secrets and trying to forget a memory, a missing person, an act of revenge, the man in the black truck who won’t stop following your car—and especially when at least one of you is a killer and there’s a body in the trunk. Just to name a few reasons.
But money is a powerful motivator. It is for everyone.
Beth and her siblings, Portia and Eddie, are forced into a road trip to fulfill their deceased grandfather’s wishes and get their inheritance. The road trip is a repeat of one they did when they were kids. The trip includes stops at odd roadside attractions, and brings back a lot of unsettling memories.
Beth is the narrator for this dysfunctional family’s road trip. Flashbacks to the original trip are told as they follow the same route and make the same stops. The new trip includes Beth and Eddie’s spouses, so there are five adults on one crazy trip. The tension is high, everyone is keeping secrets, and nobody is happy.
An ill-fated road trip. Greedy, thieving, and lying characters. Dark humor, family drama, and shocking twists. A wickedly fun read.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
Hey y’all! I hope everyone is reading some good books this summer. I got more read this week than I had planned. So, that was nice.
– Handbook for Homicide by Lorna Barrett
– Hindsight by Iris Johansen and Roy Johansen
– The Persuasion by Iris Johansen
– Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas
– Eight Perfect Murders by Peter Swanson
– His & Hers by Alice Feeney
– The End of Her by Shari Lapena
– Beyond the Headlines by R.G. Belsky
• Book Review: The Vacation by T.M. Logan
• Book Review: Handbook for Homicide by Lorna Barrett
• Weekly Wrap-Up (Jul 24)
Thanks for stopping by Nightcap Books. Happy Reading!
Title: Handbook for Homicide
Author: Lorna Barrett
Publisher: Berkley
Publish Date: July 21, 2020
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Series: Booktown Mystery #14
My Rating: 3/5
Tricia Miles must swim against the tide to catch a killer when Haven’t Got A Clue’s assistant manager is accused of murder in the latest entry to Lorna Barrett’s New York Times bestselling Booktown series.
Haven’t Got A Clue bookshop owner Tricia Miles’s relationship is on the rocks. After a not-so-fun vacation with her on-again-off-again lover, Marshall Cambridge, Tricia’s hoping for smooth sailing back in Stoneham. Unfortunately Booktown greets her not with blue skies but with another body.
When Tricia’s assistant manager, Pixie, finds homeless vet Susan Morris’s body behind Haven’t Got A Clue, Pixie’s checkered past makes her the prime suspect. Tricia sets out to clear Pixie’s name armed with only an anchor insignia earring found at the scene of the crime.
As Tricia digs deeper she discovers Susan was involved in a scandal right before retiring from the Navy—but since nobody in the village knows Susan, even Tricia’s one lead is in danger of drying up. With family drama brewing in the background and all of Stoneham convinced her manager is a murderer, Tricia knows she has to get to the bottom of the case soon before Pixie’s life is sunk.
Tricia Miles and the residents of Stoneham are back! Handbook for Homicide is the 14th book in the Booktown Mystery series by Lorna Barrett. Tricia lives in the small town of Stoneham and runs a mystery bookstore. The town has several specialty book shops and book themed businesses that bring in visitors to the town. Tricia also has a habit of stumbling across dead bodies. She uses her love of mysteries to sleuth and find the real killers.
In this book, it’s not Tricia who finds the dead body, but her assistant manager, Pixie. The body is discovered behind the bookshop, and Tricia gets involved when it looks like one of the suspects is Pixie. The dead woman was a homeless vet, with few ties to the area. Tricia’s questions lead to wondering if the woman was killed from something in her military past or if a local was behind it.
An enjoyable cozy mystery. This book is part of a series, but it can be read as a standalone. That said, I recommend reading the earlier books to better understand the relationships between the characters. A good read for fans of cozies. Delightful and entertaining.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
Title: The Vacation
Author: T.M. Logan
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Publish Date: July 21, 2020
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Series: na
My Rating: 4/5
In The Vacation, a captivating thriller from T. M. Logan, the bestselling author of Lies and 29 Seconds, four best friends on a dream vacation come face-to-face with an explosive secret.
It was supposed to be the perfect getaway: Kate and her three best friends, spending a week with their families in a luxurious villa in the south of France. Through the decades they’ve stayed closer than ever, and seven days of drinking crisp French wine and laying out under the dazzling Mediterranean sun is the perfect celebration of their friendship. But soon after arriving, Kate discovers an incriminating text on her husband’s cell phone.
A text revealing that he’s having an affair.
And that the other woman is one of her best friends.
But which one?
Trapped in paradise with no one to trust, Kate is determined to find out who has put her marriage—and a lifelong friendship—in jeopardy. But as she closes in on the truth, she realizes that the stakes are higher than she ever imagined. Everyone on the trip has secrets…and someone may be prepared to kill to keep theirs hidden.
A group of friends go on a vacation with their families. One of the women suspects her husband is having an affair with one of her friends.
The friends – Kate, Rowan, Jennifer, and Izzy – have known each other since college. The trip is to celebrate the women turning 40 that year. Kate is married to Sean and they have a teenage daughter and 9-year-old son, Rowan is married to Russ and they have a 5-year-old daughter, Jennifer is married to Alistair and they have two teenage sons, and Izzy is single with no children. They all have very different family dynamics.
Various points of view are used, but the main POV is Kate. Soon after arriving at the villa in France, Kate sees an incriminating text on her husband’s phone. She thinks he’s having an affair with one of her friends, but she has no idea which one. She soon realizes all of her friends seem to be hiding something. As their week together passes by, the tension between families and friends grows.
A slow-burning domestic suspense. This is an enjoyable read for fans of slower paced thrillers with lots of drama. Fantastic summer thriller.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
