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The Christmas Appeal by Janice Hallett [Book Review]

Posted on December 28, 2023January 15, 2024 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: The Christmas Appeal

Author: Janice Hallett

Publisher: Atria Books

Publish Date: October 24, 2023

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Series: The Appeal #1.5

My Rating: 4/5

BOOK BLURB

The Christmas season has arrived in Lower Lockwood, and the Fairway Players are busy rehearsing their festive holiday production of Jack and the Beanstalk to raise money for a new church roof. But despite the season, goodwill is distinctly lacking among the amateur theater enthusiasts with petty rivalries, a possibly asbestos-filled beanstalk, and some perennially absent players behind the scenes.

Of course, there’s also the matter of the dead body onstage. Who could possibly have had the victim on their naughty list? Join lawyers Femi and Charlotte as they investigate Christmas letters, examine emails, and pore over police transcripts to identify both the victim and killer before the curtain closes on their holiday production—for good.

MY REVIEW

The Christmas Appeal is a novella in The Appeal series. A group of theater enthusiasts are looking to raise money for the church roof. It’s Christmas time, and they are hoping for a giving community to raise the funds. The dead Santa does dampen the Christmas spirit though.

This is a quick and entertaining mystery. The Christmas Appeal is part of a series, but it can be read as a standalone. I recommend reading the first book in the series, The Appeal. It’s a good book, and the same characters are in both books.

The Christmas Appeal is a light and fun mystery. Recommended for fans of epistolary novels and armchair sleuths.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

Books in The Appeal series:

The Appeal
The Christmas Appeal

Death Writes by Andrea Carter [Book Review]

Posted on December 27, 2023January 15, 2024 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: Death Writes

Author: Andrea Carter

Publisher: Oceanview Publishing

Publish Date: December 5, 2023

Genre: Amateur Investigator

Series: Inishowen Mysteries #6

My Rating: 4/5

BOOK BLURB

A local author dies on stage at a literary festival. Ben O’Keeffe has to sort through his complicated estate—and find his murderer while she’s at it.

Solicitor Benedicta “Ben” O’Keeffe and her boyfriend Police Sergeant Tom Molloy race to Dublin after hearing that some strangers had moved in with Ben’s parents. When they arrive, only Ben’s parents and their strange lodger remain, but come morning the lodger has left. Not wanting to leave them alone, Ben persuades her parents to come and stay with her in Inishowen.

In Glendara, preparations are underway for Glenfest, Glendara’s literary festival. Phyllis Kettle, the local bookshop owner, is especially pleased to have persuaded Gavin Featherstone, the local best-selling recluse writer, to take part.

The festival begins, and an eager crowd awaits Featherstone’s appearance on stage. He is unexpectedly engaging, but when he stands to read from his new book, he stumbles and keels over on the platform.

Ben discovers that she holds Featherstone’s will at the office, drafted by her predecessor. Soon, she’s drawn into a complicated legal wrangle over the man’s estate involving his family and the assistant who lived with him.

But nothing can yet be resolved, as a killer cannot inherit from their victim—and Gavin Featherstone’s death was a murder.

MY REVIEW

Death Writes is the sixth book in the Inishowen mysteries series. Benedicta (Ben) O’Keeffe is a local attorney in Glendara, a small town in northern Ireland. She has been involved with solving a few murder mysteries, and is drawn into a new one.

I recommend reading this series in order. While the mystery is new, the recurring characters have a history that progresses between books. This series has a charming small town setting, quirky characters, and an amateur sleuth.

Death Writes is an atmospheric mystery with a vivid setting.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Books in the Inishowen Mysteries series:

Beneath the Surface by Kaira Rouda [Book Review]

Posted on December 27, 2023June 28, 2024 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: Beneath the Surface

Author: Kaira Rouda

Publisher: Thomas & Mercer

Publish Date: September 5, 2023

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Series: The Kingsleys #1

My Rating: 4/5

BOOK BLURB

You are cordially invited to an overnight voyage on the Splendid Seas.

An invitation to Catalina Island from billionaire CEO Richard Kingsley. For his sons, Ted and John, and their wives, it’s an opportunity to curry favor, gain control of a real estate empire, and secure their family’s futures. For the controlling patriarch, succession is a contest. He and his newest wife won’t make it an easy win.

Then Richard’s estranged live-wire daughter, Sibley, crashes the party. She’s the least of the night’s surprises. As the stakes for the inheritance of the Kingsley legacy are raised, the beautiful waters of the Pacific look more like a menacing illusion.

Let the games begin for a family who has everything money can buy, and has used lies, deception, and more to keep it. This weekend one of them will be crowned heir. One is in line to lose everything. That’s the plan. But in the coming storm, so much can go dangerously wrong.

MY REVIEW

The Kingsley family goes on a weekend voyage on their father’s new yacht. The father is controlling, and when he brings up the family inheritance, the adult children are ruthless.

Beneath the Surface is told using multiple points of view with short chapters. The characters are devious. The story is fast-paced and wild.

A wickedly fun thriller. Secrets, scandals, and betrayals. This is the first book with The Kingsleys, and I look forward to reading more.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Books in The Kingsleys series:

Beneath the Surface
Under the Palms

Beneath Dark Waters by Karen Rose [Book Review]

Posted on December 27, 2023July 19, 2026 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: Beneath Dark Waters

Author: Karen Rose

Publisher: Berkley

Publish Date: August 15, 2023

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Series: Romantic Suspense #28, New Orleans #2

My Rating: 4/5

BOOK BLURB

There’s no safe place for a child to hide when danger comes from every direction.

Public prosecutor J.P. “Kaj” Cardozo has only lived in New Orleans for six months, and he’s already working on a high-profile celebrity sexual assault case that’s made headlines all over the country. But when his son becomes the target of a kidnapping attempt as a threat to Kaj, he is desperate to keep him safe and turns to a private investigative firm famous for their protection services.

A veteran Marine, Val Sorensen is glad to have found a new career with Broussard Investigations. Her latest assignment as the bodyguard to ten-year-old Elijah Cardozo reminds her why—Val is a kick ass guardian with a tender heart. Through her duties, Val grows fond of the boy—and his handsome father.

But when the high-stakes investigation reveals an explosive network of crime through a revived drug gang, lingering deep-seated corruption in the NOPD, and a group of murderers-for-hire targeting Kaj, Elijah, and his star client, they’re all left scrambling for safety…

MY REVIEW

Kaj is a public prosecutor in New Orleans working on a high-profile case. His son was targeted in a kidnapping, so Kaj hires a bodyguard for him. Val is the body guard. As the investigation into the case reveals more crimes, Kaj, his son, and his client become targets.

Beneath Dark Waters is the 28th book in the Romantic Suspense series by Karen Rose. It is the second book in the New Orleans series. I have read the other books in this series, so I was excited to read this latest book.

The characters are well-developed and realistic. The story is fast paced and intriguing. Beneath Dark Waters is an intense and atmospheric novel.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Books by Karen Rose:

Don’t Tell (Chicago #1)
Have You Seen Her?
I’m Watching You (Chicago #2)
Nothing to Fear (Chicago #3)
You Can’t Hide (Chicago #4)
Count to Ten (Chicago #5)
Die for Me (Daniel Vartanian #1)
Scream for Me (Daniel Vartanian #2)
Kill for Me (Daniel Vartanian #3)
I Can See You (Minneapolis #1)
Silent Scream (Minneapolis #2)
You Belong to Me (Baltimore #1)
No One Left to Tell (Baltimore #2)
Did You Miss Me? (Baltimore #3)
Watch Your Back (Baltimore #4)
Closer Than You Think (Cincinnati #1)
Alone in the Dark (Cincinnati #2)
Every Dark Corner (Cincinnati #3)
Monster in the Closet (Baltimore #5)
Edge of Darkness (Cincinnati #4)
Death Is Not Enough (Baltimore #6)
Say You’re Sorry (Sacramento #1)
Into the Dark (Cincinnati #5)
Say No More (Sacramento #2)
Say Goodbye (Sacramento #3)
Quarter to Midnight (New Orleans #1)
Cold Blooded Liar (San Diego #1)
Beneath Dark Waters (New Orleans #2)
Cheater (San Diego #2)
Buried Too Deep (New Orleans #3)
Dead Man’s List (San Diego #3)
Knife in the Back (New Orleans #4)
Family Lies (San Diego #4)
The One Who Walked Away

I’m Not Done with You Yet by Jesse Q. Sutanto [Book Review]

Posted on December 27, 2023January 15, 2024 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: I’m Not Done with You Yet

Author: Jesse Q. Sutanto

Publisher: Berkley

Publish Date: August 22, 2023

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 3/5

I'm Not Done With You Yet by Jesse Q. Sutanto

BOOK BLURB

Jane is unhappy.

A struggling midlist writer whose novels barely command four figures, she feels trapped in an underwhelming marriage, just scraping by to pay a crippling Bay Area mortgage for a house—a life—she’s never really wanted.

There’s only ever been one person she cared about, one person who truly understood her: Thalia. Jane’s best and only friend nearly a decade ago during their Creative Writing days at Oxford. It was the only good year of Jane’s life—cobblestones and books and damp English air, heady wine and sweet cider and Thalia, endless Thalia. But then one night ruined everything. The blood-soaked night that should have bound Thalia to Jane forever but instead made her lose her completely. Thalia disappeared without a trace, and Jane has been unable to find her since.

Until now.

Because there she is, her name at the top of the New York Times bestseller list: A Most Pleasant Death by Thalia Ashcroft. When she discovers a post from Thalia on her website about attending a book convention in New York City in a week—“Can’t wait to see you there!”—Jane can’t wait either.

She’ll go to New York City, too, credit card bill be damned. And this time, she will do things right. Jane won’t lose Thalia again.

MY REVIEW

Jane and Thalia became friends during a creative writing course at Oxford. Their friendship ended after a tragic incident, and they haven’t seen each other for years. Jane has been unable to locate Thalia over the years, but now Thalia has a bestselling book, and Jane knows how to find her.

I’m Not Done with You Yet is primarily told from Jane’s point of view. Jane is an unreliable narrator. Unlikable characters and unhealthy relationships make for an entertaining read.

A dark and twisty novel. Recommended for readers who enjoy psychological thrillers with devious characters and toxic friendships.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Gone Tonight by Sarah Pekkanen [Book Review]

Posted on December 27, 2023December 28, 2024 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: Gone Tonight

Author: Sarah Pekkanen

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Publish Date: August 1, 2023

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 3/5

BOOK BLURB

When Ruth Sterling was a teenager, she slipped away one night, desperate to escape an abusive home and a troubling boyfriend. Pregnant, alone, and prepared to do anything to survive, she eventually makes a life for herself—and soon, for her newborn daughter Catherine. For more than twenty years, Ruth has lived quietly and has provided for her daughter. But she is always ready to run at a moment’s notice, and never allows either of them to put down roots too deeply. Now, Catherine is grown and craves a life for herself. This is something her mother will do anything to prevent—but for what reasons? It has always been just the two of them against the world. But how well do they really know each other? When Ruth’s deeply held quest to keep Catherine by her side reveals cracks in her carefully constructed world, both mother and daughter begin a dance of deception. They both have secrets. But which one of them carries the real darkness inside?

MY REVIEW

As a pregnant teenager, Ruth ran away from home. It has been just her and her daughter, Catherine, for over twenty years. Catherine is an adult now, and ready to spread her wings. Ruth is not ready for her daughter to leave.

Gone Tonight is told using Ruth and Catherine’s points of view. Both characters think they know the other better than they really do, which makes for an interesting read.

A slow-burning, tense, and twisty psychological thriller. Recommended to readers who enjoy thrillers centered around mother/daughter relationships.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Books by Sarah Pekkanen:

Gone Tonight
House of Glass

Dark Corners by Megan Goldin [Book Review]

Posted on December 27, 2023January 15, 2024 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: Dark Corners

Author: Megan Goldin

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Publish Date: August 8, 2023

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Series: Rachel Krall #2

My Rating: 3/5

BOOK BLURB

Terence Bailey is about to be released from prison for breaking and entering, though investigators have long suspected him in the murders of six women. As his release date approaches, Bailey gets a surprise visit from Maddison Logan, a hot, young influencer with a huge social media following. Hours later, Maddison disappears, and police suspect she’s been kidnapped―or worse. Is Maddison’s disappearance connected to her visit to Bailey? And why was she visiting him in the first place?

When they hit a wall in the investigation, the FBI reluctantly asks for Rachel Krall’s help in finding the missing influencer. Maddison seems to only exist on social media; she has no family, no friends, and other than in her posts, most people have never seen her. Who is she, really? Using a fake Instagram account, Rachel goes undercover to BuzzCon, a popular influencer conference, where she discovers a world of fierce rivalry that may have turned lethal.

When police find the body of a woman with a tattoo of a snake eating its tail―identical to a tattoo Rachel had seen on Bailey’s hand―the FBI must consider a chilling possibility: Bailey has an accomplice on the outside and a dangerous obsession with influencers, including Rachel Krall herself. Suddenly the target of a monster hiding in plain sight, Rachel is forced to confront the very real dangers that lurk in the dark corners of the internet.

MY REVIEW

Rachel is a true crime podcaster that gets asked to help on the case of a missing woman. While helping the FBI, Rachel unknowingly has put herself as a target.

Dark Corners is the second book in the Rachel Krall series. While this is the second book in a series, it can be read as a standalone. That said, I thoroughly enjoyed the first book, Night Swim, and highly recommend reading it too.

Dark Corners is an intriguing thriller. Dark and compelling. Recommended for fans of true crime podcasts and psychological thrillers.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Books by Megan Goldin:

The Girl in Kellers Way
The Escape Room
The Night Swim
Stay Awake
Dark Corners

The Bone Hacker by Kathy Reichs [Book Review]

Posted on December 27, 2023December 28, 2024 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: The Bone Hacker

Author: Kathy Reichs

Publisher: Scribner

Publish Date: August 1, 2023

Genre: Police Procedural

Series: Temperance Brennan #22

My Rating: 4/5

BOOK BLURB

Called in to examine what is left of a person thought to have been struck by lightning, Tempe traces an unusual tattoo to its source and is soon embroiled in a much larger case. Young men—tourists—have been disappearing on the islands of Turks and Caicos. Seven years earlier, the first victim was found in a strange location with his left hand hacked off; subsequently, two other visitors vanished without a trace. But recently, tantalizing leads have emerged and only Tempe can unravel them.

Maddeningly, the victims seem to have nothing in common—other than the odd places where their bodies turn up, and the fact that none seems likely to have been involved in criminal activity. Do these attacks have something to do with the islands’ seething culture of gang violence? Tempe isn’t so sure. Disturbingly, she discovers evidence that what’s at stake may have global significance.

It isn’t long before the sound of a ticking clock grows menacingly loud. Then Tempe herself becomes a target.

MY REVIEW

The Bone Hacker is the twenty-second book in the Temperance Brennan series. In this book, Temperance works in Turks and Caicos on an investigation of missing male tourists.

This is a series that I’ve read for many years, and this latest book doesn’t disappoint. The mysteries continue to be intriguing. Temperance is a strong protagonist with her intelligence, wit, and drive.

The Bone Hacker is an enjoyable addition to the series. Recommended to readers who enjoy crime fiction and medical thrillers.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Books in the Temperance Brennan series:

Déjà Dead
Death du Jour
Deadly Decisions
Fatal Voyage
Grave Secrets
Bare Bones
Monday Mourning
Cross Bones
Break No Bones
Bones to Ashes
Devil Bones
206 Bones
Spider Bones
Flash and Bones
Bones Are Forever
Bones of the Lost
Bones Never Lie
Speaking in Bones
A Conspiracy of Bones
The Bone Code
Cold, Cold Bones
The Bone Hacker
Fire and Bones

The Block Party by Jamie Day [Book Review]

Posted on December 27, 2023December 28, 2024 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: The Block Party

Author: Jamie Day

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Publish Date: July 18, 2023

Genre: Domestic Suspense

Series: na

My Rating: 3/5

BOOK BLURB

This summer, meet your neighbors.

The residents of the exclusive cul-de-sac on Alton Road are entangled in a web of secrets and scandal utterly unknown to the outside world, and even to each other.

On the night of the annual Summer block party, there has been a murder.

But, who did it and why takes readers back one year earlier, as rivalries and betrayals unfold—discovering that the real danger lies within their own block and nothing—and no one—is ever as it seems.

MY REVIEW

A murder occurs during a neighborhood party. There are plenty of potential victims and suspects.

The Block Party is told through two points of view – Alex and Lettie. Alex is the organizer of the block party, problem solver, and nosy neighbor. Lettie is her teenage daughter.

A gossipy, drama filled neighborhood. A mysterious murder. A fun and entertaining domestic suspense.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Books by Jamie Day:

The Block Party
One Big Happy Family

Blind Fear by Brandon Webb and John David Mann [Book Review]

Posted on December 27, 2023January 15, 2024 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: Blind Fear

Author: Brandon Webb and John David Mann

Publisher: Bantam

Publish Date: July 11, 2023

Genre: Mystery Thriller

Series: Finn Thrillers #3

My Rating: 4/5

Blind Fear by Brandon Webb and John David Mann

BOOK BLURB

By day, AWOL Navy SEAL Finn is hiding out on Vieques, a tiny island paradise off the eastern coast of Puerto Rico, living in a spare room behind a seafood restaurant owned by a blind local. By night he scours the dark web, hunting for the rogue officer responsible for the crimes he is accused of committing.

But Finn’s world is about to be turned upside down by a new nightmare, when his employer’s two grandchildren go missing. To find them, he’ll have to infiltrate the island’s dangerous criminal underbelly and expose a shadowy crime network known as La Empresa—even if it means exposing himself in the process.

As the children go on their own harrowing odyssey to stay one step ahead of a cop-turned-killer, a hurricane batters the coastline, cutting Puerto Rico off from the rest of the world. Taking his pursuit to the sea, Finn’s skills and endurance will be tested to their limits to rescue the lost children and escape his own pursuers before the clock runs out. No one is to be trusted. And those who are seemingly his friends might be the most dangerous foes he’s faced yet.

MY REVIEW

Finn is living on an island, working at a seafood restaurant, and trying to locate the person framing him for war crimes. When Finn’s employer’s grandchildren go missing, Finn risks exposing his location to find the children.

Blind Fear is the third book in the Finn Thrillers series. While Blind Fear can be read as a standalone, I recommend reading the other books in the series first.

Blind Fear is an entertaining thriller with plenty of action. The characters are well-developed and interesting. The story is fast-paced and exciting.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Books in the Finn Thrillers series:

Steel Fear
Cold Fear
Blind Fear

A Twisted Love Story by Samantha Downing [Book Review]

Posted on December 27, 2023November 15, 2025 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: A Twisted Love Story

Author: Samantha Downing

Publisher: Berkley

Publish Date: July 18, 2023

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 3/5

A Twisted Love Story by Samantha Downing

BOOK BLURB

Wes and Ivy are madly in love. They’ve never felt anything like it. It’s the type of romance people write stories about.

But what kind of story?

When it’s good, it’s great. Flowers. Grand gestures. Deep meaningful conversations where the whole world disappears.

When it’s bad, it’s really bad. Vengeful fights. Damaged property. Arrest warrants.

But their vicious cycle of catastrophic breakups and head-over-heels reconciliations needs to end fast. Because suddenly, Wes and Ivy have a common enemy–and she’s a detective.

There’s something Wes and Ivy never talk about–in good times or bad. The night of their worst breakup, when one of them took things too far, and someone ended up dead.

If they can stick together, they can survive anything–even the tightening net of a police investigation.

Because one more breakup might just be their last…

MY REVIEW

Wes and Ivy have a turbulent relationship. The good times are really good. The bad times are really, really bad.

A Twisted Love Story is about the toxic relationship between Wes and Ivy. Ivy has turned Wes in for stalking, which gets the police involved. Now, people are looking into their pasts, and there’s that one murder they would rather not get out.

A wickedly entertaining thriller. Recommended for readers who enjoy drama and devious characters in their thrillers.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Books by Samantha Downing:

My Lovely Wife
He Started It
Sleeping Dogs Lie
For Your Own Good
A Twisted Love Story
Too Old for This

One of the Boys by Jayne Cowie [Book Review]

Posted on December 27, 2023January 15, 2024 by Darinda

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, read my Disclosure Policy.

BOOK INFO

Title: One of the Boys

Author: Jayne Cowie

Publisher: Berkley

Publish Date: July 11, 2023

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 4/5

BOOK BLURB

Antonia and Bea are sisters, and doting mothers to their sons. But that is where their similarities end.

Antonia had her son tested to make sure he didn’t possess the “violent” M gene.

Bea refuses to let her son take the test. She believes his life should not be determined by a positive or negative result.

These women will go to any length to protect their sons.

But one of them is hiding a monster.

And there will be fatal consequences for everybody….

MY REVIEW

Two sisters, Antonia and Bea, are also mothers of sons. There is a test to check for the violence gene, and the sisters disagree on the test. One believes it’s an important test and should be used. The other believes children shouldn’t have their lives determined based on a single test result.

One of the Boys is told using the points of view of both Antonia and Bea. This gives both sides of the story for the gene test. As the boys get older, schools start to require testing, and it’s more accepted that everyone does it. One mother is all for the testing, but the other is completely against the testing. Both mothers want to protect their children.

An intriguing and unique thriller. Recommended for readers who enjoy a dystopian spin on their domestic thrillers.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Books by Jayne Cowie:

Curfew
One of the Boys