Blog

Book Review

Thicker Than Water by Megan Collins [Book Review]

Posted on by Darinda
Book Review

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

BOOK INFO

Title: Thicker Than Water

Author: Megan Collins

Publisher: Atria Books

Publish Date: July 11, 2023

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 3/5

Thicker Than Water by Megan Collins

BOOK BLURB

Julia and Sienna Larkin are sisters-in-law, connected by Julia’s husband and Sienna’s brother, Jason. More than that, the two are devoted best friends and business partners, believing that theirs is a uniquely unbreakable bond. To Sienna, her protective brother can do no wrong, and although Julia knows he’s not perfect, they’ve built a comfortable life and family together. Recently, Jason has been putting in long hours to secure a promotion at work, so when his boss is found brutally murdered—his lips sewn shut—the Larkins are shocked and unsettled, especially as local gossip swirls.

A few days later, Julia and Sienna’s lives are upended when Jason gets into a car accident and is placed in a medically induced coma. Worse, the police arrive with news that he’s the prime suspect in the murder investigation. With Jason unable to respond—and with Julia and Sienna working to clear his name—the two women find their friendship threatened for the first time: Sienna staunchly maintains her brother’s innocence, but as their investigation uncovers a complicated web of secrets, Julia is less sure she’s willing to defend her husband.

Thicker Than Water by Megan Collins

MY REVIEW

Two sisters-in-law are best friends and business partners. When the man that connects them, brother to one and husband to the other, is accused of murder, their friendship is tested.

Thicker Than Water is a slow building novel with complex characters. An atmospheric and intriguing mystery. Recommended read for fans of domestic suspense.

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

Books by Megan Collins:
  1. The Winter Sister
  2. Behind the Red Door
  3. The Family Plot
  4. Thicker Than Water
  5. Cross My Heart
Book Review

The Blame Game by Sandie Jones [Book Review]

Posted on by Darinda
Book Review

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 Blame Game

Author: Sandie Jones

Publisher: Minotaur Books

Publish Date: August 16, 2022

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 3/5

The Blame Game by Sandie Jones

BOOK BLURB

Games can be dangerous. But blame can be deadly.

As a psychologist specializing in domestic abuse, Naomi has found it hard to avoid becoming overly invested in her clients’ lives. But after helping Jacob make the decision to leave his wife, Naomi worries that she’s taken things too far. Then Jacob goes missing, and her files on him vanish. . . .

But as the police start asking questions about Jacob, Naomi’s own dark past emerges. And as the truth comes to light, it seems that it’s not just her clients who are in danger.

The Blame Game by Sandie Jones

MY REVIEW

A psychologist who specializes in domestic violence becomes overly invested in the lives of her clients. Her need to help victims of abuse clouds her judgement. This time, a client is missing, and she is suspected of being involved with his disappearance.

The characters were intriguing and the plot was interesting. With the lying, blaming, and deceit, this one kept me guessing.

The Blame Game is an over-the-top psychological thriller. An engaging and entertaining read.

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

Books by Sandie Jones:
  1. The Other Woman
  2. The First Mistake
  3. The Half Sister
  4. The Guilt Trip
  5. The Blame Game
  6. The Trade Off
  7. I Would Die for You
Book Review

Cold Blooded Liar by Karen Rose [Book Review]

Posted on by Darinda
Book Review

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

BOOK INFO

Title: Cold Blooded Liar

Author: Karen Rose

Publisher: Berkley

Publish Date: February 28, 2023

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Series: Romantic Suspense #27, San Diego #1

My Rating: 4/5

Cold Blooded Liar by Karen Rose

BOOK BLURB

Sam Reeves is a kindhearted psychologist who treats court-ordered clients. After one of his patients—a pathological liar—starts revealing plausible new details from a long-unsolved serial murder case, he’s compelled to report anonymously to the SDPD tip line, though his attempts to respect patient confidentiality land him facedown and cuffed by the aggressive (and cute) Detective McKittrick.
 
San Diego homicide detective Kit McKittrick loves the water. She lives on a boat, and when she’s not solving crimes with the SDPD, she’s assisting her foster sister with her charter fishing business or playing with her poodle. But there’s nothing that intrigues Kit more than a cold case, so when an anonymous caller leads her on the path of a wanted killer, she’s determined to end the decade-long manhunt.
 
Sam is soon released but goes home with both a newfound distaste for the SDPD and a resolve—not unlike Kit’s—to uncover the truth. Kit and Sam repeatedly butt heads in their separate investigations but are forced to work together to find one of the deadliest serial killers the city has faced in years.

Cold Blooded Liar by Karen Rose

MY REVIEW

Sam is a psychologist whose client knows details about an unsolved murder. Kit is a detective who wants to solve the cold case Sam may have information about. They both want to solve the case, and have to work together to do so.

Cold Blooded Liar is the 27th book in the Romantic Suspense series by Karen Rose. It is the first book in the San Diego series. I have read and enjoyed other books by Rose, so I was excited to read her latest book.

The characters are well-developed and realistic. The story is fast paced and intriguing. Cold Blooded Liar is an intense and thrilling novel.

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

Books by Karen Rose:
  1. Don’t Tell (Chicago #1)
  2. Have You Seen Her?
  3. I’m Watching You (Chicago #2)
  4. Nothing to Fear (Chicago #3)
  5. You Can’t Hide (Chicago #4)
  6. Count to Ten (Chicago #5)
  7. Die for Me (Daniel Vartanian #1)
  8. Scream for Me (Daniel Vartanian #2)
  9. Kill for Me (Daniel Vartanian #3)
  10. I Can See You (Minneapolis #1)
  11. Silent Scream (Minneapolis #2)
  12. You Belong to Me (Baltimore #1)
  13. No One Left to Tell (Baltimore #2)
  14. Did You Miss Me? (Baltimore #3)
  15. Watch Your Back (Baltimore #4)
  16. Closer Than You Think (Cincinnati #1)
  17. Alone in the Dark (Cincinnati #2)
  18. Every Dark Corner (Cincinnati #3)
  19. Monster in the Closet (Baltimore #5)
  20. Edge of Darkness (Cincinnati #4)
  21. Death Is Not Enough (Baltimore #6)
  22. Say You’re Sorry (Sacramento #1)
  23. Into the Dark (Cincinnati #5)
  24. Say No More (Sacramento #2)
  25. Say Goodbye (Sacramento #3)
  26. Quarter to Midnight (New Orleans #1)
  27. Cold Blooded Liar (San Diego #1)
  28. Beneath Dark Waters (New Orleans #2)
  29. Cheater (San Diego #2)
  30. Buried Too Deep (New Orleans #3)
  31. Dead Man’s List (San Diego #3)
  32. Knife in the Back (New Orleans #4)
Book Review

A Trip With Trouble by Diane Kelly [Book Review]

Posted on by Darinda
Book Review

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 Trip With Trouble

Author: Diane Kelly

Publisher: St. Martin’s Paperbacks

Publish Date: October 25, 2022

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Series: Mountain Lodge #2

My Rating: 4/5

A Trip With Trouble by Diane Kelly

BOOK BLURB

When the ladies of the Dangerous Curves Motorcycle Club take over the Mountaintop Lodge for their annual autumn ride along the Blue Ridge Parkway, Misty Murphy couldn’t be more thrilled. Every room is full and the adventurous women even invite Misty and her assistant Brynn to join them on a ride to admire the colorful fall foliage. Hotel handyman Rocky Crowder is happy to keep an eye on the lodge for the day, and the ladies set out for a fun ride on the scenic road.

The skies are clear, the air is crisp, and the leaves are gorgeous. But what starts as a perfect ride turns worrisome when the tail gunner – the last rider in their group – fails to show up at the Craggy Gardens overlook. Cell phone service is spotty in the remote, mountainous area, and the group is unable to connect with their friend. Might the missing woman have simply run out of gas? Or is something far more sinister afoot?

The ladies are determined to locate their ride or die, and Misty is equally determined to help them. But will they be able to solve the mystery when the scenic route seems intent on hiding its secrets?

A Trip with Trouble by Diane Kelly

MY REVIEW

Misty Murphy runs the Mountain Top Lodge in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Her latest booking is a women’s biker club. They invite Misty and her assistant Brynn to ride along with them as they go on a ride to enjoy the Fall foliage. When the rider at the tail end fails to arrive at the overlook, Misty has a new case to solve.

A Trip With Trouble is the second book in Mountain Lodge mystery series. This is a charming series, and I suggest starting with the first book in the series, Getaway With Murder.

A Trip With Trouble is a delightful cozy mystery with likable characters and a lovely setting. I look forward to reading more of this series.

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

Books in the Mountain Lodge series:
  1. Getaway With Murder
  2. A Trip With Trouble
  3. Snow Place for Murder
Book Review

Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney [Book Review]

Posted on by Darinda
Book Review

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

BOOK INFO

Title: Daisy Darker

Author: Alice Feeney

Publisher: Flatiron Books

Publish Date: August 30, 2022

Genre: Mystery Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 4/5

Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney

BOOK BLURB

Daisy Darker was born with a broken heart. Now after years of avoiding each other, Daisy Darker’s entire family is assembling for Nana’s 80th birthday party in her crumbling gothic house on a tiny tidal island. The family arrives, each of them harboring secrets. When the tide comes in, they will be cut off from the rest of the world for eight hours.

But at the stroke of midnight, as a storm rages, Nana is found dead. And an hour later, the next family member follows…

Trapped on an island where someone is killing them one by one, the Darkers must reckon with their present mystery as well as their past secrets, before the tide goes out and all is revealed.

Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney

MY REVIEW

The Darker family reunites on a small island to celebrate their family matriarch’s birthday. The island is only accessible during low tide, cutting them off the rest of the time. After they all arrive, and as a storm brews outside, they are isolated on the island. At midnight, their matriarch dies, and another death is to follow every hour.

Daisy Darker is told from Daisy’s point of view, in past and present. The Darker family is dysfunctional and eccentric, making for an entertaining read. The story unfolds in a slow burning and suspenseful way. Good for readers who enjoy family drama and slow building mysteries.

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

Books by Alice Feeney:
  1. Sometimes I Lie
  2. I Know Who You Are
  3. His & Hers
  4. Rock Paper Scissors
  5. Daisy Darker
  6. Good Bad Girl
Book Review

Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn [Book Review]

Posted on by Darinda
Book Review

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

BOOK INFO

Title: Killers of a Certain Age

Author: Deanna Raybourn

Publisher: Flatiron Books

Publish Date: September 6, 2022

Genre: Mystery Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 3/5

Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn

BOOK BLURB

Older women often feel invisible, but sometimes that’s their secret weapon.

They’ve spent their lives as the deadliest assassins in a clandestine international organization, but now that they’re sixty years old, four women friends can’t just retire – it’s kill or be killed in this action-packed thriller by New York Times bestselling and Edgar Award-nominated author Deanna Raybourn.

Billie, Mary Alice, Helen, and Natalie have worked for the Museum, an elite network of assassins, for forty years. Now their talents are considered old-school and no one appreciates what they have to offer in an age that relies more on technology than people skills.

When the foursome is sent on an all-expenses paid vacation to mark their retirement, they are targeted by one of their own. Only the Board, the top-level members of the Museum, can order the termination of field agents, and the women realize they’ve been marked for death.

Now to get out alive they have to turn against their own organization, relying on experience and each other to get the job done, knowing that working together is the secret to their survival. They’re about to teach the Board what it really means to be a woman—and a killer—of a certain age.

Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn

MY REVIEW

Four female assassins are faced with retirement when they turn 60 years old. While on their retirement vacation, they realize their own organization has turned against them.

I was drawn to this book because of the “of a certain age” element. It’s a fun twist on a story of assassins. While the story is mostly told from one woman’s point of view, we get the backstory on all four of the women. When they are supposed to be retiring, they are forced back into work when they become the targets.

Killers of a Certain Age is an entertaining and unique story.

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

Books in the Killers of a Certain Age series:
  1. Killers of a Certain Age
  2. Kills Well with Others
Book Review

Quarter to Midnight by Karen Rose [Book Review]

Posted on by Darinda
Book Review

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

BOOK INFO

Title: Quarter to Midnight

Author: Karen Rose

Publisher: Berkley

Publish Date: August 2, 2022

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Series: Romantic Suspense #26, New Orleans #1

My Rating: 4/5

Quarter to Midnight by Karen Rose

BOOK BLURB

Good cops. Bad cops. Only one will win.
 
After completing her tours with the Marines in Iraq, Molly Sutton knew she could take down any bad guy she met. But when a family tragedy exposes the dark side of her local police, she joined up with her former CO Burke Broussard, who left New Orleans PD to set up a private investigative service for people who couldn’t find justice elsewhere.
 
Gabe Hebert saw the toll that working for the NOPD took on his dad and decided instead to make a name for himself as one of the best young chefs in the French Quarter. But when his father’s death is ruled a suicide after a deliberately botched investigation by his former captain, Gabe knows his dad stumbled onto a truth that someone wants silenced.
 
Gabe goes to his father’s best friend, Burke, for help. Burke assigns the toughest member of his team, Molly, to the case. Molly can’t believe she’s being asked to work with the smoking hot chef whose chocolate cake is not the only thing that makes her mouth water. Sparks fly as they follow the leads Gabe’s dad left them, unraveling a web of crimes, corruption, and murder that runs all the way to the top.

Quarter to Midnight by Karen Rose

MY REVIEW

Molly moves to New Orleans and works as a private investigator. Gabe, a chef, hires her agency to investigate his father’s death.

Quarter to Midnight is the 26th book in the Romantic Suspense series by Karen Rose. It is the first book in the New Orleans series. I have read other books by Rose, and was excited to read a new one set in New Orleans.

The characters are well-developed and realistic. The attraction between Molly and Gabe is strong and happens quickly. The story is fast paced and intriguing. Quarter to Midnight is an atmospheric and intense thriller.

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

Books by Karen Rose:
  1. Don’t Tell (Chicago #1)
  2. Have You Seen Her?
  3. I’m Watching You (Chicago #2)
  4. Nothing to Fear (Chicago #3)
  5. You Can’t Hide (Chicago #4)
  6. Count to Ten (Chicago #5)
  7. Die for Me (Daniel Vartanian #1)
  8. Scream for Me (Daniel Vartanian #2)
  9. Kill for Me (Daniel Vartanian #3)
  10. I Can See You (Minneapolis #1)
  11. Silent Scream (Minneapolis #2)
  12. You Belong to Me (Baltimore #1)
  13. No One Left to Tell (Baltimore #2)
  14. Did You Miss Me? (Baltimore #3)
  15. Watch Your Back (Baltimore #4)
  16. Closer Than You Think (Cincinnati #1)
  17. Alone in the Dark (Cincinnati #2)
  18. Every Dark Corner (Cincinnati #3)
  19. Monster in the Closet (Baltimore #5)
  20. Edge of Darkness (Cincinnati #4)
  21. Death Is Not Enough (Baltimore #6)
  22. Say You’re Sorry (Sacramento #1)
  23. Into the Dark (Cincinnati #5)
  24. Say No More (Sacramento #2)
  25. Say Goodbye (Sacramento #3)
  26. Quarter to Midnight (New Orleans #1)
  27. Cold Blooded Liar (San Diego #1)
  28. Beneath Dark Waters (New Orleans #2)
  29. Cheater (San Diego #2)
  30. Buried Too Deep (New Orleans #3)
  31. Dead Man’s List (San Diego #3)
  32. Knife in the Back (New Orleans #4)
Book Review

The Last to Vanish by Megan Miranda [Book Review]

Posted on by Darinda
Book Review

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 Last to Vanish

Author: Megan Miranda

Publisher: Scribner / Marysue Rucci Books

Publish Date: July 26, 2022

Genre: Mystery Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 4/5

The Last to Vanish by Megan Miranda

BOOK BLURB

Ten years ago, Abigail Lovett fell into a job she loves, managing The Passage Inn, a cozy, upscale resort nestled in the North Carolina mountain town of Cutter’s Pass. Cutter’s Pass is best known for its outdoor offerings—rafting and hiking, with access to the Appalachian trail by way of a gorgeous waterfall—and its mysterious history. As the book begins, the string of unsolved disappearances that has haunted the town is once again thrust into the spotlight when journalist Landon West, who was staying at the inn to investigate the story of the vanishing trail, then disappears himself.

Abby has sometimes felt like an outsider within the community, but she’s come to view Cutter’s Pass as her home. When Landon’s brother Trey shows up looking for answers, Abby can’t help but feel the town closing ranks. And she’s still on the outside. When she finds incriminating evidence that may bring them closer to the truth, Abby soon discovers how little she knows about her coworkers, neighbors, and even those closest to her.

The Last to Vanish by Megan Miranda

MY REVIEW

Abby manages a mountain resort in North Carolina. The resort is known for the wonderful nearby outdoor adventures. Unfortunately, there are also a few mysterious missing persons cases associated with the resort.

The Last to Vanish is told from Abby’s point of view. She has lived in the area for 10 years, but is still considered an outsider by the locals. When the brother of one of the missing shows up looking for answers, Abby wants to discover what happened to the missing tourists. This does not help her standing with the locals, and it also puts her in danger. It seems everyone is keeping secrets, making for a suspenseful novel.

The Last to Vanish is a slow burning and atmospheric mystery.

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

Books by Megan Miranda:
  1. All the Missing Girls
  2. The Perfect Stranger
  3. The Last House Guest
  4. The Girl from Widow Hills
  5. Such a Quiet Place
  6. The Last to Vanish
  7. The Only Survivors
  8. Daughter of Mine
Book Review

The Finalists by David Bell [Book Review]

Posted on by Darinda
Book Review

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 Finalists

Author: David Bell

Publisher: Berkley Books

Publish Date: July 5, 2022

Genre: Mystery Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 3/5

The Finalists by David Bell

BOOK BLURB

On a beautiful spring day, six college students with nothing in common besides a desperate inability to pay for school gather to compete for the prestigious Hyde Fellowship.
 
Milo—The front-runner
Natalia—The brain
James—The rule follower
Sydney—The athlete
Duffy—The cowboy
Emily—The social justice warrior
 
The six of them must surrender their devices when they enter Hyde House, an aging Victorian structure that sits in a secluded part of campus.
 
Once inside, the doors lock behind them. The students are not allowed to leave until they spend eight hours with a college administrator who will do almost anything to keep the school afloat, and Nicholas Hyde, the privileged and notoriously irresponsible heir to the Hyde family fortune. If the students leave before time is up, they’ll be immediately disqualified.
 
But when one of the six finalists drops dead, the other students fear they’re being picked off one by one. With a violent protest raging outside, and no way to escape, the survivors viciously turn on each other.

The Finalists by David Bell

MY REVIEW

Six college students compete for a fellowship. The students arrive at Hyde House, an old building on the campus, to be interviewed. They are locked inside and cannot leave until the interview process is completed. Unfortunately, one of the finalists dies. The others must figure out if there is a murderer among them, and how they will survive.

An interesting idea, but this book fell a little flat for me. I liked the setting of an old Victorian building on a small college campus. Unfortunately, the story moved along too slowly for my liking. The characters are all unlikable… everyone has secrets and is desperate for the scholarship. Unlikable characters aren’t necessarily a bad thing, but I do like to have someone to root for while reading a novel like this.

The Finalists was an entertaining locked room mystery. Good for fans of David Bell and locked room mysteries.

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

Books by David Bell:
  1. Cemetery Girl
  2. The Hiding Place
  3. Never Come Back
  4. The Forgotten Girl
  5. Somebody I Used to Know
  6. Since She Went Away
  7. Bring Her Home
  8. Somebody’s Daughter
  9. Layover
  10. The Request
  11. Kill All Your Darlings
  12. The Finalists
  13. She’s Gone
  14. Try Not to Breathe
Book Review

All the Dirty Secrets by Aggie Blum Thompson [Book Review]

Posted on by Darinda
Book Review

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

BOOK INFO

Title: All the Dirty Secrets

Author: Aggie Blum Thompson

Publisher: Forge Books

Publish Date: July 12, 2022

Genre: Mystery Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 4/5

All the Dirty Secrets by Aggie Blum Thompson

BOOK BLURB

One warm summer night twenty-five years ago, Liza Gold and her friends celebrated their high school graduation with a party on the beach. It should have been the best night of their lives, only one of them never came back out of the ocean.

The tragedy haunted Liza Gold for years. Now, she’s a recently divorced working mom struggling to connect with her standoffish teenager daughter Zoe when history repeats itself. Another young woman has drowned at Beach Week, and this time the victim is Zoe’s secret best friend.

Liza begins to suspect that the two deaths are somehow related, which causes her to face hard truths and take an unflinching look at the people she’s called her closest friends for the past two decades. She must discover what really happened to both women before it’s too late.

All the Dirty Secrets by Aggie Blum Thompson

MY REVIEW

Twenty-five years ago, tragedy struck when Liza and her friends went to the beach, and one didn’t make it in after her midnight swim. Now, another young woman has died in a similar way, and this time it was a friend of Liza’s daughter that died.

All the Dirty Secrets is told using multiple points of view and multiple timelines. The POVs are Liza and her teen daughter, Zoe. The timelines are present day and twenty-five years earlier. Liza suspects the two deaths are related somehow. To find the truth, she has to take a hard look at those closest to her.

This started as a slow-building novel, but picked up the pace around the middle of the book. All the Dirty Secrets is a suspenseful mystery of secrets and deception. A good read for fans of this genre.

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

Books by Aggie Blum Thompson:
  1. I Don’t Forgive You
  2. All the Dirty Secrets
Book Review

Cold, Cold Bones by Kathy Reichs [Book Review]

Posted on by Darinda
Book Review

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

BOOK INFO

Title: Cold, Cold Bones

Author: Kathy Reichs

Publisher: Scribner

Publish Date: July 5, 2022

Genre: Crime & Detective

Series: Temperance Brennan #21

My Rating: 4/5

Cold Cold Bones by Kathy Reichs

BOOK BLURB

Winter has come to North Carolina and, with it, a drop in crime. Freed from a heavy work schedule, Tempe Brennan is content to dote on her daughter Katy, finally returned to civilian life from the army. But when mother and daughter meet at Tempe’s place one night, they find a box on the back porch. Inside: a very fresh human eyeball.

GPS coordinates etched into the eyeball lead to a Benedictine monastery where an equally macabre discovery awaits. Soon after, Tempe examines a mummified corpse in a state park, and her anxiety deepens.

There seems to be no pattern to the subsequent killings uncovered, except that each mimics in some way a homicide that a younger Tempe had been called in to analyze. Who or what is targeting her, and why?

Helping Tempe search for answers is detective Erskine “Skinny” Slidell, retired but still volunteering with the CMPD cold case unit—and still displaying his gallows humor. Also pulled into the mystery: Andrew Ryan, Tempe’s Montreal-based beau, now working as a private detective.

Could this elaborately staged skein of mayhem be the prelude to a twist that is even more shocking? Tempe is at a loss to establish the motive for what is going on…and then her daughter disappears.

Cold Cold Bones by Kathy Reichs

MY REVIEW

Cold, Cold Bones is the twenty-first book in the Temperance Brennan series. Tempe is a forensic anthropologist who consults with law enforcement on a variety of cases. In this book, someone seems to be targeting Tempe. The cases she is working on are similar to previous cases in her career.

In addition to the crime solving, Tempe’s adult daughter, Katy, has returned home. Tempe is excited to have her daughter back in town, but then Katy disappears.

Cold, Cold Bones is an enjoyable addition to the series. A compelling mystery about gruesome crimes. Recommended to fans of this series 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:
  1. Déjà Dead
  2. Death du Jour
  3. Deadly Decisions
  4. Fatal Voyage
  5. Grave Secrets
  6. Bare Bones
  7. Monday Mourning
  8. Cross Bones
  9. Break No Bones
  10. Bones to Ashes
  11. Devil Bones
  12. 206 Bones
  13. Spider Bones
  14. Flash and Bones
  15. Bones Are Forever
  16. Bones of the Lost
  17. Bones Never Lie
  18. Speaking in Bones
  19. A Conspiracy of Bones
  20. The Bone Code
  21. Cold, Cold Bones
  22. The Bone Hacker
  23. Fire and Bones
Book Review

Stay Awake by Megan Goldin [Book Review]

Posted on by Darinda
Book Review

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

BOOK INFO

Title: Stay Awake

Author: Megan Goldin

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Publish Date: August 9, 2022

Genre: Mystery Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 4/5

Stay Awake by Megan Goldin

BOOK BLURB

Liv Reese wakes up in the back of a taxi with no idea where she is or how she got there. When she’s dropped off at the door of her brownstone, a stranger answers—a stranger who claims to live in her apartment. She reaches for her phone to call for help, only to discover it’s missing. In its place is a bloodstained knife. Her hands are covered in scribbled messages, like graffiti on her skin: STAY AWAKE.

Two years ago, Liv was thriving as a successful writer for a trendy magazine. Now, she’s lost and disoriented in a New York City that looks nothing like what she remembers. Catching a glimpse of the local news, she’s horrified to see reports of a crime scene where the victim’s blood has been used to scrawl a message across a window, similar to the message that’s inked on her hands. What did she do last night? And why does she remember nothing from the past two years? Liv finds herself on the run for a crime she doesn’t remember committing. But there’s someone who does know exactly what she did, and they’ll do anything to make her forget—permanently.

Stay Awake by Megan Goldin

MY REVIEW

Liv awakens in a taxi, and has no memory of the past two years. Someone else lives in her apartment, “stay awake” is written on her hands, and she’s in possession of a bloody knife. She soon finds herself on the run for a crime she doesn’t remember committing.

Stay Awake is told using multiple points of view and timelines. The timelines are present day and two years earlier. The POVs are Liv and the detective investigating the murder. Liv is trying to figure out what has happened to her. The detective is trying to solve a case. Both viewpoints are interesting and add to the story.

Stay Awake is a fast-paced thriller with an intriguing plot. Recommended for fans of suspenseful thrillers and crime.

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

Books by Megan Goldin:
  1. The Girl in Kellers Way
  2. The Escape Room
  3. The Night Swim
  4. Stay Awake
  5. Dark Corners