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Book Review

The Appeal by Janice Hallett [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 Appeal

Author: Janice Hallett

Publisher: Atria

Publish Date: January 25, 2022

Genre: Crime Fiction

Series: na

My Rating: 3/5

The Appeal by Janice Hallett

BOOK BLURB

The Fairway Players, a local theatre group, is in the midst of rehearsals when tragedy strikes the family of director Martin Hayward and his wife Helen, the play’s star. Their young granddaughter has been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, and with an experimental treatment costing a tremendous sum, their fellow castmates rally to raise the money to give her a chance at survival.

But not everybody is convinced of the experimental treatment’s efficacy—nor of the good intentions of those involved. As tension grows within the community, things come to a shocking head at the explosive dress rehearsal. The next day, a dead body is found, and soon, an arrest is made. In the run-up to the trial, two young lawyers sift through the material—emails, messages, letters—with a growing suspicion that a killer may be hiding in plain sight. The evidence is all there, between the lines, waiting to be uncovered.

The Appeal by Janice Hallett

MY REVIEW

The Appeal is an epistolary novel told through emails, texts, and other written communications. I’ve read several books with this format, and usually end up enjoying them. A mystery written in this format allows the reader to attempt solving the crime as the story unfolds.

A local theater group rallies around a sick child in one of their families. Along with preparing for their next production, the group helps raise money for an experimental treatment for the child. Tensions and doubts arise, and then one of the theater group is found dead. As two lawyers sort through the correspondence between the players involved, they start to suspect a killer is on the loose.

The Appeal is a compelling and uniquely told murder mystery. A good read 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:
  1. The Appeal
  2. The Christmas Appeal
Book Review

My Darling Husband by Kimberly Belle [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: My Darling Husband

Author: Kimberly Belle

Publisher: Park Row

Publish Date: December 28, 2021

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 3/5

My Darling Husband by Kimberly Belle

BOOK BLURB

Everyone is about to know what her husband isn’t telling her…

Jade and Cam Lasky are by all accounts a happily married couple with two adorable kids, a spacious home and a rapidly growing restaurant business. But their world is tipped upside down when Jade is confronted by a masked home invader. As Cam scrambles to gather the ransom money, Jade starts to wonder if they’re as financially secure as their lifestyle suggests, and what other secrets her husband is keeping from her.

Cam may be a good father, a celebrity chef and a darling husband, but there’s another side he’s kept hidden from Jade that has put their family in danger. Unbeknownst to Cam and Jade, the home invader has been watching them and is about to turn their family secrets into a public scandal.

My Darling Husband by Kimberly Belle

MY REVIEW

My Darling Husband starts strong. Jade and her two kids, a daughter and a son, are held hostage in their home. Jade contacts her husband, Cam, with the intruder’s ransom demands. Unfortunately, Cam hasn’t been completely forthcoming about his business and their finances. As Cam scrambles, Jade and the kids attempt to save themselves.

Three points of view are used – Jade, Cam, and Sebastian, the intruder. Each of the characters has a unique voice, though I believe the story could have been more suspenseful without Sebastian’s viewpoint. The characters are relatable and strong, including the kids.

My Darling Husband is an intense and gripping psychological thriller. A good read for fans of domestic thrillers and authors such as B.A. Paris and Liv Constantine.

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

Books by Kimberly Belle:
  1. The Last Breath
  2. The Ones We Trust
  3. The Marriage Lie
  4. Three Days Missing
  5. Dear Wife
  6. Stranger in the Lake
  7. My Darling Husband
  8. The Personal Assistant
Book Review

Murder at Greysbridge  by Andrea Carter [Book Review]

Posted on by Darinda
The Well of Ice by Andrea Carter

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

BOOK INFO

Title: Murder at Greysbridge

Author: Andrea Carter

Publisher: Oceanview Publishing

Publish Date: November 2, 2021

Genre: Amateur Investigator

Series: Inishowen Mysteries #4

My Rating: 4/5

Murder at Greysbridge by Andrea Carter

BOOK BLURB

Summer has arrived in Inishowen and solicitor Benedicta (Ben) O’Keeffe is greatly tempted by a job offer from a law firm in America. Yet before making any life-changing decisions, there is her assistant Leah’s wedding to attend at the newly restored Greysbridge Hotel—with its private beach and beautiful pier.

The perfect location—but the festivities are brutally cut short when a young American, a visitor also staying at the hotel, drowns in full view of the wedding guests. And when a second death is discovered the same evening, Ben finds herself embroiled in a real country-house-murder-mystery, where all the guests are suspects.

Sergeant Tom Molloy’s appearance to investigate throws Ben into turmoil, especially when the pursuit of two runaways leads the pair to an island off the Donegal coast, where a violent storm traps them together, completely cut off from the mainland.

A deadly conspiracy is unfolding on this tiny North Atlantic island—fueled by the ruthless pursuit of money—careening toward disaster for the inhabitants—and for Ben.

Murder at Greysbridge by Andrea Carter

MY REVIEW

Murder at Greysbridge is the fourth 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.

Ben’s assistant is getting married. The wedding is to be held at a renovated hotel that is rumored to be haunted. Ben’s investigative skills come in handy when not one, but two, hotel guests die. Along with the mystery, Ben has a lot happening in her personal and professional lives.

I recommend reading this series in order. While the mystery and some of the characters are new, the recurring characters have a history that progresses between books.

Murder at Greysbridge is an atmospheric mystery with an isolated setting. This series has similarities with cozy mysteries – small town setting, quirky characters, and an amateur sleuth, but it is darker than most cozies. Murder at Greysbridge is a gripping mystery. I can’t wait to read the next book.

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

Books in the Inishowen Mysteries series:
  1. Death at Whitewater Church
  2. Treacherous Strand
  3. The Well of Ice
  4. Murder at Greysbridge
  5. The Body Falls
  6. Death Writes
Book Review

To the Tome of Murder by Lauren Elliott [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: To the Tome of Murder

Author: Lauren Elliott

Publisher: Kensington

Publish Date: October 26, 2021

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Series: Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery #7

My Rating: 4/5

To the Tome of Murder by Lauren Elliott

BOOK BLURB

Three weeks before Thanksgiving, bookshop owner Addie Greyborne already has a full plate—and a killer on her case . . . 

Addie’s determined to turn a seemingly ordinary November in coastal Greyborne Harbor into one for the books. The windows of her shop display carefully curated works by American writers, including a rare selection of traditional holiday recipes from the influential 19th-century publication Godey’s Ladies Magazine. And then there’s the town’s Civil War-era themed cooking and baking competition, with a hefty cash prize and free publicity going to the winning dish . . .

But when she finds her cousin’s boyfriend murdered, a stunned Addie reluctantly realizes she may be the only person who can blow the cover off a grisly crime. With so many unanswered questions surrounding the victim’s death, Addie must figure out the strange connection between a mysterious vintage briefcase, the disappearance of a first edition copy of Sarah Josepha Hale’s famous nursery rhyme, “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” and a dangerously well-read culprit . . . 

To the Tome of Murder by Lauren Elliott

MY REVIEW

To the Tome of Murder is the seventh book in the Beyond the Page Bookstore mystery series. Addie Greyborne owns the successful bookshop Beyond the Page. Addie is a bibliophile who occasionally helps solve crimes. As everyone in town prepares for Thanksgiving, Addie finds herself involved in another mystery. Her cousin’s boyfriend is killed, and Addie jumps in to help clear her cousin’s name from the suspect list.

As a fan of this series, I have enjoyed watching the characters grow. While To the Tome of Murder can be read as a standalone, I recommend reading this series in order. The characters and setting make this a delightful cozy mystery series.

One of the things that I like about this series if that the mysteries have a connection to books. Addie is drawn to help because of her knowledge of books. Plus, she often knows the victim and/or the suspect.

To the Tome of Murder is a charming cozy mystery. This cozy series is one I enjoy keeping up with, and look forward to each new addition. A great read for fans of cozies who enjoy bookish themes set in a small town.

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

Books in the Beyond the Page Bookstore series:
  1. Murder by the Book
  2. Prologue to Murder
  3. Murder in the First Edition
  4. Proof of Murder
  5. A Page Marked for Murder
  6. Under the Cover of Murder
  7. To the Tome of Murder
Book Review

Getaway With Murder 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: Getaway With Murder

Author: Diane Kelly

Publisher: St. Martin

Publish Date: October 26, 2021

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Series: Mountain Lodge Mystery #1

My Rating: 4/5

Getaway with Murder by Diane Kelly

BOOK BLURB

As if hitting the half-century mark wasn’t enough, Misty Murphy celebrated her landmark birthday by amicably ending her marriage and investing her settlement in a dilapidated mountain lodge at the top of the Blue Ridge Mountains. With the old inn teetering on both a bluff and bankruptcy, she must have lost her ever-loving mind.

Luckily, handyman Rocky Crowder has a knack for rehabbing virtual ruins and for doing it on a dime, and to Misty’s delight, the lodge is fully booked on opening night, every room filled with flexible folks who’d slipped into spandex and ascended the peak for a yoga retreat with plans to namastay for a full week. Misty and her guests are feeling zen—at least until the yoga instructor is found dead.

With a killer on the loose and the lodge’s reputation hanging in the balance, Misty must put her detective-skills to the test. Only one thing is as clear as a sunny mountain morning—she must solve the crime before the lodge ends up, once again, on the brink.

Getaway with Murder by Diane Kelly

MY REVIEW

Getaway With Murder is the first book in Diane Kelly’s new series, Mountain Lodge. Recently divorced Misty Murphy has invested in a lodge in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The place needs work, but she finds a handyman who can get it done quickly. Her first booking is a group of guests on a yoga retreat. Everything seems to be coming together, until the yoga instructor is killed. Misty wants to solve the case, so her new investment doesn’t suffer any more.

I have read other books by Diane Kelly, including her Paw Enforcement and House-Flipper mystery series. Since I have enjoyed both of those series, I was happy to see a new series available. As expected, I found Getaway With Murder to be a charming book with likable characters and a lovely setting.

Getaway With Murder is a delightful cozy mystery. The characters are relatable, and the story is fun. 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

Rock Paper Scissors 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: Rock Paper Scissors

Author: Alice Feeney

Publisher: Flatiron

Publish Date: September 7, 2021

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 4/5

Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney

BOOK BLURB

Things have been wrong with Mr and Mrs Wright for a long time. When Adam and Amelia win a weekend away to Scotland, it might be just what their marriage needs. Self-confessed workaholic and screenwriter Adam Wright has lived with face blindness his whole life. He can’t recognize friends or family, or even his own wife.

Every anniversary the couple exchange traditional gifts–paper, cotton, pottery, tin–and each year Adam’s wife writes him a letter that she never lets him read. Until now. They both know this weekend will make or break their marriage, but they didn’t randomly win this trip. One of them is lying, and someone doesn’t want them to live happily ever after.

Ten years of marriage. Ten years of secrets. And an anniversary they will never forget.

Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney

MY REVIEW

A husband and wife win a weekend getaway. Adam and Amelia are hoping this weekend will help improve their marriage, but things do not go as planned.

Rock Paper Scissors is told from alternating points of view. Having viewpoints from both Adam and Amelia adds more to the story, plus letters written by Amelia on each of their anniversaries adds insight to their relationship. The novel starts slow, but it eventually picks up.

Rock Paper Scissors is an atmospheric and twisty domestic thriller. Fans of Alice Feeney’s other books are sure to enjoy this one too.

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

Good Rich People by Eliza Jane Brazier [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: Good Rich People

Author: Eliza Jane Brazier

Publisher: Berkley

Publish Date: January 25, 2022

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 3/5

Good Rich People by Eliza Jane Brazier

BOOK BLURB

A destitute woman deceives her way into the guesthouse of a Hollywood Hills mansion and inadvertently becomes a target in the twisted game of the wealthy family upstairs in the next intoxicating novel from Eliza Jane Brazier.

Lyla has always believed that life is a game she is destined to win, but her husband, Graham, takes the game to dangerous levels. The wealthy couple invites self-made success stories to live in their guesthouse and then conspires to ruin their lives. After all, there is nothing worse than a bootstrapper. 

Demi has always felt like the odds were stacked against her. At the end of her rope, she seizes a risky opportunity to take over another person’s life and unwittingly becomes the subject of the upstairs couple’s wicked entertainment. But Demi has been struggling forever, and she’s not about to go down without a fight.  

In a twist that neither woman sees coming, the game quickly devolves into chaos and rockets toward an explosive conclusion. 

Because every good rich person knows: in money and in life, it’s winner take all. Even if you have to leave a few bodies behind.

Good Rich People by Eliza Jane Brazier

MY REVIEW

Good Rich People is a psychological thriller about a rich couple and a dark game they play. The couple rents out a guest cottage on their property. They choose people they can torment and attempt to ruin their lives. Unfortunately for them, their latest tenant is not one to go down easy.

Lyla, Graham, and Margo, Graham’s mother, are very rich. So rich they invent their own game to ruin other people’s lives. Their latest target, Demi, is tough to break though. The characters are well developed, unlikable, and fun to read about. The point of views alternate throughout the story, helping make it a more engaging read.

An over-the-top thrill ride of secrets and lies. Good Rich People is a gripping and twisty book for fans of psychological thriller.

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

Books by Eliza Jane Brazier:
  1. If I Disappear
  2. Good Rich People
  3. Girls and Their Horses
  4. It Had to Be You

Best Mysteries & Thrillers of 2021

Posted on by Darinda

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

Below are the best mysteries and thrillers that I read in 2021. These were gripping, suspenseful, and clever mysteries. Hope you enjoy them as much as I did!

A Good Day for Chardonnay by Darynda Jones
I Don't Forgive You by Aggie Blum Thompson
No Going Back from T.R. Ragan
The Other Mothers by M.M. Chouinard
Beneath Devil's Bridge by Loreth Anne White
Every Last Fear by Alex Finlay
Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney
I Know You by Claire McGowan
Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica
Heartbreak Bay by Rachel Caine
My Top Ten Mysteries & Thrillers for 2021
  1. A Good Day for Chardonnay by Darynda Jones
  2. I Don’t Forgive You by Aggie Blum Thompson
  3. No Going Back by T.R. Ragan
  4. The Other Mothers by M.M. Chouinard
  5. Beneath Devil’s Bridge by Loreth Anne White
  6. Every Last Fear by Alex Finlay
  7. Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney
  8. I Know You by Claire McGowan
  9. Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica
  10. Heartbreak Bay by Rachel Caine
mystery genre bingo

2022 Mystery Genre Bingo

Posted on by Darinda
mystery genre bingo

Welcome to the Mystery Genre Bingo challenge!

This reading challenge focuses on mysteries and thrillers. The idea is to create a bingo card with a variety of mystery subgenres and make as many “bingos” as you want. You can set a goal to get one bingo, completely fill in the bingo card, or something in between.

The 2022 Mystery Genre Bingo challenge has 25 prompts. This is a great challenge for readers who enjoy mysteries.

I love to read mysteries, so my goal is to fill in a bingo card. My card for this year is posted below. I will update this post as I work on this year’s challenge. Please comment below with your challenge goals. Good luck and happy reading!

To make a bingo card, visit the Bingo Card Generator. Enter the following information:

  • Card Title: 2022 Mystery Genre Bingo
  • Word List: Amateur Sleuth, Caper, Cozy Mystery, Detective, Domestic Suspense, Golden Age Mystery, Historical Mystery, Hardboiled, Legal Thriller, Locked Room Mystery, Medical Thriller, Middle Grade Mystery, Murder Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Noir, Paranormal Mystery, Police Procedural, Political Thriller, Private Investigator, Psychological Thriller, Romantic Suspense, Spy Thriller, Techno Thriller, True Crime, Young Adult Mystery, Whodunit
  • Free Space: Yes
  • Free Space Text: Any Mystery
  • Free Space Description: “leave blank”
  • Free Space Placement: Center
  • Card Size: 5 x 5
  • Number of cards to create: 1
  • Click “Generate Bingo Cards”

MY BINGO CARD

2022 Mystery Genre Bingo Card
Books Read in 2022:
  • Domestic Suspense – Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty
  • Hardboiled – The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett
  • Caper – Native Tongue by Carl Hiaasen
  • Middle Grade Mystery – The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin
  • Murder Mystery – One of Us Is Dead by Jeneva Rose
  • Young Adult Mystery – You’ll Be the Death of Me by Karen McManus
  • Paranormal Mystery – The Shop on Royal Street by Karen White
  • Noir – Buffalo Bayou by Tom Abrahams
  • Techno Thriller – Upgrade by Blake Crouch
  • Locked Room Mystery – The Finalists by David Bell
  • Whodunit – The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie
  • Police Procedural – Can’t Go Back by Debra Webb
  • Any Mystery – The Night Shift by Alex Finlay
  • Mystery Thriller – The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave
  • Historical Mystery – The Lives of Diamond Bessie by Jody Hadlock
  • Private Investigator – Pay Dirt Road by Samantha Jayne Allen
  • Golden Age Mystery – The Secret of Chimneys by Agatha Christie
  • Cozy Mystery – Bayou Book Thief by Ellen Byron
  • Legal Thriller – Cane and Abe by James Grippando
  • Psychological Thriller – This Might Hurt by Stephanie Wrobel
  • Romantic Suspense – Quarter to Midnight by Karen Rose
  • Amateur Sleuth – The Burning Pages by Paige Shelton
  • Spy Thriller – The Assassins by Gayle Lynds
  • Medical Thriller – Cold, Cold Bones by Kathy Reichs
  • True Crime – The Defense Lawyer by James Patterson
Book Review

Last Seen Alone by Laura Griffin [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: Last Seen Alone

Author: Laura Griffinin

Publisher: Berkley

Publish Date: September 28, 2021

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Series: na

My Rating: 4/5

Last Seen Alone by Laura Griffin

BOOK BLURB

Up-and-coming attorney Leigh Larson fights for victims of sexual extortion, harassment, and online abuse. She is not afraid to go after the sleaziest targets to get payback for her clients. Leigh is laser-focused on her career—to the exclusion of everything else—until a seemingly routine case and a determined cop turn her world upside down.

Austin homicide detective Brandon Reynolds is no stranger to midnight callouts. But when he gets summoned to an abandoned car on a desolate road, he quickly realizes he’s dealing with an unusual crime scene. A pool of blood in the nearby woods suggests a brutal homicide. But where is the victim? The vehicle is registered to twenty-six-year-old Vanessa Adams. Searching the car, all Brandon finds is a smear of blood and a business card for Leigh Larson, attorney-at-law.

Vanessa had hired Leigh just before her disappearance, but Leigh has no leads on who could have wanted her dead. Faced with bewildering evidence and shocking twists, Leigh and Brandon must work against the clock to chase down a ruthless criminal who is out for vengeance.

Last Seen Alone by Laura Griffin

MY REVIEW

Leigh is an attorney focused on her career, which involves fighting for victims of harassment and online abuse. Brandon is a detective looking for a missing woman who’s car was found abandoned with a pool of blood nearby. Leigh and Brandon are thrown together because the missing woman is Leigh’s client.

Leigh and Brandon are likable characters. They are driven in their careers, and both want to get the answers they are looking for. The story is fast-paced and engaging.

Last Seen Alone combines mystery, action, and romance. Recommended for fans of romantic suspense.

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

Books by Laura Griffin:
  1. Far Gone
  2. Last Seen Alone
  3. Vanishing Hour
  4. The Last Close Call
Book Review

All These Bodies by Kendare Blake [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 These Bodies

Author: Kendare Blake

Publisher: Quill Tree

Publish Date: September 21, 2021

Genre: YA Mystery

Series: na

My Rating: 3/5

All These Bodies by Kendare Blake

BOOK BLURB

Summer 1958. A gruesome killer plagues the Midwest, leaving behind a trail of bodies completely drained of blood. 

Michael Jensen, an aspiring journalist whose father happens to be the town sheriff, never imagined that the Bloodless Murders would come to his backyard. Not until the night the Carlson family was found murdered in their home. Marie Catherine Hale, a diminutive fifteen-year-old, was discovered at the scene—covered in blood. She is the sole suspect in custody.

Michael didn’t think that he would be part of the investigation, but he is pulled in when Marie decides that he is the only one she will confess to. As Marie recounts her version of the story, it falls to Michael to find the truth: What really happened the night that the Carlsons were killed? And how did one girl wind up in the middle of all these bodies?

All These Bodies by Kendare Blake

MY REVIEW

A series of murders that leaves the victim’s bodies drained of blood. Another gruesome murder, but this time a teen girl is found at the scene. At first, she appears to be a victim, but she is soon the suspect. A teen boy who aspires to be a journalist, and is the sheriff’s son, is the only one she will talk to.

All These Bodies is a young adult novel that combines historical fiction, mystery, and horror. The story is told from the boy’s point of view, and he’s not the best interrogated to find out what really happened.

A slow burning novel. Fans of true crime and horror are likely to enjoy All These Bodies.

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

Book Review

The Stowaway by James S. Murray and Darren Wearmouth [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 Stowaway

Author: James S. Murray and Darren Wearmouth

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Publish Date: September 21, 2021

Genre: Mystery Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 3/5

The Stowaway by James S. Murray and Darren Wearmouth

BOOK BLURB

Two years ago, Maria Fontana, the head of the Psychology Department at Columbia University, sat on a jury for one of the most depraved cases ever to pass through the hallowed halls of City Hall. Wyatt Butler, an antique watch restorer and alleged serial killer, was portrayed in the courtroom as a brutal monster. But Maria had to make the tough choice. In good conscience, she couldn’t convict him based purely on circumstantial evidence, and her deciding vote set Wyatt Butler free. The media soon outed her as the lone juror and her successful and quaint life was turned upside down. The victims of Wyatt’s ritualistic killings never forgave her either.

Now, she and her family have decided to take a vacation to get away from everything: a two-week-long transatlantic cruise. Nothing, and nobody should be able to bother her there. With her two twins and her fiancé Steve, she is set to put the past behind her as soon as the ship leaves port. But when a passenger mysteriously disappears, Maria is left to wonder if maybe this was no coincidence. When another passenger is discovered brutally murdered in a similar way to Butler’s ritualistic MO, the ship goes on lockdown.

Maria, one of only twelve people in the world with intimate knowledge of the case, faces a perilous ticking clock. Is it a copycat? Or is she trapped on board with the bloodthirsty maniac she chose to set free?

The Stowaway by James S. Murray and Darren Wearmouth

MY REVIEW

Maria served on a jury for an alleged serial killer. She decided to vote not guilty, and it created some challenges in her life. She became the target of threats, and wants to get away for a while. She and her boyfriend and two kids go on a cruise. Soon a murder occurs, and Maria has to figure out if it’s the killer she set free or a copycat.

The Stowaway is a fast-paced plot driven thriller. Gruesome crimes against children make for a difficult read. Intriguing story that kept me interested in how it would end.

The Stowaway is a disturbing and twisty thriller. Fans of serial killer mysteries are likely to enjoy this one.

I received a digital copy of this book from Macmillan in exchange for an honest review.