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The Day I Disappeared by Brandi Reeds [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 Day I Disappeared

Author: Brandi Reeds

Publisher: Lake Union

Publish Date: August 25, 2020

Genre: Mystery Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 3/5

The Day I Disappeared by Brandi Reeds

BOOK BLURB

Three months after four-year-old Holly Gebhardt was kidnapped, she was inexplicably returned to the same park from which she’d vanished…with no memory of the ordeal. Though a local handyman was convicted, suspicion also fell on his friend—Holly’s mother, Cecily. The troubling doubts about her involvement shattered the family, forever driving a wedge between mother and daughter.

Twenty years later, another girl goes missing under eerily similar circumstances. It’s just the latest in a series of kidnappings that Detective Jason Guidry thinks Holly can help solve. Though Holly has tried to move on with her life, a young girl’s life hangs in the balance. All she has to do is try to remember…

With her memory still mostly blank, Holly is missing vital pieces of the puzzle, and she believes her mother can put them in place. In desperation and fear, Holly and her mother come together again. But in a chilling rush toward the past, Cecily still has secrets she’s yet to share with her daughter. Should she dare to breathe a word, she could lose Holly all over again.

The Day I Disappeared by Brandi Reeds

MY REVIEW

As a child, Holly was kidnapped and returned home a few months later. She’s an adult now, and has no memory of what happened during the time she was kidnapped. Twenty years later, another child is missing, and Holly may be able to help solve the case if she can remember her past.

Told with alternating points of view – Holly and her mother. Holly wants to know about her kidnapping, and her mother may know a lot more than she has led on.

The Day I Disappeared has a complex mother-daughter relationship and a suspenseful mystery. This was a fast-paced and entertaining thriller. Gripping and dramatic.

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

Books by Brandi Reeds:
  1. Trespassing
  2. Third Party
  3. The Day I Disappeared
Book Review

Murder in the Bayou Boneyard by Ellen Byron [Book Review]

Posted on by Darinda
Murder in the Bayou Boneyard by Ellen Byron

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 in the Bayou Boneyard

Author: Ellen Byron

Publisher: Crooked Lane Books

Publish Date: September 8, 2020

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Series: Cajun Country Mystery #6

My Rating: 4/5

Murder in the Bayou Boneyard by Ellen Byron

BOOK BLURB

Maggie Crozat has the Halloween heebie-jeebies in USA Today bestselling and Agatha Award-winning author Ellen Byron’s howlingly funny sixth Cajun Country mystery.

Maggie Crozat, proprietor of a historic Cajun Country B&B, prefers to let the good times roll. But hard times rock her hostelry when a new cell phone app makes it easy for locals to rent their spare rooms to tourists. With October–and Halloween–approaching, she conjures up a witch-crafty marketing scheme to draw visitors to Pelican, Louisiana.

Five local plantation B&Bs host “Pelican’s Spooky Past” packages, featuring regional crafts, unique menus, and a pet costume parade. Topping it off, the derelict Dupois cemetery is the suitably sepulchral setting for the spine-chilling play Resurrection of a Spirit. But all the witchcraft has inevitably conjured something: her B&B guests are being terrified out of town by sightings of the legendary rougarou, a cross between a werewolf and vampire.

When, in the Dupois cemetery, someone costumed as a rougarou stumbles onstage during the play–and promptly gives up the ghost, the rougarou mask having been poisoned with strychnine, Maggie is on the case. But as more murders stack up, Maggie fears that Pelican’s spooky past has nothing on its bloodcurdling present.

Murder in the Bayou Boneyard by Ellen Byron

MY REVIEW

Murder in the Bayou Boneyard is the sixth book in the Cajun Country Mystery series by Ellen Byron. Maggie Crozat and her family and friends are back in another delightful book. When mysteries happen in Pelican, LA, Maggie, a B&B owner in Cajun Country, is quick to help investigate and find the guilty party.

In this book, Halloween is coming up, and some local B&B owners put together the “Pelican’s Spooky Past” package to draw visitors to town. The package included fun events for the visitors. It’s all good until someone spots a rougarou. More sightings start scaring off the visitors. Then someone dressed as a rougarou stumbles onto stage during a play… and dies. Maggie jumps in to solve the mystery.

I have read all of the books in this series, and have enjoyed each one. A couple of my reviews are on the blog – Mardi Gras Murder (book 4) and Fatal Cajun Festival (book 5). The mysteries for each book are standalone stories, but the personal events happening with the characters is a continuing storyline.

Quirky characters in an inviting setting. I love the Southern charm of Pelican and its residents. An entertaining read for fans of cozy mysteries.

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

Books in the Cajun Country Mystery Series:
  1. Plantation Shudders
  2. Body on the Bayou
  3. A Cajun Christmas Killing
  4. Mardi Gras Murder
  5. Fatal Cajun Festival
  6. Murder in the Bayou Boneyard
  7. Cajun Kiss of Death
Book Review

Checked Out for Murder by Allison Brook [Book Review]

Posted on by Darinda
Checked Out for Murder by Allison Brook

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

BOOK INFO

Title: Checked Out for Murder

Author: Allison Brook

Publisher: Crooked Lane Books

Publish Date: September 8, 2020

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Series: The Haunted Library Mysteries #4

My Rating: 3/5

Checked Out for Murder by Allison Brook

BOOK BLURB

Carrie Singleton and Evelyn the ghost sleuth the slayings of a starlet and a star-crossed psychic in Agatha Award nominee Allison Brook’s fourth Haunted Library mystery.

Daphne Marriott strolls into Clover Ridge and informs librarian Carrie Singleton that she’s a psychic. But had she foreseen what fate awaited her, Daphne would have steered clear of the quaint Connecticut town. Evelyn, the library ghost, tells Carrie that there’s more to Daphne than she lets on.

The mysterious woman grew up in Clover Ridge with her no-good dad, who apparently met his end at the hands of Daphne’s brother, Billy. Still, Daphne proves a welcome distraction when Carrie’s overbearing mother hits town. Mom’s much younger husband, Tom, is in a movie that’s lensing locally, and she’s there to keep an eye on him: Tom’s costar, sultry Ilana Reingold, is also his ex-fiancée, and there’s no denying the chemistry is still there. Soon after mingling with the moviemakers at a meet-and-greet, Daphne is found dead.

Carrie and Evelyn investigate, assisted by bushy-tailed library cat Smoky Joe. But the suspect list could overflow the library shelves. Has Billy killed another relative? Is their long-missing mother involved? Or Daphne’s mean ex-husband? Carrie’s sure she knows who committed the crime, but can she bind together the clues before the culprit Dewey-decimates the town?

Checked Out for Murder by Allison Brook

MY REVIEW

Checked Out for Murder is the fourth book in The Haunted Library Mysteries series by Allison Brook. In this latest book, Carrie sleuths to solve two murders. There is also some family drama when Carrie’s mother comes to town.

I’ve read the previous three books in this series and have enjoyed each one. My reviews for Read and Gone (book 2) and Buried in the Stacks (book 3) are on this blog. I recommend reading this series in order, since it helps to know everyone’s backstory. Still, this could be read as a standalone if you don’t get the chance to read the previous books.

Charming setting with the haunted library and plenty of quirky characters. Recommended to readers of cozy mysteries. Delightful and fun.

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

Books in The Haunted Library Series:
  1. Death Overdue
  2. Read and Gone
  3. Buried in the Stacks
  4. Checked Out for Murder
  5. Death on the Shelf
  6. Dewey Decimated
  7. Overdue or Die
Book Review

Until I Find You by Rea Frey [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: Until I Find You

Author: Rea Frey

Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin

Publish Date: August 11, 2020

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 4/5

Until I Find You by Rea Frey

BOOK BLURB

2 floors. 55 steps to go up. 40 more to the crib.

Since Rebecca Gray was diagnosed with a degenerative eye disease, everything in her life consists of numbers. Each day her world grows a little darker and each step becomes a little more dangerous.

Following days of feeling like someone’s watching her, Rebecca awakes at home to the cries of her son in his nursery. When it’s clear he’s not going to settle, Rebecca goes to check on him.

She reaches in. Picks him up.

But he’s not her son.

And no one believes her.

One woman’s desperate search for her son . . .

In a world where seeing is believing, Rebecca must rely on her own conviction and a mother’s instinct to uncover the truth about what happened to her baby and bring him home for good.

Until I Find You by Rea Frey

MY REVIEW

After a fall in the park, Rebecca (aka Bec) realizes the baby in her care is not her son. Bec suffers from a degenerative eye disease and lives as a blind woman. She finds it difficult to get the police and her friends to believe the baby isn’t hers. After all, they believe the baby looks like her son.

Bec is an intriguing character. Losing her sight is challenging enough, but Bec has also recently lost loved ones. Her husband passed away nearly a year ago and her mother passed weeks ago. She’s also become more anxious about her son. When she claims her son has been taken and another baby left in his place, no one seems to believe her. How and when could such a thing happen?

Until I Find You is a compelling story with well-developed characters. Suspenseful, dramatic, and enjoyable.

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

Books by Rea Frey:
  1. Not Her Daughter
  2. Because You’re Mine
  3. Until I Find You
  4. Secrets of Our House
  5. Don’t Forget Me
Book Review

The First to Lie by Hank Phillippi Ryan [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 First to Lie

Author: Hank Phillippi Ryan

Publisher: Forge Books

Publish Date: August 4, 2020

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 3/5

The First to Lie by Hank Phillippi Ryan

BOOK BLURB

We all have our reasons for being who we are―but what if being someone else could get you what you want?

After a devastating betrayal, a young woman sets off on an obsessive path to justice, no matter what dark family secrets are revealed. What she doesn’t know―she isn’t the only one plotting revenge.

An affluent daughter of privilege. A glamorous manipulative wannabe. A determined reporter, in too deep. A grieving widow who has to choose her new reality. Who will be the first to lie? And when the stakes are life and death, do a few lies really matter?

Bestselling and award-winning author and investigative reporter Hank Phillippi Ryan delivers another twisty, thrilling cat and mouse novel of suspense that will have you guessing, and second-guessing, and then gasping with surprise.

The First to Lie by Hank Phillippi Ryan

MY REVIEW

A big pharmaceutical company has a drug that promises to help with fertility, but the side effects are horrific and kept secret from the public. An investigative reporter wants to expose them. A sales rep with the company has her own agenda.

The First to Lie is a story of lies and deception told using multiple points of view. The multiple POVs started off fine, but got more confusing as the story progressed. The plot was intricate and the characters were clever. In the end it was an entertaining thriller, but it took a while for me to get into this one.

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

Books by Hank Phillippi Ryan:
  1. Trust Me
  2. The Murder List
  3. The First to Lie
  4. Her Perfect Life
  5. The House Guest
  6. One Wrong Word
  7. All This Could Be Yours
Book Review

The Night Swim 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: The Night Swim

Author: Megan Goldin

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Publish Date: August 4, 2020

Genre: Mystery Thriller

Series: Rachel Krall #1

My Rating: 5/5

The Night Swim by Megan Goldin

BOOK BLURB

Ever since her true-crime podcast became an overnight sensation and set an innocent man free, Rachel Krall has become a household name—and the last hope for people seeking justice. But she’s used to being recognized for her voice, not her face. Which makes it all the more unsettling when she finds a note on her car windshield, addressed to her, begging for help.

The new season of Rachel’s podcast has brought her to a small town being torn apart by a devastating rape trial. A local golden boy, a swimmer destined for Olympic greatness, has been accused of raping the beloved granddaughter of the police chief. Under pressure to make Season 3 a success, Rachel throws herself into her investigation—but the mysterious letters keep coming. Someone is following her, and she won’t stop until Rachel finds out what happened to her sister twenty-five years ago. Officially, Jenny Stills tragically drowned, but the letters insist she was murdered—and when Rachel starts asking questions, nobody in town wants to answer. The past and present start to collide as Rachel uncovers startling connections between the two cases—and a revelation that will change the course of the trial and the lives of everyone involved.

Electrifying and propulsive, The Night Swim asks: What is the price of a reputation? Can a small town ever right the wrongs of its past? And what really happened to Jenny?

The Night Swim by Megan Goldin

MY REVIEW

Rachel has a successful true crime podcast. She has helped set an innocent man free, and now needs to keep her listeners interested. She takes on reporting about an active trial. It’s a controversial rape trial that has a small town divided and national attention on them. While in town to report on the trial, someone contacts Rachel about a previous crime from 25 years earlier. Rachel does her podcast about the current trial, but the past crime has her intrigued.

Rachel is a fantastic protagonist. She’s smart, driven, and determined. Both the present and past mysteries are intriguing, and told in a captivating way. The current trial is a controversial one, but Rachel does a decent job of presenting both sides. As for the older crime, it seems no one in town wants to talk about the girl involved, which makes it even more interesting to Rachel. She continues to work on both cases, and learns details that shed light on both the past and present.

An intense thriller that kept me turning the pages. A great novel for fans of mysteries featuring podcasts and courtroom dramas. Complex, mysterious, and gripping.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss 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
Book Review

The Wife Who Knew Too Much by Michele Campbell [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 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

The Wife Who Knew Too Much by Michele Campbell

BOOK BLURB

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?

The Wife Who Knew Too Much by Michele Campbell

MY REVIEW

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 Wife Who Knew Too Much 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.

Books by Michele Campbell:
  1. It’s Always the Husband
  2. She Was the Quiet One
  3. A Stranger on the Beach
  4. The Wife Who Knew Too Much
  5. The Intern
Book Review

The End of Her by Shari Lapena [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 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 End of Her by Shari Lapena

BOOK BLURB

A long-ago accident–and a visitor 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?

The End of Her by Shari Lapena

MY REVIEW

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.

The End of Her is 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.

Books by Shari Lapena:
  1. The Couple Next Door
  2. A Stranger in the House
  3. An Unwanted Guest
  4. Someone We Know
  5. The End of Her
  6. Not a Happy Family
  7. Everyone Here Is Lying
Book Review

His & Hers 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: His & Hers

Author: Alice Feeney

Publisher: Flatiron Books

Publish Date: July 28, 2020

Genre: Mystery Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 4/5

His & Hers by Alice Feeney

BOOK BLURB

There are two sides to every story: yours and mine, ours and theirs, His & 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 by Alice Feeney

MY REVIEW

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.

His & Hers is 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.

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

He Started It by Samantha Downing [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: He Started It

Author: Samantha Downing

Publisher: Berkley

Publish Date: July 28, 2020

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 4/5

He Started It by Samantha Downing

BOOK BLURB

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.

He Started It by Samantha Downing

MY REVIEW

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. He Started It is a wickedly fun read.

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

Books by Samantha Downing:
  1. My Lovely Wife
  2. He Started It
  3. Sleeping Dogs Lie
  4. For Your Own Good
  5. A Twisted Love Story
  6. Too Old for This
Book Review

Handbook for Homicide by Lorna Barrett [Book Review]

Posted on by Darinda
Handbook for Homicide by Lorna Barrett

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

BOOK INFO

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

Handbook for Homicide by Lorna Barrett

BOOK BLURB

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.

Handbook for Homicide by Lorna Barrett

MY REVIEW

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.

Books in the Booktown Mystery Series:
  1. Murder is Binding
  2. Bookmarked for Death
  3. Bookplate Special
  4. Chapter and Hearse
  5. Sentenced to Death
  6. Murder on the Half Shelf
  7. Not the Killing Type
  8. Book Clubbed
  9. A Fatal Chapter
  10. Title Wave
  11. A Just Clause
  12. Poisoned Pages
  13. A Killer Edition
  14. Handbook for Homicide
Book Review

The Vacation by T.M. Logan [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 Vacation

Author: T.M. Logan

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Publish Date: July 21, 2020

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Series: na

My Rating: 4/5

The Vacation by T.M. Logan

BOOK BLURB

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.

The Vacation by T.M. Logan

MY REVIEW

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 in The Vacation, 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.

The Vacation is a slow-burning domestic thriller. This is an enjoyable read for fans of slower paced thrillers with lots of drama. Fantastic summer thriller. This book was also published under the title The Holiday.

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

Books by T.M. Logan:
  1. Lies
  2. 29 Seconds
  3. The Vacation
  4. The Catch
  5. Trust Me
  6. The Curfew
  7. The Mother
  8. The Dream Home