If We Were Villains By: M. L. Rio

WOW!  For any theatre geek out there-this book is for you!  For any Shakespeare fan-this book is for you!  For any mystery fan-this book is for you!  For any fan of brilliant word play, plotting and structure-this book is for you.  An extraordinary novel!

Glengarry Glen Ross By: David Mamet

I've always had a love hate thing with Mamet's work.  Some of his plays I absolutely love and some I can't wrap my head around and have no idea what point he's trying to get across.  Unfortunately, Glengarry Glen Ross falls into the "can't wrap my head around" category.  I have no idea what I just read, why it was written, or what I was supposed to get out of it. It's well written, but I don't see the appeal of this one.

The Oligarch's Daughter By: Joseph Finder

Joseph Finder is back and in fine form with The Oligarch's Daughter.  The story unfolds slowly, and not in a bad way.  This allows the reader to feel the fear, and stomach roiling anxiety that the protagonist feels, until the heart pounding ending.  Lots of secrets, lot of twists and turns. Classic Finder thriller!

Worse Case Scenario By: T.J. Newman

This is the third book by T.J. Newman and it is better than the second one, which was better than the first one...and the first one was fucking spectacular! Newman creates characters that are instantly likeable and empathetic that you root for.  She then takes those characters and puts them in the most extraordinary situations and you get to witness their incredible fortitude, selflessness, bravery and heart. Yes all of her books are "disaster" stories, and yet with every single one I am a blubbering, sobbing mess by the end and always feel there is, if only for the duration of the book, a small hope for humanity.

 

The Berry Pickers By: Amanda Peters

Oh, the big ugly cry happened at the end of this one!  Such a heart wrenching story and yet so beautiful and hopeful.  I can't rave enough about this book!!!! Read it!

Death in Disguise By: Caroline Graham

A twisted tale of greed and redemption and several corpses.  Wry wit and twisty plots are the hallmark of Graham's Barnaby series and that wit makes them so readable and despite the murders so enjoyable!

 

In Firm Pursuit By: Pamela Samuels Young

I Love Vernetta!!!  She's such a complex character and the situations she gets tangled in are superbly plotted. With her trusted and deeply loved best friend Special (yes that's her name) by her side there is nothing Vernetta can't survive! Great dialogue enhances this multi-mystery, multi-layered story. This is a great series!

Sidney Chambers and The Forgiveness of Sins By: James Runcie

It's always wonderful to visit the village of Grantcheter, even if it includes murders, deceit, abuse and theft.  Runcie's ability to weave six short stories into one large narrative is a brilliant example of his plotting and storytelling expertise.  As with the previous books, this follows Canon Chambers through roughly a year in his life with some pretty rough patches.  Comfortable surrounding and and familiar supporting characters make this series a joy.

 

The Wrecking Crew By: Kent Hartman

I've been listening to WMEX in Massachusetts ever since it came back on the air a couple of years ago.  An old fashioned radio station with the same DJs that were originally on the air when I listened to them 50 years ago!  When introducing songs they are CONSTANTLY mentioning The Wrecking Crew, and I was dying to know who/what The Wrecking Crew were.  Enter Kent Hartman's love letter of a book to The Wrecking Crew.  This book tells the story of this famous group of musicians responsible for backing, pretty much every hit you heard on the radio from the mid 60 through the mid 70s, many of which you're actually still listening too.  With a great deal of the history of the recording industry itself, this is a fascinating read and a wonderful tribute to uncredited musicians who provided the soundtrack to generations!

A Calamity of Souls By: David Baldacci

A taut courtroom drama set in the tumultuous time of 1968...change a few names and it would have been moved to 2024...and sad to say not a fucking thing has changed between 1968 and 2024.  I'd say it's gotten worse.  Baldacci has captured the time and the attitudes exceedingly well, which makes this book infuriating and gut wrenching.  Although a stand alone novel, if he so chose, Baldacci could easily make this a series with DuBose and Lee, and would gladly follow them!

 

Songbird: An Intimate Biography of Christine McVie By: Lesley-Ann Jones

The writing style of this took some getting used, but I got there eventually.  My favorite member of Fleetwood Mac gets the psychological treatment in this fascinating take on a biography. The more I read about Fleetwood Mac and it's individual members the more it amazes me that any of them managed to get anything done.  Their lives are so intertwined that you really can't separate one from the others.

To Die For By: David Baldacci

Twists and turns and turns and twists.  Just when you think you've got some tiny part of the puzzle figured out, Baldacci throws a curve at you and you realize you have no clue!  The 6:20 man, Travis Devine is a charming and lethal a perfect combination in this all to prescient story.

 

The Match By: Harlan Coben

I know the "star" of this series is Wilde, but I'm so enamored of Hester!  She is such an amazing character and has some of the best and snarkiest dialogue!!!  This installment delves deeper into Wilde's mysterious past and while it might seem like he gets some answers, one has to wonder if he got the full story!  Such a great series!

Fullfilment City By: E. M. Arons

Due to be published in May of 2025 and I hope people give it a chance. A prescient plot line of the pitfalls of advertising in this day and age, with big box stores and business, and a bit of a mystery to solve all rolled into one easily read novel.  This would be fine as a stand alone or great as the beginning of a mystery series.  Our protagonist Lydia is a complex character who feels real and her sidekick, Paul, provides charm, good looks, and sarcasm aplenty. I really enjoyed this.

Bad Apples By: Will Dean

 

I CANT' BELIEVE WILL DEAN ENDED THIS BOOK THE WAY IN WHICH HE DID!!!! I gasped out loud and then called Mr. Dean a lengthy list of un-ladylike words!  I will say it again and again, Tuva is one of the most original and best protagonists EVER.  Bad Apples is a psychotic David Lynch/M. Night Shyamalan hybrid that you won't be able to put down.  Once you start reading you will be sucked into the vortex created by Dean and you have to surrender to it.  I need to get #5 in this series, ASAP!

Sea of Poppies By: Amitav Ghosh

While beautifully written, and I do love history, this was 500 pages of relentlessly horrible things happening to nice people.  There was no comic relief, no joy and no resolution to any story line. I was hard pressed to find an overarching story line that would go through all three books, and none of the individual story lines resolved in any way.  This is all relentless set up for book two. 

Who to Believe By: Edwin Hill

I have a new favorite Ediwn Hill book and it is Who to Believe!!  OMG!  The twists and turns are more impressive than a scenic mountain road and holy merde!...what characters!!!  The same story told the perspectives of 7 of the people involved each revealing pieces of the puzzle and other puzzles!  SO well plotted and totaling engaging!  This is the book that An Instance of the Fingerpost tried to be!

The Second Hostage By: Jeffrey Deaver

Don't let the length of this story fool you, it packs a doozy of a punch mid way through! What really elevates this story is that, although it's a Colter Shaw story, Shaw's expertise is channeled through a different character for most of the story. Brilliantly done!  

The Never Game By: Jeffery Deaver

Full of Deaver's signature twists and turns and a fascinating lead character, The Never Game is a superb thriller that perfectcly starts the Colter Shaw series.  Expertly blending Shaw's upbringing with the action of the present day this story will intrigue, astonish and satisfy any thriller fan!

Dreams: The Many Loves of Fleetwood Mac By: Mark Blake

Because Fleetwood Mac is my husband's favorite band, I already know a lot about their history and their music.  Blake's work cobbles together previous articles he wrote and new interviews to take a new tact on the story of this classic group.  Blake has managed to write an engrossing biography from articles that work to form the narrative, and provides many perspectives on the band from band itself, those that worked with them and for them and people who had passing dealings with them.  Informative for folks who don't know the band, fun for those of us who do.

 

Tales from Watership Down By: Richard Adams

Just as delightful and charming as Watership Down.   This sequel is comprised of three parts, the first two are full of the stories of El-abrairah and his faithful servant, Rabscuttle that we've grown to love from the first book. The third part returns to the everyday life on Watershed Down.  Simply wonderful reading! 

Dark Shores By: Danielle L. Jensen

Christmas of 2023 I was given Dark Shores #2 and ate it up!  It was so fantastic, and that was without having read the first book in the series.  Christmas of 2024 I was given Dark Shore #1.  So satisfying to read how this series began.  So well written and well plotted.  Sets up the world brilliantly and plants some wonderful seeds for what's to come.  Can't wait to get book #3!

 

Tell Me No Lies By: Shelley Noble

I have to say that Lady Dunbridge, Phil, is an absolute delight and such a joy to spend time with!  This mystery was full of twists and turns, and fascinating characters.  A smooth read with an engaging and playful heroine, the reader can't help but to root for Phil and her intrepid servants!  Great fun! 

#9 in a popular Cozy Series By: A Friend

I'm lucky enough to have friends who trust me with their book babies!  his manuscript is for the 9th cozy mystery in a popular series.  Fan's of this series will LOVE this one when it's published!  A well plotted mystery and a surprising location for this one! 

An Unexpected Peril By: Deanna Raybourn

This was so much fun!!  I love Raybourn's style and her characters.  I'm going to now have to get the five previous books because Veronica and Stoker are too delicious not to want to spend more time with them!!  

 

Big Sky By: Kate Atkinson

A little slow to start this one,  but I think that's because I hadn't read the first first 4 books in this series.  A great number of characters and story lines punctuate this twisty mystery, but never once didn't not know who was who or what was happening.  No easy feat, and yet Atkinson manages with an ease that is quite impressive.

The Big Door Prize By: M. O. Walsh

What a delightful surprise!  If Fannie Flagg and Fredrik Backman had a book baby, it would be The Big Door Prize.  Small town life, interesting characters, multiple story lines, a plot twist you'll feel in the pit of your stomach and hopeful endings.  This is what a really good book is all about!

 

Good Dogs Don't Make It To The South Pole By: Hans-Olav Thyvold

A story of companionship and loneliness as told by a dog. Tassen, our canine narrator is delightful in his curiosity, intelligent in his views on the world at home and at large, and faithful in his devotion to the Major and the Mrs.  A truly original story and narrator!

North Woods By: Daniel Mason

A beautiful tale of the woods of Northwestern Massachusetts.  Yup, it's a story about a section of the woods.  It's told in many different styles, and it really shouldn't work.  Yet, it's endlessly fascinating, surprisingly moving and one of the most original books I've ever read.  I highly recommend it!

Danger on Vampire Trail By: Franklin W. Dixon

This one was a little all over the place and the lot meandered, and lost it's way from the original story, and yet, it was still enjoyable.  The endless trouble that followed the boys and their friends on this cross country camping trip kept me engaged, even if the plot became somewhat.muddled.

The Bombay Boomerang By: Franklin W. Dixon

This one was a little slow for me.  A bit convoluted and jumbled at the end, and the ending and wrap-up were to quick. Some points strained credibility which took me out of the story briefly.