Rhys Bowen’s The Venice Sketchbook is an emotional dual-timeline novel filled with love, loss, and hidden truths. When Caroline Grant’s beloved great-aunt Lettie passes away, she leaves behind a cryptic inheritance—a sketchbook, three keys, and one last word: “Venice.” As Caroline embarks on a journey to scatter Lettie’s ashes in the city she loved, she uncovers a decades-old story of passion and sacrifice. In 1938, art teacher Juliet Browning arrives in Venice, reconnecting with Leonardo Da Rossi, the man she loves but cannot have. As war looms over Europe, impossible circumstances test their star-crossed romance, forcing Juliet to make heart-wrenching choices. The novel weaves together Caroline’s modern-day search for answers […]
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Unraveling the Past: A Necklace, a Mystery, and a WWII-Era Parisian Department Store
3.5 stars rounded up to 4. Pam Jenoff’s Last Twilight in Paris blends historical mystery and wartime drama, following Louise, a British housewife in 1953, who stumbles upon a necklace in a secondhand shop. The charm stirs memories of her Red Cross days in Nazi-occupied Europe and the mysterious death of her friend Franny. Determined to uncover the truth, Louise’s search leads her to Paris and the dark history of Lévitan—a once-grand department store turned Nazi work camp. In a parallel timeline, Helaine, a young Jewish woman, struggles to survive in Lévitan after being separated from her husband during the German invasion. Their stories intertwine as secrets long buried surface. […]
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A Diva’s Rise, Fall, and Heartbreak: Maria Callas’s Tumultuous Love Story
Daisy Goodwin’s Diva brings the legendary opera singer Maria Callas to life, capturing her meteoric rise, scandalous affair with Aristotle Onassis, and eventual heartbreak. While the novel is well-researched and offers fascinating glimpses into the world of opera and mid-century celebrity culture, it falls short of delivering an emotionally gripping narrative. Maria Callas was a powerhouse on stage, but offstage, she was hard to sympathize with. She was arrogant, demanding, and selfish, making it difficult to feel invested in her story. Her affair with Onassis, the world’s richest man, was filled with passion and luxury, yet it lacked the depth needed to make readers truly care about their relationship. The […]
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A Twisty Literary Thriller with a Haunting Premise
In this gripping debut, a small town is rocked by the suspicious death of Dr. Erin Landry, with all clues pointing to reclusive failed writer Elijah Leith. As the town turns against him, Elijah must prove his innocence before it’s too late. Elijah returns to his childhood home in Point Orchards, Washington, after his writing career collapses, only to find himself at the center of a murder investigation. When Erin Landry is found hanging from a tree on his property, the police suspect suicide—until eerie similarities to Elijah’s own novel emerge. As the investigation deepens, secrets unravel, forcing Elijah to confront past betrayals and an unexpected enemy intent on framing […]
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A Small-Town Mystery with Northwoods Charm but Missing Depth
Murder shakes the quiet Wisconsin Northwoods in Wolf Hollow, the first book in Victoria Houston’s new series featuring police chief Lewellyn “Lew” Ferris. With a sheriff’s race underway, Lew juggles multiple cases—some of which hit too close to home. When local landowner Grace McDonough’s son, Noah, is accused of a sex crime, Lew makes the arrest. But when her own brother, Pete, turns up dead, things take a darker turn. Then Grace is found dead in her submerged car, and Noah is soon murdered as well. As Lew digs deeper, she uncovers a web of secrets surrounding a controversial mining deal and a conspiracy that could cost her everything. Houston […]
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The Grey Wolf: A Disappointing Chapter in the Gamache Saga
Louise Penny’s The Grey Wolf is the 19th installment in her Chief Inspector Armand Gamache series. While Penny’s skill in crafting atmospheric settings and delving into moral complexities is evident, this novel fails to live up to the standards of her earlier work. The story kicks off with Gamache enjoying a quiet morning in Three Pines, only to have it interrupted by a series of strange events—a cryptic note, a break-in, and a trail of clues tied to a plot to poison Québec’s water supply. The stakes are high, taking Gamache and his team from Three Pines to monasteries, the Vatican, and beyond. While this epic scope adds intrigue, it […]
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Ribbons of Scarlet: A Bold Idea That Fell Flat
DNF at 50% I had high hopes for Ribbons of Scarlet, an ambitious novel about seven women pivotal to the French Revolution. With six celebrated authors contributing, I expected a richly layered tale of courage, sacrifice, and upheaval. Unfortunately, it didn’t meet my expectations. This historical novel unites seven real women from all walks of life, including aristocratic Sophie de Grouchy, fruit-seller Louise Audu, pious Princess Élisabeth, and determined Charlotte Corday. Each one fights for her beliefs—Sophie educates peasants, Louise storms Versailles, and Charlotte seeks to rid the Republic of bloodshed. Their stories intersect in intriguing ways as the revolution intensifies, from gilded salons to the crowded streets. While the […]
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Turow’s Latest Legal Thriller Delivers Tension and Insight
Scott Turow proves once again why he’s the king of the legal thriller with Presumed Guilty. This book pulled me in from the first page and didn’t let go. Rusty Sabich, now retired, finds himself back in the courtroom defending his fiancée’s son, Aaron, against a murder charge. The stakes couldn’t be higher, and the tension is palpable as Turow expertly navigates themes of racial bias, small-town dynamics, and the complexities of the justice system. The courtroom drama is riveting—Turow obviously has courtroom experience, but he also has a delightful sense of humor. Rusty’s internal conflict adds emotional depth, and the layered characters make them authentic and relatable. Aaron’s struggles […]
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Faith, Family, and Finding Oneself in 1967 Alabama
3.5 rounded up Untethered is a thought-provoking exploration of faith, duty, and self-discovery set against the backdrop of a racially tense 1967 Alabama. Katia Daniels, the protagonist, has dedicated her life to caring for others—first her family, and now the boys at the Pike County Group Home. Her struggles with love, loss, and a deeply rooted sense of obligation unfold in a story filled with emotional depth and historical context. While I appreciated the book’s focus on faith and its examination of trauma, I had trouble fully connecting with the characters and the narrative. The writing sometimes felt awkward, and the story lacked cohesion, which made it hard to stay […]
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Electrifying Action: Brian Freeman Delivers with The Bourne Shadow
Brian Freeman’s The Bourne Shadow is an absolute knock-out. The fifth installment in Freeman’s continuation of the Jason Bourne series is everything you’d want in a high-octane thriller—loaded with tension, packed with action, and impossible to put down. Freeman dives into David Webb’s haunting past, weaving a taut narrative that forces Bourne to confront secrets buried under years of amnesia. When a woman unexpectedly recognizes him as Webb, it sets off an electrifying chain of events that thrusts him into a breakneck journey across Europe. From neo-Nazi cells to political intrigue, the stakes couldn’t be higher as Bourne searches for answers about his forgotten life. The pacing here is masterful. […]
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