James Patterson and Brian Sitts team up again to deliver an intense and twisty mystery in Holmes Is Missing. This installment follows the elite detective trio of Holmes, Marple, and Poe—except this time, Holmes has vanished, leaving his partners to tackle one of their toughest cases yet: the abduction of six newborns from a private New York hospital. Marple’s sharp instincts and Poe’s grit shine as they unravel secrets that span continents. Along the way, they uncover startling truths about the case—and about Holmes himself. Patterson and Sitts balance fast-paced action with character depth, giving readers a closer look at the trio’s complex pasts. The case is intense and chilling, […]
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And So I Roar is a Masterpiece
Abi Daré returns with a breathtaking sequel to The Girl with the Louding Voice, delivering a powerful and poignant story that cements her place as a master storyteller. And So I Roar reunites us with Adunni, whose determination remains as inspiring as ever. This time, Daré weaves a gripping tale of secrets, courage, and the resilience of women facing extraordinary challenges. Adunni’s dream of education seems within reach until a knock at the door sends her and her guardian, Tia, spiraling into a web of danger and tough choices. The author’s alternating narration brilliantly juxtaposes Adunni’s raw, vibrant voice with Tia’s urbane perspective. Together, they unravel long-buried secrets while confronting […]
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Secrets, Subplots, and Strange Skies: Cornwell’s Latest Scarpetta Mystery
3.5 stars for the eBook, 5 stars for the narration. Identity Unknown takes Dr. Kay Scarpetta into two chilling cases: the suspicious death of 7-year-old Luna Briley and the bizarre murder of Nobel-winning physicist Sal Giordano, who was once Scarpetta’s lover. The story begins with intrigue, from a tragic child abuse case to a haunting murder scene in an abandoned theme park, complete with crop circles and eerie clues. The forensic details are sharp, but the novel feels overloaded. With countless subplots and references to past events, I struggled to keep track. This isn’t a standalone—new readers will probably feel left out. The UFO angle was weird, though it ironically […]
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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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A Love Triangle on the Prairie: Louise Erdrich’s Tender and Powerful Tale of People, Land, and Loss
Pulitzer Prize winner Louise Erdrich’s The Mighty Red took me back to the fields and skies of rural North Dakota, where my mother grew up. This novel, set during the 2008 recession, captures the soul of a prairie town—the people, the land, and the struggles that tie them together. The characters are vividly real, especially Crystal, a sugar beet hauler trying to give her daughter Kismet a better life. Kismet’s love triangle with Gary, the high school quarterback, and Hugo, a dreamy outsider, adds emotional depth, though their angst occasionally veers into YA territory. The humor—like a chaotic town book club—balances the heavy themes of fracking, climate change, and economic […]
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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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High-Octane Action with Layers of Secrets
Break Every Rule packs a punch from page one. Tommy Miller hides in Florida, hoping his old life remains buried. That hope vanishes when kidnappers snatch his wife, Teresa, and infant daughter, Rosalita. Tommy taps his old skills as a soldier and member of a secret group called the Outsiders. Violence waits at every turn. He learns Teresa carries secrets of her own, tied to the murder of a British Royal tangled in a sex ring. Detective Lindy Jax investigates the abduction and suspects Tommy holds back key details. She has her own reasons: years ago she lost her brother without a trace. Brian Freeman, known for continuing Robert Ludlum’s […]
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Power, Corruption, and Suspense: A Review of Thriller Absolute Power
I always enjoy Baldacci’s thrillers, so I went back and read one I missed from 1996. Some may find it far-fetched, but with today’s politics, who knows? Absolute Power grabs you from page one and doesn’t let go. It’s gritty, clever, and full of twists that make you question everyone’s motives. The story begins with Luther Whitney, a career thief, witnessing a crime while robbing a billionaire’s mansion. But this isn’t a typical break-in gone wrong—it’s a murder that implicates none other than the President of the United States. Luther is a flawed but fascinating protagonist. Despite his criminal past, he’s a man trying to do the right thing in […]
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Adventures, Assassins, and Adrenaline in We Solve Murders
Richard Osman has done it again! We Solve Murders kicks off a brand-new series featuring an unlikely detective duo: retired police officer Steve Wheeler and his adrenaline-junkie daughter-in-law, Amy. Packed with humor, heart, and a fast-paced plot, this book will keep you hooked. Steve is living his best low-key life in a quiet English village with his cat, Trouble, and pub quiz nights. Amy, meanwhile, is in chaos, working as a bodyguard for best-selling author Rosie D’Antonio, whose latest novel has ticked off some dangerous people. When a murder frame-up puts Amy in the crosshairs, she calls on Steve for help. Cue a high-stakes, globetrotting adventure with Steve, Amy, and […]
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Secrets, Skeletons, and Supernatural Twists in The Last Daughter of York
3.5 stars For 11 years, her twin sister Caitlin’s disappearance has haunted Serena Warren. The discovery of Caitlin’s bones in an untouched 18th-century church vault thrusts Serena into a tangled web of family secrets, historical mysteries, and a relic with otherworldly power. Add in the Wars of the Roses, the Princes in the Tower, and a dash of paranormal intrigue, and you’ve got Nicola Cornick’s The Last Daughter of York. This dual-timeline novel spans centuries, weaving the stories of Serena in the present and Anne Lovell in the 15th century. Francis and Anne’s tale of loyalty and loss during the fall of Richard III is rich with drama, but Serena’s […]
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