Jodi Picoult is a smart writer, no doubt about it. Wish You Were Here starts off strong, with Diana O’Toole heading to the Galápagos solo when her surgeon boyfriend Finn stays behind in New York to deal with COVID. Stranded on Isabela Island with no luggage, no Wi-Fi, and no plan, she finds shelter with a local woman and bonds with a troubled teen named Beatriz and her (very available) dad. Diana begins to rethink her carefully plotted future. The first half is beautifully written, full of rich detail and emotional weight. The island setting pops, and the early pandemic backdrop is all too real. Picoult’s research shows—whether she’s describing […]
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Secrets, Lies, and Baby Bumps: A Twisty London Thriller
Greenwich Park starts with prenatal yoga and ends with a punch to the gut. Katherine Faulkner’s debut is a twisty domestic thriller that unwraps like a baby shower gift with something sinister inside. Helen is pregnant after years of loss, married to a charming architect, and living in a dreamy Victorian home. But when she meets Rachel—a chain-smoking, wine-guzzling hot mess at her prenatal class—her carefully built life cracks. Rachel latches on fast. She’s fun, unpredictable, and clearly hiding something. So is everyone else, apparently. We get multiple narrators (Helen, her chic sister-in-law Serena, and Katie, a dogged reporter), all tied together by a dark event from their Cambridge days. […]
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Heartache, Hope, and Healing, Along Route 66
4.5 stars Vanessa Miller tackles a brutal chapter of American history with honesty and heart in The Filling Station. Sisters Margaret and Evelyn flee the devastating Tulsa Race Massacre, finding refuge at the Threatt Filling Station along Route 66. Miller shines a necessary spotlight on Greenwood, Oklahoma, and its violent destruction, a tragic event overlooked by many history books. Margaret, practical and cautious, struggles with shattered faith. Evelyn dreams of escape and a brighter future. Both women feel vividly real, their flaws and strength equally believable. Miller carefully shows how trauma shapes them differently, making their journey toward healing messy but meaningful. Some plot points land predictably, yet strong character […]
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An Emotional Conclusion to the Murphy Shepherd Series
Charles Martin delivers another gripping, emotional, and thought-provoking novel in The Keeper, the fourth installment in the Murphy Shepherd series. With faith, family, and honor woven throughout, this book is as much a spiritual journey as it is a high-stakes thriller. Murphy is reeling from the loss of his mentor, Bones, when he’s thrust into another mission: rescuing the kidnapped daughters of a presidential candidate. The race against time is intense, but the deeper battle—Murphy’s struggle to find his footing without Bones—is just as interesting. As always, Martin masterfully balances action with heartfelt reflection, though the novel leans a bit too introspective. While the themes of faith and redemption shine, […]
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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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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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