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 Librarian’s Deadly Past Resurfaces in This Gritty Historical Thriller
3.5 stars rounded up to 4 Allen Eskens’ latest standalone novel, The Quiet Librarian is a gripping, dual-timeline thriller that explores war, survival, and the price of vengeance. The novel follows Hana Babic, a quiet librarian in Minnesota, who has spent decades hiding from her past as Nura Divjak, a teenage soldier-turned-legendary assassin during the Bosnian War. When her best friend is murdered, Hana realizes she’s being hunted, forcing her to resurrect the ruthless warrior she once was. Eskens doesn’t hold back in his portrayal of war-torn Bosnia, detailing the horrors Nura endured and the choices that shaped her. The historical sections are the strongest, offering compelling storytelling and emotional […]
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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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Slow Start, Steamy Distractions, and a Solid Twist in Blood Moon
3.5 stars Sandra Brown delivers another suspenseful thriller in Blood Moon, in which a troubled detective and a determined TV producer race against time to prevent another disappearance. Detective John Bowie, teetering on the edge of professional disaster, teams up with Beth Collins, a true crime producer convinced that a series of teenage girls vanishing under a blood moon isn’t a coincidence. With only four days until the next blood moon, they dig into a case riddled with corruption, danger, and an undeniable attractio The plot had promise, with an intricate mystery and a solid twist at the end. However, the book struggled to keep my attention. The pacing was sluggish […]
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Ambush: Faith, Love, and Danger Collide in This Fast-Paced Mystery
Colleen Coble kicks off her new Sanctuary Series with Ambush, a fast-paced blend of romance, suspense, and faith. With a wildlife refuge setting, a decades-old murder mystery, and a rekindled love story, this novel has plenty to keep readers engaged. Paradise Alden returns to Nova Cambridge, Alabama, hoping to heal from past trauma and find answers about her parents’ murder. But her fresh start at The Sanctuary, a wildlife refuge, turns into a nightmare when another murder occurs. The prime suspect? Her first love, Blake Lawson—the man who once broke her heart. Despite her lingering distrust, she’s convinced of his innocence, and together they must uncover the real threat before […]
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A Thrilling Dive into Medici History
Steve Berry delivers another high-stakes Cotton Malone thriller, weaving history, conspiracy, and action into a fast-paced story that kept me hooked. This time, Malone is drawn into a centuries-old mystery tied to the powerful Medici family. Berry blends real historical details with thrilling fiction, making the past feel alive and dangerous. I learned so much about ancient Florence while reading this book. The historical background surrounding the Medici was fascinating, and now I want to attend the annual Palio race! Berry’s attention to detail is impressive, though at times, the sheer volume of historical exposition slows the momentum. Malone remains a solid lead—intelligent, resourceful, and always a step ahead of […]
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A Moving Tale of Survival, Sisterhood, and Resilience in the Face of Horror
Heather Morris returns to Auschwitz with Three Sisters, a powerful novel based on the true story of Cibi, Magda, and Livia, three Slovakian Jewish sisters who vow as children to always stay together. That promise is tested when the Nazis invade, sending Cibi and Livia to Auschwitz while Magda remains hidden—until she, too, is captured. Morris’s writing is straightforward, allowing the sisters’ harrowing journey to speak for itself. Their time in the concentration camp is brutal, but their unwavering devotion to each other gives them strength. Unlike The Tattooist of Auschwitz, this novel extends beyond the war, following the sisters as they struggle to rebuild their lives in post-war Europe […]
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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 Haunting Historical Novel of the US-Dakota War of 1862
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (4.5 stars rounded up to 5) Samantha Specks’ Dovetails in Tall Grass is a deeply moving and beautifully written debut that brings to life one of the darkest and most overlooked events in American history—the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862. Inspired by the true story of the largest mass execution in U.S. history, Specks tells the story of two young women on opposite sides of the conflict: Emma Heard, a settler’s daughter, and Oenikika, a Dakota woman. Their lives collide as tensions rise, treaties are broken, and war devastates the Minnesota frontier. Specks’ writing is immersive and lyrical, painting a vivid portrait of 19th-century Minnesota while capturing the heartbreaking realities […]
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A Haunting and Heartfelt Tale of War, Love, and Redemption
Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai’s Dust Child is a beautifully written, deeply moving novel about the Vietnam War’s lasting impact. Through the intertwined stories of an Amerasian man searching for his birth parents, a war veteran haunted by his past, and two Vietnamese sisters struggling to survive, Quế Mai delivers an unforgettable exploration of identity, guilt, and healing. Shifting between past and present, the novel weaves multiple perspectives with grace. Phong, abandoned because of his mixed heritage, yearns for answers. Dan, a former American pilot, returns to Vietnam carrying secrets and regret. Trang and Quỳnh, two young women in 1969 Saigon, make heartbreaking choices to escape poverty. Their journeys converge in […]
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