Tag Archives: #bookreview

Book Review: Two Times Murder by Adam Oyebanji

Posted on by
Reply

A Quiet Teacher Mystery

Book Description:

Greg Abimbola is many things. He’s Black, British and fluent in Russian. He’s a snappy dresser, a reasonable teacher, and an unenthusiastic sports fan. But most of all, he’s exceptional at keeping secrets. Like, who he really is, and the things he’s done.

Determined to keep his head down after helping solve a murder in the school basement, Greg fears a trap when Sergeant Rachel Lev of the Pittsburgh police corners him in his apartment. Because his refusal to take credit isn’t modesty, it’s a survival tactic.

But Rachel is here on another matter entirely. She needs his help. She’s lead detective on the homicide of an unidentified man fished from the Allegheny River. With clues scant, and surrounded by colleagues who’d love to see her side-lined, Greg is her final roll of the dice.

Greg has no choice. He knows more than he’s saying about Rachel’s mysterious corpse. To add to his troubles, a school trustee plunges to his demise after a heated board meeting. Both deaths come with potentially lethal consequences. If he doesn’t find answers, and soon, Greg Abimbola might be the third man on the autopsy table.

My Thoughts:

Two Times Murder is a multifaceted story told in an extraordinary way. I have not quite read a story such as this and I find myself wanting to know more about the protagonist Greg Abimbola and his side kick, Andrea Velasquez. Greg works hard at keeping a low profile, which is not working out great for him and Andrea, who is the assistant custodian at the Academy, is happy to help Greg out in solving the death of one of the Academy’s trustees. They are great team and their backgrounds make the story all the more intriguing. The other characters in this story make a great diverse cast of characters.

The DEI and culture war themes in the story had me pause at first when I came across the subject in the story. I had several thoughts on that score and was worried that this is a theme that would completely turn me off from wanting to read this book at all. Well I’m glad I chose to read this story and these themes were woven through fairly well without being obnoxious or in your face. After all, it is an issue of our day… I did find Greg’s remarks about what he calls “pampered, privileged white kids” to be somewhat of an issue especially since he is a teacher. You see, even what he may considered privileged and not having real problems in life is a bit of an assumption and a dangerous one at that. One never knows what goes on behind closed doors and all his students can be dealing with something that on the surface may seem insignificant or superficial but life teaches us that often times there is something boiling below the surface despite the backgrounds people come from. Greg definitely has room for growth.

I have not read this first book so I’ve missed a few details but this story made a great standalone and has me wanting to read the other book. An intriguing story with all the right bunches of a crime thriller. Bravo to the author!

Stephanie Hopkins

Book 2 of A Quiet Teacher Mystery

Pub Date Nov 05 2024  by Severn House

Side Bar: This book contains profanity but not so much that is distracting.  

I obtained an ARC from the publishers through NetGalley for an honest review.  

Reader’s Log 019: Book Stack Part 6

Posted on by
5

Acquiring books and reading them are entirely two different hobbies. I must say in the last few years, I have been working on curating my home library and working out what criteria I want to set to grow my stacks.

In this book stack series, I’m sharing books I’ve previously read and reviewed from NetGalley and want to obtain a physical copy for my home library. Today, I’m doing something a little different with this post.

A fellow blogger tagged me in a, “Spook Scary Book Tag” post and was excited to spot a few titles I’m not familiar with and appreciated the tag. As I was checking out the books listed, I came across, “I see You” by Clare Mackintosh. I made a comment on the post stating “I see you” is on my to-read list. Umm…shortly after, I remembered I read and reviewed the book for the publishers! Good grief. That said, it is worth reading the story again and I will be adding a physical copy of this story to my book stacks. It is also a perfect October read. If you haven’t yet, I highly recommend you do.  

About the Book:

When Zoe Walker sees her photo in the classifieds section of a London newspaper, she is determined to find out why it’s there. There’s no explanation: just a website, a grainy image and a phone number. She takes it home to her family, who are convinced it’s just someone who looks like Zoe. But the next day the advert shows a photo of a different woman, and another the day after that.

Is it a mistake? A coincidence? Or is someone keeping track of every move they make . . .

I See You is an edge-of-your-seat, page-turning psychological thriller from one of the most exciting and successful British debut talents of 2015.

My book review of, “I See You” here.

In the mid to late 90’s and early 2000s, I used to read Dean Koontz books. Well, this past Tuesday, I went over to my local thrift store to get out of the house a bit and came across one of his books! I’ve read so many books, I can’t remember if I’ve read the book I spotted. So, I picked it up and examined the book for wear and so forth… It’s a hardback and the edition is from 1992. The book is called, “Hideaway.” Are you familiar with the story? Maybe once I start reading it, I will remember if I have read it or not.

About the Book:

Strange visions plague a man after he survives a near-death experience in this chilling thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Dean Koontz.

Surviving a car accident on a snowy mountain road is miraculous for Lindsey Harrison, but even more so for her husband, Hatch, who was clinically dead for eighty minutes.

 After experimental procedures bring Hatch back to life, he awakens with the terrifying feeling that something is it out there. But it soon becomes apparent that the evil stalking Hatch is within him—a dark force of murderous rage that hides within us all…

Tagging:

Mybookworld24

Be sure to check out Alex’s books he mentioned in the post he tagged me on.

Stephanie

Book Review: Philadelphia by Paul Kahan

Posted on by
Reply

Philadelphia is the epicenter of our nation’s creation.

My enthusiasm for American history is long standing and it has been a goal of mine to further study the history and development of all fifty states and territories individually, including notable cities and towns. To my delight, the discovery of this book was perfect timing. Learning more about Philadelphia has been high on my list for some time.

Paul Kahan presents the reader with a sweeping narrative of the city’s history beginning with the Lenape tribe who inhabited the land that became Philadelphia all the way through the twenty-first century. Highlighting individuals who made their mark on the city’s history and delves into cultural diversity of the people and explore its uniqueness of what the city offers that makes Philadelphia stand out.  

As I got a few chapters in, I quickly realized that I had only scratched the surface of Philadelphia origins and history. I found myself taking pages of notes and jotting down questions I had regarding several notable people and details I did not previously know. For example: Charles Dickens visited the city. The city is home to the first natural history museum in the United States. Philadelphia remained the world’s leading publishing center and had several subscription libraries. In 1850, Philadelphia was still home to a few enslaved people. The first hospital was in Philadelphia and so on… There are a few people mentioned I’m looking forward to learning more about: Folklorist and Humorist Charles Godfrey Leland, William Hamilton, John Bill Rickets, Cecil B. Moore and Cherelle Parker.

This book is packed full of information and at times, I felt a few topics or mentions jump from one to the other too quickly without being fleshed out. Personally, I wanted to have a bigger picture of certain elements of history. Though, by reading Kahan’s account, I understand the direction he chose to go with, and nor did my opinions on that score take away from how much I enjoyed reading his narrative. I will say that while this book is educational and excellent, the dense information provided may be slightly overwhelming to readers who are not used to reading such material. I do recommend taking your time with this book. You’ll be glad you did.

As for the information of the history provided in this book, I can only attest to a few of its accuracies on account that I chose to read this book wanting to go more in-depth with the timeline of the city’s growth and to the contribution of culture, architecture, city planning, science, political arena, and government formed through the centuries. Kahan meets all those points, and it is apparent that the research and time that went into writing this account of Philadelphia’s history, ever-growing culture and diversity is quite extensive. I respect Kahan’s intellectual ability to provide readers with this profound selection of work.

I’m delighted to have chosen Kahan’s book to read as I have learned tremendously from its pages, and it has provided me with a comprehensive source for further study and reference. I will be adding a physical copy of this book to my history stacks.

Stephanie

Pub Date Oct 29 2024 by University of Pennsylvania Press

Hardback: 424 pages

For more information about this book and Kahan’s work please visit Kahan’s website HERE or by typing: http://www.paulkahan.com

I obtained an ARC from the publishers through NetGalley for an honest review.  

Reader’s Log 015: Book Stacks Part 5

Posted on by
4

Acquiring books and reading them are entirely two different hobbies. I must say in the last few years, I have been working on curating my home library and working out what criteria I want to set to grow my stacks.

In this book stack series, I’m sharing books I’ve previously read and reviewed from NetGalley and want to obtain a physical copy for my home library.

I reviewed, “Good Time Coming” by C.S. Harris in September of 2016 and I was deeply moved by this story. I feel my review did not do the story justice and I want to go back and read it again to update my thoughts and to-of course-add a physical copy to my book stacks. Interestingly enough, ever since I’ve been on the lookout for the book at used bookstores and have never come across a copy. I have noticed-I’m not surprised-that there are a few readers that misunderstand the story and the author’s intentions in writing about the subject of what civilians in Mississippi went through during the war. Harris doesn’t leave any women out no matter their class, status in society, or age. What I mean to say is that there is a diversity of women in this book that are tied together by war, uncertain of their fate and the utter despair and savagery of war. Today many people still don’t want to address this part of the American Civil War because then it will force one to admit that we tend to look at things with prejudice. Harris is a brave woman to write this story and I admire her greatly for her spirit of persistence in bringing Good Timing Coming to the public.

Stephanie Hopkins

About the Book:

A powerful tale of the survival of the women and children left behind during the American Civil War by the author of the Sebastian St Cyr mysteries.”

It’s the beginning of the American Civil War and the Union army is sailing down the Mississippi, leaving death and destruction in its wake. The graceful river town of St. Francisville, Louisiana, has known little of the hardships, death, and destruction of the War. But with the fall of New Orleans, all changes. A Federal fleet appears on the Mississippi, and it isn’t long before the depredations and attacks begin.

For one Southern family the dark blue uniform of the Union army is not the only thing they fear. A young girl stops a vicious attack on her mother and the town must pull together to keep each other safe. But a cryptic message casts doubt amongst the town s folk. Is there a traitor in the town and can anybody be trusted?

Twelve-year-old Amrie and her family have never felt entirely accepted by their neighbors, due to their vocal abolitionist beliefs. But when Federal forces lay siege to the nearby strongholds of Vicksburg and Port Hudson, the women and children of St. Francisville find themselves living in a no man’s land between two warring armies. Realizing they must overcome their differences and work together to survive, they soon discover strengths and abilities they never knew they possessed, and forge unexpected friendships.

As the violence in the area intensifies, Amrie comes to terms with her own capacity for violence and realizes that the capacity for evil exists within all of us. And when the discovery of a closely guarded secret brings the wrath of the Federal army down on St. Francisville, the women of St. Francisville, with whom Amrie and her mother have shared the war years many deprivations and traumas, now unite and risk their own lives to save them.

My interview with Harris HERE

Check out the previous book picks:

Reader’s Log 002: Book Stacks Part I

Reader’s Log 005: Book Stacks Part 2

Reader’s Log 009: Book Stacks Part 3

Reader’s Log 011: Book Stacks Part 4

Book Review: The Married Man by K.L. Slater

Posted on by
6

Pub Date: Nov 01 2024 by Bookouture

Choices in life have consequences.

Eleven years ago, Liv’s husband Rich and their son Maddox left the house to fly a kite at a park and she began to worry they had not returned home. A storm was brewing, and it was not like her husband to not respond to her calls or texts. She began to search for them and soon after, her son was discovered but her husband was nowhere to be found.  Soon after, Liv changed her name and she and her son moved to start a new life.

As the years go by the authorities declared Liv’s husband dead despite never finding his body.  As Maddox got older his attitude and behavior became troubling to Liv and the school he attends. While her concerns for her son grow, a woman named Kait appears and claims that she is Rich’s wife, and she believes her husband-whose name is Daniel- is the son of Maddox.

Detectives, Helena and Brewster are investigating a case that leads them to Maddox and the detectives find themselves trying to connect the dots of what on the surface seems to be two different situations.

Liv has been hiding secrets as to why her husband disappeared all those years ago and her troubles are about to explode, and her life is spiraling out of control.

At first, I couldn’t stop asking myself if there was one redeemable or likeable character in this story. Nothing is as it should be, and everyone has something to hide. When secrets and lies start to reveal themselves, I felt like I just experienced whiplash. There are so many turns of events going in many different directions but oddly enough, they are all connected. When I began to think I had figured it out, another detail came to light, and I was shocked all over again.

What an extraordinary psychological thriller.  K.L. Slater certainly knows how to weave a thrilling story.

Stephanie

I obtained an ARC from Bethany House through NetGalley for an honest review.

Book Review: The Burning of Rosemont Abbey Naomi Stephens

Posted on by
Reply

Pub Date Oct 15 2024 by Bethany House Publishing

Book Description:

1956: In the quiet village of Wilbeth Green, the smoldering ruins of Rosemont Abbey set the residents’ tongues wagging, and everyone is quick to accuse troublemaker Paul Everly of being the arsonist. Paul has vanished without a trace, leaving only his twin sister, Louisa, certain of his innocence. Fueling her conviction is an inexplicable connection–she felt her twin’s death an hour before the abbey went up in flames. Knowing no one will believe her, Louisa embarks on her own investigation, challenging the skepticism of her neighbors and the disdain of her aunt and uncle. Even Inspector Malcolm Sinclair, once Paul’s closest friend, is torn between his duty and a lingering loyalty to Paul and warns Louisa to abandon her pursuit. But Louisa is determined to solve a murder no one else believes was committed, even if it means unraveling secrets that could shake Wilbeth Green to its core.

My Thoughts:

The title of this book is what captured my attention to this story in the first place because of my deep fascination of Monasteries in England and its history. My heart clinches when I imagine an old abbey burning that survived through the centuries despite its history. Why would someone do such a deliberate act of destruction to such an historic building. Particular one that can be traced back to the pre-Norman conquest. I needed to find out plus I love a good mystery.

The mystery surrounding the burning of the abbey had me thinking of all sorts of scenarios of who could have done it, Paul being the number one suspect. Stephens does a brilliant portrayal of bringing to light of other potential suspects, their backgrounds, connections and the possibility of how it could have happened and why. I must say, I was really caught off guard on who the arsonist was and the plot twist I did not see coming! Despite Louisa’s feeling her brother’s death, I couldn’t help feeling and hoping throughout reading the story, that she was wrong.

Louisa’s inner turmoil is shown throughout the story and she is flawed-of course-as we all are. Louisa certainly gets herself in sticky situations and despite her rocky relationship with her brother Paul and her disapproval towards him, her convictions to find out what happen to him, despite the obstacles she faces, is commendable. It is an extraordinary thing to see someone seeking redemption for a person whose lifestyle they don’t approve of or no matter how strain their relationship is to each other. We see that with Louisa in regards to her brother and I am proud of her.

What an excellent period for the setting of this story and I admire a writer who can develop realistic characters of the time period, and culture. I also love how the author weaves in a brief history of the Abbey and how much the building meant to the community. My heart was saddened right along with the congregation.

Wonderfully written mystery, fast paced, suspenseful, thought provoking, and a great plot! I will definitely be on the lookout for more stories by this author.

Stephanie Hopkins

I obtained an ARC from Bethany House through NetGalley for an honest review.

Side Bar: It has been quite a while since I’ve read a Christian fiction story. In the past, oftentimes, I found the stories to be cheesy and unrealistic. I felt the genre was too confining and I sensed-at times-writers were walking on egg shells. While I understand the sensitivities on topics and how it is to be written for the genre and such, I feel like that is where many writers failed to make the characters actions, and speech at times believable. My feelings on the genre left me not picking it up any longer. This is NOT to say I want to read explicit scenes and such. I don’t particularly care for that one bit. You can write strong dialog, plot, conflict, danger, character development and relationships without explicit scenes, profanity and so forth, while getting your point across. The Burning of Rosemont Abbey has proven that and I’m delighted I chose to read this story.

Reader’s Log 011: Book Stacks Part 4

Posted on by
1

Acquiring books and reading them are entirely two different hobbies. I must say in the last few years, I have been working on curating my home library and working out what criteria I want to set to grow my stacks.

In this book stack series, I’m sharing books I’ve previously read and reviewed from NetGalley and want to obtain a physical copy for my home library.

I reviewed, “The House Between Tides” by Sarah Maine back in October 11, 2016 and I remember being really intrigued with the story. Imagine a house on a small island in Scottish Western Isles that is have prehistorical structures. Though, “The House Between Tides” is a modern story that blends with a story in the not too distant past. This story is about a woman who inherits a house that was owned by her relative Theo Blake who was a painter. The house is crumbling and basically in ruins. When human remains are discovered, her plans change…

I love these kinds of stories blended with mystery and atmospheric surroundings. I must confess, I have not read any of the author’s other works.  

About the Book:

Pub Date: Aug 02 2016 by Atria Books

Following the death of her last living relative, Hetty Deveraux leaves London and her strained relationship behind for Muirlan, her ancestral home in Scotland’s Outer Hebrides. She intends to renovate the ruinous house into a hotel, but the shocking discovery of human remains brings her ambitious restoration plans to an abrupt halt before they even begin. Few physical clues are left to identify the body, but one thing is certain: this person did not die a natural death.

Hungry for answers, Hetty discovers that Muirlan was once the refuge of her distant relative Theo Blake, the acclaimed painter and naturalist who brought his new bride, Beatrice, there in 1910. Yet ancient gossip and a handful of leads reveal that their marriage was far from perfect; Beatrice eventually vanished from the island, never to return, and Theo withdrew from society, his paintings becoming increasingly dark and disturbing.

What happened between them has remained a mystery, but as Hetty listens to the locals and studies the masterful paintings produced by Theo during his short-lived marriage, she uncovers secrets that still reverberate through the small island community—and will lead her to the identity of the long-hidden body.

Other books by Sarah Maine I would like to read:

Women of the Dunes

Beyond the Wild River

The Forgotten Shore

Check out the previous book picks in this blog series:

Reader’s Log 002: Book Stacks Part I

Reader’s Log 005: Book Stacks Part 2

Reader’s Log 009: Book Stacks Part 3

May this series inspire you and perhaps you will discover books you want to add to your stacks.

Stephanie Hopkins

Book Review: The Murderess by Laurie Notaro

Posted on by
Reply

First published October 8, 2024 by Little A

Book Description:

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Laurie Notaro comes a haunting true-crime novel about Winnie Ruth Judd, one of the twentieth century’s most notorious and enigmatic killers.

It’s October 1931. When Winnie Ruth Judd arrives at the Los Angeles train station from Phoenix, her shipping trunks catch the attention of a suspicious porter. By the time they’re pried open, revealing the dismembered bodies of two women inside, Ruth has disappeared into the crowd.

The search for, and eventual apprehension of, the Trunk Murderess quickly becomes a headline-making sensation. Even the Phoenix murder house is a sideshow attraction. The one question on everyone’s How could a twenty-six-year-old reverend’s daughter and doctor’s wife—petite, pretty, well educated, and poised—commit such a heinous act on two people she’d called “my dearest friends in the world”? Everyone has their theories and judgments, but no one knows the whole truth.

My Thoughts:

In the mind of Winnie Ruth Judd is a troubling place to be to say the least. Did Ruth actually commit the murders? Did she have help or did someone else murder those poor girls? We will never know what really happened in the bungalow the day of the murders but Notaro gives the reader a believable plausibility leading up to and the day it happened.

So many people couldn’t believe Ruth could commit these murders and it is no wonder. She came across naturally thoughtful, unassuming and kind. That said, Notaro shows another side to her and it is manic at times. You won’t know what is real or not real when you step inside the mind of Winnie Ruth Judd.

I must confess, due to the graphic details of their deaths and the circumstances of Ruth’s mental state and what she went through had me pause at first. Could I get through this story unscathed? Surprisingly I did but this story was a deeply emotional one, disturbing, and wrought in such tragic events. The topics may be triggering to some. I will say, I had to step away a few times to get a grip on what I was feeling while reading this story.

When I got about half way through the book, I did a bit of research on my own about this crime. I had not heard of this case before or the people involved. Quite frankly, I was blown away by it which is a bit of a shock about the details considering I read true crime often. From what I researched, the author of this book has weaved a brilliant story of what-ifs and her character development and narrative is fantastic.

Stephanie Hopkins

I obtained an ARC from Little A through NetGalley for an honest review.

Side Bar: (10/12/2024) After I posted this review, I kept thinking I’ve missed something I wanted to share. Actually, there is a lot but I can’t give spoilers. One thing I really wanted to get across is how well Notaro established Ruth’s relationship with both Sammy and Ann leading up to the murders. That is important and made Ruth’s mental state more impactful to the story. There is so much complexity to the story which gives readers much to ponder. Also, there is Ruth’s husband that had severe problems as well and I absolutely hated what he did to Ruth. Sometimes when I come across stories that make quite the impression on me, I struggle at times knowing where to begin talking about it. I had definitely thought about discussing the apparent mental illness of Ruth a bit more and the choices we make-big or small-can change life circumstances within an instant. That is brilliantly shown in this story.

I would also like to state that there are some triggering themes in this story. I did state that as much in my review but wanted to talk a little more about it. The triggers: Forced abortion, graphic murder and body dismemberment, drug addiction, possible rape while being drugged, and mental illness. While these themes are heinous and traumatic, to say the least, I have to give credit for the author’s handling of these topics. Normally I would have just given up on the story but for the exception of having to take a few breaks to compose myself, I got through it.

Book Review: A Feast of Folklore by Ben Gazur

Posted on by
4

The Bizarre Stories Behind British Food

Pub Date Sep 26 2024 by Unbound

About the Book:

Folklorist Ben Gazur guides you through the dark alleys of British history to uncover how our food habits have been passed down through generations of folklore.

Who was the first person to throw salt over their shoulder? Why do we think carrots can help us see in the dark? When did we start holding village fairs to honour gigantic apple pies? Or start hurling ourselves down hills in pursuit of a wheel of cheese? Gazur investigates the origins of famous food superstitions as well as much more bizarre and lesser-known tales too, from what day the devil urinates on blackberries to how to stop witches using eggshells as escape boats.

My Thoughts:

I’ve never really thought of food in people’s homes to be some sort of aspect of folklore until coming across this book. Or maybe I have in passing, but I have thought of or know of foods of having traditional meanings-such as when religious traditions are practiced, dietary needs, or for warding off sickness and healing. It is safe to say we incorporate these things into our lives often without stopping to think of its origins, cultural significance or if they come from superstition. Without a doubt, like many things in history, it is lost to us but now we have, “A Feast of Folklore” to enlighten and entertain us in the most perfectly written way.

When you read this book, you will soon realize that there is a folklore for everything! I could not stop laughing and I have to say the absurdity of us humans are brilliantly displayed throughout in this book. There are also the fabulous illustrations throughout and not only that, “A Feast of Folklore” has a truly engaging narrative that keeps you turning the pages for more. Truth be told, I still can’t get over how many folklore’s there are that comes from food. For example: Who should or should not make butter because of the color of their hair. Or what you can do to get free cheese and why one should eat walnuts or when you should plant crops. And why a family would keep a half-cut onion in their pantry. The list goes on…

What an outstanding book! I can’t praise it enough. I will definitely be adding a physical copy to my book stacks and reading its pages many times over.

Stephanie Hopkins

I obtained an ARC from Unbound through NetGalley for an honest review.

Book Review: The Bad Neighbor by Jenifer Ruff

Posted on by
Reply

I love a good mystery and thriller story! When I first got back on NetGalley, I spotted this book and glad I chose this story as my fist book to review. It has been a while! This one really took me by surprise. I haven’t always been a fan of FBI stories.Be sure to read my thoughts below!

The Bad Neighbor

Agent Victoria Heslin Series Book 9

by Jenifer Ruff

Pub Date Oct 01 2024

About the Book:

For newcomers Chris and Zoey Hamilton, the affluent community seems like the perfect location to build a life together. Instead, history repeats itself when Zoey vanishes without a trace—just like the previous homeowner five years ago.

Enter FBI Special Agent Victoria Heslin, known for her relentless pursuit of the truth. Her investigation uncovers a history of lies and betrayal festering beneath manicured gardens and picture-perfect smiles.

The more Victoria digs, the clearer it becomes: the secrets in Mountain Meadows run deep, and the greatest threats aren’t lurking in the shadows…they’re hosting dinner parties, attending parent-teacher conferences, going to yoga, and waving hello from behind their perfectly trimmed hedges. One of those polite, smiling individuals will stop at nothing to keep the past buried.

My thoughts:

When I spotted this title, it piqued my interest and I did a little further investigating. I love a good mystery thriller and it has been a while since I’ve come across a modern day one, I really enjoyed. There are a few factors I consider as a praise worthy read. Everyone is a suspect; motives are running rapid; opportunity is the icing on the cake. Those things are easily contrived but not always easily blended in with the flow of the story. Too much misdirection can make things a bit chaotic and before you know it the plot is lost to say the least. There is also the “it factors” when it comes to the right amount suspense, pacing, trickery and well-drawn out characterization. Most of all, a solid plot to keep the readers interest.

Did this book meet all the requirements? Yes, and more! I came into this series with the ninth book. To be honest, I’m a bit taken back I have not heard of this series before or the author. I made the right decision to choose this book to read and can’t wait to read the others!

Ruff assembles a great cast of characters and the pacing, suspense, the crime, the victims, the neighbors, the neighborhood and the brilliantly written twist and turns had me completely glued to this story until the end. When I thought I knew who had done it, other developments would happen that made the suspense all the more intriguing. There was a detail in the end about one of neighbors and her family that wasn’t fleshed out and I’m hoping it is because it will be included in the next book in the series. I do hope Ruff is continuing the series. I’m hooked!

I like Victoria Heslin no nonsense attitude when finding out Zoey was missing. She could have easily shrugged it off as a couples spat but she had a good head on her shoulders about the situation and reacted the way all law enforcement should. Victoria has good instincts and Ruff does a great job in portraying that attribute. Ruff also does an amazing job at making you really dislike a character(s). There was this one character who thought the worse of everyone and everything it seemed and it was great to see her come to the realization of just how wrong she was and her reaction to it figures with people like that. You’ll just have to read the book to find out more about what I’m talking about. I would also like to add that It was so refreshing to read a story without profanity and explicit scenes.

A great stand alone and an intriguing mystery with all the right elements!

Thank you Netgalley for a copy to read for an honest review.

Stephanie Hopkins