Category: Book reviews

The Last House Guest by Megan Miranda My rating: 5 of 5 stars A suspenseful summer thriller set in a picturesque coastal town in Maine that thrives between Memorial Day and Labor Day, The Last House Guest is about friendships and secrets, the haves and the have-nots, the locals and the out-of-towners. This riveting tale…

The Nanny by Gilly Macmillan My rating: 5 of 5 stars A devilishly devious Mary Poppins, The Nanny captivates and surprises with twists and turns around every corner. After losing her husband in a car accident in America, Jo returns with her young daughter to England, to the mother she despises, and their house full…

The Whisper Man by Alex North My rating: 5 of 5 stars If you leave a door half open, soon you’ll hear the whispers spoken. I cannot even begin to express how jaw-droppingly good this book was. A beautifully told, tense, haunting story of a father and son who get caught in the crosshairs of…

Then She Vanishes by Claire Douglas My rating: 5 of 5 stars Riveting and wonderfully tense, I adored Claire Douglas’s new psychological suspense novel. I was particularly impressed as the story is more a why-dunnit than a who-dunnit, and these can be tricky to pull off. But Douglas manages to set up a double murder,…

No Exit by Taylor Adams Ok, this book was not what I was expecting! First of all, it gets pretty gory, which I normally have no problem with, but for some reason this just felt more…intense. This is actually a credit to the author, because the use of sensory words and descriptors was so impeccably…

Layover by David Bell My rating: 5 of 5 stars A suspense-filled, fast-paced book that had me flipping the pages to find out what was going to happen. Layover is entertaining storytelling at its best! The book switches smoothly between Joshua Fields, an All-American guy working in a job he hates, flying on planes he’s…

Dear Wife by Kimberly Belle My rating: 5 of 5 stars An irresistible, cleverly plotted thriller that will keep you guessing right up until the final heart-stopping twist. Dear Wife is the captivating story of a wife on the run from her abusive husband, ensuing in a fast-paced, heart-pounding game of cat and mouse. Beth…

Darling by Rachel Edwards An intricate exploration of race, love and family, I was completely blown away by that ending! Darling is part thriller, part domestic suspense, part YA, tackling some huge social issues and giving book club lots of food for thought. The story flows smoothly between Lola and Darling, telling the story of…

The Winter Sister by Megan Collins My rating: 5 of 5 stars An effortlessly told domestic suspense that slowly and intricately unravels a tangled web of dark family secrets. Centering around themes of family, sisters and secrets, this is a perfect read for those who enjoy light mysteries and character-driven domestic suspense about families. With…

All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven My rating: 5 of 5 stars One of the most powerful, life-affirming, memorable books I’ve ever read. Everybody should read this, but especially anybody who’s been affected by a loved one’s suicide, mental illness or survivor’s guilt. At times heartbreaking, at other times hilarious, at others authentic and…

Us Against You by Fredrik Backman I know I’m in the minority on this one, but for me this went the same way as Lincoln in the Bard0 – WTF and DNF. While there were lovely, poetic sentences, the whole first 25% was such a sullen drag I finally gave up, which rarely happens. Perhaps…

The Night Before by Wendy Walker My rating: 5 of 5 stars Nobody writes damaged characters quite like Wendy Walker! The Night Before is a clever, insightful, shrewdly plotted psychological thriller, which starts out strong and keeps building to a final, heart-pounding conclusion. With a fast pace and life-like characters, this unique and dark story…