The Coworker by Freida McFadden

 

The best way I can describe Freida McFadden's novels is to say they are like a snack--you start nibbling and the next thing you know you've eaten the whole bag. I started this novel late Saturday night and wrapped it up early Sunday afternoon in between loads of laundry. 

Dawn Schiff works as an accountant at Vixed, a health supplement company. She sits next to Natalie, the top saleswoman in the company. Cubicles for all! Natalie and Dawn are complete opposites: Dawn is definitely on the spectrum--she eats one color food (all white, all yellow), must have everything organized, struggles with social norms and cues, and loves turtles above everything else. Natalie is blonde, gorgeous, and not above using her physical assets to bring in sales. 

The novel starts out with Dawn not showing up to work one morning, and Natalie notices. It's odd, because Dawn is punctual every day. Doesn't deviate from her routine. Yet here it is, over an hour later, and she's not at her desk, and no one has seen her. Natalie begins to worry; where could Dawn be? Add to that a bizarre phone call to Dawn's desk; "help me" are the only words spoken, and it sounds like Dawn. 

Natalie is worried--so worried she remembers where Dawn lives, and decides to check on her. Inside, she finds a pool of blood and what looks like a crime scene with no body.  Police get involved, and it's soon national news: where is Dawn Schiff?

The novel moves back and forth between present day, four months in the past and  two months in the past. It also switches narrators between Dawn and Natalie. What at first seems like simple co-worker concern from Natalie quickly becomes something much darker, and strap in because it's a roller coaster ride from there on out. 

What can I say? A co-worker can be someone you admire or like, but they turn out to be not so nice. We've all been there. But this takes it to eleven. 

You'll gobble this up pretty quickly. I can't say the ending was satisfying, but everything was tied up neatly. It was a heck of a read. 

Rating: 4/6 for a thriller with plenty of ups and downs, a clear message about the damage bullying does for both kids and adults, and being accepted for yourself-quirks and all. Office politics are a hot mess in this one. 

Available in paperback, ebook, and audio. 

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The Coworker by Freida McFadden

October Read: The Ghost Illusion by Kat Martin

 I switched from magic and witches to paranormal. It is October, after all. I love that it's getting darker earlier and I've broken out my fall candle.  Made pumpkin bread. Chili is on the horizon. I've also started watching my ghosty shows on Discovery. I'm all in!

I haven't read Kat Martin before, but in my years of bookselling and librarianship I've seen her name oodles of times and have ordered her books for the library. She's consistently popular and I'd say she's romantic suspense. This book definitely reminded me of Heather Graham and her Krewe of Hunters series. I'd love to see more with this group of ghost hunters. 

Eve St. Clair has recently moved to England to live in a family home she's inherited. She spent many summers there as a child and loves the home. Only problem is she's terrified. Every night there are running footsteps, cold spells, and voices arguing. She reaches out in desperation to Paranormal Investigations, an American group that travel the world helping people with paranormal issues. To her relief, Ran King, owner (and darn good looking, and rich) agrees to bring his team to Sunderland, England to help out Eve. 

Of course sparks fly between Ran and Eve. They both fight it, knowing this is just a short term meet and Ran will eventually return to Seattle once the ghost issue is resolved. But the pull is irresistible. 

Meanwhile, the ghostly phenomenon happening in Eve's home ramps up and is putting the team in harm's way. Eve seems to be the only one who can connect with the spirits, especially a young boy named Wally. The evil spirit that's keeping Wally and others trapped is bent on keeping the spirits there forever, and it will destroy anyone who tries to send them to the light. Can Ran and his team stay safe and solve the ghostly happenings? Is there a happy ending for Ran and Eve?

This was what I classify in my mind as a comfort read for me. I'm always up for a ghost story that involves a bit of history and the romance was a nice touch. Nothing surprising at all, and that was just fine with me. There was enough action moving forward that kept me reading and enjoying the plot and the characters. 

I'd read more of Kat Martin and probably will look into her other novels--she has a lot! But I really do hope she writes more involving the Paranormal Investigations team. 

Rating: 4/6 for an interesting ghost story, hot romance, and enough character building that keeps you invested but leaves the door open for *hopefully* more novels with this team. Fans of Heather Graham will enjoy this novel. 

Available in hardcover, ebook and audio book. 

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October Read: The Ghost Illusion by Kat Martin

May Read: Mastering the Art of French Murder by Colleen Cambridge

 

I recently returned from vacation and decided to try an e-book on my iPad while I was traveling. I had this book on my TBR and was delighted to see it was available on Hoopla. 

Loved this mystery! It takes place in 1949, Paris. American Tabitha has traveled to Paris to visit her Grandfather and honorary Uncle. They are two eccentric, wealthy elderly men who are delighted to have Tabitha visit. Tabitha, who speaks French fluently, is absolutely in love with Paris and has been there for eight months, with no intention of leaving anytime soon.

And best of all, across the street live Julia and Paul Child. Julia has taken Tabitha under her wing, helping her shop at the market and teaching Tabitha to cook. Julia is famous in the neighborhood for her cooking, but her worldwide fame is years away. 

Julia's sister Dot is also living in the same apartment as Julia and Paul, and she's involved in an American theater. Her friends gather at the apartment late at night for drinks, smokes, and a good time. After one such night, a horrible discovery is made: Therese, a young woman who was at the party the night before, is found dead near the garbage area in the apartment building basement. She's been brutally stabbed to death. Tabitha recognizes her, and thus begins her foray into figuring out who killed Therese, and why. 

I was charmed by the setting, the characters, and as the plot unfolded, the mystery. It never lagged or slowed down, but kept a steady pace forward. Tabitha--loved her! Just curious and smart enough to figure things out, but not one to bumble her way forward. Julia's character is big, joyful, and full of life. While the pool of suspects is small, it is not easy to figure out just who was the murderer. Putting the clues together with Tabitha was part of the fun--you don't know any more than she does. 

I absolutely enjoyed the heck out of this mystery, and can't wait for another in this series. Anyone who loves Julia Child will want to grab this one. I liked that she is not the main character who solves the mystery, but is a prominent character who brings a zest to the story. And the food! A great way to travel to post-World War 2 Paris. 

Rating: 5/6 for a mystery that unfolds amongst wine, great food, and the streets of Paris. A mystery that kept me intrigued until the very end. 

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May Read: Mastering the Art of French Murder by Colleen Cambridge

March Read: The London Seance Society by Sarah Penner

 I've been excitedly anticipating the release of this novel for months. I reviewed her first novel, The Lost Apothecary, in March of 2021. 

Sarah returns to 19th century London in her second novel, and the atmosphere definitely lends itself to seances and things that creep in the dark. Vaudeline D'Allaire is a famous spiritualist living in Paris after leaving London under mysterious circumstances. Lenna Wickes has traveled to Paris to work as an understudy to Vaudeline and learn everything there is to know about conducting a seance. 

The Victorian age saw an explosion of spiritualism, as people became increasingly interested in contacting the dead. It also brought along a lot of charlatans that preyed on grieving families and widows. 

Lenna has an agenda-to discover what happened to her sister Evie, found murdered on All Hallow's Eve the year before. Lenna and Evie were close, but held very different beliefs in the afterlife. Lenna was the logic-based sister, while Evie dove headfirst into spiritualism and started working with Vaudeline to master the art of the seance. Now Lenna has had to set aside her skepticism in order to work with Vaudeline. 

Vaudeline's approach to the occult is very different-she contacts spirits in order to solve crimes-mostly murder. She uses her skills as a tool to speak directly to victims to uncover the killer and name names. She's famous and accurate. 

Vaudeline is called back to London to secretly work with the London Seance Society, a famous spiritual society exclusively run by men. The founder, Mr. Volckman, was found murdered the same night at Evie-All Hallow's Eve. His second in command, Mr. Morley, has written Vaudeline and asked her to return to conduct a seance to reveal the killer. 

Back and forth we see the story from Lenna's point of view, as well as Mr. Morley's. And it's the story from Mr. Morley that slowly fills in pieces of Evie's life before her murder. There is definitely a connection between Lenna, Evie, and the London Seance Society. 

I'll say I liked The Lost Apothecary better out of the two books. However, I did enjoy this novel. It was a bit slow to start, and there is a lot of discussion about the occult and spiritualism practices of the Victorian Era. I definitely felt myself in the setting--atmosphere is spot-on! The plot speeds up once the night of the seance begins, and the last 100 pages are where the story grabbed me and I couldn't put it down. You may feel compelled to light a few candles and lock the door...

Themes include LGBTQ, violence against women, and science vs. belief in the afterlife. The novel also explores the guilt and grief of a sister who didn't get to say goodbye.

Rating: 4/6 for an atmospheric novel about the rise of spiritualism in Victorian England. The tension builds slowly, and there are a few surprises. Strong female characters who take on unsavory men. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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March Read: The London Seance Society by Sarah Penner

Two Reviews for Two Very Different Novels: One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle and The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley

 I've read two novels back to back that couldn't have been more different in mood, plot, and character. And that's a good thing for me. I can fall into reading the same style books over and over sometimes and it gets pretty comfortable. This was a great way to shake up my reading this month. 

I didn't read Rebecca Serle's first novel, In Five Years, but I know it had huge buzz and I may go back and read it. Author Gabrielle Zevin has a quote on the cover of this novel, and she wrote one of my favorite novels: Elsewhere (if you want an emotional punch to the gut and an ugly cry, read it). So I knew I would enjoy this novel and potentially bawl my eyes out, too. 

I didn't cry (phew!) but it certainly had an interesting concept to explore. Katy Silver's mother Carol has just died of cancer, and Katy is beyond devastated by this loss. Her husband Eric doesn't know how to reach her; her father is in a world of his own grieving. Katy's relationship with her mother was so close Katy relied on her for everything.

Katy and Carol had planned a trip to Italy, to the town of Positano to revisit a magical summer Carol spent there before she married and had Katy. Now Katy decides to go anyway, to grieve her mother and decide if she wants to stay with Eric. When I say Katy was grieving, I can't overstate her grief at losing her mother. 

Katy arrives at Positano, which is stunning and a balm for her soul. While she's there, exploring, holy buckets she comes across a woman named Carol. And yes, it's her mother, thirty years younger, enjoying Positano and vibrantly alive. Of course Carol has no idea Katy is her daughter; she thinks Katy is just another tourist. Together they explore Positano and the surrounding area, talking about life and choices women make. Katy can't figure out how this is possible, but she readily accepts this quirk in the universe and the chance to be with her mother one last time. 

I won't say more, because you just have to read it and take that leap of faith that something like this could happen, and who wouldn't want the chance to spend time with a loved one who is gone? Katy gets to see her mother as she never saw her before; a young woman with her life ahead of her, laughing, drinking, dancing, and making life choices that would, down the road, impact Katy. It also gives Katy a chance to think about her relationship with her mother, and how that lead Katy to where she is now-is she happy with Eric and their life? Could she have done more?

I enjoyed the setting (take me to Positano NOW), the exploration of grief and, of course, the chance to reconnect with someone dearly loved. That little bit of universal magic/cosmic wonder that brought Katy and Carol together in Positano is something you just have to embrace and go with or you'll lost the whole point of the novel. 

Okay-onto The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley. 

I've read The Guest List, and I really liked it. I read it at the beginning of the Pandemic in 2020. I thought I'd devour this in one big gulp. I did not. You may have seen my TikTok review of this, but if not here's my take on The Paris Apartment.

I didn't care for any of the characters, and I think that was the point. I always say sometimes the best reads are where none of the characters are likable. However, I didn't like this nearly as much as I did The Guest List. 

The plot: Jess calls her brother Ben, who lives in Paris, and says "hey I'm coming to visit". Ben reluctantly agrees, and says he'll be waiting for her in his apartment. Jess arrives late at night, and can't get into the building. It's a ritzy looking place, and clearly money resides there. Not at all a place her brother would normally be, but heck, maybe he got lucky. 

Jess gets in the building, and into his apartment, only to find it empty. No Ben. He won't answer the phone and has left nothing to indicate where he might be. Broke and not speaking French, Jess is at a loss as to what to do. She runs into a few of the other apartment dwellers, and they're all a bit strange, even Ben's friend Nick, who got Ben the apartment. He promises to help Jess find Ben. 

Jess, through the tiniest bits of clues and information, starts to piece together that something isn't quite right in the building. Everyone from the rich woman in the penthouse (Sophie), to the odd duck Mimi, and the really odd duck known as the Concierge know something and Jess is either getting warnings to leave or running into danger in her search for Ben. What started out as "Geez, my brother is rude" unravels into "Something is really, really wrong". Jess isn't a world class detective, and she stumbles around uncovering the trail that leads to Ben's disappearance. 

It's a really weird plot. I was compelled to keep reading, though, because I had no idea where it would lead to; the hook is definitely there. However, uncovering everything just left me with an ick feeling. So read it if you want a quick thriller, but I'm on the fence with this one. 

Ratings: 

5/6 for One Italian Summer. Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio.

3/6 for The Paris Apartment. Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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Two Reviews for Two Very Different Novels: One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle and The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley

The Maid by Nita Prose

 

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 This delightful mystery has been getting all the buzz lately, and I couldn't wait to read it. 

Molly Gray is a maid at the Regency Grand Hotel, and she takes her job very, very seriously. She will not leave a hotel room less than perfect for a hotel guest. Her tag line: "I am here to restore your room to a state of perfection". 

Molly is a character that is certainly memorable. She has trouble reading social cues and takes everything people say literally. She's painfully honest, too. Sadly, she's a loner amongst the hotel employees, and of course they make fun of her. Yet she is the sweetest, most honest person around. 

One day, Molly returns to the hotel suite of the Blacks, a rich couple who frequent the hotel. Molly doesn't care for Mr. Black, as he's rude, crude, and treats his young second wife badly. He's been known to be mean to hotel staff, too. Molly had already been in the suite once that morning, but had to leave before she could finish cleaning the bathroom. Upon returning, she notices the suite she left in tip-top shape (except for the bathroom) is now messy again. Moving into the bedroom, she discovers Mr. Black, dead on the bed. 

Oh dear. 

Molly quickly becomes the center of the murder investigation-mostly because police can't understand how or why she can remain calm, cool, and emotionally detached as they question her. Well, Molly is a bit different, and unfortunately, the police just don't understand her at all. 

Molly gets herself into a pickle, mostly because she just can't read people very well, and mistakes attention for caring when it's not. As Molly finds herself getting deeper into the muck of the murder, will she be able to save herself from going to jail?

Molly will tug at your heart, for sure. She's lonely, has only the best intentions, and is struggling to make ends meet. You will certainly cheer her on, worry about her, and want to make her a cup of tea. The murder definitely takes some twists and turns, too. 

Rating: 5/6 for an entertaining mystery centered around a maid who falls under suspicion after discovering a dead body at a hotel. This novel takes a few surprise turns, all the way to the end. I loved it. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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The Maid by Nita Prose

The Sanatorium by Sarah Pearse

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This was definitely a novel that hooked me from the beginning. I know I'm really into a book when I get annoyed at everyday life getting in the way of me sitting and reading! I had to wait an extra day this weekend to focus on the last hundred pages   this morning and woke up early just to finish. 

I'll warn folks right now that there are some gruesome parts in the story. So if you have a queasy stomach you are forewarned. 

This novel takes place in the Swiss Alps at a new resort called Le Sommet. This resort is unusual in that it was a sanatorium for tuberculosis patients back in the 1920-30's.  Not a place I'd want to stay at, for sure. But  it's been redone at great expense and is upscale luxury for those who want to ski or be pampered in the spa. 

Elin Warner has arrived with her boyfriend Will for an engagement part for her brother Isaac and his fiancé Laure. Elin is a mess. She's a police officer from England who was injured on the job trying to catch a killer. The episode caused Elin to take extended time off the force and she's now got to decide if she's going to go back or leave for good. Flashbacks from her fight with the killer have pretty much paralyzed her ability to do much of anything. Add to that her unanswered questions about her brother Sam's tragic death when they were children (is Isaac to blame?) and she's got a lot of mental anguish keeping her from moving on in life. This is her chance to see Isaac after many years, and hopefully get answers about Sam's death. 

Le Sommet sounds, to me, like a perfectly terrible place to stay for any length of time. A winding mountain road, avalanches, and sudden snow storms make the trip something you're committed to once you get on a launch to take you up the mountain. The sanatorium has been completely redone with a lot of wide windows, cold marble, and minimalist features. It's a perfect setting for what happens there.

As a huge snowstorm pummels the resort, a young resort worker is found dead in an outdoor pool, horribly murdered. Police can't get to the resort, so Elin forces herself to use her police chops to start an investigation. As more people disappear, it's clear something horrible is happening. But why? And who is behind it? Elin's trauma is not helping her think clearly, but she keeps trying to see her way through the investigation. It's definitely one where anyone could be the perpetrator, so who can she trust? Will she reveal the murderer in time to stop them?

The isolation, the intense snowstorm, the avalanches, and oh, the cold! It all is written so well that you can't help but shiver a bit. Elin, oh Elin. I wanted to shake her. I do give her props for forcing herself to continue on, even in the midst of paralyzing fear. The back story of the sanatorium was fascinating, and horrible all at the same time. You truly aren't sure who to trust throughout the story, and revelations just keep popping up as you race towards the ending. The past and the present are like a spider web-so many connections. 

I enjoyed this novel very much and can see why it's a big hit. Definitely a summer vacation read. If you like thrillers with a bit of history and mystery, this will be a sure bet for you. I am hoping that there is another book with Elin in the future. The ending leaves me to certainly want one-I'd like to see her back on the force, and dealing with unresolved issues. 

Thank you to Pamela Dorman/Viking Books for an ebook version to read and review. If you're interested in an interview with author Sarah Pearse, just click on this link to read-it's pretty interesting! 

Rating: 4/6 for a thriller that gave me all the creepy and anxious feels I expect from a great read-I couldn't put it down and raced to the end. Beware of some unpleasant murders but otherwise a darn good read. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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The Sanatorium by Sarah Pearse

Highway of Tears by Jessica McDiarmid

One last book for November. It's a sobering non-fiction look at the disturbing disappearances of thousands of Indigenous women along a stretch of highway in Canada. Called the Highway of Tears, this road travels through some pretty desolate places, in between very small communities and towns. 

These disappearances, some over fifty years old, are a national crisis that, hopefully with this book, will be getting some much needed attention and funding. Reading the stories of these young women--most of them teenagers, disappearing and never found, broke my heart, and made me pretty angry at the same time. Their families knew something was wrong, and when they would report their loved ones missing, the police often brushed off their claims, saying the girls ran off on their own, or were troublemakers--prostitutes. In reality, these were young girls who were ignored by law enforcement because they were Indigenous, and that meant they weren't important enough to look for them. 
All of them had dreams to attend college, become forest rangers, psychologists, mothers, artists. They had so much life ahead of them. 

Families spent years searching and begging for help, and often got nothing in return. A few learned of the fates of their daughters and sisters: their bodies were found; stabbed, beaten, left in ditches or off the side of a desolate road. Thrown away like garbage. No one has ever been arrested for these murders. So many unanswered questions. So much heartbreak, the kind that destroys families. Poverty, culture, prejudice, and hundreds of years of oppression certainly play a big part in this outrageous lack of justice. The madness of it all is that it continues on, in 2019. Young women continue to disappear on the Highway of Tears at a consistent pace. 

This was a fascinating, and disturbing look at a national crisis that highlights the continued dismissal of Indigenous people. The utter lack of respect for them as human beings with the same rights to safety and protection as the rest of us is maddening and absolutely shameful. 

Rating: 5/6 for a detailed look at the dangers of the Highway of Tears, the continued dismissal of Indigenous people's safety and concerns for missing loved ones, and the hope that their voices are finally being heard. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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Highway of Tears by Jessica McDiarmid

Magic for Liars by Sarah Gailey

Oh, it took me a while to get through this novel. I made the mistake of reading some of the reviews about it, and that influenced me (I admit this reluctantly!). There were a few times when I was ready to just throw in the towel, but I persisted and finished the book, and I'm glad I did, even if I do have mixed feelings. 

So. Ivy is a private investigator in San Francisco. She's your stereotypical PI: just barely hanging on, investigating cheating spouses and small time criminal activity, and likes the bottle. She's called on to investigate a murder at an unusual place: The Osthorne Academy, a secret school for witchcraft and wizardry. This is no run of the mill murder, either; it's rather gruesome. Sylvia, a teacher at the academy, is found in the library, literally split in two, head to toe. The school wants to know what exactly happened--this is big, big magic--the kind of magic that isn't actually possible. So did Sylvia try something, and it went horribly wrong? Or was she murdered by another mage?

Ivy has a few issues. First of all, her twin sister, Tabitha, is a teacher at the academy. Yes, her sister got all the magic, and Ivy got none of it. It's caused a rift between the two sisters, even more so after their mother died of cancer and Ivy blamed Tabitha for not saving her. Another issue: everyone at the academy assumes Ivy has magical abilities, and she, wanting to finally fit in, doesn't tell them any different. The only person who knows she's not magical is Tabitha, and she's not telling anyone. As Ivy stays on campus, investigating the murder, she begins to uncover some big secrets between students, teachers, and yes, even her own sister. Was Sylvia's death murder, or a magical mishap?

I had a few issues reading this story. First of all, Ivy, get over yourself. Sheesh. Over and over, we're reminded that she's not magical. Over and over, we're reminded that she's really angry at her sister. I got a little confused, because it seemed like there were a few instances where Ivy appeared to have some small magical talent--or maybe I was just reading it wrong. She seemed to be able to figure out some big magical stuff that the folks with all the talent couldn't. The cast of characters were okay, but I was perplexed by the fact that this secret magical academy existed, but the regular world didn't seem to have a clue. Where did these students go, once they graduated? How did this whole thing work with the regular world? I was left with a whole lot of unanswered questions. And the final reveal? Well, I wasn't surprised at the who, but the why was interesting. Brought up a whole bunch of ethical issues, for sure. And it turns out, we are all just human beings after all--magic or not. 

I've got mixed feelings about this book. I'm glad I finished it. There were moments of ho-hum, and moments where it got really interesting. A lot of peaks and valleys. I'd probably try another novel by this author; either a stand alone, or a continuation of Ivy's story. There was a lot left unanswered. 

Rating: 3/6 for a novel that explores magic in the modern world, sibling relationships, and ethical issues. I'm on the fence with this one. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio.  

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Magic for Liars by Sarah Gailey

She Lies in Wait by Gytha Lodge

When I wasn't doing laundry, dishes, and some errand running on Sunday, I spent most of it inside gulping down this mystery. I came across it at the library and thought it would be a good switch from the two contemporary women's novels I'm reading now-kind of like the salty snack in between my sweets. 

A quick plot rundown: In 1983, a group of teenagers decide to camp out in the woods overnight. Plenty of booze, food, and drugs are involved. The seven teens range in age from 18 to 14. Aurora, the youngest, is tagging along with her sister Topaz, a beautiful teen who has her eye on Brett. At 18, Brett is the oldest, and a star athlete. Also in the mix: JoJo, Connor (who has a massive crush on Topaz), Coralie, and Daniel. Aurora is definitely out of her element with this group of popular kids, and Topaz is really annoyed her sister is there with the group. 

A night of drinking, drugs, dancing, and yes, some sex is a big blur for the teens. And when morning comes, Aurora is missing. Hungover from booze and drugs, memory is fragmented and confused for the remaining six. An investigation leads nowhere.

Aurora remains missing for 30 years, until a young girl camping with her family discovers a bone, and Aurora is finally found, not far from the original camp site. How could she have been missed all those years ago, when she was so close?

In steps DCI Jonah Sheens, who was a new police officer the night Aurora Jackson disappeared 30 years before. He went to school with the group, but didn't know them very well. Aurora's disappearance has haunted the community, and Jonah, too. Now her remains are found, and it's going to take some smart investigating to figure out how she died, and who did it: which of the six is the killer?

The build up to Aurora's murder was the best part of this mystery. Told from Aurora's viewpoint, her last day and night in the woods tick down, and your anxiety ratchets up. It was clever of the author to add the hour to each of Aurora's chapters, to enhance that anxiety. Aurora is the character we come to know best, even though she's only with us for a short time. 

Jonah and his team definitely are a good, solid group of people. Their individual background stories are slowly revealed, but since this is probably the start of a series, you just get a taste and quite a bit is left unanswered. Most especially Hansen, the new female investigator, and her abusive ex-boyfriend who continues to stalk her throughout the investigation.  

You may figure out who did it pretty quickly; I had my suspicions, but couldn't quite figure out the why. The investigation moves pretty quickly after a slow start, and there are some red herrings thrown in to keep you guessing. The last 75 pages move pretty swiftly towards the reveal of the killer and the motive. It was who I suspected; however what was more disturbing than the murder of Aurora was the life lived by the killer, and the manipulations that kept taking place for the next 30 years. Clever only goes so far before it all falls apart. 

This was a satisfying contemporary murder mystery/police procedural. Some of the characters remained a bit underdeveloped, and I think a bit more of that would have made the book longer, but more fleshed out and complete. I would probably read the second of the Jonah Sheens investigative novels.

Rating:  4/6 for a mystery that sets a hard task: how do you solve a murder that took place 30 years before? My big takeaway from this novel was sadness for the murder of an innocent 14 year old girl who had all of life ahead of her, but was caught up in a situation out of her control. The unanswered questions of her disappearance 30 years before still haunt the community, her family, and the six teens-now adults-who last saw her alive. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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She Lies in Wait by Gytha Lodge

Force of Nature by Jane Harper

This was my "last" summer read, and once again, I've got to say how much I enjoy Jane Harper's novels. 

Force of Nature is the follow up to The Dry, her first novel that is one of my top reads for the year. Once again, we join Federal Agent Aaron Falk, and his partner Carmen, as an investigation into money laundering by a well respected company turns deadly. This is a completely different novel than The Dry, but equally compelling. You can read this novel without reading The Dry, but of course it does help understand Aaron a bit if you have his background. Jane Harper doesn't go over what happened in The Dry, so this could be a stand alone.  

Aaron and Carmen have been working with Alice Russell, an employee at BaileyTennants. Long suspected of money laundering and other secretive illegal doings, BaileyTennants is a family owned business run by a brother and sister, Daniel and Jill Bailey. Their father started the business, and still keeps a hand in it. They have a sterling reputation, but underneath the gloss are illegal doings that have been going on for two generations. Aaron and Carmen are very close to having all the proof they need to put BaileyTennants out of commission, with the help of Alice. She's just got a few more key pieces of paperwork that she needs to give them. 

Only problem? Alice, along with four other women and five men, has gone on a three day corporate retreat into the wilderness--and Alice has disappeared. 
Aaron and Carmen travel to the Giralang Ranges, a rough bushland in Australia, to meet with investigators after Aaron receives a mysterious missed call from Alice on his cell phone. He's convinced something bad has happened to Alice, and it may be tied into her covert help on the investigation. 

The story bounces back and forth between the search for Alice, and the days leading up to her disappearance. This corporate retreat sounds like a nightmare. It's cold, rainy, windy, and the women and men are split up, with one map per group to find their way to checkpoints, where food and shelter await them. Both make it fine on the first night, but soon after, the women get lost, and things go from bad to worse. Add in the dynamics of the group: Jill, Alice, Lauren, Bree, and her sister, Beth. Bree is Alice's assistant, and Beth is the lowly clerk in the company. It's a mix of high up executives, middle management, and entry level positions. Each woman has issues: Alice is rude, and has the only cell phone of the group (she hid it and didn't turn it in, as required). Jill is the "boss", and Bree is trying to make a good impression so she can move up. Beth is a disaster; a recovering alcoholic with a strained relationship with her sister. Lauren has been slipping up at work, and is nervous, on edge, and painfully pale. All of the women bring something to the trip that becomes a factor in their journey. None of them like each other. None of them want to be on the retreat. 

Does anyone know Alice is working with the police? Are there other secrets each woman is keeping from the others? Does the notorious past of the Giralang Ranges as the playground of a serial killer have any bearing on their situation? 

Jane Harper makes you feel every miserable raindrop, the wet clothes, the hunger pangs, and the painful blisters as the women struggle to find their way through an ever increasing dangerous situation. Alice's cell phone is slowly losing power, and there's no service anywhere. She's desperate to get back, but why? As their situation becomes more fraught with danger, the tension rackets up and tempers blow. But what happens to Alice? 

Good stuff! It's a complete switcheroo from The Dry, where a two year drought made everything dry, dusty, and parched. Force of Nature is wet, stormy, cold, windy, and just plain uncomfortable. I found myself longing for a flannel shirt, chili, and a hot cup of coffee. In the middle of a hot and humid week in Iowa. Jane Harper is a master at setting the mood, the tone, and the feel of a place. 

Rating: 5/6 for another great novel by Jane Harper. She pulls you in, and won't let go until the last page. Anyone who likes thrillers--and these are set in Australia--will enjoy her writing. Interesting look at what motivates each of us to act, and the consequences we must live with when we do. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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Force of Nature by Jane Harper