November Read: The Christmas Guest by Peter Swanson

 

It's been a bit since I last posted, but I swear I've been very busy reading! I'm in the throes of reading a lot of YA novels for a special project. I snuck this one in tonight for a quick read. 

Yes, I usually don't read any holiday books until after Thanksgiving, but I'll confess this is my second holiday book already. This was a great little novella that I read in one sitting this evening. 

The Christmas Guest is a mere 93 pages and because of that, it was a refreshing read. Okay, it's a murdery kind of book, but it was a switch from my usual cozy and romantic holiday books. The perfect palate cleanser before I dive into all the happy holiday reads. 

Peter Swanson packs a lot into this novella about a young American college student spending Christmas week with a new friend. Ashley Smith is all alone in London; a Californian who has no family and has traveled to London to attend college. Befriended by Emma at school, she's pleased to accept Emma's invite to her family home in the countryside. After all, she was prepared to spend Christmas alone in London, and heck, why not have an authentic English Christmas in the countryside?

Ashley travels to Starvewood Hall, and is instantly smitten with Emma's twin brother, Adam. He's gorgeous and brooding--and also a suspect in the recent murder of a local woman, found dead near the family home. Clearly she was murdered. Adam has an alibi, but it's pretty weak. That doesn't stop Ashley from falling hard and crushing on Adam. 

Ashley spends the week leading up to Christmas hanging out at the family home, witnessing the horrible relationship Emma has with her toxic parents, and walking to and from the village pub, drinking and having fun. She writes it all down in her trusty diary. Until Christmas Eve, and whoa the story takes a sharp turn. 

This novella spans thirty years, from 1989 to present day (give or take a few years). It seems pretty straightforward, until it's not. I loved it--even if it's not the usual sweet tale of holiday celebrations and family love that I enjoy so much.

Rating: 5/6 for a novella that sucked me in pretty quickly! A setting that has all the hallmarks of an idyllic Christmas celebration turns dark and what happens echoes down through the years. If you like short stories and thrillers, this is for you. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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November Read: The Christmas Guest by Peter Swanson

Summer Reading 2022: The Change by Kirsten Miller

 

This novel is definitely going in my top ten for 2022. I picked it as one of my Book of the Month selections for May and I'll just keep patting myself on the back the rest of the year. I was up reading this book at 3 AM last week because I couldn't stop thinking about it. 

Three women live in the Long Island town of Mattuck, New York. Harriett is an executive in advertising; Jo owns Furious Fitness, and Nessa is a widow who's two daughters have just left for college. Three women who don't seem to have anything in common on the surface. 

They all have something in common: the change. We know it as menopause, and those of us who have experienced it know it brings all sorts of interesting physical changes. Pretty much anything that goes haywire with your body once you hit 40 can be attributed to pre-menopause or full blown menopause. It does a number on your body. 

Harriett, Jo, and Nessa are at the age where change is happening, but not in the way you may think. For Harriett, it's finding her calling with gardening, growing herbs, plants, and all sorts of interesting things in her garden. Using those plants to help or punish others. She's so in tune with nature she just stops wearing clothes around her yard--which is safely hidden by  rose bushes that have grown big and thorny and impenetrable. 

Nessa hears the voices again, after decades of not tuning in. Her gift has been handed down in her family: she can hear and see the dead. One voice is very, very loud. 

Jo, after years of battling with her period, her body, and the patriarchy bullshit she dealt with at work, turns that rage into immense strength. She can feel it bubbling up under her skin, and the sweat pours off of her. Running miles each day just to work off the energy. 

All three women come together in Mattuck to stop a serial killer. Young women are disappearing, and the three women follow Nessa's pull towards a local beach. In the brush along the road by the beach, they find a bag, and inside, a dead girl. That's the tip of it all, and wow the book takes off after that.

This is an all-out war between corrupt men and the women who aren't going to take it anymore. The exclusive gated community near Mattuck that houses billionaires during the summer is the bullseye for corruption and may very well be where the serial killer lurks. There's danger everywhere for the women, and their very lives may be in danger as they begin poking around. 

What I loved about this novel was the "F**k around and find out" attitude the trio give-especially Harriett and Jo. Nessa is a little more timid, but is compelled to keep moving forward. Harriett is my favorite of the three--she's just magnificent. Jo's hot flashes are so intense she can literally start fires with a touch of her hand. Her simmering rage is certainly understandable. After decades of having to put up with men who treat them as less than, the women have come into their own with a roar!

Oh, I hope someone buys the rights to this novel and turns it into a movie. I'd see it in a second. I absolutely love Kirsten Miller's take on menopause and aging women who certainly are not done with achieving their potential--heck, even finding new potential. Menopause isn't the end, but the glorious beginning. 

Put this on your summer read list. I raced through it, and carried it with me to work to read at lunch, and even was up late the other night at my partner's house, reading while he peacefully slept in the other room. I couldn't wait to finish it. And oh, it's got a heck of an ending. 

Rating: 6/6--yes! A book that grabbed me from the beginning and kept me smirking, giggling, and heck yes, a bit pissed off until the end. But oh, do the punishments fit the crimes. Hell hath no fury...

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

READ THIS ONE!

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Summer Reading 2022: The Change by Kirsten Miller

The Whisper man by Alex North

This month has been a tough one for getting through books. I've struggled, when I usually zip through a few a week. I started reading The Whisper Man a few weeks ago, and kept putting it down, picking it up. I just couldn't get my head into a novel about a serial killer of little boys. But this weekend was rainy and gloomy, and I decided to buckle down and finish it. There was much more to it, and the deeper I got into the story, the more gripping it became. 

Tom Kennedy and his little boy Jake are moving to the small town of Featherbank to start over after Tom's wife and Jake's mother dies unexpectedly, leaving both in the depths of grief. Jake is a quiet boy; he loves to draw, and is always having conversations with his imaginary friend, a little girl who keeps him company. A new house, a new school; Tom hopes Jake will come out of his solitude and make friends. Tom, a published author, is stuck trying to begin a new novel, but he's suffering from writer's block. 

Their new house, unbeknownst to Tom, is known as the haunted house in Featherbank. He's uneasy living there, but just isn't sure why. Jake picked out the house, and it was the only house he was excited to move to, away from the only home he'd known. Tom and Jake are still navigating life alone, and they have some miscommunication that leaves Tom feeling like a horrible father, and Jake feeling pretty alone. 

A little boy has disappeared in Featherbank, eerily similar to a horrible case 20 years before, when Frank Carter, known as the Whispering Man, kidnapped and murdered four little boys. Local detective Pete Willis is haunted by his inability to get Frank to tell him where the last little boy's remains are...and Frank likes to dangle that over Pete's head. Frank is a pretty horrible man, and the stuff of nightmares. Locked away in prison, he rules the prison and has a deep hatred of his wife and son, who witnessed much of the horror, and finally turned him in to the police. 

Pete, a recovering alcoholic, and suffering all these years later with guilt for not finding the last little boy, is horrified to think that the Whispering Man is back, and that Frank had someone helping him all those years before. 

What connection does Tom's house have to the Whispering Man? Who is the little girl who talks to Jake? Is Jake the next victim of the Whispering Man?

At first, this started out a little slow for me, and I blame that on not reading enough of it before putting it down for awhile. Once I started again, I plowed through, and the tension and uneasiness grew with each page I turned. I had no idea what to expect, but there are definitely a few twists I didn't expect at all. I figured out who the Whispering Man was, but didn't quite connect the dots until the big reveal. And the end...oh gosh. Terribly sad on many fronts; but also a gut punch that haunts you. I keep thinking about certain phrases and what they mean--the kind that make me go "Oh! Now I see!" for hours after I've turned the last page. 

This was a really good thriller. There are no gruesome depictions of murder, but the subject matter is a bit tough to swallow. However, a story that will keep you up late at night, racing to the end. Definitely one to discuss! 

Rating: 4/6 for a police thriller, a family drama, and a chilly look at the mind of a serial killer. It picks up speed about halfway through, and then you can't put it down. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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The Whisper man by Alex North

Chase Darkness with Me by Billy Jensen

First read for September is done! I do like to read about true crime; usually I prefer to read forensic books about how crimes are solved through analysis, forensics, and good old fashioned smarts. However, this one is a bit different, in that Billy Jensen doesn't use forensics, but Facebook and Twitter to help solve crimes. 

Billy is a journalist, and for years he wrote about murders that remained unsolved. He partnered with Michelle McNamara, the author of I'll be Gone in the Dark, who sadly died suddenly before her book was finished. Michelle was obsessed with finding the serial killer she dubbed The Golden State Killer. Billy worked with her on a few crime podcasts and shows, and formed a firm friendship. Crushed by her sudden death, he turned his grief into action. He decided that he would pursue the killers of unsolved crimes after the police had given up. 

In this non-fiction crime tale, Billy talks about a few of the cases that began his new career as a crime solver. Each one of them is heartbreaking. Once case involved a Polish immigrant who became the only other murder in New York City on 9/11. Another involved a man who was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and was hit so hard by a stranger he fell into a crosswalk unconscious, and was subsequently run over by a taxi cab and killed. All captured on cameras. But not so easy to identify the killer and bring him to justice. Billy used a new crime solving tool: Facebook. Paying for ads, he created Facebook posts and targeted them to audiences that were near the areas the crimes took place. Sometimes he was successful, sometimes not. He realized he had to do more than just put the word out, and hope someone, somewhere would help. 

This was a very interesting read, especially concerning the use of social media, and the evolution of DNA testing and finding killers based on something brand new: tracing them based on family genetics via Ancestry and 21 and Me results. And this..this was how the Golden State Killer was finally caught, two years after Michelle's death, and many years after raping and murdering dozens of people and terrorizing a city. We are in a new era of crime fighting and soon new tools will be available that will make it even harder for criminals to hide. Crowdsourcing to fight crime is happening, thanks to social media. 

Now I've got an itch to check out a few true crime podcasts. I am horrified and disgusted at the disregard of human life so many people show; there is another part of me that is grateful there are people like Billy Jensen out there who work tirelessly to solve what was previously unsolvable. Thousands of murders go unsolved each year, but solving even just one brings closure to those left behind, and justice to those who died at the hands of others. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

Rating: 3/6 for a behind the scenes look at the evolving science of crime solving through the lens of journalism. Crimes that are haunting, and the people who take it all on to provide answers for families left behind to grieve. 

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Chase Darkness with Me by Billy Jensen

My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite

I had heard buzz about this novel and decided to place a hold at my library, then promptly forgot about it during the holidays. A handy email reminder from my library that it was being held for me jolted my memory--another book I've managed to start since January 1st. 

I have, however, finished this one; it's a pretty quick read and you can read it in an afternoon. It's also pretty darn good, in a serial killer kind of way. 

Korede is a nurse at a local hospital, and she's been in love with Tade, a handsome doctor she works with, for months. Korede is the elder sister to Ayoola, who is physically the exact opposite of Korede: small, trim, and stunning. Her looks make men stare, and she's used her power over men to get her way in practically everything. She's even gotten away with murder. 

Korede knows her sister is a serial killer; after all, she's "accidentally" stabbed three boyfriends, and left Korede to clean up the messes. She's an expert at cleaning up bloodstains and making sure all evidence is wiped away. Ayoola is simply amazing in her ability to remain unaffected, spending time on social media, and quickly finding a replacement for the boyfriend who is now dead. 

Things change when Tade meets Ayoola at the hospital, and quickly falls for her. Korede is heartbroken, and worried he'll end up dead. What can she do to prevent it?

The relationship between the two sisters is the crux of this novel. Anyone who has a sister knows what it's like-you can fight one minute, and then defend each other the minute someone else tries to harm them. Korede is horrified, pissed, and disgusted at her sister's behavior and lack of remorse, yet at the same time, she keeps covering Ayoola's tracks. Some insight into the girls' behavior comes from flashbacks to their father, and the horrible man he was--did he somehow influence Ayoola's murdering mind? There's a nice twist at the end. 

This wasn't the novel I thought I'd kick 2019 off with, but I'm glad I did--I think it would make a great movie, if the dark comedy was done right. Set in Lagos, Nigeria, the food, clothing, and customs were fascinating to read. It's also an examination on how society treats women based solely on looks, and how familial loyalty is universal and, when it comes down to it, always wins out--especially between sisters. 

Rating: 4/6 for a quirky, dare I say darkly humorous look at two sisters: one a serial killer, the other the cleaner-upper.

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite

The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes: My Wow Book of the Year

Just so you know, I will be using profanity in this review because this novel was so disturbing on so many levels that Holy Shit! it is unforgettable.

Here's the gist of the novel:  a man, Harper, is a serial killer.  But let's not stop there.  Harper will pretty much kill anyone who looks at him wrong.  He keeps his special knife skills for the "shining girls", women who somehow have a life force that is so strong he has to kill them to make himself feel better.  Oh--and he gets excited killing them, too.

This story isn't your typical serial killer novel.  Oh no.  What kicks it up into another realm is the added bonus of time travel.  Yep.  Harper is a grown man in 1932 Chicago; one night he's fleeing a mob (cause of course he killed a man) and finds himself entering a derelict home in a dicey Chicago neighborhood.  On the outside, it looks abandoned.  But on the inside, it's a lovely, cozy home complete with a burning fireplace and a decanter of whiskey waiting on a side table.  He also finds out that in an upstairs bedroom someone has collected little "trinkets" from victims--all whom are listed in chalk on the wall.  He knows the house wants him to kill these women, and he has no problem doing just that.  When he leaves the house, he enters another time--up to 60 years in the future.  And Harper can kill without worry, since he simply slips back into the house and into another time.  All of his victims are heartbreaking parts of the story.  

Except Kirby.  She's the only one who survived.  She was attacked in 1989 and survived--barely.  I can't tell you her experience, since a lot revolves around it. Move forward to 1993, and she is a college journalism student determined to find out who attacked her and why.  She knows this man is a serial killer, but lacks the evidence to prove it.  And of course she has no idea he travels through time, and has been killing women for the past 60 years.  Freaky, right?  

Reading this novel is disturbing on many levels, but the writing is so good you can't help but keep reading it.  And then you love Kirby, cause she is a kick-ass survivor and she's pissed.  Harper is possibly the most horrible character I've read about in years and he has no redeeming characteristics.  He kills because he likes to.  No other reason.  

So how can this end?  You think I'll tell you here?  Hell no!  You must read this novel.  There are some graphic parts that will make you uncomfortable and so angry at Harper that this will fuel you through the novel.  You want Kirby to find him and punish him for all the women he's murdered through time.  Jackass. 

Read it!  It really is very very good.  I've had a friend read it, and when I talked about it in my reading group he jumped up and down and couldn't wait to share his feelings on this novel.  It will certainly move you--there's no way you can remain unemotional about this story.

Rating:  9/10 for superb story telling, a completely horrible character who makes Jack the Ripper look friendly, and a twist on the usual serial killer story.

Available in hardcover, e-book, and audio.  So you have no excuse not to read it!

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The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes: My Wow Book of the Year

Heart of the Witch by Alicia Dean

What do you get when you mix a modern witch, a serial murderer named the Tin Man, and a really hot private investigator haunted by his past?  A pretty darn good paranormal romance, that's what!  Heart of the Witch by Alicia Dean has been sitting on my bookcase for a few months.  Another spur of the moment purchase that patiently waited for the right time to jump out at me and demand to be read.


Ravyn Skyler is a modern witch living in Oklahoma City.  She's an extremely powerful white witch who embraces, yet fears her abilities.  She comes from a family of witches and through a troubled relationship with her mother, has grown up to be very self sufficient and removed emotionally from life and love.  


Ravyn  has escaped from the hands of the Tin Man, a serial killer who tortures, then kills beautiful women.  Ravyn escapes because she uses her powers to harm the Tin Man.  He becomes obsessed with finding her and teaching her a lesson, and she is afraid she has endangered her coven by using her powers to cause harm to another human being.  To do harm to another is strictly against her coven's rules, and is a very short step into black magic.  


Enter Nick Lassiter.  Of course, he's a hottie.  And of course, he's wildly attracted to Ravyn.  He's been hired by the husband of another victim to find the Tin Man.  Kicked off the police force, a widower, he spends his days smoking and drinking.  Until he meets Ravyn.  She fights her attraction to him, but can't help being drawn to him.  


This was a refreshing change from the comedic paranormal romances I usually enjoy.  It's dark, but not overly so.   Black magic, past lives, and learning to let go of guilt and opening up to love are all themes in this novel.  A lot is packed into the story, but not so much you get lost.  It moves along quickly, and the ending is very satisfactory.  I hope Alicia Dean writes more books!  I will certainly pick up her next title.  I would say if you're a fan of J.R. Ward, Sherilyn Kenyon, or Christine Feehan, you will enjoy this novel.  It's also available as an e-book.

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Heart of the Witch by Alicia Dean