July Read: Storm Warning by David Bell

 

I went out of my usual reading zone for this new thriller by David Bell. From the publisher:

"Jacob Powell is racing to get off the island as a hurricane approaches. When he finds his friend Dallas, the building manager, dead from a blow to the skull, Jacob realizes there's more than the hurricane to fear. The murderer is likely still on the island, maybe even inside the nearly abandoned building."

This novel takes place off the coast of Florida, on a small island that has a few large apartment buildings on it. A massive hurricane is coming ashore, and only a few people are left in the one remaining building that is occupied. The owners of the buildings have let the buildings fall into disrepair as they prepare to sell the property and make a  whole lot of money. However, something fishy is going on, and now with the hurricane approaching, Jacob knows he's the only one who can keep the remaining residents safe as the building threatens to crumble down around them.

I've never felt more muggy and *blech* wet and chilled as I did reading this novel. The author definitely puts you into the space of a massive hurricane; no power, driving winds and rain, and an apartment that is falling apart and just plain gross. Add in a group of people who are scared and distrustful--and a few murders--and it intensifies the tension throughout the novel. Who do you trust? 

I enjoyed this novel and would recommend David Bell to those who like a thriller where everyday people are caught up in circumstances beyond their control, and they have to bring their "A" game and become the hero in order to survive. It's a quick read and fast paced. 

A big thanks to Penguin/Random House & Berkley for an advanced copy of this novel. It's sure to be a great vacation read--just not in hurricane season. 

Rating: 4/6 for a tension-filled adventure where it's man vs. nature, man vs. man, and heck, even man vs. self. You don't know who to trust or what's going to happen--pick this up for a thrill ride. 

Available in trade paperback, ebook, and audio

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July Read: Storm Warning by David Bell

October Read: Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney

 

Another book I started a few months ago, put down, and didn't pick up again until last night. It wasn't because I didn't enjoy it, but because I  was in my reading slump. I zipped through it and throughly enjoyed it. It does require a bit of suspended disbelief but heck I had no problem doing that!

Daisy Darker is a young woman who has had a really lousy life. Born with a heart defect, she's  been told her life would be short. Her mother Nancy feels like a failure having a third daughter who is "broken", and treats Daisy pretty lousy. Her older sisters Rose and Lily were in turn smart and beautiful. Her father Frank is equally messed up, traveling constantly to conduct orchestras around the world. The only constant Daisy has is her Nana, a famous author who lives in a rambling old house on a tiny island off the coast of England. A house you can only reach on foot when the tide is out. 

The family has gathered at Seaglass, Nana's home, for her eightieth birthday--on Halloween. It's family tradition and this time, Nana has required everyone to be there because she's going to read her will. She's convinced this is her last birthday, and wants the family to know exactly what she's leaving them when she dies. 

I've never read And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie, but this novel takes a page from it and every hour, someone at Seaglass dies. As a storm rages outside, and all communication with the outside world is cut off, the terror builds as the family watches VCR tapes of years gone by, revealing pivotal moments in Daisy's history. And at the ding dongs of the many clocks strike the hour, someone dies. 

Who could be killing of the family? Who is next? Will anyone survive and escape when the tide finally comes in?

This is the kind of thriller I enjoy. I'm easily able to read it and not stop to question or poke holes. I'm on the roller coaster and staying buckled in until the ride comes to a complete stop. There are a couple of WHATTT moments, but I stuck with it and thought it was a heck of a good read. Dang. Families are complicated. 

This is a perfect read for October nights. 

Rating: 4/6 for a simply enjoyable thriller with all sorts of interesting revelations and moments of WHAT JUST HAPPENED. You may figure it all out, but I didn't even try and just enjoyed the unraveling story. I may read some Agatha Christie after this. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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October Read: Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney

The Overnight Guest by Heather Gudenkauf

 

I had to put the books I've been reading on hold this last week so I could read Heather Gudenkauf's latest--I had a 10 day check out from the library so I couldn't dither!

It wasn't hard to do, because this novel grabbed me from the first few pages and I quickly became completely invested in the characters and the plot.

Wylie Lark is a true crime writer, and she's come to Burden, Iowa to stay in an isolated farmhouse to finish her latest book. A big blizzard is heading quickly towards town, and Wylie heads to the farmhouse to huddle up and wait out the storm. 

Twenty years before, young Josie Doyle and her friend Becky were spending a last summer night together out at Josie's parent's farm. It was hot and hard to sleep. The girls slip out to jump on the trampoline outside, and hear gunshots in the house. Running towards the house, the girls quickly realize their mistake and turn around to flee into the cornfields. 

Josie makes it into the field to hide, but Becky doesn't. That night, Josie's world crumbles and Becky disappears.

The blizzard is raging, and Wylie lets her dog out and ends up having to go outside herself to get Taz to come back to the house. She finds a small child, lying in the snow. How did the child get there? 

Wow this was so good! The story flashes back and forth between 2000 and the violence at Josie's home, a young mother and child living in a basement (you know right away this isn't right!), and Wylie focusing on keeping the child alive and figuring out what the heck is going on--all while the power goes out, the storm rages, and no one is available to help. 

It wasn't hard to figure out who was who, but the story was tense and oh golly, that blizzard--I could feel it in my bones. I felt chilled the whole time I was reading. 

It's a quick read, but a good one. All the pieces come together at the end. There are some sensitive subjects involved in this one, so be prepared. 

Rating: 5/6 for a thriller set in an isolated farmhouse in rural Iowa during a massive blizzard. Past and present come together with a bit of a twist at the end. Heather Gudenkauf did not disappoint! 

Available in hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audio.

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The Overnight Guest by Heather Gudenkauf

The Survivors by Jane Harper

 

I'm absolutely thrilled I was able to actually read all of my February TBR books. It seems like a long time since I've been able to meet my monthly reading goal. The Survivors was my last read, and I powered through it the past few days. Once I got past the first hundred pages, it wasn't hard to stick with it until the very last shocking reveal.

You should know I've read three of Jane Harper's novels, and her first novel, The Dry, remains one of my favorite books to recommend to readers. I read it and realized I was reading something amazing. Jane Harper's ability to create a setting that becomes a character in her thrillers is something that sets her novels apart. Nature--whether it's a summer of drought and dust, or a forest where the rainy season keeps it wet and miserable for weeks--or, in the case of The Survivors--a small beach town in Tasmania where the ocean dictates every day life; nature is always big, present, and demanding. 

The Survivors takes place in the small beach town of Evelyn Bay. The tourist season is rapidly ending, and Kieran and his partner Mia, along with their baby Audrey, return to help Kieran's mom and dad pack up to move away from Evelyn Bay. His father, Brian, is suffering from dementia, and his parents can't live in the beach community as his condition grows worse. Kieran hasn't been back for years. Twelve years before, a horrible event took place that has haunted him, his family, and the community. Twelve years before, Kieran's brother Finn and his friend Toby were killed in a terrible boating accident during a freak storm. They were killed trying to rescue Kieran, who was in danger of being swept out to sea. Not only were they killed, but at the same time, young Gabby went missing, and was never found. The storm was a bizarre, once in a generation storm that took everyone by surprise, and in all of the chaos, a lot of questions went unanswered. Gabby's disappearance has always left a huge question mark hanging over Evelyn Bay. 

Now it's twelve years later, and the memory of that storm and the loss of life still haunts Evelyn Bay, and effects Kieran's relationship with his parents, who blame him for their son's death. Kieran's friends from childhood-Olivia and Ash, as well as other familiar faces, gather to reminisce and welcome Kieran back. 

Another horrible death soon happens. Bronte, a waitress at the local Surf and Turf restaurant, is found dead on the beach-drowned. She was living with Olivia, and working on an art project over the summer. Shaken by another death in the community, Bronte's murder evokes that horrible summer twelve years before, and everyone starts looking at each other, trying to figure out who did it and why. Does Bronte's death have any connection to Gabby's disappearance?

The atmosphere in this novel is definitely well drawn out. I could feel the freezing ocean water, the strong currents, and the lure of the water. Everything is tied to the ocean-it is a place that gives life, and also takes it away pretty swiftly. Kieran swims daily in order to be able to cope with his guilt over his brother's death; but always just under the surface is the knowledge that the water is capable of turning on anyone who enters its depths. As the investigation goes on, it seems like there is no way Bronte's murder will be solved--and certainly no way it is connected to the tragic events of years ago. Yet somehow the author weaves a story that will keep you guessing as memories, photos, and secrets are slowly exposed and dots are connected. I was surprised at the ending--the who and the why, for sure. 

If you like reading thrillers that build slowly, incorporate the whims of nature, and don't necessarily guarantee a  satisfactory happy ending, you will like The Survivors. The uneasiness, small-town tension, and grief thread throughout the story and make it really hard to put down. It would make a good book discussion. 

Rating: 4/6 for a thriller that keeps you guessing while the tension builds and you keep moving towards an ending that will not be what you expect. Harper's use of nature as a character is brilliant and adds an extra dimension to her plot. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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The Survivors by Jane Harper

Derecho Update from Cedar Rapids

I've got a few moments this morning so I thought I'd update everyone on what's been happening here in Cedar Rapids, Iowa since I last posted. 

We continue to clean up. The National Weather Service has determined that we had a category 3 hurricane blow through Iowa. Cedar Rapids was the hardest hit area, along with Marion, which is a small city that borders Cedar Rapids. It's part of our Metro area, and where I work at the Marion Public Library as the Collection Development Manager. 

Tree debris is everywhere. The National Guard arrived in town about a week ago and has been working to clean up the debris. It's hard to imagine, but literally every block of Cedar Rapids and Marion (and all the surrounding small towns) have damage and trees down. Every. single. home. No one escaped without some kind of damage to their property. The City of CR is working block by block to pick up tree debris, and plans on making three trips around the city to collect it all. 

I finally had power come back on last Friday. I was without power for 12 days. I spent the first week at my house at night, but ended up staying at my partner's home for the next week. He borrowed a generator from a friend so at least we had some lights and a fan! We managed to save a good amount of our food, but ended up having to throw away a lot of defrosted meat and fish, along with other groceries. I consider myself very lucky. My home sustained minimal damage, and what food was spoiled we can replace. So many are not so lucky. 

I did lose a few trees in my back yard. One tree was a Japanese maple that my friends at Barnes & Noble gifted me when my dad passed away in 2004. It was snapped by another tree falling on it. That made me cry more than anything. My big old tree is coming down; today is the last day the crew will be here to finish up cutting it down. I've cried about that, too, even though it was a tree that caused me lots of aggravation over the years-it dropped branches and bits and pieces continuously! But it also suffered a lot of damage and was best to take it down. My partner and I measured the trunk yesterday and with some calculations, figured it was about 100 years old. Which fits in with my home, which was built in 1927. My yard already looks completely bare. I can say with 100% certainty that I will never have a tree planted close to any future home I live in ever again. I've seen so much destruction from trees falling on homes, cars, garages. Homes split in two by trees crashing down on them. Cars crushed. 

I've been busy helping haul tree debris, and working with my fellow library staffers moving our collection out of our damaged library and getting it set up in a temporary space. Lots of organizing to make it easier for us to find materials when we are ready to open again in our new, temporary spaces. We've been serving the community by volunteering where help was needed, and having a tech space set up at a nearby park for people to recharge phones and personal devices. 

Clean up and getting back to "normal" will be a very long process. 

I haven't been reading much; I've been so tired at night I can't focus long enough to read more than a few pages. But a new month is not far away, and I plan on getting back to it and diving into the books I've got waiting here at home. 

I am healthy, I have food and a home, a job, and good people around me. I am lucky. 

My tree after the Derecho. 

My tree after the crew has worked on taking it down. August 24th, 2020. 

Measured the trunk of the tree for posterity. 

The debris behind my house. This it what every home is like on every block of Cedar Rapids. 

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Derecho Update from Cedar Rapids