Seven Reasons to Murder Your Dinner Guests by KJ Whittle

 

I recently received an ARC from Sourcebooks for this novel and decided to take a break from what I was currently reading to dive into this interesting novel that's a bit thriller, a bit mystery, and a lot of puzzle. 

 I gobbled this up in a few days. Seven strangers are invited to a dinner party and each receive a card telling them when they will die. Not all of them look at the card, but those who do are a bit freaked out. Quite quickly, one by one they start to die. The remaining guests, now a reluctant group that keeps in touch at the memorials, struggle to figure out if this is just awful timing, or if someone is out to kill them all. Is the killer one of them, or someone outside, playing a sick game? 

The story is told from the viewpoint of each of the seven, and that makes for a fascinating tale. You get to know each of them--some of them briefly. It makes you wonder if you knew when you were going to die, would you change your life? It kept me guessing through most of the book, but a few clues towards the end pointed to the culprit. I enjoyed the novel and loved the concept. 

I always enjoy the "unveiling" from the murderer--how they planned, waited, and finished their devious murders. This novel had a great wrap up and teaser at the end. 

I'd recommend this novel for anywho who likes a novel that slowly unfolds, with characters that slowly reveal themselves--and ooh, revenge is the name of the game! 

This novel will be available September 9 in bookstores in the United States. 

Rating: 4/6 for an interesting concept, intriguing characters, and a plot that keeps you engaged. 

 

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Seven Reasons to Murder Your Dinner Guests by KJ Whittle

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

September Read: :How Can I Help You? by Laura Sims

 

I don't know too many librarians who don't want to read this novel--about a librarian, set in a library, written by a librarian. Oh, and it includes murdering misbehaving patrons. SHHHH.

Dear Margo. She's a nondescript middle-aged woman who's worked as a circulation librarian at the Carlyle Library for the past two years. She's efficient, helpful, and keeps to herself. Her past as Jane, a nurse, is far behind her. She still seethes a bit over the injustice of hospital administration and how she was treated, but she's managed to simmer down and build a new life far away from all of that. 

And then Patricia (Pa-tree-see-a) walks in--young and polished; the new reference librarian. Margo doesn't really care for Patricia at first-she is a change in the pleasing, calming routine Margo has created for herself. She's a ripple Margo doesn't need. 

Patricia is a newly minted librarian, and this is her first job. She's escaped a dismal relationship in Chicago, along with the crushing failure of a rejected novel she's written and no one wants to publish. Desperate to try something new, she's moved to Carlyle--a dull, boring, Midwest town. 

Margo is intrigued by Patricia--what exactly does she do all day at the reference desk? Why is she always writing in her little notebook? Patricia is also intrigued by Margo--those odd flashes of coldness in her eyes; the careful stillness about her. Not to mention that very weird episode in the women's bathroom, where a patron died and Patricia saw Margo acting very, very strange. 

It doesn't take Patricia long to figure Margo out--and oh, what a story to write! But she's torn--does she tell the police now, or after she's finished writing her novel? Will it ruin her chances at a successful novel? 

The tension increases between the two women, even as they share tidbits of their lives with each other. Margo's restlessness is coming back, and she's itching to return to those heady feelings of helping folks...die. 

This was one heck of a short novel. Margo is truly a psychopath, and her mental dialogue along with her belief she's innocent are disturbing. Patricia seems like a harmless person, but her inner dialogue definitely makes you a bit uneasy, too. Two peas in a pod? 

Most of the action takes place in the library, with a few key scenes at the apartment complex both Margo and Patricia live at; the library references are spot on and the patrons--well, yes, they're definitely shaped by real-life interactions as a librarian. 

If you want to read a quick thriller, this is the one. Margo/Jane is truly one unsettling character. I found myself lingering over her chapters, trying to dig a bit deeper to figure her out. Patricia is someone you think you want to know, but by the end, I'm not so sure. It would be an interesting book to discuss with a group. 

Rating: 5/6 for a psychological thriller that builds in tension, so much so that I was almost reluctant to turn the pages! "How Can I Help You" takes on a whole new meaning in this small town library. 

Available in hardcover, audio, and e-book.

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September Read: :How Can I Help You? by Laura Sims

July Read: The Senator's Wife by Liv Constantine

 

I picked up this novel at the library to read over the July 4th holiday and had a few good reading days where I got into the story and far enough along that I just had to finish it and miss neighborhood fireworks (which are illegal in my city, but people do them anyway).

Enter the world of wealthy political figures in this novel that is a twisty-turny thriller that isn't difficult to figure out. Sloan Chase is a wealthy philanthropist who, after the tragic death of her senator husband two years before, marries another senator-Whit Montgomery. Whit was married to Peg, who was the cousin of Sloan's husband and was also involved in the tragedy. 

Phew-got it? Sloan and Whit have known each other for years and the tragedy found them comforting each other and then marrying. Now it's two years later, and Sloan is scheduled to have a hip replacement due to her ongoing lupus issues. She's kept her lupus under control for years, but she's afraid the surgery will create a flare up. Whit arranges in home care for Sloan, and Athena arrives. Athena is not only a qualified and capable at-home care giver, she's also experienced in charities and will help Sloan manage some of her correspondence while she's recovering at home. She's also gorgeous--and Whit is one handsome dude who likes beautiful women. 

Sloan returns home from surgery, and pretty quickly her recovery turns south and she's having terrible lupus issues--lethargy, nausea, pain in her joints, and even hallucinations. She's confused, weak, and every week she's worse. She begins to question her own sanity as she doesn't remember things Whit tells her happened. Athena falls under suspicion, too. Is she doing something to Sloan to make her ill? Can Sloan get help before something horrible happens?

Each chapter is told through a different character: Sloan, Whit, and Athena. You know from the beginning Athena has ulterior motives but you're not quite sure what or who is her target--Whit or Sloan--or both. Whit seems like a loving spouse, but he's got Sloan fooled--he's a real asshole. Sloan seems to be a smart woman, but boy it takes her a long time to get smart about her husband. 

As a reader, you know more than Sloan does, because you've got the inside peek at Whit and Athena. But it all comes together quickly at the end. It's not much of a surprise, but there are a few clever points that build up the "Gotcha!" moment at the end. 

If you like domestic thrillers with a little bit of politics thrown in, along with the glam life of the ultra wealthy in DC, you'll enjoy this novel. I'm willing to read more of the backlist of the writing duo Liv Constantine. 

Rating: 3/6 for an entertaining thriller that kept me turning the pages. Lots of brand names for the wealthy thrown around (Hermes, Tiffany, etc) to hammer home the absurd money that folks have and spend. A peek into the politics of a government and the politics of a marriage that is not what it seems. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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July Read: The Senator's Wife by Liv Constantine

Old Bones by Preston & Child

This is just the kind of story I love to dive into, and even though it was my first Preston & Child novel, it won't be my last. 

First of all, bless Grand Central Publishing for taking the time to list all of Preston & Child's novels by series! Makes reading their previous works much easier. I wish every publisher did this for prolific authors. Old Bones is another new series, with characters from previous novels, but this is the first in the Nora Kelly series. I can't wait to read more. 

This novel involves the mystery of the Donner Party, and the Lost Camp. After the Donner party became lost and stuck in the Sierra Nevada area in the winter of 1847, they became part of western legend and lore. Very few people survived the months long ordeal as they starved, survived blizzard after blizzard, and some resorting to cannibalism to survive. The party was broken up into three camps, each a distance away from each other. One camp, known as the Lost Camp, remained  undiscovered over a hundred and fifty years later. 

Archaeologist Nora Kelly is called in to lead an expedition up into the wilds of the Sierra Nevadas to attempt to discover the "Lost Camp". Traveling with Nora is Dr. Clive Benton, a historian (and descendant of one of the Donner party families) who has discovered Tamzene Donner's long lost diary, which describes the location of the lost camp. Finding this lost camp, and the remains of the people who died there, would be a huge historical find, and answer a lot of questions. There is also a big chance that twenty million dollars in gold coins is also somewhere in the camp, stolen from one of the Donner party men, who was murdered by two men who died at the lost camp. 

Another interesting addition to this story involves FBI Agent Corrie Swanson. Just learning her job, she's assigned to a simple case: investigating the murder of a man found in a recently disturbed grave. Doesn't seem like it would have anything to do with the Donner lost camp, but oh, it does. It seems that someone has been digging up graves and making off with parts of the remains. Corrie makes a connection between seemingly random events, but no one believes her--it's rookie enthusiasm, after all. 

Yet, there is a big link to these two big events, and that is what is most fascinating about this novel. I seriously couldn't put it down. The blend of archaeology, legend, lore, and history hooked me good. I've always been interested in the Donner tragedy and have read a lot of books about it. That's what  drew me to this novel, too. I wasn't disappointed. It was a heck of a good read, and a great introduction to Preston & Child novels. 

I've had friends tell me how much they enjoy Preston & Child novels, and now I know why. I'll be working my way through all of them, and looking forward to the next Nora Kelly novel. I liked both Nora and Corrie--two strong women,  navigating through the politics and machinations of their chosen fields. Both experts in what they do, they make a great team. Did I say I loved this novel?! I sure did! Fans of historical mysteries, anthropology, archaeology, and police procedurals will enjoy this one. I'm a fan of Ellie Griffith's Ruth Galloway mysteries, which also feature historical mysteries and forensic archaeology. I'm excited to have found another series with all the elements I enjoy. 

I know I read a lot of magical realism, foodie, and contemporary women's novels, but oh, the nerdy history and forensics girl in me loves this type of novel, too. 

Rating: 5/6 for a thriller that combines history, action, adventure, archaeology, forensics, and a race against time. The Donner Party tragedy continues to echo down through the years. It's never too late to bring peace to those who died tragically in the most horrible of circumstances. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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Old Bones by Preston & Child

February Reads: Where's the Romance?!

I just went through what I was planning on reading this month and realized I don't have any novels on tap that celebrate smoochy love. Yikes! I do have a few on hand, so I may have to slip one onto my reading list this month. 

I'm still going full speed on my goal to read from my backlist (also known as the stacks on the floor and my bookcases). Now that I've decluttered my basement stash of books, I will start on my bookcases. I'd say about 75% of the books on my bookcases are books I haven't read, so I have plenty of motivation. It's much harder to let these go, since I really do want to read them--and the second I do that, I will let them go. I have to make room for all the books in my future!

February's reads are a mix of titles I've been asked to review, a title for a book group, and one that I've been wanting to read for a few months. I'll also read other titles as they pop up. Right now I'm working on another cozy mystery.  

Here's what I'll be reading this month:

Reading group selection-YA novel

A novel about two sisters; one with a mental illness. Publisher review. 

Okay, it's been a few months since I got this as a Christmas present. Time to read it! Magical, mystical storytelling. 

A psychological thriller about an executive and her personal assistant. A publisher review.

Happy reading everyone!  

The Bookalicious Babe

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February Reads: Where's the Romance?!

The Winters by Lisa Gabriele

This novel fits into my Halloween reads perfectly: it involves mind tricks, ghosts, and a complicated family dynamic that leads the heroine down a dark path.

The Winters is a thriller that starts off quietly enough: you get foreshadowing from the opening pages; you know something has gone terribly wrong. But then you're introduced to our heroine, who remains nameless throughout the novel. At first I thought I had just missed her name, but no, it never comes up. Hmmmm....

Meeting on the Cayman Islands where she works a drudge of a job for a horrible boss, Mrs. Winters-to-be meets Senator Max Winter, and they quickly fall in love. She's not at all what his first wife, Rebekah, was, and she becomes obsessed with Rebekah. Tall, blonde, beautiful, classy; killed in a car accident on the grounds of Asherley estate, Max's family Long Island mansion. There's Dani, Max's teenage stepdaughter, who is still grieving the death of her mother, and is a handful. She's angry, bitter, and does not like Max's new fiancee. Dani goes to a lot of trouble to make the future Mrs. Winters miserable. 

As our heroine struggles to fit in at Asherley, you sense something just isn't right, and maybe Max isn't the perfect, debonair man she first met. But what is it?! Do we believe Dani, or Max? 

Oh--the last pages are a real kicker. It's like being in a boat, gently riding the waves, and then BAM! Here comes a big one, and it rocks the boat violently. You  feel for Mrs. Winters, because she really is trying to grapple with a new life, a new husband, and the ghost of Rebekah. Will she figure things out in time to save herself? 

This was a great thriller and a big thank you to Viking for sending me an an advanced copy. It takes the domestic thriller and turns it up a notch. It has a modern gothic feel to it that I appreciated and it almost lent a timelessness to it, even though it is firmly set in contemporary Long Island. For those who enjoy thrillers, pick this one up! 

Rating: 4/6 for a novel that leads you down the path, and you know something is wrong...but wow it all happens quickly and you read with baited breath. A very good thriller!

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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The Winters by Lisa Gabriele

The House Swap by Rebecca Fleet

The House Swap is another entry into the psychological relationship thriller. It does, however, have quite a different twist on it; one where you just don't see it coming for quite some time. 

Told in two storylines: 2013 and 2015, you would think not much could happen in a few years. You'd be wrong, especially when it comes to the relationship between Caroline and Francis, a couple who's marriage has been slowly disintegrating due to Francis' addiction to pills, and the resulting affair Caroline has with a coworker. A mess, right? It's a bit sad to see what was once a solid relationship erode over time, and neither participant seems to know how to fix it. 

Move to 2015, and Caroline and Francis are house swapping for a week to get away and continue to repair their relationship. The house is oddly bare of any personal touches; it's neat as a pin and pretty much empty of anything-more like a hotel. Making arrangements only through email, the owner of this home is staying at Caroline and Francis' home for a week. Heck, people do this all the time!

Except this one is weird. Caroline's affair may be long over, but she's still haunted by it, and odd little things around the house jolt her into remembering key scenes from two years before. Of course she can't tell Francis, since their relationship is still fragile and this whole getaway was meant for them to spend time together. Is she just projecting, or are these little things: certain flowers in the bathroom; a photo of a park that Caroline visited during her affair--are these things a deliberate poke at Caroline? Amber, a woman across the street--seems oddly determined to get to know Caroline. Is her ex-lover the one she's swapped houses with?! Is he trying to drive her mad?

There's not a huge amount of action here; it's definitely one where a lot is spent on feeling, reflecting, and remembering. Caroline is a bit of a tortured soul, and you have no idea the depths until much farther along in the plot. The big reveal is something you won't see coming at all, because there's just not any way you could--a deliberate twist out of nowhere. Let's just say Caroline's instincts that something's not right, and someone is deliberately tormenting her, are spot on. But who you think it might be--well, that's the big surprise. Francis' thoughts are also a big part of the novel, as we see addiction from his point of view; the hopelessness, the aching, the need to just take the pill and make everything okay. We see how easy it is to slip down that slide, and how it can wreck a family. 

The cover of this novel has a quote from Lee Child, saying this is a "domestic noir".  Yes it is. It's a bit dark, and all you can do is hang on and hope Caroline and Francis come out the other side still together and with a better understanding of their relationship. It's a pretty good thriller! Wow, the depth and work the person bent on revenge goes to is pretty thorough.  

Rating:  4/6 for a very different thriller that slowly unravels and gives you tidbits along the way, keeping you guessing and biting your nails. 

Thank you to Pamela Dorman Books/Viking for an advanced copy of this novel!

Available in hardcover and ebook. 

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The House Swap by Rebecca Fleet

Not a Sound by Heather Gudenkauf

In my quest to read more books off my shelves at home, I pulled Not a Sound off a shelf the other day. I have met Heather Gudenkauf at a few book signings at my local B&N (she's an Iowa author) and I've read a few of her novels. They're all set in Iowa, and are thrillers. I have to say this is by far my favorite, and in my opinion, her best yet. She definitely stepped it up.

Quick synopsis: Amelia Winn was a victim of a hit and run which left her profoundly deaf.  It also cost her a career as an emergency room nurse; she became an alcoholic to cope with it all and lost her marriage as a result. Still married, but separated from her doctor husband and step-daughter, Amelia is sober and living in a cabin in the woods. She has learned to lip read and has learned sign language, but is still coping with her deafness and living with her service dog, Stitch. She spends a lot of time kayaking, paddle boarding, and running. One morning she's out paddle boarding, enjoying the peace. She stumbles upon a body in the water. Horrified, she recognizes the body as a fellow nurse that she worked with at the hospital. Amelia's childhood friend Jake, a local detective, arrives at the scene and comforts Amelia. He's the one who took her to AA and taught her sign language, and their friendship is what has kept Amelia sober and straight for the past few years.  

Amelia gets deeply involved in the murder of her friend Gwen, and is determined to figure out why she was murdered and who did it. Amelia's new job, working part time scanning patient files at a prominent oncologist's office leads to clues that something big is going on, if only Amelia can piece it all together. 

Wow. I was sucked into this novel very quickly. Amelia is such a strong character. The author's descriptions of Amelia's world of silence are so well written, you get a very good sense of what it is like to live with no sound all. How isolating it can be, how frustrating it can be. I can't imagine suddenly losing my hearing; how do you cope with that? How do you grieve that loss? One day you're a professional nurse, doing good work, living a happy life; the next you're profoundly deaf and have lost your career and life has changed completely. How do you rebuild your life? Just goes to show the kind of character Amelia is-she's human, and has her weaknesses, but she is one tough woman. 

I thought the mystery was fantastic, and how Amelia figured it out was through hard work and paying attention with all of her other senses. The last fifty pages were a thrill, and I was on the edge of my seat. Amelia is the first deaf main character I've encountered in a novel, and she is pretty impressive. 

If you like Jodi Picoult, I would recommend Heather Gudenkauf. She centers her novels around contemporary issues that are making headlines; one of her strengths is her ability to write about these issues in a small town setting--people face crime, ethical issues, and family issues in every walk of life. Her novels are a quick read and hard to put down. 

Rating:  5/6 for one of the most compelling characters I've come across in a long time. Gudenkauf's heroine is likeable, strong, and introduced me to a world of silence. Great plot, action, and really hard to put down. 

Available in paperback and ebook. 

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Not a Sound by Heather Gudenkauf

The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware

Where did November go?  Wow--it zipped by so quick I'm scrambling to get my thoughts on Christmas in just 4 short weeks!  I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving.  It was a peaceful day filled with tasty food and good company. 

Lo Blacklock, the narrator in The Woman in Cabin 10, however, cannot say she experienced good company or good food during her time spent on a luxury cruise.  As a matter of fact, poor Lo was either completely exhausted, drunk, or seen as slightly crazy throughout the novel.  I have to say I was disappointed with her character, and not terribly impressed with this novel. 

I've read plenty of novels where I didn't like the main character.  Usually it makes for a pretty compelling read, but Lo just completely irritated me.  She suffers from a chronic lack of sleep because of a break-in at her apartment, where she came face to face with the robber.  Locking Lo in her bedroom, he ransacked her place, and left her severely shaken and unable to relax long enough to sleep.  Using booze to help her cope keeps her pretty off balance.  She's given a chance to prove herself at work (she's a travel writer) by taking her boss' place on a inaugural luxury cruise on a boat that is the height of high class, and only has ten cabins.  This is her chance to finally get a promotion--if she snags the right interviews and proves herself.  Only problem is she's running on no sleep and keeps getting offered champagne that she just can't refuse.  Oh yes, and there is the free mini-bar in her cabin. 

On her first night, Lo manages to finally fall asleep, only to be awoken in the middle of the night by a splash.  Moving out onto her balcony, she sees what looks like a smudge of blood on the glass partition between her cabin's balcony, and the balcony for cabin ten.  Convinced that someone was thrown overboard, Lo sets out to notify the boat's head of security. 

Only problem is, there was no one in cabin ten.  But Lo insists that yes, there was--she borrowed mascara from the woman in cabin ten just the night before.  But a thorough search of the boat, along with interviews by every employee on the boat comes up with nothing.  Lo's deepening sense of something being horribly wrong is at war with her doubts about what she may have seen and heard.  That smudge of blood?  It's gone.  That cabin that was strewn with clothes and personal belongings from the night before?  Spotless.  Is Lo imagining things, or did someone go overboard?  Who is hiding the truth? 

Dang, I wanted to like this novel so much.  I can't get past Lo.  I found myself saying out loud "For the love of God, take a nap!"  It drove me nuts.  The whole mystery I found a bit confusing to untangle, and it just seemed to be a thin plot to me.  I had to suspend my belief quite a bit, and I didn't feel the ending was worth the effort.  Boo.  I'll give Ruth Ware's other novel In a Dark, Dark Wood a shot, because I think she certainly has potential, and I've heard a lot of good things about her debut novel.  This one, however, left me wanting my own mini-bar.

Rating:  4/10 for an annoying narrator, and a thin plot.  Just wasn't my cup of tea. 
Fans of The Girl on the Train may find this a good read. 
Available in hardcover, e-book, and audio.

Don't forget to enter to win a trio of romance novels by Kate Noble!  Contest winner will be announced December 1st:
Kate Noble Romance Giveaway

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The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

This is the hot hot hot book of the new year!  It's a Barnes and Noble Discover title, and it's in every major magazine.  So without further ado, I'll tell you about it.

Rachel is an alcoholic.  She rides the train in London every morning and late afternoon, usually drinking cans of gin and tonic.  She lives in a bedroom she rents from a friend.  She's in her early 30's, divorced, and fired from her job months ago for being drunk and insulting a client.  Her friend doesn't know she's unemployed because Rachel always leaves the house every day to take the train.  

Rachel takes the train past her previous life--the one where she was married and living in a home with a garden that runs up to the tracks.  She passes her home every day, noticing her ex-husband's new wife and baby.  She also notices the house a few doors down, and the man and woman who live there--Jason and Jess, as she calls them.  Gee, they seem to have a perfect life. 

Rachel is a mess.  She has blackouts and can't remember anything that happened.  The drinking ended her marriage, and she can't get past the fact that her husband Tom had an affair and finally divorced her because of her drinking.  She just wants her old life back.

But then she sees something one day while on the train that changes her perception of Jason and Jess and their perfect life.  And she wakes up one morning with dirt on her hands, bruises on her arms, and a bloody wound on her head.  What happened the night before?  The last thing she remembers is getting on the train to go to Witney to talk to her ex-husband.  What happened afterwards?  How did she get home?  Just how drunk was she?

This is a roller coaster of a novel.  Do you trust such an unreliable narrator?  Is she really being honest with herself, and you?  Oh, it gets good, and it gets crazy.  All I will say is that you need to read it all in one sitting, if you can.  It's hard to put down, because Rachel is (pardon the expression) such a train wreck.  But you can't help it--you stick with her.  As well you should.  

That is all I will say.  Read it.  

Rating:  8/10 for an effectively messed up narrator, a chilling look at suburbia, and a twisty ending.  

Available in hardcover, e-book, and audio.  

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The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

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

Bristol House by Beverly Swerling

If you read enough historical fiction, you learn pretty quickly that there can be a wide range of historical in the fiction.  Some historical fiction is light and entertaining, and you learn a few things.  Other historical fiction is like a juicy steak that you can sink your teeth into--and that's just what Bristol House is--a perfectly done steak when you're ravenous for some beef.

Beverly Swerling delves into the London of 1535, when Henry the 8th was in power, Jews were forbidden to live in England, and monks were being defrocked and killed by Henry's minions.  The 16th century is neatly tied into today's world by Annie Kendall, an architecture historian who is given a second chance at a career by being hired to travel to London and find evidence that a man known as the Jew of Holborn actually existed in London during Tudor times.  What made this man so special was what he brought with him:  priceless Jewish relics of worship from the original Temple in Jerusalem.  Where did they go?  How can they be found?  Is it all just a myth?  

Annie soon finds out that some people aren't being honest with her, and her "boss", Philip Weinraub may have much darker motives.

Annie is pretty darn smart, and she's soon partnering with the handsome Geoff Harris, a TV personality in London who likes to dig into political issues.  He's also a dead ringer for the ghostly  monk that keeps appearing in the back bedroom of Annie's apartment.  

Have I sucked you in yet?  Do you feel the need to rush out and read this novel?  Yes?  Good.  Cause it is really really enjoyable, and the more you read, the more complex it gets.  The story is a giant puzzle, and it slowly comes together into a fascinating story of faith, history, and the supernatural.  

This novel is great for anyone who likes Tudor history, codes, Jewish history, and a great, meaty historical tale.  Beverly Swerling is a great writer and neatly ties the past into the present.  What does a recovering alcoholic have in common with a ghostly monk from the 16th century?  Plenty.  Read and find out!

Rating:  8/10 for a complex historical novel that shows a lot of research into the subject; likeable characters, and an entertaining thriller.

Available in hardcover, e-book, and audio.

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Bristol House by Beverly Swerling