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A fantastic historic romp combining an American's adventures in wartime Switzerland and then postwar in Paris fashion houses. Alix was gutted when a false lead took the lives of several agents on her watch and ended her involvement in the OSS in Switzerland. Now in Paris after the war she makes a name for herself launching Christian Dior's new fashion house which also outs her to the bad guy from the war who wants her dead. Working with a group of unlikely partners Alix must find the one who is responsible as a way to make amends. The severity and horrors of the war with the glitz and glamour of Parisian fashion make for a wonderful mix that once again highlights the brave women behind the men in wartime. Alix is also an anomaly in that she isn't rich enough to not work and is clearly not out to find a rich husband but is around those women who don't have to and are expected to land and mold their lives to their husband. This will be candy to readers of Kate Quinn, Marie Benedict and wartime historical fiction. I listened to the audio version and the narration with pitch perfect accents was perfect. 4 stars 
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Mackenzie is having horrific nightmares again involving her dead sister now that she has come home. She thought she had found a way to get rid of them by running away from her family years ago but it turns out you can never really leave it all behind you. Her mother, sister, Aunties and cousin all try to cautiously welcome her back into her tribal family but Mackenzie keeps them all at arms length. As the dreams intensify she searches for her Cree dream spirits to help her navigate so she can put them to bed for good. Native people's rich culture combined with universal family drama and a dollop of horror make this a welcome debut. Readers of Stephen Graham Jones and other Indigenous Peoples culture/thrillers will love this addition to the genre. 4 stars  Her baby was kidnapped a year ago as a newborn, her marriage fell apart and she can't sleep - Isabelle is a mess. She has spent a year watching people in the neighborhood and doing anything she can to find Mason with no success until a podcaster approaches her to tell her side of the story and help find her baby. He seems to be genuine but something feels off. Intense and emotional with a kickbutt twist the author gets us into the head of a new mom who is frantic and sleep deprived struggling with depression. This is a sure bet for all of us that can't get enough of the unreliable narrator. 4 stars  In the HIndu calendar it is known as the Age of Vice and for the Wadia family power and excess become their mantra. Sunny is caught between wanting to impress his abusive father, do the right thing and impress his journalist girlfriend as well as save Ajay the young man pulled out of poverty to serve the family. A horrible accident takes multiple lives and protects the guilty sending loyal Ajay to go to prison as proxy. Sunny deals with the guilt and nightmares in oblivion from excessive amounts of alcohol and drugs. Neda tries to reconcile her ideals and writing with the reality of the city and her involvement with Sunny. The Indian equivalent of THE GODFATHER, this gangster saga has all the corruption and violence you would expect plus themes of family, loyalty, loss of innocence and search for redemption you would not expect. An excess of everything that eventually will create a bonfire and take all the players down with it. This will appeal to readers of crime that take place outside the U.S. also fans of SHANTARAM . 4 stars  Geeta didn't kill her husband but she is reveling in the perks of being a widow. No one messes with her and her business is booming. She strikes fear into the hearts of the villagers who treat her as half witch and half Godfather. The only glitch is that now some of the other wives want that same freedom and want Geeta's help to rid them of their husbands. What follows is a "be careful what you wish for" tale that challenges what we think of as the voice of Indian women. A glowing debut full of dark humor and perfect for fans of EROTIC STORIES FOR PUNJABI WIDOWS 4 stars  Houses remember. What was a great first line of a famous horror story written at an Italian villa in 1974 is still true when best friends Emily and Chess spend a summer there in 2023. 1974 a few rock musicians plus the girlfriend of one along with her half sister take in the beauty and peaceful surroundings of the villa to create - a book and songs. Emotions and stress play their part along with sex, drugs and rock and roll and at the end one is dead, one goes to prison for his murder and the two sisters leave with a best selling album and horror novel. 2023 Emily is going through a rough divorce and is in a writing slump when her best childhood friend Chess, an influencer and author, calls her with an offer to spend the summer in an Italian villa. It should set off warning bells that this is where a murder took place but instead inspires her to write another kind of book. A fast paced story that is part historical look at 70's rock musicians living a free life, part a celebration of female writing and part murder mystery. Not your peaceful vacation! 3 1/2 stars  A thriller with enough turns you might get dizzy. Friends celebrate Jay's 40th birthday not knowing it would be his last. Molly discovers her husband's body the next morning and can't believe that their closest friends are now suspects. As the detective begins to pick apart their lives more suspects and secrets start to come out. Are any of them as innocent as their friends believed? Turns out you might not know your friends or spouse as well as you think. This is a good pick for fans of smart female detectives or those thrillers with women running from a painful past. 3 1/2 stars  An "only in NYC" story of spying neighbors, strong sister relationships and taking chances. Getting caught naked on the rooftop of your building with a younger co-worker might not have been the best decision Jane made and while she is not happy about having her law license suspended and being under house arrest, it does give her time to re-evaluate her career and life. Her twin sister Jackleen is only too happy to keep Jane busy with an idea to boost Jackleen's online presence along with another ankle bracelet neighbor. This is a REAR WINDOW meets ONLY MURDERERS IN THE BUILDING kind of ROMCOM with strong ties to family and knowing when to take the leap and try something new. These are strong women who don't swoon or go running to daddy for help but instead take on life full on which is why they are perfect, honest and real as only Elinor Lipman can deliver. For fans of the escapades of Tracy Flick, Finlay Donovan and Bernadette. 4 1/2 stars  Willowjean (Wil) Parker and her boss P.I Lillian Pentecost are on the trail of a literary serial killer. Their new client is a female crime author who makes a living writing gruesome murder mysteries for a magazine. She writes under an assumed name to keep her secret past hidden but lately someone has begun killing people based on the methods she used in her recently published pieces. Wil goes undercover at the magazine to try and flesh out the killer and before you know it both she is pulled into danger. This is a clever series that features unusual characters outside of the stereotypical 40's private investigator role. They don't think twice about using whatever hidden weapon they have handy or shy away from the messy stuff. I can't wait for more of this dynamic duo from the master of crime noir. Readers of Mickey Spillane style crime novels minus the femme fatale client will appreciate this series. 4 stars  Another enjoyable adventure in the wilds of Alaska with an author hiding out from the man who kidnapped her. Of course she can't help herself from getting into the village's problems from missing people, dead bodies and her fugitive mom possibly showing up. This is an imaginative series with seemingly cold neighbors who are cozy warm on the inside. Great audio thanks to Libro.fm 4 stars  |
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