College friends gather to celebrate an upcoming wedding but in reality it is a drug intervention gone horrible wrong. They are hassled by a construction team demanding payment, an extra person tags along who isn't anyone's friend and when two of the group go out for cigarettes and don't come back the rest of the weekend seems to be shot. The small upstate detective is still embroiled in her own past and must now deal with an out of towner nightmare. So many secrets in everyone's present and past, manipulation and lies - no one needs friends like these. Tightly knit thriller that keeps connecting all the dots until a jaw dropping end. 4 stars
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3 1/2 stars A young Australian woman gets a chance at a coveted spot covering the British Royal Family in 1960's. From Princess Margaret's wedding to the scandals that followed Blaise was in the thick of it but sadly a bit of her past followed her across the pond. The one man who knows her secret is also part of her new world. For fans of THE CROWN and those who love a good scandal - this is solid historical fiction with an accent from down under. The return of the intrepid detectives of North Devon. A murder happens at an country estate turned artist studio/farm and Detectives Matthew Ven and Jen Rafferty are on the case. As soon as they begin questioning the locals another body is discovered and the clock starts ticking faster. This case is personal because it is local and involves their friends and the neighborhood. This also makes it harder to keep perspective and dig into the details/alibis of friends. The case seems to center around the suicide and possible mismanagement of a local young man and a secret that the first victim may have discovered. Ann Cleeves writes a powerful mystery that quietly sneaks up on you with characters that you genuinely can relate to. Fans of her other series in book or tv like Vera and the beloved Inspector Ganache series of Louise Penny will find much to love here. 4 stars
At first glance it seems like it is just mom and dad's relationship failing but soon their three daughters lives begin to get messy. The twins almost drowning under the eye of mom and dad was the tip of the iceberg as we follow a year in the life of the Alvarado family. Day by Day we see the progress or lack of in trying to save a marriage and see the truth behind the successful daughters and their own relationship failings. The book comes across like the weather patterns in L.A. of late - no rain, too much rain, always sunny and way too many fires but life keeps going pretty much the same as it always did. Sometimes funny, sometimes frustrating and very honest this is a look at what could be anyone's family. Perfect for readers who want deep family connections and lots of drama. 4 stars
Three black women from different backgrounds find common ground living in a different country far from home. Kemi is a successful marketing pro from the states who is hired to head up a diversity team at a top firm in Sweden. Brittany is a flight attendant in the states who is swept off her feet by a wealthy Swedish marketing executive who is determined to marry her and have her move to Sweden.
Muna is a refugee from Somalia who lands in Sweden and is determined to love her new country but is suffering from a traumatic event that happened at the refugee shelter. All three must learn a new language, new customs and deal with some of the same racial injustice or ignorance as their parent country. This interesting novel looks at race but also economic classes , immigration in other countries and mental illness. An interesting viewpoint from a debut author I hope we hear more from. This book would partner nicely to THE OTHER BLACK GIRL and the WWII novel SISTERS IN ARMS. 4 stars The French impressionist Edouard Manet is in great pain from the debilitating effects of syphilis. The water torture and massage treatments offer more pain and gives him grief but so does the rejection of patrons or art critics. He finally needs to paint the career defining painting but will his health let him finish it. This is an art lesson on how to view the world, a business lesson from someone who is used to begging for work and a lesson of finding beauty in nature or a lost love. Written in diary style it is easily enjoyed in snippets or devouring it whole. I enjoyed the sketches that were included that were able to capture so much detail in a few simple lines. 4 stars
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