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A murder at Agatha Christie's coastal estate involving a well off couple who are renting the house to take in two nurses and a gaggle of young children evacuated from London sounds like something the mistress of mystery would write. Bridget is anxious to leave London after an incident at the hospital where she was working makes it impossible for her to stay. A job falls into her lap as well as a nurse's cap and cape setting her off on a train with a second nurse Bridget and ten children under the age of 5. To get out of London and the bombings should feel wonderful but the situation at the estate and all those little ones to look after as well as the PTSD which Bridey is suffering from makes her all the more anxious. It doesn't help that the other nurse Gigi is mysterious and flighty disappearing for hours. When a body is discovered whom they both recognize the plot thickens and takes a much darker turn. Written in true Agatha Christie style in tone and characters, this is a solid hit for classic mystery lovers as well as those who are fascinated by WWII London and the evacuation. I also listened to the audiobook and it is fabulous. The perfect pick for a long car ride or cooler stormy fall days. 4 stars 
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Anyone who has done a 23 and Me or another DNA tracing service will get chills up their spine after reading this thriller. The results are in and Liz finds out not only is she adopted but that her mother gave her up while incarcerated and the father is unknown. Somehow through research she finds a Great Uncle and is excited to meet him and find out more about the family until the FBI gets into the picture with chilling news. It turns out her DNA might be linked to the only evidence they have on the notorious Tri State Killer. This story is handled really well so that by the mid point of the book you aren't about to put it down and you can cut the tension with a knife. This would be the perfect choice for readers of "scare myself silly" thrillers as well as true crime junkies. Don't be surprised if after reading this you dig out those results for a closer look. 4 stars  Contestants fight their way through a manufactured haunted house full of costumed creepies and traps to win a big cash prize. One team stands to win it all until a horrible wrinkle occurs- a murder. The story is broken into several sections from police/courtroom interviews, play by play action of the game in each cell and the back story of how each of the characters are linked. I was fascinated by the idea of taking a decrepit house and turning it into a money making escape room and thinking this might be an idea to try in all those empty shopping malls and was less pulled into the back story of some of the people involved and social commentary. This book will appeal to readers who are looking for stories of the human condition and less to readers of horror fiction. That being said, the scenes of the game being played were pretty darn scary. 3 1/2 stars  This is the second book in the Thursday Murder Club series and it is easy to see why it appeals to so many readers. The characters are sharp and all have interesting back stories some which explain their fascination with murders and others, their somewhat shady past. The wit and writing is smart with just enough clues to get you hooked but not enough for you to solve the whole thing in a few chapters. Elizabeth is reunited with someone she killed off but is now back in her life trying to save his own. Murder and missing diamonds are more than enough to get the gang eager to join in the hunt and avenge pain inflicted on one of their own. This series has all the lovable characters and banter of the Louise Penny Inspector Ganache series with the level of mystery and violence to satisfy crime lovers. 4 stars  A small town sheriff up for re election and dealing with his wife's illness and their daughter's loss of a baby is given added problems when he is confronted with a murder. Some in town believe the victim was part of a drug deal gone wrong, some think he was in the wrong place that night but it is certain that Sheriff Barnes has much on his plate. Southern small town relationships good and bad, racial tension and authentic characters you will fall for. Readers looking for character driven stories as well as those who want a crime story will be well taken care of here. 4 stars  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  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  This one, like the title, started off as simmering coals and then went straight to inferno as we would expect from Paula Hawkins. Laura hasn't been the same since she was the victim of a hit and run as a child, Miriam is a nosy houseboat neighbor with secrets of her own and Carla has lost much including the murder victim. All three women knew the man who was found dead on his boat. All three are hiding things. Who killed him and why? The book is constructed in the format we have come to expect - a twisted plot and unreliable narrators who are damaged but the story within the story is complicated. Of course, Ms. Hawkins keeps you guessing until the bitter end. Her fans will enjoy this as a solid thriller. 4 stars  Peter Heller always presents a strange mix of natural beauty and violence. Jack is running away from his old life so when an opportunity to become a fishing guide at a swanky lodge in remote Colorado happens he jumps. The scenery is beautiful , the fish are plentiful and he is enjoying being around his first client a superstar singer who is really a nature girl. Soon however the ideal job feels fishy and Jack and Alison begin to explore the area around the lodge a bit more. There seem to be more big fences and security than one would think necessary for a fishing lodge and they see things they shouldn't. They realize that they have waded into deep water but it may be too late. Readers will be hooked from the first page. Peter Heller is Gary Paulson for adults. Readers of high adventure and mystery in natural settings will enjoy this. 4 stars  Silvia Moreno-Garcia is an atmospheric writer who pulls you into the underbelly of political unrest of Mexico City in the 70's. Maite is a lonely young woman who lives out an exciting imaginary life through the romance serials she loves but that is far away from the life she lives in her real life. She agrees to help a neighbor but when Leonora disappears, Maite as well as some dangerous people begin to search for her and Maite discovers there is much more to Leonora than meets the eye. Another lonely soul, Elvis is also searching for Leonora. He and Maite bond over their love of music and the search for what happened to Leonora. Set firmly in crime noir, this story explores loneliness and longing mixed with protest, politics and violence. The author included a playlist at the end which adds much to setting the tone of the book. 4 stars  |
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