Tropical Delusions……

I received this book as an Advance Reader Copy from Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review

Molly, Grace and Charlene were three teen-aged friends, who, by all reports, were inseparable. One day, in 2002, allegedly after an argument, they separated, and one of the girls was never seen alive again. The missing girl was eventually found deceased, but no killer was ever brought to justice.

Flash forward to present day, Grace Sutherland is awakened by her cell phone, and the caller sounds very familiar. But that was another life for Grace, and she hangs up the phone after muttering ‘wrong number’. Wife to an aspiring politician, Grace is on the cusp of her own success, as a nutritionist made famous via Instagram and an impending book release.

Molly, the other surviving member of the teenaged threesome, is a bad alcoholic, who has decided to reach out to Grace after all these years. After the loss of Charlene, the girls were prevented from seeing one another by their parents, and Molly remains distraught that Grace had not once answered any of her letters. After all this time she wants answers – what really happened that day, and what happened to their love for one another??

As the story progresses it’s told in both past and present tense, with journal entries for each of the girls filling in the backstory a bit at a time. Much of the story is fairly predictable, at least you’ll think it is….but the ending was quite unexpected.

A great, suspenseful read from a promising new author! I look forward to more from Ms. Sanderson!!

Past Tense – Lee Child

I was fortunate to receive this novel from Netgalley.com as an Advance Reader Copy, in exchange for an objective review.
I have never read a Reacher book that I didn’t like, and this awesome new adventure is no exception!

Jack Reacher is presently in Maine, and it looking to head to southern California for the winter, via hitchhiking or whatever means he comes across. As he accepts a ride from a nice individual heading to Boston, he notices a sign along the way for Laconia, New Hampshire. Family lore says his father was from there, and Jack decides to head that way to see what he can learn about his little known paternal family.

Meanwhile, Shorty Fleck and Patty Sundstrom have left their hometown in Canada and are on the road to Florida in search of an idyllic life on the beach. Their old Honda is over-heating and they stop at a small out of the way hotel in Laconia, New Hampshire. The proprietors are welcoming, and the two are given a newly refurbished room. But the next morning, their car won’t start, and the phones are dead. There’s no cell service. And then strange things start to happen…

As with every novel by Lee Child, I COULD NOT PUT THIS BOOK DOWN! The Jack Reacher character just drags me in every time. Part wandering vagabond, part old military cop, and part ruthless avenging angel for the greater good, Reacher is unique, intriguing, and just plain awesome. A must-read for Reacher fans everywhere, and a fabulous first introduction to readers who haven’t yet met Jack!

Coming November 5th!!

I was fortunate to receive this novel from Netgalley.com as an Advance Reader Copy, in exchange for an objective review.

Gemma Monroe is a detective with the Cedar Valley PD, whom, after a rough night with her teething infant daughter, is up on Lost Lake, where a young woman, Sari Chesney, has gone missing from her camping group. She, along with partner Finn Nowlin have been tasked with finding the missing woman.

Shortly thereafter, Sari’s boss at the Cedar Lake History Museum, Elizabeth, is found murdered inside the museum after an event, and after a famous artifact, a diary, has gone missing. With no obvious leads, and no suspects for either case, Gemma and Finn have their work cut out for them.

Meanwhile, there’s a leak at the police department. Someone is funneling information to a local reporter, which is compromising the case. The police chief tasks Gemma with finding and stopping the leak, causing Gemma to take a hard look at the people she works with – even her own partner.

As the search continues for Sari, and for Elizabeth Starbucks killer, Gemma begins to suspect that all is not as it seems with Sari’s friends and Mrs. Starbuck’s sons. As they dig deeper, a suspect comes to the forefront, but he quickly sets his sights on Gemma…

I very much enjoyed this mystery by Emily Littlejohn, and I hope to see Gemma and Finn continue as a series. Filled with intrigue, personal strife in the detective’s lives, and the perfect mix of’ who-dun-it’, Ms. Littlejohn has herself a winner, and I look forward to reading more!!

I was fortunate to receive this novel from Netgalley.com as an Advance Reader Copy, in exchange for an objective review.

Jessie Cole is a ‘kick-ass’ private investigator who manages her own business. Presently, she is attempting to assist a friend in regaining his memory by researching his past. Along with her office manager, the hyperactive Zee, she scratches out a living doing what she loves, occasionally accompanied by boyfriend Colin Grayson, a detective.

Ben Morrison, presently estranged from his wife, is using her office as a place to bed down as he searches for his elusive memories. Injured in a motor vehicle accident years ago, Ben struggles with amnesia, and still has no idea of the kind of person he was ten years ago. Together, he and Jessie have learned some disconcerting facts that suggest a highly dysfunctional home environment, with a parent in jail.

Meanwhile, a serial killer has come to town, and begins leaving victims in his wake – young women with dubious backgrounds – along with a telltale sign. As Jessie attempts to help Colin with this newest problem, a killer sets his sights on Jessie…

This was the first book I’ve read by TJ Ragan, but it will not be my last, and I cannot wait for the next one! This is the third in a series, and as it leaves some cliffhangers, I am going to presume that they should be read in order. Fabulous read, genuine in-depth characters, and more than enough intrigue to keep you reading well into the night!