In 2019, I enjoyed J.P. Delaney’s The Perfect Wife (giving it four stars), but Believe Me was a disappointment to me, ending up with just two stars. But after I learned that J.P. Delaney is the pseudonym of Tony Strong, who wrote The Death Pit, Tell Me No Lies, and The Decoy (which was re-written and published as Believe …
I’ve been a fan of Mark Bowden’s wiring for years. Black Hawk Down, Killing Pablo, etc. I’m also a fan of the true crime genre, so I jumped at the chance to get a copy of The Case of the Vanishing Blonde from Grove Atlantic and NetGalley in exchange for this honest review. The title …
Adam Mitzner is a practicing attorney in New York who has somehow found the time to write eight legal thrillers set in New York. Just about a year ago, I reveiewed A Matter of Will, and began my review by saying “I don’t recall reading anything by Adam Mitzner, and I have no idea why!” …
The Herd by Andrea Bartz sounded like just the kind of escapist fluff to get me through another weekend of sheltering in place: a murder mystery featuring glitzy female New York thirty-something Harvard grads who are just starting to make their mark professionally. The title refers to a super-selective members-only womens’ community that features professional …
The Best of Friends, by Lucinda Berry, explores the dynamics between and among a group of teenage boys (who are best friends) as well as their three mothers (BFFs forEVER) when a terrible tragedy occurs. Written by a trauma psychologist (yikes), the story is told from various perspectives and (TBH) at first I had to …
David Parrish, a retired tech writer, was a part-time baseball coach many years ago. When he learned that one of his former players, Jon Bowie, had died, Parrish was stunned. As a friend, he talked to friends and family, trying to understand what police and the medical examiner had ruled a suicide. Jon had been …
I was in the mood for a character-driven novel, with strong women working to find out who they are, blah blah blah. Reading that Jeni McFarland’s book The House of Deep Water was reminiscent of Celeste Ng’s Little Fires Everywhere, and explored “… trauma, love, loss, and new beginnings found in a most unlikely place: …
A Private Cathedral is James Lee Burke’s fortieth book, and I am pretty sure my husband had read them all up til now. I had read one or two, and I can’t remember which ones, which tells you something. I had another chance thanks to Simon & Schuster providing me with a copy of A …
In 2019, writing about John Sandford’s Neon Prey, I wrote “There aren’t many authors whose latest book I eagerly await, and who maintain a consistently high level in terms of plot, character, and entertainment value. John Sandford has been one of those (along with Michael Connelly, Michael Robotham, Robert Crais, and Elizaeth George (OK, a …
I was curious to read A Tangled Web by Leslie Rule, the daughter of Ann Rule (widely regarded as the queen of true crime writing). Thanks to Kensington Books/Citadel and NetGalley, I received a copy in exchange for this honest review. First off, I have been a big true crime fan for years – my …
I’ve recommended Mary Morris’s Nothing To Declare: Memoirs of A Woman Traveling Alone over the years, was very happy to read that her latest book, All The Way To The Tigers, was another travelogue/family history/personal growth saga. Thanks to Doubleday Books/Nan Talese and NetGalley, I received an advance copy in return for this honest review. …
For many years, I was a hardcore NBA fan. My theory was that anyone who said they didn’t like watching pro basketball had never been to a live NBA game. Although my fandom died off when things changed so the games and teams were all about individual glory (rather than team effort), my appreciation came …