True Crime – my guilty pleasure. Well-written true crime — too rare but oh so enjoyable. Frequently when reading true crime, the characters and outcome are familiar (think Laci, O.J., Menendez brothers). I admit I was not aware of At Any Cost, the story of Shele Danishefsky and her younger husband Rod Covlin, but the …
Jenny Lawson is brave, and funny, and smart, and willing to share her struggles with anxiety and depression in her blog posts, essays, and books. Why “brave?” I share some of her afflictions and, while I totally bought in to the concept that depression won’t lose its stigma until people are willing to talk openly …
I generally enjoy thrillers, with legal and financial being my favorite subgenres. There are several authors that are consistently ones whose latest books are always on my TBR shelf as soon as I can get them, and John Lescroart has been on that list since I first came across his work in the late 1980s. …
Maybe it’s pandemic fatigue. Or maybe it’s just me. My expectations may be a bit high? But when Mary Kubica is referred to repeatedly as the “queen of the domestic thriller,” and I am so ready for a grabber — you know, the kind where you just want people to leave you the bleep ALONE …
I admit it. The phrase “women’s fiction” generally makes me shudder. I don’t quite equate it with the phrase “bodice ripper,” but almost. Maybe it’s because I took over as manager of a nice suburban branch library from a woman who had done everything she could to run it into the ground (like getting rid …
I have enjoyed several of Harlan Coben’s books, but have found him inconsistent — actually it is likely I who am inconsistent, he’s probably just fine. But in any case, I was happy to receive a copy of Win from Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for this honest review. The story begins with …
One of my all-time favorite TV shows is The Wire, for which David Simon was the creator, show runner, executive producer and head writer. Between that show and the podcast Serial and subsequent book Adnan’s Story, I was fairly well convinced that Baltimore had just about the most corrupt law enforcement and city/county government around. …
I’m a true crime buff, and one of my recent favorites was Bad Blood, John Carreyrou’s exhaustive tale of Elizabeth Holmes and her scam company Theranos, so I expected to like Bad Medicine by Charlotte Bismuth. I received a copy from Atria/One Signal Books and NetGalley in exchange for this honest review. Subtitled “Catching New …
I wasn’t sure I even wanted to read When The Stars Go Dark, having been underwhelmed by The Paris Wife (I thought Circling The Sun was OK — I know, I’m in the minority on both these titles). But when I read the blurb from Kristin Hannah that said it was “….guaranteed to keep the …
I’m not sure whether Gregg Olsen is inconsistent, or I am, but it sort of seems like I don’t know what to expect when I pick up one of his books. There have been some excellent ones in the true crime genre (If You Tell) but I have found the fiction titles (mostly in series) …
Imagine your life as an adult is filled with nightmares that include a man who was one of the adults who was actually kind to you and your sister when you were kids…he used to take you and your sister on adventures, including visits to his garden, and was someone you thought of as just …
The story of the death of Rebecca Zahau is so freaking bizarre! I first heard about it on a podcast and it was so off the wall, I was so curious…so I sought out other podcasts, resulting in total confusion. So I was happy when I read that Caitlin Rother, well-known author of true crime …
Wow, where to begin? Like many people, I was caught by the title of the debut novel by Cherie Jones: How The One-Armed Sister Sweeps Her House. (The title comes from a parable told to a little girl by her grandmother.) I had heard great things about this book, and it is definitely well written, …
Thomas Threadgill is another of those thriller authors I’d never heard of until recently, but I was happy to receive a copy of Network of Deceit, the second in his series featuring San Antonio PD Detective Amara Alvarez. Threagill’s name is apparently found often on lists of authors “Christian fiction,” which would have honestly given …
I admit it: I have been a big fan of Chris Bohjalian, ever since I read Midwives several years ago. I have given positive reviews to The Guest Room, The Sleepwalker, The Flight Attendant, and The Red Lotus. I consider Mr. Bohjalian one of the most reliable authors I read regularly, and I always look …
A couple of years ago, I read and enjoyed If She Wakes by Michael Koryta, after also enjoying his earlier books How It Happened and Those Who Wish Me Dead. Once again, I very much appreciated the chance to read his latest offering, Never Far Away (thanks to Little, Brown & Company and NetGalley in …
I was a big fan of the early Spenser series by Robert B. Parker, and I read and enjoyed most of the books in the series, although there were some that felt formulaic and tired…but I’m not sure ANY series has a 100% rating. In general, I’ve NOT been a fan of the novels cranked …
I read a lot of books…possibly even more book reviews. Over the last decade or so, it has seemed like a new David Baldacci book appears every month or so…and I pretty much have avoided all of them. Not sure why, but I needed something to read as I watched the world going crazy, and …
I’ve been a regular reader of Linwood Barclay’s books for several years, generally awarding 4 or 5 stars, so I was pleased to get a copy of Find You First from William Morrow and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. And I tried. More than once. I kept thinking maybe being home for more …
In Case You Get Hit By a Bus is described as a “step-by-step program for getting your life in order, so you’re prepared for the unexpected.” Written by the people responsible for Everplans, a company that specializes in “digital life planning,” it includes three general areas. The first is “urgent,” and is excellent at itemizing …