Publication Date January 27, 2026 I am certain I have read at least one book by Thrity Umrigar, but can’t remember a THING about it…which won’t be the case with her latest, Missing Sam, which I just read (thanks to Algonquin Books and NetGalley for providing a copy in exchange for this honest review). The …
Publication Date November 11, 2025 Again, a new standalone thriller from Philip Margolin? Yes, Please! Since 1993, when my sister recommended one of his books, I have been a fan of Philip Margolin, and since then have enjoyed nearly all of his 20+ books. Legal thrillers are among my favorite genres, and he is often …
Publication Date October 14, 2025 In the past few years, Lee Goldberg has made his way onto my list of reliable/favorite authors…you know, the ones that when you see they have a new book, you think, “YES! Definitely gotta get THAT one!” In 2022, there was Movieland, in 2023, Malibu Burning and Calico, in 2024 …
Publication Date September 2, 2025 I had not read Nathan Harris’s book The Sweetness of Water, but had heard enough rave reviews to know that I wanted to read his latest, Amity. Thanks to Little, Brown and NetGalley, I received a copy in exchange for my honest review. And I’m looking forward to the discussion …
Mike Lupica is an author (and former newspaper columnist), enjoyed by sports fans for many years in the New York Daily News. He is also known for his many appearances on the all-sports-all-the-time ESPN network. Everyone knows who James Patterson is. Their latest endeavor is The Hamptons Lawyer, a crime novel/thriller collaboration. The Patterson/Lupica collaboration …
Publication Date August 26, 2025 In 2021 and 2022 I read two books by Joe Hart that were solid four star reads: Or Else and Where They Lie. Then, in 2023, Never Come Back was a solid five stars, and I was eagerly awaiting more from Hart. Not sure if I missed something, but thanks …
Publication Date July 8, 2025 I’m generally not a huge fan of horror, creepy stalkers, or books that prompt me to get up and check to be sure the doors are locked. I am, however, a fan of talk radio, true crime (especially podcasts), and the “plucky heroine” trope. So I was intrigued to get …
Publication Date July 15, 2025 In 2021, I read and reviewed Stacy Abrams’ novel While Justice Sleeps, and was introduced to Avery Keene, “…a brilliant young law clerk working for Justice Howard Wynn, a curmudgeon who is in failing health. Avery is doing her best to hold her life together, working long hours in a …
Publication Date July 8, 2025 My first glance at the synopsis of Sarah MacLean’s These Summer Storms had me thinking “Aha! Elin Hildebrand or Nancy Thayer meet HBO’s Succession…There is the whole private island/Nantucket-ish vibe, the uber-wealthy patriarch pulling the strings of his heirs, and the combo of grief, love, and family plus romance. Sounds …
Publication Date May 27, 2025 I thought I had read every book in the Tracy Crosswhie series, starting with My Sister’s Grave, back in 2014. Along the way, I’ve enjoyed following Tracy’s life both professionally with the Seattle PD as well as her personal life…so I found myself surprised and pleased to receive a copy …
Publication Date July 25, 2025 I’m sure I’ve liked everything I’ve read that Denise Mina has written, although off the top of my head I can’t name any titles…but I was happy to receive a copy of her latest, The Good Liar, from Little, Brown/Mulholland Books and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. I …
Publication Date August 3, 2025 As I freely admitted when I read and reviewed Laura Delano’s Unshrunk, “…I have had my share of interactions with mental health care, and that I honestly feel I’m here thanks in part to the wonders of pharmacology and skilled therapy…I also admit that I have close friends and family …
Publication Date July 1, 2025 Michael Robotham’s When You Are Mine (2021), featured Philomena (“Phil”) McCarthy, an officer with the Metropolitan Police in London. When I read and reviewed that terrific novel, I noted that the “… plot is strong, and I came away hoping for more stories about Phil, her family, and her career. …
Publication Date May 6, 2025 I started listening to the Crime Junkie podcast waaaay back in 2017 (true crime has been my friend for years – when I worked in a public library, I could frequently be found in the 364.1523 section. I have mostly enjoyed it (due to Ashley more than Brit, TBH) except …
Publication Date May 6, 2025 I’m not generally a fan of cozy novels, things that are touching and that explore family dynamics…except if there is some murder or mayhem involved. For some reason, I found myself with Disha Bose’s new book I Will Blossom Anyways (thanks to Random House-Ballantine and NetGalley in exchange for my …
Publication Date February 18, 2025 Back in 2014, I read The Life We Bury by Allen Eskens, at that time an author I’d never heard of. I loved it! But for some reason, I didn’t read anything else by Eskens until 2023, when I read and enjoyed Saving Emma. I also didn’t know that The …
Publication Date January 14, 2024 I have been a diehard fan of Robert Crais/Elvis Cole/Joe Pike for over THIRTY YEARS. Seriously, when The Monkey’s Raincoat was published in 1987, I was working in a public library, grabbed it as soon as it came in, and was HOOKED. Since then, this has been one of the …
I’ve been a huge fan of Elizabeth George’s Lynley-Havers series of mysteries, and frequently marveled at her ability to establish setting and characterization in ways that truly make them REAL to the reader. I received a copy of The Abandonment of Hannah Armstrong, #1 in the Saratoga Woods Series, in exchange for my honest review. …
Subtitle: The Fight Against Book Banning in America Publication Date: August 27, 2024 I’m a retired librarian, one of thousands. And also a STRONG opponent of book banning and censorship, among other current threats to liberty and democracy these days. As a librarian, I dealt with my share of challenges, complaints, etc, but I never …
Publication Date September 17, 2024 Back in 2020, I read and reviewed Rumaan Alam’s Leave The World Behind and it was a solid five-star read for me. If you missed that one, here’s a quick summary from my review: “Amanda and Clay take their teenage children on a week-long getaway from their home in NewYork …