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 21, 2025 John Grisham is one of those authors whose work is devoured by his fans, who generally find him reliably entertaining. I haven’t read all of his books, and I might be wrong but I think that over the past few years, it’s been a bit of a mixed bag – …
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 …
Published July 30, 2025 I read a LOT– with my go-to genre being what I call the LA/CA PI mystery/crime stuff: Robert Crais, Michael Connelly, Lee Goldberg, Sue Grafton, T.Jefferson Parker…you get the idea. I’ve been in a bit of a trough lately, challenged to find something that grabbed me, entertained me, and made me …
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 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 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 March 25, 2025 Nobody’s Fool by Harlan Coben Over the past several years, I have read and reviewed several Harlan Coben books, and with the exception of Win, all were four or five stars (although it may have been that Covid screwed up my ability to enjoy my usually reliable authors’ releases). Hmmm. …
Publication Date May 20, 2025 Here I go again, with my secret pleasure reading: true crime. Rich Cohen, a well-known author and journalist (columnist for The Wall Street Journal, contributing editor at Vanity Fair and Rolling Stone) has written the amazing story of Jennifer Dulos, a wealthy Connecticut woman who dropped her kids off at …
Publication Date January 14, 2025 When I reviewed James Grippando’s Twenty (in 2020), I noted that I couldn’t recall reading any of James Grippando’s books. And when reading about that title, Jack Swyteck wasn’t a guy I felt like I knew (despite that one being #17 in Grippando’s Jack Swyteck series). Jack Swyteck, the protagonist …
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 July 16, 2024 “Things Don’t Break On Their Own” by Sarah Easter Collins is one twisty, well-written, character-driven thriller! There are many characters and various timeframes, so it seemed like actual work for me to keep everyone straight at first. But trust me, this one is worth the effort! The three main characters …
Publication Date July 30, 2024 Shari Lapena has been called “the queen of the one-sit read,” and that was EXACTLY the kind of book I was needing to take my mind off the news! Thanks to Penguin Group Viking and NetGalley, I received a copy of her latest, “What Have You Done?” in exchange for …
Publication Date May 7, 2024 Some days, I wonder if maybe being retired and slowing things down in my life has affected my taste in reading. I used to like digging in to “literary novels,” but these days I find what my friend calls “one night stands” (mysteries and thrillers you can binge in a …
Publication Date July 30, 2024 I loved “Something In The Water” by Catherine Steadman, but found her next two that I read, “Mr. Nobody” and “The Disappearing Act,” to be less than I had hoped. Nonetheless, I was happy to receive a copy of her latest, “Look In The Mirror” from Random Mouse/Ballantine and NetGalley …
Publication Date June 11, 2024 Elin Hilderbrand is well-known for being the “queen of beach reads.” About three years back, I read and reviewed her novel Golden Girl, and…was NOT impressed, in fact it was one of my very rare DNFs. But her string of books with titles like Summer of ‘69, 28 Summers, Trouble in …
Published 2020, 2024 Earlier this year, I read and reviewed Freida McFadden’s book The Teacher, and noted that “I enjoy psychological thrillers, but had not previously read anything by Freida McFadden… I loved this book, and stayed up for HOURS to finish it. It is just good entertainment. Five stars.” So I was excited when, thanks …
Publication Date March 19, 2024 Although I recognize some of the titles attributed to Steve Cavanagh (Thirteen, The Defense), I can’t recall reading any…but when I read that Kill For Me, Kill For You would be great for fans of Silent Patient or Gone Girl, I thought I’d give it a try (loved Gone Girl, …