Book Reviews by Genre: Mystery

Well that escalated quickly.

Here we are just floating along fly fishing with our main characters, when BAMMM - some bat-* crazy stuff goes down in the last 15-20% of this book. Sure, we’re given warnings along the way that something sinister is afoot, but there’s sinister and then there’s… whatever this is.

If you haven’t read Peter Heller before, The Guide does have the stylistic hallmarks of his novels. Restrained length, staccato sentences, and a slight dystopian undercurrent. It’s the not-too-distant future, and strains of the coronavirus are still part of everyday life. Much like there are flu seasons, now there are COVID seasons. (Talk about a bleak bummer!)

The titular guide of The Guide is Jack, a semi-tragic character who appeared in Heller’s 2019 book, The River. There’s enough of that backstory sprinkled throughout this follow up that it can be read as a standalone should you choose. Jack is now 25 and working at a chichi lodge in Colorado teaching fly fishing to rich peeps. He and the woman (young and beautiful, of course) he’s guiding sense that something is strange about the place and begin to investigate. Heller must have watched a Scooby-Doo marathon during lockdown in 2020. Meddling kids can always save the day, amiright?

Even if the resolution of the novel gave me whiplash, The Guide still managed to be my favorite so far from this author. Outdoorsy types will enjoy the setting and poetic language about fishing, and thrill seekers will get their payoff with the bonkers ending. I guess you could say Heller reeled me in with this one. (I'm here all week, folks!)

"Garden of Sins” is a thoroughly enjoyable, gripping read that keeps one at the edge of one's seat! It is a delightful escape into a Victorian world, and one which shows that we all face challenges with which we must deal; some more so than others. The characters are so modernly relatable and display such basic human emotions, that one can easily empathize, especially with the protagonists, Sarah Bain Barrett. Although it is set in Victorian times, Sarah doesn’t discriminate against others for their differences. She is a strong woman of character, yet torn between her love for her “collective” family, her father's trial and her husband. Sarah's intelligence, instincts and the factual information she discovers creates doubts, yet her love for her "family" is never in question. Her strength combined with her human, fragile side paint her as a highly compelling protagonist. As for Inspector Reed, although depicted in other well-acted mystery series which portray him as upstanding, honest and fair, in " Garden of Sins" he is portrayed as the villain and a dark character who is corrupt in violating the law by harshly and relentlessly threatening Sarah and her family in his quest to discover the identity of Jack the Ripper. It is refreshing that Rowland's writing doesn’t mask, nor romanticize the conditions of late 1800’s London, particularly in depicting the people and poorer, more dangerous suburbs. "Garden of Sins" is well written, thoroughly engaging and highly entertaining. The characters are complex as are the twists and turns of this Novel. This is a brilliantly written series!

Donna Tartt and her debut novel The Secret History is one that will stick with me for quite a long time.
The Secret History follows insecure Richard Papen, a somewhat timid boy from Plano California. Richard, desperate to leave Plano and his unattentive parents, decides to go to college at Hampden, a school in Vermont, specializing in Humanities. Of course, when Richard arrives, he completely falls in love with Hampden and its very "Dead Poets Society" vibe to the school. Previously wanting to be in the medical field, but soon after developing a distaste for the field, Richard promptly decides to turn to studying the classics. We discover Julian, the only teacher of Greek in the college, who only takes five students a year in his class. Somehow, Richard makes it into this selective course, becoming the sixth member. We as readers are introduced to the slightly odd and quirky members of the Greek class, and come along with Richard as he slowly develops a friendship with each of them. However, Richard deduces that something is off about his new friends, and with this, dark secrets are unraveled, and we watch as each of the classmates descend into madness.
The Secret History touches upon the study of human morality, and the concept that terrible things hold a kind of beauty to them. I really enjoyed reading this novel and being forced to face psychological dilemmas. What is good? What is evil? What makes someone good or evil? The Secret History really led me around by the nose, and I enjoyed the twists and turns I experienced because of this novel. There were many influential quotes in this story and the writing was beautiful. Even though the novel might have a darker mood, I couldn't help but be enraptured by every word Tartt set out for me.
Overall, if you enjoy a "dark academia" style of book, and is willing to read this novel with an open mindset, The Secret History is definitely for you.

Reviewer Grade: 11

State of terror was was a great read. Multiple terrorist attacks take place across the world, which causes turmoil. Can the US Secretary of State find out who’s behind these attacks before it’s too late? Can she help prevent the next attack? I liked the plot twists in this book. State of Terror was unpredictable and keeps readers engaged throughout the book. I would definitely recommend reading State of Terror.

Mercy is the name of Agent Pine’s long lost sister. When the Pine sisters were very young, someone kidnapped Mercy. It has been 20 years since Mercy went missing, but suddenly her trail becomes hot. Agent Pine is determined to find her sister and find out her captors. I really liked how certain emotions were displayed by the main characters. I disliked the descriptions of the violence. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves reading thrillers and mysteries. Mercy is action packed, suspenseful, and has a feel good ending.

A Slow Fire Burning is a great book which the reader won’t put down. A gruesome murder takes place, and the police swiftly need to find who was responsible. The three main characters all seem guilty and are unwilling to cooperate with the investigation. They personally knew the victim but withhold any information about the murder. Which can only mean one thing. That the murderer is among the three characters! I enjoyed the plot and suspense. A Slow Fire Burning is a thriller that has an unpredictable but a wholesome ending. This was an excellent read and I strongly recommend it.

The Silent Patient follows Theo Faber, a psychologist who has become obsessed with the case of Alicia Berenson, the painter happily married to a famous photographer who one day shot her husband in the face and then never spoke again. When Theo gets the chance to work with Alicia at her facilities, and to maybe learn the truth of her motivations, he jumps at it. From there, the book splits between Alicia's journal as her life speeds towards the tragedy and Theo's experiences working backwards towards it, colliding in a knot of intrigue and tragedy, forever blurring the line between villain and victim.
This book is one of the few adult, realistic fiction books I've been able to get through without tossing to the side after the first chapter. For whatever reason, I find adult realism to be dour and unnecessarily dark, like the authors used their genre as an excuse to be overtly cynical and call it depth of writing. This book has some of the same issues: all relationships started happily and ended horribly, everyone main character is a monster in some way, the ending is ambiguous and dark, etc. This book can be set apart, however, by its plot. The opening mystery is extremely intriguing, and wonderfully set up to make the audience deeply curious. Lots of prose is devoted to the mystery, like some great allusions to classical Greek theatre, which increases the mystique. Basically, the prose and the mystery give the novel that fun suspense many adult realistic fiction novels lack. Another way the plot shines is the plot twist. One reason its difficult to rate this novel is the fact that, while most of it is pretty good or mediocre, the plot twist at the end, and the subsequent conclusion, elevate the novel to another level. Beyond this, the character work is also moving, giving every character relatable motivations, and fleshing each out enough that seemingly insane actions make total sense.
All in all, while the writing wasn't fantastic, the stellar plot structure, plot twists, prose, and characters make this a good book. I would recommend this to anyone looking for intriguing mysteries, a gripping story, and way too many metaphors!

Lowen Asheligh is picked to ghost write and finish a series by the infamous author Verity Crawford after Verity gets into a car crash and can no longer function. She comes over to Verity's house were she meets Jeremey Crawford, who she starts falling for. But while she is at the house, creepy things start happening to Lowen involving Verity. And it all started with a manuscript written by Verity that no one was supposed to find.

At first I wasn't sold on the book because I am not a fan of thriller. (It just doesn't scare me!) But it was disturbing enough to keep my interest, and the plot twist at the end! It had me rolling. I loved the ending, especially the last paragraph! Definitely got me and surprised me.

My friend gave me this book and I'm glad she did. Colleen Hoover is such a great author. Her romance books are always well written and this suspense one was no exception

I definitely recommend to the readers who love romance, being creeped out and disturbing books; especially tragic endings! <3

TW: killing of children, the feeling of going crazy, blood

Contains: Language, Explicit scenes

Once There Were Wolves is a story about a biologist leading a team of scientists trying to reintroduce wolves into the highlands of Scotland in order to heal the damaged ecosystem of the area.

Main character, Inti (the biologist), has mirror touch synesthesia which is a rare condition where a person feels a similar sensation in their body to the physical sensation another is actually feeling. Inti is independent, determined, and single-minded. When it comes to the reintroduction of the wolves to the area, she will not let the local farmers deter her, even as the wolves pose a serious threat to their animals. And things get a little hairy.

The present day scenes unfolding this story are interspersed with flashbacks of Inti's childhood and trauma she experienced as a young girl.

This is a beautifully told story with interesting characters, a strong environmental theme, and a bit of mystery. Once There Were Wolves was my first Charlotte McConaghy book and I will definitely look for more!

The Little Friend is a story about family, loss, remembrance, and childhood. It all rotates around a mysterious tragedy in the Dufresnes family, where the youngest boy, Robin, was found strangled and hung in a tree out back. Years later, his precocious younger sister Harriet is determined to find the killer. In her quest, she tangles with snakes and water towers and drugs and family trauma, all shown through the eyes of a bright and, for now, innocent child.
The reason this book gets a three is not because it is a so-so book, mediocre in all avenues but largely strung together enough to earn the title "Pretty Good". This book was fantastic. And bad. And thrilling. And boring. And gloriously written. And horribly structured. I read this because Donna Tartt wrote it, and I love her writing style. This style came alive in her book undoubtedly, but any future readers should be warned that the writing, and the characters, are the only things of substance in this story. The writing is prosaic and setting appropriate and beautiful and heart wrenching and perfect. The characters are so fleshed out and developed that when you're reading you can hear them breath. But that is it. The plot is nearly insubstantial, or at least insignificant. On one hand, I read this whole book and found no story of relevance. On the other hand, through the writing and the characters and the subtle morals and stories along the way, I was pulled through an entire book where I found no story of relevance. Would I recommend this? It all depends on you. If you want a story that all ties up loosely and leaves you happy and fulfilled at the end, I would say no. But if you want a tale that is so realistic and magical that you can't take your hands off the strange, wonderful pages, then I would say go for it. All in all, this book earns three stars for being nearly incomprehensible, and yet, one of the most meaningful books I've ever read. I loved it, and I will never read it again.
Reviewer grade: 11

Those longing for an Agatha Christie-style yarn with red herrings that keep you guessing (incorrectly) will enjoy this mystery by Lucy Foley, author of The Hunting Party. This whodunit – by the end you may ask yourself who wouldn’t? – uses alternating points of views to reveal small, important details about each character. Those alternating chapters provide arguably understandable reasons to kill the eventual "victim," whose identity remains as murky until the end as the weather enveloping the isolated island off the Irish coast. Is the victim or murderer the Bridezilla? The reality TV star groom? The depressed bridesmaid? The jilted former lovers? Just how many of them are there? Or was it the jealous best friend? This modern tale evoking And Then There Were None and Murder on the Orient Express, may make you wonder if Christie, if she were alive, would have considered revenge porn as a motive for murder.

The Liar's Wife begins as the typical waking up, going to work, and returning home without any excessive excitement. This however all changes from one accident. This nearly fatal accident leads the main character, Ella, into a situation that she cannot escape from or rather who she cannot escape from. Her past and her work colleague start to meddle in her present situation in several ways that only can be told through the pages of this book. Who is the man that claims so boldly to be her husband?

This book consisted of several twists and turns that kept me wanting to read more. The author created a surreal feeling and connection between the reader and the main character. Throughout several chapters, the author does not want the audience to pity the main character for what she experiences. She would rather have the audience and the character go through these feelings and motions together. The climax seems as though it is in the earlier chapters of this book, but the suspense only builds from there.
Reviewer grade: 10

This book was a little rough to get through at the start. However, once they reached the rising action, it was hard to put down. The word choice Ani Katz puts into each and every paragraph truly justifies the situations of this man's perspective. While reading, I felt as if I was being told a story by someone close to the main character about this man's adventures and tales. The ending of this book is sure to be remembered.
Reviewer's Grade: 10

Machine is a sci-fi space opera set in the same universe as Ancestral Night, but with completely new characters and a new writing style. It revolves around a trauma doctor, LLyn, a specialist in search and rescue. Her body has a flaw, however. She deals with nerve-drilling pain, a side-effect of living on a backwater planet with no medicine, and relies heavily on an ai-driven exo that supports her and hides her pain. When an assignment brings her to the far reaches of space, she discovers a relic of the ancient Earth. A generation ship. Sent when earth was thought to have no hope of survival, this relic has drifted across space a time, with all of its crew in cryo-sleep, and its shipmind ravaged and torn by conflicting imperatives. This book is a great read for lovers of sci-fi and mystery.

Noemí Taboada is a beautiful socialite who loves wearing opulent purple gowns, riding in a convertible and smoking French cigarettes. A woman of her station, as the novel relates, "was expected to devote her time to the twin pursuits of leisure and husband hunting." Instead, this strong-willed, intelligent and brave woman seizes an opportunity not realizing it could lead to her demise. Neomi’s father receives a disturbing letter from his niece and recent newlywed Catalina. The frenetic message suggests a mysterious doom awaits Catalina, who may need psychiatric help and a divorce, a scandal the businessman wants to avoid in 1950s Mexico City. So Neomi negotiates her way into a chance to attend graduate school – rare in a country when women could not vote – in exchange for heading to the isolated High Place, a distant Victorian mansion once funded by now-depleted silver mines. Once there, she must find out if the letter is nothing more than “female hysteria” as Neomi’s father assumes, or something more sinister.

Moreno-Garcia does a wonderful job sprinkling in the antiquated language of classic Gothic horror to pace this atmospheric creeper while Neomi’s dread about the Doyle family and its hideous patriarch mounts, as does her dueling desires to stay and garner graduate school or flee for her own sanity. The oppressive feel of dead, rotting High Place hints at a history of violence, madness and even darker secrets as the 320-page novel’s protagonist soon finds out. Once there, she meets the drugged Catalina’s menacing and alluring husband, who worms her way into her dreams, which are becoming an evermore disturbing mix of lust and horror. Her only ally is the family’s youngest son, who seems a decent fellow, but hides secrets of his own. Follow along as the amateur sleuth learns more about High Place, its exploitive colonial past and its unique power as the novel – equal parts Daphne du Maurier, Stephen King and H.P. Lovecraft –speeds toward a satisfying, albeit gory conclusion.
Awards: 2020 Goodreads Choice Awards Best Horror

Dark Sky is a masterfully crafted thriller that strings together webs and webs of suspense through character development and wit. The novel takes place in the expansive wilderness of Wyoming, where Joe Pickett, a normal game warden, must evade a killer after his and his client's heads. Box does an incredible job of building up his characters and leaving room for the reader to question certain decisions and traits. The way the author ties everything together for an eventual climax will leave the reader on the edge of their seat, especially when the build-up leads to a nail-biting cliffhanger. The setting is also beautifully used to expand on both the plot and scenic writing in general, as the author clearly knows the terrain and all of its attributes. Overall, I would recommend this novel to anyone who loves a good thriller.

I devoured this book (a set of three novellas) in three days and really enjoyed it. Brandon Sanderson is such a creative author, and here's yet another book of his that doesn't fail to impress. It tells the story of Stephen Leeds, who creates hallucinatory "aspects" with certain specialties to help him compartmentalize his knowledge to learn things and master abilities. He uses their help to solve mysteries as a way to give himself a purpose. Stephen's cases were intriguing to follow, and his aspects were really fun characters to get to know and get invested in. Stephen himself felt rather flat at the beginning, but as I read further, I realized that was an intentional decision. Because of his aspects, his personality is contained in all of them, so without them, he's sort of empty. It was awesome to watch him grow in this.

The only reason I gave the book 4 stars instead of 5 is because, as a set of novellas, the first two don't relate very much to the third, or to each other. I wish he had found a way to tie the cases into the finale more than he did. Otherwise, a great read, especially for a quiet weekend at home. I would definitely recommend!
Reviewer grade: 10

For several months my addiction to the entire Maggie Hope series has seriously interfered with all things domestic! I have just finished yet another well-researched book by a fairly young author, who evidently has a passion for writing novels about career women during the dark days of World War II. Susan Elia MacNeal keeps the pace moving, the tension building, and the characters believable. Maggie Hope is a brilliant academic turned spy! Her adventures, from the first book onwards, will take you into conversations with Winston Churchill, the Royal family, and Nazi sympathizers. I recommend that you read the books in chronological order as each one builds upon the previous book

Haley Randolph has been cursed by a customer at her job, and soon after, everything starts going south. This leads her to transfer to her job's newest location in Las Vegas to try and get some relief, only to find the body of her high school nemesis in the store and become the prime suspect in their murder. With two detectives breathing down her neck, a hotel with a shady owner, and the hot handbag of the season in her sight, Haley must put her detective outfit on and find the culprit before she's as dead as Holt's Department Store's fashion line.

Overall, a very well-written novel with great build-up, lovable characters, a truly demented antagonist, and plenty of coffee to keep it going (Best drink on the planet. Fight me!). It's not without its flaws, as the writing is a bit sloppy in the beginning and they made the eventual culprit a bit too sus for it to be too big of a surprise. It also isn't for everyone, especially not guys, with its girly atmosphere and side plots, but it's still a good fashion-themed mystery I highly recommend you check out.