BITTER FRUIT (2027) - Review

BITTER FRUIT 
by Tempest Black
My rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
Available: March 23, 2027

Here's a debut thriller, that's both a police procedural and a psychological suspense mystery, that will add a new author to your reading list.  

FIRST SENTENCE: "When God said let there be light, he used his voice for the first time."

THE STORY: On Easter morning, in an abandoned church in Ireland, a man's naked, decapitated body, is found posed as if kneeling in prayer. Detective Lewan Kane and his department carefully scan the surrounding area and realize not a trace has been left behind.

At the same time Ella Lonan is experiencing hallucinations and worried about her sanity. In one vision she sees Kane and decides to offer her help. Kane has been hiding from his own private problems. Can they work together? 

WHAT I THOUGHT: This is an amazing mystery, well-plotted and well-written. Originally concerned it might be too much of a psychic story, I was wrong. It won me over immediately. The writing is haunting but also brutal. It's hard not to care about the characters.

BOTTOM LINE: RECOMMENDED but not for the squeamish. Many readers rated this book highly.

DISCLAIMER: A copy of Bitter Fruit was provided to me by Little Brown and Company / NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

 

CURRENTLY READING - September 2026

 

 

In 1994, in the myth-riddled woods of the New Jersey Pine Barrens, two sisters disappear. Years later, newly instated Police Chief Callie Hauser makes an arrest that unexpectedly resurrects details from a heartbreaking cold case. 

 

 

BUZZ BOOKS 2026: FALL/WINTER - Review

 

Here's a preview of the best new books for the 2026 Fall/Winter season and it's FREE!

Buzz Books 2026: Fall/Winter, the 26th volume in the popular sampler series, presents readers with an insider’s look at books due out this season—the largest collection to date. At the end of most excerpts, you will find a link to the full galley on NetGalley!

Such bestselling authors as Emma Cline, Edwidge Danticat, Bonnie Garmus, and Barbara Kingsolver are featured, along with Emily St. John, Walter Mosley, and Annie Proulx.

Fiction is broken down into categories such as Notables; Debut authors; and Commercial Fiction. A whole range of non-fiction categories are included as well as several Young Adult titles.

First introduced for the 2012 Book Expo America, the FREE digital Publishers Lunch Buzz Books have become the place for both industry professionals and book lovers in general to discover and read about the books expected to spark high demand BEFORE they are published! After many selections, you have the option to follow a link and request the complete galley copy from Net Galley if you qualify as a 'professional' reader.

Buzz Books 2026: Fall/Winter is available NOW on Amazon! Did I mention it's FREE!

BORING ASIAN FEMALE (2026) - Review

 

BORING ASIAN FEMALE 
by Canwen Xu
My rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
Available: April 28, 2026

When I decided to read "Boring Asian Female" I was looking for a psychological thriller not an "unhinged" dark comedy, however the writing is good and the disastrous plot sweeps the reader along, but it wasn't a comfortable read for me.   

FIRST SENTENCE: "She always suspected she would die young."

THE STORY: The story follows Elizabeth Zhang, a high-achieving Columbia University student who spirals into an obsessive, stalker-like rivalry after being rejected by Harvard Law School for allegedly not standing out. 

WHAT I THOUGHT: What’s the point in being school intelligent if you don’t possess morality or emotional intelligence?  Elizabeth stalks and slanders another student who she decides is the reason she wasn't accepted at Harvard. For me it became too much, when she decides having a baby as an unwed mother will make her more desirable as a law student. The dark humor entered a whole new uncomfortable level.

BOTTOM LINE: RECOMMENDED but not for the squeamish. Many readers rated this book highly.

DISCLAIMER: A copy of Boring Asian Female was provided to me by Berkley Publishing Group / NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

 

 

DAYS OF FEASTING AND REJOICING (2026) - Review

 

DAYS OF FEASTING AND REJOICING
by David Bergen
My rating: 4 out of 5 Stars 
Available: May 12, 2026

Award-winning Winnipeg author David Bergen decided to go in a different direction with his new book. Described as a crime novel, it reveals connections to author Patricia Highsmith's character Tom Ripley, some subtle and some not. Bergen has crafted a female who assumes another woman's identity which leads to "accidental villainy" and beyond.

FIRST SENTENCE: "They flew from Bangkok to Bali, arriving in the late afternoon."

THE STORY: Esther Maile, an expat American in Thailand, is currently living with the popular Christine. On a holiday in Bali, Christine is caught by an ocean wave and Esther tries to save her but fails. When the police arrive there is confusion as to who drowned allowing Esther to change her identity. 

WHAT I THOUGHT: Having always been fascinated by Tom Ripley's character, I wondered how Bergren would handle the female version. I was swept up in this psychological drama that draws on the authors own experience living in Thailand "with expatriate gossip, sexual tension, unexpected violence, a passion for food, and a woman who, seemingly unhindered by questions of truth or morality, hints at the darkness in all of us."  

BOTTOM LINE: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED but not for the squeamish. The whole time I was reading Days of Feasting and Rejoicing I wondered what the title meant. It came to me the minute I finished the last page. It's a perfect description. If you read it, let me know what you think.

DISCLAIMER: A copy of Days of Feasting and Rejoicing was provided to me by Blackstone Publishing / NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

 

THE STORM (2026) - Review

THE STORM
by Rachel Hawkins
My rating: 4 out of 5 Stars 
On sale: January 6, 2026

For many years, a condo on the Alabama Gulf Coast was the family choice for  February, so when I read a review for Rachel Hawkins The Storm, it went right to the top of my book list.

The town's name is changed to St. Medard’s Bay, and it's famous for three things: deadly hurricanes, an Inn that’s survived every storm, and a local girl accused of the murder of her lover, a member of a political family, during Hurricane Marie in 1984.

FIRST SENTENCE: "It's worse when they come at night."

THE STORY: Rosalie Inn, currently managed by Geneva Corliss, has survived every hurricane, but is struggling financially. A writer appears at the Inn, planning to stay and find the answer to the murder of Landon Fitzroy. But the writer isn't alone, bringing with him the woman who was accused but never convicted. Is she guilty or innocent?

Geneva keeps a close eye on another monster storm making its way towards St. Medard’s Bay while trying to second guess the secrets of her friends and family both alive and gone.

WHAT I THOUGHT: Often referred to as Gothic suspense, I was totally involved in The Storm and the author's use of media, including letters and transcripts. Opening slowly the reader is drawn to the emotionally rich characters and like the storm approaching, eventually surrounded.

BOTTOM LINE: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED 

DISCLAIMER: A copy of The Storm was provided to me by St. Martin's Press / NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

 

 

THE CLOSE (2023) - Review

THE CLOSE
by Jane Casey
My Rating: 4 of 5 Stars
On sale: June 13, 2023 

If you're a fan of British / Irish mysteries and thrillers, don't miss Jane Casey's Maeve Kerrigan series. The Close is the tenth book featuring London's DS (Detective Sergeant) Maeve Kerrigan and DI (Detective Inspector) Josh Derwent. 

FIRST LINE: "All murder investigations were different and yet all of them began the same way, at least for me: standing in silence near a body, trying to catch the faintest echo of what had happened."

THE STORY: A crime thriller, blurring professional and personal lives, sends DS Maeve Kerrigan and DI Josh Derwent, undercover as a couple, to Jellicoe Close, a perfect suburban neighborhood. They are to investigate a conspiracy and a suspicious death. 

WHAT I THOUGHT: The plot was a bit complicated this time and romantic issues often took focus. Having said that, I still devoured the book in short time. One thing about Casey's plots is that the stories stay with you. Her writing and storytelling is distinct. 

There are twelve titles in the series with the addition of The Secret Room (2025), and you can read them out of order. Just know that the two characters grow and change over the years and you will miss that aspect. I've read several of Jane Casey's books after discovering the The Burning in 2010. You can search her name in the box on the upper left to read my earlier reviews.

BOTTOM LINE: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED Don't hesitate to pick up The Close or any book with Jane Casey's name on it! . (And it has another great cover!)

DISCLAIMER: A copy of The Close was provided to me by Harper 360 | HarperCollins / netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.