THE GHOSTWRITER (2025) - Review

The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
On Sale: June 3, 2025

What first caught my eye was the book title. Then I wondered if ghostwriter was one word or two words, ghost writer. One word is the correct answer. A while later, I started thinking I had read something by Julie Clark before. I had and it was a book I really loved called "The Lies I Tell". You can read that review by clicking on the title.

FIRST LINE: "I know what your Dad did."

THE STORY: What would you do if your brother and sister were killed in your own home? It's June 1975 and surviving brother Vincent, always suspected of the crime, has become a famous author writing best-selling horror stories. 

On the other hand, Olivia Dumont has spent her life hiding the fact that she is the only child of the infamous Vincent Taylor. When she is suddenly offered the chance to ghost write her father's last book, she reluctantly accepts, needing the money. But it's not a horror novel he wants her to write. After 50 years of silence, Vincent Taylor is ready to talk about what really happened that night in 1975. 

WHAT I THOUGHT: "The Ghostwriter" was just the psychological puzzle with aspects of genealogy and family history that make me a happy reader. The story is told from Olivia's point of view in present day while interspersed with historical chapters from Vincent and his sister, Poppy. I occasionally found it confusing trying to keep the parents and the children separate, but the writing is smooth and the plotting good enough to keep a reader up past their bedtime. Even though there's violence in this family  that's a bit unsettling, I'll still be watching for New York Times bestselling author Julie Clark's next book. 

BOTTOM LINE: RECOMMENDED for mystery/thriller readers. Also available on Audible, Inc.

DISCLAIMER: A copy of "The Ghostwriter" was provided to me by SOURCEBOOKS Landmark/NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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GOOD RICH PEOPLE (2022) - Review

Good Rich People by Eliza Jane Brazier
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
On sale: January 25, 2022

I have to admit that I am often drawn to a book by its cover, and Good Rich People has an eye-catching one!

FIRST SENTENCE: "There is blood in the fountain turning the water an eerie rust color."

THE STORY: When Lyla married Graham she thought she was winning, but now he is bored with her and every other aspect of his life. His filthy rich domineering mother indulges and encourages the worst aspects of his need for amusement. They play games and there is always a loser.

For their entertainment, they lure successful people to their property by providing housing. Then they ruin them. When Demi moves in, the game takes an unexpected turn.

WHAT I THOUGHT: A dark, psychological comedy, Good Rich People is also a cautionary tale of wealthy people who will do anything for amusement contrasted with the destitute who will do anything to survive.

This is not a book for everyone. The characters are unpleasant. We hope they are not like us but we find them utterly fascinating. The twists and turns are unexpected and will keep the reader turning pages to discover the next outrageous move in the game.

When I got to the end, I asked myself, "What did I just read?" I'm still trying to reconcile and understand the meaning of the title and the ending.

There seemed to be lots of unanswered questions at the end. Perhaps the game just goes on.

BOTTOM LINE: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED if you like black comedy with lots of violence. This book is NOT for everyone.

DISCLAIMER: Thank you to NetGalley / Berkley Publishing Group and the author for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

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THE ACCOMPLICE (2022) - Review

The Accomplice by Lisa Lutz
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
On sale: January 25, 2022

This is the book that got me reading again after a long period when nothing caught my attention. I had previously read two other books by Lisa Lutz (The Passenger and The Swallows) and the plots were distinctive and different. The same can be said about The Accomplice.

FIRST SENTENCE: "Owen Mann first noticed Luna Grey in an Intro to Ethics seminar."

THE STORY: Owen and Luna were inseparable in college and years later remain best friends, closer to each other than to their spouses. But there are secrets that could destroy them and their friends. Two deaths cloud the friendship and the story alternates between Owen and Luna's earlier lives and the present, revealing secrets that have caused misunderstandings and pain.

WHAT I THOUGHT: Well plotted, written, with interesting, if not likeable, characters, this a unique read. It has a lot to say about relationships and whether we can be sure of those we think we know best. The ending is most satisfactory.

BOTTOM LINE:  HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

DISCLAIMER: Thank you to NetGalley / Ballentine Books and the author for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

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THE DISAPPEARING ACT (2021)

The Disappearing Act by Catherine Steadman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What can I say? I loved this book! For one thing it's the first time I've seen the word 'hoicks' used, as in "He hoicks the sleeve of his immaculate evening suit and checks his watch." British Actress/writer Catherine Steadman's third book is a fascinating insider's view of Hollywood attached to a page-turning plot.

PROLOGUE: "Have you ever asked yourself what kind of story the story of your life is?"

FIRST LINE: "Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, you just can't disappear."

THE STORY: Actress/writer Catherine Steadman is the perfect choice to tell this story of a British actress who comes to Hollywood to audition for the pilot season where she meets another actress, who then disappears without a trace. "How far would one go to land the perfect part."

WHAT I THOUGHT: A likeable heroine, Mia has become known for her role as Jane Eyre in a British production and is up for an award. When she's stuck she asks herself "What would Jane do?"

Her agent has arranged several auditions for her in Hollywood and it's fun to see her discover this new world. Social media was woven into the story in a relatable way.

I easily suspend disbelief for a good story but The Disappearing Act strained credibility for me. Mia's behavior often seemed irrational, unpredictable, and even dangerous.

Mia is like a split personality. In her professional life, she is in control. In her personal life she is a hot mess. It bothered me that a professional actress, who has signed an NDA (non-disclosure agreement), wasn't concerned about finding an important script missing; wasn't concerned that someone might have been in her apartment considering her 'lost' room key; isn't worried when she thinks the cleaners might have taken the script.

You should probably forget all that and just enjoy the story. It's a great roller coaster of a ride!

BOTTOM LINE: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

DISCLAIMER: A copy of was provided to me by Ballentine Books /Net Galley for an honest review. 

Publisher : Ballantine Books (June 8, 2021)
Hardcover: 320 pages
ISBN-10 : ‎ 0593158032
ISBN-13 : 978-0593158036

Catherine Steadman is an actress and writer based in North London, UK. She is best known in the United States for her role as Mabel Lane Fox in Downton Abbey. Her debut novel, Something in the Water, was a Reese’s Book Club x Hello Sunshine pick and a New York Times and Sunday Times bestseller. It was longlisted for the CWA John Creasey New Blood Dagger Award and shortlisted for the Macavity Award and the ITW Thriller Award for Best First Novel, and it has been optioned for film by Hello Sunshine, Reese Witherspoon’s production company. 

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THE VINES (2021)

The Vines by Shelley Nolden
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The idea of a mystery set on abandoned North Brother Island in New York City's East River, immediately caught my imagination. At one time people were quarantined there for contagious diseases, but now nature has reclaimed the island and designated it as a bird sanctuary. It's the perfect setting for Shelley Nolden's elaborate debut, part historical, part medical, and part supernatural story about a family who discover a woman with extraordinary immunity living on the island and perform invasive experiments over decades to learn her secret.

FIRST LINE: "A thick keloid encircled the young woman's throat like a noose, ready to seize her last breath."

THE STORY: Finn has always been excluded from his family's involvement with Riverside Hospital on North Brother Island. Home from the Peace Corps, he decides to do a little urban exploration of the now abandoned hospital and discovers Cora, scarred and living alone amid the ruins. Their meeting is not a peaceful meeting and Finn begins to feel responsible for his family's past transgressions. Moving back and forth between 1902 and 2007 and years in between, the cruelty and horrors are slowly revealed.

WHAT I THOUGHT: Does the end justify the means? In "The Vines", every character lies and every character keeps secrets. The majority of characters are of questionable morality. Although the chapters were labelled to help the reader navigate, it took me a while to get comfortable with the Gettler genealogy. The author does a good job of describing the over-grown island and the tragic episode of the General Slocum, which burned off shore, brought that event alive.

Halfway through the story got bogged down. Sections focused on descriptions which didn't move the story forward. The ending didn't tie up loose ends no doubt because a sequel will be available soon.

In the meantime, Shelley Nolden's fantastic website has an extensive list of sources including photographs, websites, books, videos, and articles for those who are as fascinated as the author is with North Brother Island's history.

DISCLAIMER: A copy of "The Vines" was provided to me by Freiling Publishing/NetGalley for an honest review.

Publisher : Freiling Publishing (March 23, 2021)
Hardcover : 412 pages
ISBN-10 : 1950948404
ISBN-13 : 978-1950948406

THE AUTHOR: Shelley Nolden is an American author and entrepreneur, who was born in Wisconsin, where she now lives.  Her fascination with North Brother Island in New York, as well as her battle with Leukemia inspired her to write her debut novel, "The Vines".  

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THE LOST VILLAGE (2021)

The Lost Village by Camilla Sten
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Every once in a while you read a book that creates such strong visual images that you feel you are watching a movie. Comparisons to "The Blair Witch Project" (1999) and "Midsommar" (2019) confirm the idea.

FIRST LINE: "August 19, 1959 - It was a stiflingly hot August afternoon, so much so that the breeze coming in through the open windows did almost nothing to lift the swelter inside the car."

THE STORY: Written in the first person (with flashbacks), we follow Alice Lindstedt and her four urban explorers as they set out to scout the location for a documentary they hope will discover why the residents of Silvertjärn, a small mining town, mysteriously disappeared in 1959. Growing up, Alice's grandmother had told her stories about the town where she was born and the family she lost.

Things start out well enough. The author sets up the story by laying out the project description complete with references to special benefits one would get for financially backing the documentary. Supplies are loaded into several vans and the group heads off on a preliminary exploration. There are some personality issues on the crew, but it isn't until unexplained events occur that things go from uncomfortable to nerve-wracking.

WHAT I THOUGHT: One reason the story works so well is because there is a disconnect between the decayed but once charming village and the ominous atmosphere achieved through careful choice of emphasis and description. The writing is colorful and the author creates a creepy atmosphere that keeps everything slightly off-kilter. Kudos to translator Alexandra Fleming for doing an outstanding job.

BOTTOM LINE: Keep the lights on while you're reading and beware of shadows. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

DISCLAIMER: A copy of was provided to me by Minotaur Books/Net Galley for an honest review.

Publisher: Minotaur Books; 1st edition (March 23, 2021)
Hardcover: 352 pages
ISBN-10: 1250249252
ISBN-13: 978-1250249258

THE AUTHOR: Camilla Sen has been writing stories since she was a young girl and is famously one of the most important sounding boards for her crime-writing mother, Viveca Sten. Best known for her internationally bestselling novel "The Lost Village", which has sold to 19 countries, Camilla has written books ranging from YA fantasy to contemporary thrillers. She lives in Sweden with her American boyfriend and two fluffy, evil cats.

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MOTHER MAY I (2021)

Mother May I by Joshilyn Jackson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

How well can you know another person and how far are you willing to go for someone you love? Readers will find themselves considering this question and others in Joshilyn Jackson's newest book.

Do not start listening to this gripping and terrifying story after night falls. Sleep will never come.

Bree is distracted while watching her daughter 's school rehearsal when the unthinkable happens. She turns around to find her infant son Robert missing. The note left behind instructs her not to call the police or her husband and to go home immediately.

Bree obeys only to find that the requests become more and more bizarre until she is trapped by the voice on the phone that now rules her life. Worse still Bree can make no sense of the intensity of revenge behind the instructions

No doubt the author's theatrical background informs her good vocal work creating the characters and tensions in the voices that make this story so riveting.

The set-up and the development of the story will keep the reader enthralled but the ending seems rushed. Not that that will stop anyone from enjoying the twists and turns this thriller delivers.

This is my first book by the author but it won't be my last. Almost Sisters is already downloaded to my Kindle!

BOTTOM LINE: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED, whether you read the story or listen to it.

DISCLAIMER: A copy of Mother May I was provided to me by HarperAudio/NetGalley for an honest review.

Publisher: HarperAudio (April 26, 2021)
Unabridged Audiobook:  12 Hours, 51 Minutes, 47 Seconds

Author: Joshilyn Jackson

Narrators: Joshilyn Jackson

ASIN: B08FT7MQHH

AUTHOR LINKS:

Website
Instagram
Goodreads
Facebook
 

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BEFORE THE RUINS (2021)

Before the Ruins

by Victoria Gosling

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The title and cover were intriguing. So was the idea of a group of young people exploring a manor house and competing in a game to discover a rumored treasure. What I discovered was a much more nuanced and beautifully written debut novel.

FIRST LINE: "The year Peter went missing was the year of the floods." 

 

THE STORY: Peter has been Andy's other half since childhood. But Andy now Andrea has grown up and  moved on from bad things in her past especially the events of the summer of 1996. That's when life changed for the friends through one fatal mistake. Now Peter is missing and Andrea feels compelled to find him no matter what memories may resurface. The search leads her to reflect on what is truly important in life and friendship. 

WHAT I THOUGHT: Readers looking for a quick reading mystery will be disappointed. Before the Ruins is character driven and paced to allow the reader to savor the poetic language. It's more likely to appeal to those who have enjoyed Donna Tartt or Tana French.

 

BOTTOM LINE: Slow down, pay attention, and enjoy the journey. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. 

 

DISCLAIMER: A copy of Before the Ruins was provided to me by Henry Holt and Co. /Net Galley for an honest review.

 

Hardcover: 288 pages
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (January 12, 2021)

ISBN-10: 1250759153

ISBN-13: 978-1250759153

THE AUTHOR: Victoria Gosling grew up in Wiltshire, England and studied English Literature at Manchester University. She is the founder of The Reader Berlin, hosting salon nights in Berlin and writers’ retreats in Greece and Italy. She also organizes The Berlin Writing Prize. Gosling is the author of Before the Ruins.(from Amazon)

GIRLS OF BRACKENHILL (2020)

 

Girls of Brackenhill by Kate Moretti

My Rating: 3 of 5 Stars

 

FIRST LINE: "I didn't mean to kill the girl."

 

THE STORY: Hannah's seemingly perfect life with Huck begins to fall apart with a phone call telling her there's been a deadly accident at Brackenhill. During the six hour drive from Virginia to her Aunt and Uncle's home, a mountaintop castle in the Catskills, Hannah remembers the wonderful summers she spent there until the last one when her older sister disappeared without a trace. Should she share her past secrets with Huck?

 

 

WHAT I THOUGHT: Brackenhill itself is a character. It has locked rooms, eerie sounds, banging doors, a scary room-rearranging basement, strange deaths, and ghosts. The castle seems to induce unusual moods and visions. Hannah has survived by hiding secrets and refusing to face the past.At Brackenhill she fixates on trying to find her sister who's been missing for 17 years.

 

Author Kate Moretti sets up a fascinating puzzle for the reader to solve. When I finished the book, I couldn't sleep trying to put all the pieces together. I was glad to be reading on my Kindle so I could search for terms in the book to check for clues I might have missed and they were all there. Perhaps I would have read more carefully if I had approached it that way.

 

BOTTOM LINE: A grown up ghost story for Halloween and beyond. RECOMMENDED.

 

DISCLAIMER: A copy of The Girls of Brackenhill was provided to me by Thomas & Mercer /Net Galley for an honest review.

 

Paperback: 331 pages
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer (November 1, 2020) 

ISBN-10: 1542000084

ISBN-13: 978-1542000086

 

THE AUTHOR:  Kate Moretti is the New York Times Bestselling author of six novels and a novella. Her first novel Thought I Knew You, was a New York Times bestseller. The Vanishing Year was a nominee in the Goodreads Choice Awards Mystery/Thriller category for 2016 and was called "chillingly satisfying." (Publisher's Weekly) with "superb" closing twists (New York Times Book Review). Her books have been translated in over ten different languages and has been optioned for television.

​Kate has worked in the pharmaceutical industry for twenty years as a scientist and enjoys traveling and cooking. She lives in Pennsylvania in an old farmhouse with her husband, two children and no known ghosts. Her lifelong dream is to find a secret passageway.

THE VACATION (2020)

The Vacation by T.M. Logan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Having read TM Logan's first two books (Lies and 29 Seconds), I was thrilled to have the opportunity to read The Vacation. I'm a fan of stories set in isolated places.

THE STORY:  Four college friends who meet every year to reminisce and catch-up, decide to bring their families along to a luxurious villa in the south of France.

Kate, who tells the story, has just discovered text messages between her husband and what appears to be one of her best friends who will be along on the vacation.

All the characters, adults and children alike, are unpleasant people self-centered, willing to betray and lie, making it hard to care about them.

FIRST LINE: "We drove north, away from the coast."

WHAT I THOUGHT: The story is told by Kate in the first person interspersed with chapters named for other events and characters that are told in the third person and fill in parts of the puzzle pieces.

Another title might be "How to Draw Bad Conclusions". Kate is an annoying character. Considering that she has been a crime analyst for 13 years with the Metropolitan Police, her mode of reasoning is to jump to conclusions. The repetition of her fabricated worries while mostly neglecting her children is disturbing.

There are plenty of teasers and red herrings and a set-up for an unexpected ending. T.M. Logan comes up with some interesting plot ideas and then fills them with twists and turns that will keep you up late.

BOTTOM LINE:RECOMMENDED. This is going to be another popular book by T.M. Logan. Earlier titles were Lies (2018) and 29 Seconds (2019). Click on the book title to see my reviews. It was published in 2019 as The Holiday in the U.K. and will be released in July 2020 in the U.S. as The Vacation.

Take this book to the beach but don't take it too seriously. Just enjoy the twists, turns, and red herrings the author has created for your enjoyment.

Disclaimer: A copy of The Vacation was provided to me by /Net Galley for an honest review.

Hardcover: 384 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Press (July21, 2020)
ISBN-10: 1250270774
ISBN-13: 978-1250270771

TM Logan was a national newspaper journalist before turning to novel-writing full time. His thrillers have sold more than 750,000 copies in the UK and are published in 19 countries around the world.

His debut thriller Lies was one of Amazon UK's biggest ebooks of 2017 - winning a Silver Award at the Nielsen Bestseller Awards - and was followed by his second standalone, 29 Seconds (2018). The Holiday spent ten weeks in the Sunday Times paperback Top 10, as well as hitting the #1 spots on Amazon Kindle, Apple iBooks and Kobo. His brand new thriller for 2020, The Catch, is about a father who becomes convinced his daughter is about to marry a man with a terrible secret.

Tim lives in Nottinghamshire with his wife and two children, and writes in a cabin at the bottom of his garden.

OUTSIDER (2020)

Outsider (Kate Burkholder #12) by Linda Castillo
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

On a day when summer heat and humidity has finally arrived, reading a story where everyone is snowed in seems the perfect choice to cool off. And if you haven't been following the series, book #12 in the Kate Burkholder series can be read as a standalone.

Starting with a bang, the story is off and running. A policewoman from the big city, who can't think of any place safe to run from dirty cops, seeks out her old friend Police Chief Kate Burkholder, who runs the Police Department in Painters Mill, a tiny community in northwest Ohio where many residents are Amish. Kate herself grew up Amish but left the order.

In a massive snowstorm on a back road in Painters Mill, the wounded Gina crashes her car. An Amish family out for a sleigh ride comes across the damaged half buried car and begins a search for the driver. Helping those in need is the Amish way.

FIRST LINE: "She'd always known they would come for her."

WHAT I THOUGHT: The first Kate Burkholder story I discovered was Her Last Breath #5 (Jul 17, 2015). The I quickly devoured Sworn to Silence #1 (July 21, 2015) and Pray for Silence #2 (July 26, 2015). Then I stopped because I found the crimes against the Amish, especially the young women, too overwhelming. But because the series is so popular, I decided to try again. I'm glad I did. Although violence and death occur, there is more than enough life and happiness to balance the story. The reader knows just enough of what is coming to anxiously keep turning the page.

All the characters are well-established so that you care what happens to them with, of course, the exception of the villains.

Although the narrative shifts from third person to first person, it is done seamlessly. There were red herrings along the way that added to the tension.

One of the delightful things about this series is the author's inclusion of Amish language and customs.

BOTTOM LINE: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.This entry filled in a lot of backstory for Kate and how she left her Amish family and became a police officer in Columbus. The ending ensures there will be a #13 entry in the series!

Disclaimer: A copy of Outsider was provided to me by Minotaur Books/Net Galley for an honest review.

Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Minotaur Books (July 7, 2020)
ISBN-10: 125014289X
ISBN-13: 978-1250142894

Originally from Ohio where her Amish thrillers are set, Linda Castillo knew from an early age that she wanted to be a writer--and penned her first novel at the age of thirteen.  She's published thirty books for three New York publishing houses and won numerous industry awards, including a nomination by the International Thriller Writers for Best Hardcover, the Golden Heart, the Daphne du Maurier Award of Excellence, and a nomination for the prestigious Rita. (from her website)

LIES by T.M. Logan (2018)

A roller coaster of a ride riddled with lies. Once you start reading you are hooked. Twists and turns and surprises are around every corner. Guaranteed to keep you up late at night.

FIRST SENTENCE: "My son's first word wasn't Daddy or Mummy. His first word was Audi."

THE STORY: Joe Lynch is happy with his life. He has a beautiful, loving wife and an adorable four year old son. As a teacher he can spend quality time with his child. It only takes one impulsive seemingly innocent decision to bring down his whole life.

WHAT I THOUGHT:Good writing, careful plotting, full of unexpected twists makes this a fun read.

BOTTOM LINE: If you like psychological thrillers, you will totally enjoy LIES. Just be sure to suspend disbelief since some details may seem a bit unrealistic.

Hardcover:  432 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Press (September 11, 2018)
ISBN-10: 9781250182265
ISBN-13: 978-1250182265

DISCLAIMER: I received a free e-copy of  LIES by T.M. Logan from NetGalley/St. Martin's Press  for my honest review.

Bestselling author T.M. Logan was a national newspaper journalist before turning to novel-writing full time. His debut thriller LIES (2017) was one of Amazon UK's biggest ebooks of 2017, selling 330,000 copies and gathering more than 1,300 5-star reviews so far. It is now being published in ten other countries worldwide. His next thriller, 29 SECONDS, will be published in the USA in summer 2019. Tim lives in Nottinghamshire, UK, with his wife and two children.

WATCH ME DISAPPEAR (2017) by Janelle Brown

Watch Me Disappear by Janelle Brown
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

For the New Year I am trying to catch up on Net Galley titles from 2017 that I was given access to but never read. Watch Me Disappear started slowly and I wasn't sure where it was going, but once I committed, I had a hard time putting it down.

FIRST SENTENCE: "It's a good day, or maybe even a great one, although it will be impossible to know for sure later."

THE STORY: A year ago Billie Flanagan went hiking alone and never came home. Her family has not been able to move on since all that was ever found was a boot. Husband Jonathan is writing a memoir about his years with Billie, an charismatic woman, admired by many. But 'missing presumed dead' is taking its toll on the family. Jonathan needs Billie to be pronounced dead so he can access their money. Teenage daughter Olive suddenly starts having visions of her mother urging her to come find her. What does that mean? Will it lead to closure?

Jonathan has always been jealous of Olive's relationship with her mother. But both their stories about perfect Billie reveal troubling aspects. "Who you want people to be makes you blind to who they really are."

WHAT I THOUGHT: Alternating with what's going on with Olive and Jonathan, is the text of a memoir being written by Jonathan, Where the Mountain Meets the Sky: My Life with Billie Flanagan. Using this technique offers the reader layer after layer from different points of view. Things that didn't draw attention suddenly seem to have different meanings. Solving the mystery becomes fascinating as well as watching the problems caused between father and daughter and the missing Billie.

None of the characters were particularly likeable but that makes it more difficult to decide who and what to believe.

Eventually I started thinking I was near the end (it's harder to tell on an E-Reader), turned the page, and the story went on. I started skipping paragraphs to keep things moving wanting to know the final answer. With lots of twists and turns, the story comes to an unexpected ending.

BOTTOM LINE: If you liked Gone Girl, you will find this a compelling read. RECOMMENDED,

Disclaimer: An electronic copy of this book was provided to me by NetGalley/Spiegel & Grau for a fair review.

Janelle Brown is the New York Times bestselling author of the novels Watch Me Disappear, All We Ever Wanted Was Everything, and This Is Where We Live. A native of San Francisco and graduate of UC Berkeley, she has since defected to Los Angeles, where she lives with her husband Greg, their two children, and a geriatric lab mix named Guster.  (from her website)

DARK CORNERS (2015)

Dark Corners by Ruth Rendell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Ruth Rendell's last book reminded me why I have read so many of her stories (some written as Barbara Vine). She leads the reader down a normal path that somehow spirals to despair and worse.

THE STORY: Carl Martin's father has died leaving him a lovely London house and it's contents. As a newly published author, he lacks the money necessary to maintain the property without taking in a boarder. This begins a series of mistakes Carl makes that totally change the course of his life.

Like many of us, Carl tends to overlook simple tasks. Rather than dispose of odd medicines his father collected, he ignores them as he unsuccessfully pushes himself to work on a new book.

Then he makes his first real mistake. He rents his upstairs to the wrong person to allow into his life. Dermot McKinnon seems to be harmless, if annoying, but he pays his rent on time.

Dermot works the front desk of a veterinarian's office. Rendell uses that office as a way to connect the various characters and move the plot along.

To say much more would spoil the experience for the reader. 

WHAT I THOUGHT: I've always appreciated how Ruth Rendell's stories can take the reader inside the mind of others who think differently. The way she assembles small, inauspicious happenings creates a sense of dread. Between blackmail, murders, and unplanned deaths, Rendell creates a story of dark comedy, an intricate web of calculated and accidental intersections with a warning about the destruction that can result from keeping secrets.

The final sentence in the book seemed a fitting ending to the career of a mystery writing legend. “Now it’s all over.”

Ruth Rendell died in May. She wrote the Inspector Wexford novels (made into a television series), stand-alone suspense novels, and psychological thrillers under the Barbara Vine pseudonym.

FIRST SENTENCE: "For many years Wilfred Martin collected samples of alternative medicines, homeopathic remedies, and herbal pills."

BOTTOM LINE: Highly recommended. If you've never read a Ruth Rendell tale, you might check out this article that recommends five excellent choices.

DISCLAIMER: Invited by NetGalley to request and receive this title for an honest review.

Title: Dark Corners

Author: Ruth Rendell

Genre: Mystery, Suspense, Thriller

Publisher: Scribner

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

No. of Pages: 240 pages

Copyright: October 27, 2015

ISBN-10: 1501119427

ISBN-13: 978-1501119422

Ruth Rendell (1930 - 2015) won three Edgar Awards, the highest accolade from Mystery Writers of America, as well as four Gold Daggers and a Diamond Dagger for outstanding contributions to the genre from England's prestigious Crime Writers' Association. Her remarkable career spanned a half century, with more than sixty books published. A member of the House of Lords, she was one of the great literary figures of our time." (from the book)

ACADEMY GIRLS (2015)

Academy Girls by Nora Carroll
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A perfect book to read on a crisp autumn day! Filled with poetry, mystery, and the angst of young women, this book will appeal to those who want a lighter version in the vein of Donna Tart's The Secret History or have enjoyed Carol Goodman's Lake of Dead Languages.

THE STORY:  Thirty-five years after leaving, Jane Milton has come back to Grove Academy with her teen-aged son Charlie. Their world has collapsed and she has one last chance to put it back together. Given the opportunity to teach English, for which she is totally unprepared, Jane fights to overcome her memories of dark secrets in the past. When her least favorite student starts submitting stories that seem all too familiar, Jane knows she has to discover the truth before it is too late.

WHAT I THOUGHT: Told in the present and the past, the layers of deception and deceit are slowly pealed away. The reader becomes invested in the characters. And the poetry of Emily Dickinson woven through the story is a wonderful bonus to this truly compelling mystery.

FIRST SENTENCE: "At the Grove Academy, we learned three immutable lessons" literature is a kind of religion, only failures get married, and though we would eventually leave the academy, the spirit of the Grove would always stay with us."

BOTTOM LINE: I have read that you should write the book that you would want to read. Nora Carroll has written that book for me. Gothic, mysterious, and in a beautiful private school setting, this was a book I didn't want to put down until there were no more pages left.

DISCLAIMER: Invited by Net Galley to request and receive this title for an honest review.

Title: Academy Girls

Author: Nora Carroll

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense

Publisher:  Lake Union Publishing

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

No. of Pages:512 pages

Copyright: September 15, 2015

ISBN-10: 1503947440

ISBN-13: 978-1503947443

"Nora Carroll is a pseudonym for #1 New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Letts. As Nora Carroll, she writes multi-layered novels filled with the things she loves most-- rambling houses, old letters and manuscripts, and most importantly, the mysteries of love, women, and family." (from Amazon)

THE POISON TREE (2011)

The Poison Tree by Erin Kelly
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I first read Erin Kelly back in 2013 when her third book The Burning Air was offered on NetGalley. In my review I pledged to read both of her other books immediately since I had picked up her first The Poison Tree at a library book sale.

Since May of 2013 it has languished in a pile of other titles I have been meaning to read. Sometimes, just because the book is in the house or on my Kindle, it moves down the list. My loss because this is a truly compelling psychological suspense story.

OPENING LINE: "I let the telephone fall from my hand." With those few words, we are already drawn into the spiderweb.

The setting is London. Our narrator is Karen, an outstanding student and linguist, ready to graduate university. Her future is set. She just has to choose her path when she meets and becomes infatuated with Biba, an actress and free spirit. Eventually she moves into the crumbling mansion where Biba and her brother live. The lifestyle is bohemian and seductive and ultimately destructive. Lies and unspoken truths unfold layer by layer.

Even though the story jumps back in forth from 1997 to 2007, the transitions are beautifully handled. The reader is never confused about time and place. Erin Kelly writes so well that there were sentences I should have marked so I could find them again. These are the two things that make a book special for me: good writing and surprise. The Poison Tree has both.

Time to find a copy of The Dark Rose. 

BOTTOM LINE: If you like Kate Atkinson, Donna Tartt, or Tana French, you should try Erin Kelly. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Title: The Poison Tree

Author: Erin Kelly

Genre: Psychological Suspense, Thriller

Publisher: Viking / Penguin Books; Reprint edition (January 6, 2011)

No. of Pages: 336 pages

Copyright:2009 / Reprint 2011

ISBN-13: 978-0-670-02240-3

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Source: Library book sale

Erin Kelly was born in London in 1976 and grew up in Essex. She read English at Warwick University and has been working as a journalist since 1998, writing for newspapers and magazines including Red, Psychologies, Marie Claire and Elle. She continues to write about health, lifestyle, women’s issues and parenting. Her fourth novel, The Ties that Bind, is out now, followed in August by Broadchurch: The Novel, inspired by the first season of 2013's mega-hit ITV series.

She lives in north London with her husband and daughters. (paraphrased from Erin Kelly's website)

SILENT SISTER (2014)

The Silent Sister by Diane Chamberlain
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Although she has written quite a few books, this is the first time I have read Diane Chamberlain. Scanning the descriptions of her stories, it seems to me that they all feature young women who have secrets complicating their lives.

More suspense than thriller, Chamberlain's work has been referred to as chic-lit. In The Silent Sister, Riley MacPherson has come home to New Bern, North Carolina to handle her beloved father's affairs after his sudden and unexpected death. Although her troubled brother Danny lives off-the-grid in the community, he won't help. Having lost her mother years earlier and a sister who committed suicide in the past, Riley feels very much alone and overwhelmed.

As she goes about trying to make sense of all the bit and pieces of her father's life, she begins to discover facts that are at odds with the life and family she thought she knew.

The reader is drawn in and it's hard to put the book down until the truth is exposed. Suspension of disbelief is helpful in stories such as this and not every question is answered at the end, but Diane Chamberlain writes a darn good story. I can't wait to read another!

Bottom Line: The book caught and captured my interest immediately and I finished it in just a couple of days. It's definitely a worthy beach read (for next year since it doesn't come out until October 4, 2014) or perfect for a cold winter night in front of the fire.

Title: Silent Sister
Author: Diane Chamberlain
Genre: Suspense, Mystery
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
ISBN: 1250010713
No. of Pages: 352 pages
Copyright: October 7, 2014
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Source: NetGalley

DISCLOSURE: Invited by NetGalley to request and receive this title for an honest review.

DIANE CHAMBERLAIN is the international bestselling author of twenty-two novels. She lives in North Carolina with her partner, photographer John Pagliuca, and her shelties, Keeper and Cole. (Source: Amazon)