We Are All Guilty Here
Gripping, shocking, tense, thrilling and hard to put down, Karin Slaughter delivered with We Are All Guilty Here! Karin Slaughter does not shy away from difficult subjects or scenes. She is known for her gritty and raw subject matter and intense storylines. She excels at police procedurals and creating complex characters dealing with real life issues. Her books tend to grab me from the very first page, and this book was no exception! In We Are All Guilty Here, two teenage girls have gone missing, and Officer Emmy Clifton will find herself investigating a case which hits close to home. North Falls is a small town where everyone knows everyone. They are a tight knit community and when two local girls go missing, Emmy and her father Walter (the town Sheriff) are on the case! It’s a tough, heat breaking case where one of the girls taken is Emmy’s best friend’s daughters. All involved with be affected by the girls being taken. In a town where everyone knows your name, everyone feels and sees your pain. Years later, another girl is taken leaving Emmy and the rest of the police force scratching their heads while investigating the latest missing girl. Whoever said time heals all wounds, never lost someone they love. The town is still reeling from the last two girls who went missing, and now with another girl missing, their hearts have been ripped open yet again! The stakes are high and Jude, a recently retired FBI officer has returned to town and offers to help… Whew! This was an addictive police procedural, but it was also a family tragedy affecting several families in North Falls. This book is full of secrets, trauma, lies, and loss Perhaps those in North Falls don’t know their neighbors that well after all. Many of the characters will suffer loss while others will get redemption. The pages are dripping with tension, pain, loss, and grief. The pages are also filled with courage, strength, determination, and love. We Are All Guilty Here is a firecracker of a book and the first in Karin Slaughter’s new North Falls series!!!! I can’t wait to read what comes next! Wonderfully written, well thought out, mysterious, and tense! 4.5 stars Thank you to HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction | and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau
Beautifully written, well thought out, and moving, The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau will steal your heart as well as having you turning the pages! Colette Marceau has been stealing since her childhood. Her mother stole as did her grandmother. It is a unique family tradition of taking from the cruel and evil and giving to those in need. If you are getting strong Robin Hood vibes you are not alone! Colette has lived a long life and has stolen a massive amount and has given to to worthy causes. She can steal just about anything. But when a long missing bracelet from her past shows up at a museum in Boston, her past comes rushing back to her. 1942 – Occupied France Annabel Marceau has taught her daughter, Colette to be a successful thief in order to fund the French resistance during WWII. But one horrible and fateful night, Annabel is caught by the Germans and Colette’s four-year-old sister, Liliane has disappeared with half of a diamond bracelet sewn into her nightgown. Colette is told that her sister’s body was found floating in the Seine. Told in two timelines, The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau shows the horrors of occupied France, the holocaust, and the quest for survival. It also shows the bonds of family, and those doing what they can to help those in need. It shows us Colette as a young girl and as a woman who has lived a long life. A woman with a heavy heart and survivor’s guilt. She has spent her life stealing to help those in need even though the most precious things of all have been stolen from her – her mother and sister. Kristin Harmel has written another gripping, moving, and thought-provoking tale about family, loss, grief, love, history, and survival. This is the second book I have read by Kristin Harmel, and I look forward to reading many more in the future. Thank you to Gallery Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
With a Vengeance
With a Vengeance is Riley Sager channeling Agatha Christie! It’s set on a train, that has no stops, limited riders, and a character with revenge on the mind! I loved the trapped feeling that Sager created in this book. Once the riders boarded and the train departed from the station, there was no way off the train!!! Plus, this book had a very nostalgic feel as it is set around 1954, a time where riders got dressed up to ride! Anna Matheson’s family was destroyed in every way imaginable in 1942 with the help of six people. Fourteen years later, she has invited the six people she holds responsible to take a train from Philadelphia to Chicago. They have no idea who has invited them to ride the train, but all have been lured by her handwritten messages on the back of the invitations! As the train makes its way toward Chicago, a passenger is dead! Anna is not responsible. All she wanted was confessions from all of them, but someone on board is a killer!!!!! The search is soon on to catch a killer before anyone else turns up dead! But whodunit? Who is the killer and who will be next?????? The book soon becomes a cat-and-mouse game where anyone could be the killer. All the passengers have something to hide, all are suspects, and nowhere on board is safe! I enjoyed the vibe of this book. It does have a very old movie feel to it. I could see this playing out in my mind. As I mentioned, all the characters have secrets and have done something which brought about the downfall of Anna’s family. I also enjoyed how Riley Sager showed how Anna’s guest for revenge and retribution affected her life. How it was so consuming it was all she had to hold onto. I found this to be very well done. I enjoyed the atmosphere, the train setting, the cast of characters, the nostalgic feel, the tension, shocking twists, and the mystery in this book. *My book from NetGalley did have some issues with symbols being used for letters on almost every page which made reading this book a little frustrating at times. Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Forget Me Not
Oozing with atmosphere, Stacy Willingham delivers a southern mystery about a missing young woman believed to be dead and her sister’s quest to learn the truth! Unanswered questions and not knowing the truth about what happened to her sister, Natalie, has plagued Claire Campbell for years. After receiving a call from her father about her mother’s ailing health, she returns home and, on a whim, takes a job at Galloway Farm, a local vineyard. It is the same place that her sister worked the summer prior to her disappearance. At times this book was slow like a hot southern summer day. Usually, I take issue with slow moving books, but this one had enough intrigued that I didn’t mind as much as I normally would. I enjoyed the aspect of Claire coming home after being gone for some time. She worked as an investigative journalist in the city and will use her skills to try and uncover what happened to her sister all those years ago. Not to mention a diary she finds which may lead her down a path – but will it be a path to the truth or to danger? Be careful when you go searching for the truth because you might just find it! Will Claire find the truth before it’s too late? This book had atmosphere galore. It also had tension, dread, an underlying current of danger and dread. Plus, a few twist and turns along the way kept my interest piqued and my finger swiping the pages of my kindle. Overall, an enjoyable Southern mystery full of atmosphere, dread, and danger! Thank you to St. Martin’s Press | Minotaur Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Her First Mistake
Make no mistake about it, Her First Mistake is a gripping and thrilling book! Kendra Elliott takes readers on a roller coaster ride through Noelle Marshall’s life going from the present to the past and back again! I found Her First Mistake to be an engaging and intriguing book. It’s been a long time since I have read a book by Kendra Elliott, and I am kicking myself for waiting so long to read another one of her books! Thirteen years ago, Detective Noelle Marshall was left for dead when her husband, Assemblyman Derrick Bell, was murdered. The case has remained cold but now the FBI is looking into it once again! Noelle’s in-laws have always placed the blame for their son’s death on Noelle. Even though Noelle has tried to put the past behind her, the past has come calling. Will her husband’s murder ever be solved? Will Noelle’s memories come back from that night? This is the first book in a new series by Kendra Elliott. It is off to a great start with an interesting mystery. I enjoyed the tension while trying to do my own super sleuthing to determine whodunit as the plot unfolded. I also enjoyed how the book took readers back and forth from the present to the past. This doesn’t always work for me in books, but in this book it worked quite well for me. The time transitions gave readers insight and glimpses into the evolution of Noelle through the course of her life. There are also a few twists and turns along the way which kept things interesting and moved the plot along. I will be on the lookout for the next book in the series while trying to catch up on some of Kendra Elliot’s previous books. Thank you to Montlake and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
A Very Italian Wedding
Ah, a wedding in Italy! How lovely! The perfect setting, the scrumptious food, love in the air, and a villa in Tuscany sounds like a dream! But for Rose, the bride’s best friend, it’s a ball of worry and concern. Her best friend Luna only met Marco a month ago, fell madly in love and is getting married. Rose knows that Julie is making a mistake! On the way to Italy, Rose sits next to Ben the best man at the wedding. Ben is handsome, charming, and happy that Marco has fallen in love and is getting married. His reaction is the complete opposite of Rose’s reaction to the upcoming wedding! I always say, with romance novels it is all about the journey and this was a journey set in a lovely setting full of interesting characters. Rose, initially felt like an older woman to me. She is stodgy, set in her ways, unyielding, and felt cold at times. She really did come across as bitter. Even Coco, the dog, was a little uptight at first. Ben on the other hand is fun, happy-go-lucky, charismatic, and supportive. They are total opposites! I enjoyed their banter, the descriptions of the beautiful setting, the unique side characters and of course, Coco the dog! Coco just needed a little joy in her life to have her wagging her tail! Coco stole every scene she was in as did Marco’s Aunt Aurora who was a fun and interesting character as well! Plus, can you really remain stodgy and uptight in Italy? As I got to know Rose better and learned more about her backstory, I warmed up to her and began to understand her character. Rose goes on quite the journey in this book and it was a joy to see her character evolve. Not only did she go on an individual journey she went on a romantic journey as well! I found this book to be charming, fun, entertaining and heartwarming. I enjoyed Donna Ashcroft’s wonderful writing, her vivid descriptions, her interesting and unique characters and the journey all of the characters in this book took while in Italy for A Very Italian Wedding! The publisher may want to put a warning on this book that reading it may have you dreaming of Italy and Italian food! Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
We Are All Guilty Here
Gripping, shocking, tense, thrilling and hard to put down, Karin Slaughter delivered with We Are All Guilty Here! Karin Slaughter does not shy away from difficult subjects or scenes. She is known for her gritty and raw subject matter and intense storylines. She excels at police procedurals and creating complex characters dealing with real life issues. Her books tend to grab me from the very first page, and this book was no exception! In We Are All Guilty Here, two teenage girls have gone missing, and Officer Emmy Clifton will find herself investigating a case which hits close to home. North Falls is a small town where everyone knows everyone. They are a tight knit community and when two local girls go missing, Emmy and her father Walter (the town Sheriff) are on the case! It’s a tough, heat breaking case where one of the girls taken is Emmy’s best friend’s daughters. All involved with be affected by the girls being taken. In a town where everyone knows your name, everyone feels and sees your pain. Years later, another girl is taken leaving Emmy and the rest of the police force scratching their heads while investigating the latest missing girl. Whoever said time heals all wounds, never lost someone they love. The town is still reeling from the last two girls who went missing, and now with another girl missing, their hearts have been ripped open yet again! The stakes are high and Jude, a recently retired FBI officer has returned to town and offers to help… Whew! This was an addictive police procedural, but it was also a family tragedy affecting several families in North Falls. This book is full of secrets, trauma, lies, and loss Perhaps those in North Falls don’t know their neighbors that well after all. Many of the characters will suffer loss while others will get redemption. The pages are dripping with tension, pain, loss, and grief. The pages are also filled with courage, strength, determination, and love. We Are All Guilty Here is a firecracker of a book and the first in Karin Slaughter’s new North Falls series!!!! I can’t wait to read what comes next! Wonderfully written, well thought out, mysterious, and tense! 4.5 stars Thank you to HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction | and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau
Beautifully written, well thought out, and moving, The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau will steal your heart as well as having you turning the pages! Colette Marceau has been stealing since her childhood. Her mother stole as did her grandmother. It is a unique family tradition of taking from the cruel and evil and giving to those in need. If you are getting strong Robin Hood vibes you are not alone! Colette has lived a long life and has stolen a massive amount and has given to to worthy causes. She can steal just about anything. But when a long missing bracelet from her past shows up at a museum in Boston, her past comes rushing back to her. 1942 – Occupied France Annabel Marceau has taught her daughter, Colette to be a successful thief in order to fund the French resistance during WWII. But one horrible and fateful night, Annabel is caught by the Germans and Colette’s four-year-old sister, Liliane has disappeared with half of a diamond bracelet sewn into her nightgown. Colette is told that her sister’s body was found floating in the Seine. Told in two timelines, The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau shows the horrors of occupied France, the holocaust, and the quest for survival. It also shows the bonds of family, and those doing what they can to help those in need. It shows us Colette as a young girl and as a woman who has lived a long life. A woman with a heavy heart and survivor’s guilt. She has spent her life stealing to help those in need even though the most precious things of all have been stolen from her – her mother and sister. Kristin Harmel has written another gripping, moving, and thought-provoking tale about family, loss, grief, love, history, and survival. This is the second book I have read by Kristin Harmel, and I look forward to reading many more in the future. Thank you to Gallery Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
With a Vengeance
With a Vengeance is Riley Sager channeling Agatha Christie! It’s set on a train, that has no stops, limited riders, and a character with revenge on the mind! I loved the trapped feeling that Sager created in this book. Once the riders boarded and the train departed from the station, there was no way off the train!!! Plus, this book had a very nostalgic feel as it is set around 1954, a time where riders got dressed up to ride! Anna Matheson’s family was destroyed in every way imaginable in 1942 with the help of six people. Fourteen years later, she has invited the six people she holds responsible to take a train from Philadelphia to Chicago. They have no idea who has invited them to ride the train, but all have been lured by her handwritten messages on the back of the invitations! As the train makes its way toward Chicago, a passenger is dead! Anna is not responsible. All she wanted was confessions from all of them, but someone on board is a killer!!!!! The search is soon on to catch a killer before anyone else turns up dead! But whodunit? Who is the killer and who will be next?????? The book soon becomes a cat-and-mouse game where anyone could be the killer. All the passengers have something to hide, all are suspects, and nowhere on board is safe! I enjoyed the vibe of this book. It does have a very old movie feel to it. I could see this playing out in my mind. As I mentioned, all the characters have secrets and have done something which brought about the downfall of Anna’s family. I also enjoyed how Riley Sager showed how Anna’s guest for revenge and retribution affected her life. How it was so consuming it was all she had to hold onto. I found this to be very well done. I enjoyed the atmosphere, the train setting, the cast of characters, the nostalgic feel, the tension, shocking twists, and the mystery in this book. *My book from NetGalley did have some issues with symbols being used for letters on almost every page which made reading this book a little frustrating at times. Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Forget Me Not
Oozing with atmosphere, Stacy Willingham delivers a southern mystery about a missing young woman believed to be dead and her sister’s quest to learn the truth! Unanswered questions and not knowing the truth about what happened to her sister, Natalie, has plagued Claire Campbell for years. After receiving a call from her father about her mother’s ailing health, she returns home and, on a whim, takes a job at Galloway Farm, a local vineyard. It is the same place that her sister worked the summer prior to her disappearance. At times this book was slow like a hot southern summer day. Usually, I take issue with slow moving books, but this one had enough intrigued that I didn’t mind as much as I normally would. I enjoyed the aspect of Claire coming home after being gone for some time. She worked as an investigative journalist in the city and will use her skills to try and uncover what happened to her sister all those years ago. Not to mention a diary she finds which may lead her down a path – but will it be a path to the truth or to danger? Be careful when you go searching for the truth because you might just find it! Will Claire find the truth before it’s too late? This book had atmosphere galore. It also had tension, dread, an underlying current of danger and dread. Plus, a few twist and turns along the way kept my interest piqued and my finger swiping the pages of my kindle. Overall, an enjoyable Southern mystery full of atmosphere, dread, and danger! Thank you to St. Martin’s Press | Minotaur Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Her First Mistake
Make no mistake about it, Her First Mistake is a gripping and thrilling book! Kendra Elliott takes readers on a roller coaster ride through Noelle Marshall’s life going from the present to the past and back again! I found Her First Mistake to be an engaging and intriguing book. It’s been a long time since I have read a book by Kendra Elliott, and I am kicking myself for waiting so long to read another one of her books! Thirteen years ago, Detective Noelle Marshall was left for dead when her husband, Assemblyman Derrick Bell, was murdered. The case has remained cold but now the FBI is looking into it once again! Noelle’s in-laws have always placed the blame for their son’s death on Noelle. Even though Noelle has tried to put the past behind her, the past has come calling. Will her husband’s murder ever be solved? Will Noelle’s memories come back from that night? This is the first book in a new series by Kendra Elliott. It is off to a great start with an interesting mystery. I enjoyed the tension while trying to do my own super sleuthing to determine whodunit as the plot unfolded. I also enjoyed how the book took readers back and forth from the present to the past. This doesn’t always work for me in books, but in this book it worked quite well for me. The time transitions gave readers insight and glimpses into the evolution of Noelle through the course of her life. There are also a few twists and turns along the way which kept things interesting and moved the plot along. I will be on the lookout for the next book in the series while trying to catch up on some of Kendra Elliot’s previous books. Thank you to Montlake and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
A Very Italian Wedding
Ah, a wedding in Italy! How lovely! The perfect setting, the scrumptious food, love in the air, and a villa in Tuscany sounds like a dream! But for Rose, the bride’s best friend, it’s a ball of worry and concern. Her best friend Luna only met Marco a month ago, fell madly in love and is getting married. Rose knows that Julie is making a mistake! On the way to Italy, Rose sits next to Ben the best man at the wedding. Ben is handsome, charming, and happy that Marco has fallen in love and is getting married. His reaction is the complete opposite of Rose’s reaction to the upcoming wedding! I always say, with romance novels it is all about the journey and this was a journey set in a lovely setting full of interesting characters. Rose, initially felt like an older woman to me. She is stodgy, set in her ways, unyielding, and felt cold at times. She really did come across as bitter. Even Coco, the dog, was a little uptight at first. Ben on the other hand is fun, happy-go-lucky, charismatic, and supportive. They are total opposites! I enjoyed their banter, the descriptions of the beautiful setting, the unique side characters and of course, Coco the dog! Coco just needed a little joy in her life to have her wagging her tail! Coco stole every scene she was in as did Marco’s Aunt Aurora who was a fun and interesting character as well! Plus, can you really remain stodgy and uptight in Italy? As I got to know Rose better and learned more about her backstory, I warmed up to her and began to understand her character. Rose goes on quite the journey in this book and it was a joy to see her character evolve. Not only did she go on an individual journey she went on a romantic journey as well! I found this book to be charming, fun, entertaining and heartwarming. I enjoyed Donna Ashcroft’s wonderful writing, her vivid descriptions, her interesting and unique characters and the journey all of the characters in this book took while in Italy for A Very Italian Wedding! The publisher may want to put a warning on this book that reading it may have you dreaming of Italy and Italian food! Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
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