THE COWORKER Review

Author: Freida McFadden

Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press

Release Date: Aug. 29, 2023

Purchase Link: Amazon

Special thanks to Poisoned Pen Press for an arc.

This review first published in Mystery & Suspense Magazine

The Coworker is a tense, unputdownable thriller from New York Times bestselling author Freida McFadden that explores the dark ways the past can echo through the present―with deadly consequences.

Review:

THE COWORKER is an intriguing workplace thriller that pits two coworkers against each other in a twisted story of deceit, lies and secrets.  McFadden tackles some weighty subject matter including the power of past secrets to destroy as well as workplace bullying and the devastating consequences that can result when it crosses a line.  This story features a character exhibiting several traits of autism, although she's never identified as such, and highlights the insensitivity and brutality often directed at people who others perceive as different or strange.  There's a lesson for each of us within the pages of this book.

 This thriller unfolds through the points of view of two coworkers, Dawn Schiff and Natalie Farrell.  Dawn is an accountant - unique, awkward, anti-social, highly observant, possibly autistic, and a stickler for punctuality with an obsession for turtles that she oddly appears to identify with.  Don't you wish you had a shell to withdraw into when you need to escape?  On the other hand, Natalie is the office golden girl - a beautiful, social butterfly who isn't above using her appearance to get what she wants.  As the top salesperson of the office, she's the boss's obvious favorite in more ways than one.  Everyone loves Natalie . . . or do they?  The office staff, who include Natalie's boyfriend Craig and best friend Kim, are often heard making hurtful jokes at Dawn's expense.  Do they think she can't hear them?  When Dawn fails to show up for work one morning at her normal time, Natalie is shocked and left with a growing sense of dread.  A mysterious phone call with a crypted plea for help convinces her to go by Dawn's house to check on her. Natalie's discovery fuels an investigation and turns unwelcome, accusatory eyes on her.  It isn't long before accusations of bullying start flying, and evidence of a crime starts piling up. What happened to Dawn Schiff?  Is Natalie a friend or foe?  The story that follows is an intriguing game of chess with two unreliable narrators telling their side of the story. It's up to readers to decide who to believe.

 THE COWORKER is a chilling, twisted psychological thriller that is rendered via two extremely unreliable narrators making it nigh on impossible to decide who the real villain is.  Several plot twists keep readers on their toes and second guessing themselves.  Part of the story is revealed through emails from Dawn to a mysterious friend living across the country that are highly effective in creating doubt in the minds of readers as well as that of law enforcement.  The author's choice of dialogue is simplistic, lending a childlike quality to some conversations, and given the state of mind of some characters, it's quite effective in keeping the storyline authentic.  While the story gets off to a slow start, things quickly start popping with one twist after another, and there's no avoiding the growing sense of malice in both Natalie and the readers.  Part of this sordid tale isn't hard to figure out as I did early on, however, the author saves a few shockers for both characters and readers for the ending.  I suspect readers will be split on the way this eventually plays out, but I enjoyed the author's twist on justice in the end.  Is it believable?  Is justice served?  You decide.

 THE COWORKER is a unique thriller that takes a hard look at toxic coworkers and workplaces with an eye on the disastrous consequences that often result from office bullying.  While it's easy to brush it off as "joking", the long-term mental effects on those who may be the subject of bullying are heartbreaking, sad and sometimes deadly.  Author Freida McFadden has given us all something to think about.  Highly recommended to fans of psychological thrillers and domestic and workplace thrillers.

 Synopsis:

Two women. An office filled with secrets. One terrible crime that can't be taken back.

Dawn Schiff is strange.

At least, everyone thinks so at Vixed, the nutritional supplement company where Dawn works as an accountant. She never says the right thing. She has no friends. And she is always at her desk at precisely 8:45 a.m.

So when Dawn doesn't show up to the office one morning, her coworker Natalie Farrell―beautiful, popular, top sales rep five years running―is surprised. Then she receives an unsettling, anonymous phone call that changes everything...

It turns out Dawn wasn't just an awkward outsider― she was being targeted by someone close. And now Natalie is irrevocably tied to Dawn as she finds herself caught in a twisted game of cat and mouse that leaves her who's the real victim?

But one thing is incredibly somebody hated Dawn Schiff.

Enough to kill.

The Quiet Tenant Review

Author: Clemence Michallon

Publisher: Knoph Publ. Group

Release Date: June 27, 2023

Purchase Link: Amazon

Many thanks to the publisher for an arc of this title.

Reviewed in Mystery & Suspense Magazine

ONE OF THE MOST ANTICIPATED NOVELS OF 2023 - "A bravura feat of storytelling...a daring and completely satisfying mystery." --James Patterson, #1 best-selling author

A pulse-pounding psychological thriller about a serial killer narrated by those closest to him: His 13-year-old daughter, his girlfriend—and the one victim he has spared.

Review:  

THE QUIET TENANT is a bold, gripping thriller that I found hard to put down, and I suspect this one will prey on my mind for some time.  There's a haunting quality to it, an eerie, ever-growing sense of malice that surrounds and almost suffocates you with claustrophobic vibes.  My advice to other readers is to go into it without reading any spoilers as I did, allowing yourself to experience it first-hand.

Aidan Thomas is a well-liked, friendly, helpful man who's admired by his friends and neighbors.  Unfortunately, it's all a facade, a veneering that hides a dark and evil side.  In truth, Aidan is a serial kidnapper and killer who's responsible for the death of eight women and is holding his ninth victim in a shed behind his house.  Rachel was kidnapped five years ago and knows she's presumed dead.  Her desire to live; however, is strong and readers will learn she's not quite as complacent and brainwashed as Aidan believes.  She's learned a few things about manipulation over her years of captivity and does what's necessary to survive.  When Aidan's forced to move with his thirteen-year-old daughter Cecelia to another residence, Rachel gently nudges him into deciding to take her along, introducing her as his old friend and new tenant.  Rachel now has the opportunity to interact with Cecelia for brief periods of time when Aidan lets her out of her room.  Cecelia adores her father, but she's Rachel's only chance at freedom.  Does she dare tell Cecelia the truth, or will it be signing her own death certificate?  Meantime, Aidan is courting his next victim Emily who is smitten with the handsome widower.  The story that ensues is a dark, emotional, heart-pounding masterpiece.

THE QUIET TENANT is a bit unusual in structure and delivery, switching between narratives from chapter to chapter and multiple points of view.  At first, it feels a bit choppy or disconnected, but as the story takes off the sharp prose and short chapters are highly effective at building tension and trepidation in characters and readers.  Michallon takes time to set the scene with a steadily increasing pace driven by a malevolent tone that grows darker page by page.  Points of view include Rachel, Cecelia and Emily, affording readers intimate knowledge of each woman's thoughts and views of the truth as they know it.  Rachel's perspective is particularly disturbing as one might expect as she begins pushing boundaries seeking a way out of her never-ending nightmare, and the author does an outstanding job of relaying her desperation while keeping a small spark of hope alive.  It's easy for readers to question her choices at times, however, no one can really know the psychological impact of being held captive for so long with the fear of death looming every single day unless you've been there.  All characterizations are brilliantly rendered, multi-layered and believable.  Through twists and turns, the author manipulates readers and characters towards an ending most won't see coming.   

THE QUIET TENANT is a dark, gritty, highly disturbing thriller that's sure to haunt my nights for some time.  Beyond being a fantastic thriller, this story speaks volumes about a woman's strength and will to live and survive the trauma and psychological aftermath of such a horrific ordeal.  It's an amazing story of the feats possible when women bond together to stand as one against abuse.  While THE QUIET TENANT is a somber read, I love that it's also a story of hope and survival.  Highly recommended to fans of psychological thrillers and so-called "women's fiction" because this is a story showcasing the many strengths of women, both individually and together.  I found THE QUIET TENANT to be an impressive debut from author Clemence Michallon.

Synopsis:
Aidan Thomas is a hard-working family man and a somewhat beloved figure in the small upstate New York town where he lives. He’s the kind of man who always lends a hand and has a good word for everyone. But Aidan has a dark secret he’s been keeping from everyone in town and those closest to him. He’s a kidnapper and serial killer. Aidan has murdered eight women and there’s a ninth he has earmarked for death: Rachel, imprisoned in a backyard shed, fearing for her life.

When Aidan’s wife dies, he and his thirteen-year-old daughter Cecilia are forced to move. Aidan has no choice but to bring Rachel along, introducing her to Cecilia as a “family friend” who needs a place to stay. Aidan is betting on Rachel, after five years of captivity, being too brainwashed and fearful to attempt to escape. But Rachel is a fighter and survivor, and recognizes Cecilia might just be the lifeline she has waited for all these years. As Rachel tests the boundaries of her new living situation, she begins to form a tenuous connection with Cecilia. And when Emily, a local restaurant owner, develops a crush on the handsome widower, she finds herself drawn into Rachel and Cecilia’s orbit, coming dangerously close to discovering Aidan’s secret.

Told through the perspectives of Rachel, Cecilia, and Emily, The Quiet Tenant explores the psychological impact of Aidan’s crimes on the women in his life—and the bonds between those women that give them the strength to fight back. Both a searing thriller and an astute study of trauma, survival, and the dynamics of power, The Quiet Tenant is an electrifying debut thriller by a major talent.

Gone Tonight Review

Author: Sarah Pekkanen

Publisher: St. Martins Press

Release Date: Aug. 1, 2023

Order Link: Amazon

Special thanks to St. Martins Press for an arc.

Review published in Mystery & Suspense Magazine

Review:

GONE TONIGHT is a riveting suspense thriller penned by author Sarah Pekkanen.  Fans will recognize the name as half of the award winning, dynamic writing duo Pekkanen/Henricks.  GONE TONIGHT is Pekkanen's first solo venture in the thriller genre, and the result is a gripping tale centered around the relationship between a mother and daughter and how well they really know each other.  The story that unfolds is compelling, heart pounding and captivating.  

 Mother Ruth has spent a lifetime protecting her daughter from a past she fled as a pregnant teenager - one her twenty-four-year-old daughter Catherine knows nothing about but is beginning to question as she prepares to leave their home to begin her nursing career in Baltimore.  Unfortunately, Mother Ruth is displaying early signs of Alzheimer's making Catherine leery about leaving her alone.  With no known relatives to turn to for help, she cancels her plans to move.  Frustrated with her mother's continued refusal to discuss her past or reveal the identity of Catherine's father, she begins checking up on her mother's activities and finds some puzzling inconsistencies between what her mother says and reality.  Suddenly, the close relationship that's always existed between mother and daughter becomes awkward and strained as each are forced to look at the other differently. Since Catherine's birth, it's been just the two of them against the world, but with each secret Catherine uncovers she's left wondering if she ever knew her mother at all.  Ruth will do anything to keep her daughter close and her secrets buried to protect her, and Catherine will do anything to find the missing key that opens the door to the past revealing what and/or who her mother is hiding.  When it's all said and done, their world will change forever. 

 GONE TONIGHT is an addictive, tension laden thriller that unfolds through the dual points of view of mother and daughter, giving readers insight into both unreliable characters' thoughts and plans.  Readers are privy to Ruth's emotionally charged backstory as they hear her words read from journal entries foreshadowing the potential threat Catherine's unknowingly unleashing with her covert probe into the past.  Pekkanen utilizes short, choppy chapters with mini cliffhangers to entice readers to keep turning the pages without stopping and believe me, it's highly effective.  The pace escalates with the rising tension as layers are peeled back and secrets revealed with danger creeping ever closer.  The author does a fantastic job of exploring the complexities of a mother daughter relationship and utilizing them in weaving a dark, twisted story that explodes into a shocking climax.  While GONE TONIGHT starts off a bit slowly allowing readers time to tune in to the situation, it soon grips readers by the throat refusing to let go until the final astounding page.

 Sarah Pekkanen has crafted a stunning, well-structured and paced suspense thriller delivered via unreliable narrators.  The exploration of the many facets of mother-daughter relationships, especially when riddled with half-truths and secrets, lays the groundwork for a highly emotional, immersive suspense thriller.  GONE TONIGHT solidifies Pekkanen's place as a solo artist in the genre.  Highly recommended to fans of suspense thrillers.

Synopsis:

Catherine Sterling thinks she knows her mother. Ruth Sterling is quiet, hardworking, and lives for her daughter. All her life, it's been just the two of them against the world. But now, Catherine is ready to spread her wings, move from home, and begin a new career. And Ruth Sterling will do anything to prevent that from happening.

Ruth Sterling thinks she knows her daughter. Catherine would never rebel, would never question anything about her mother's past or background. But when Ruth's desperate quest to keep her daughter by her side begins to reveal cracks in Ruth's carefully-constructed world, both mother and daughter begin a dance of deception.

BEFORE YOU FOUND ME Review

Author:  Brooke Breyfus

Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark

Release Date: Aug. 1, 2023

Order Link: Amazon

Special thanks to the publisher for an arc of this title.

Review published in Mystery & Suspense Magazine

From Brooke Beyfuss comes a tender, deeply emotional novel exploring trauma and healing, love and family, and the impossible lengths we'll go to protect the ones we love, even at the expense of ourselves.

Review:

Author Brooke Beyfuss's sophomore novel BEFORE YOU FOUND ME is the highly emotional follow-up to her astounding debut AFTER WE WERE STOLEN and destined to be just as popular with readers.  A heartfelt domestic suspense novel, this story is brilliantly crafted and delivered.  While the story is dark and heavy, a message of light and hope shines through.

Rowan McNamara flees a physical and mentally abusive relationship with her boyfriend after his latest assault lands her in the hospital.  While determined to press charges this time, she escapes to a friend's vacant home in a small New England town for safe harbor until she can make her way to her estranged sister's home in Oklahoma.  Orphaned at an early age, Rowan was separated from her sister and grew up in the foster system leaving her no one else to turn to for help.  While recovering at her friend's house, Rowan meets next door neighbor Lee who appears friendly albeit wary.  Not long after, she meets Lee's eleven-year-old, battered and bruised son Gabriel - an obvious victim of child abuse who's been locked in their basement ever since his mother's death three years prior.  Rowan and Gabriel communicate through a basement window when his father is not home forming a friendship based on mutual need.  When Rowan finds Gabriel bloody and in extreme pain from yet another brutal beating, she's outraged and quickly forms a plan to disappear with Gabriel to Oklahoma.  The story that ensues follows Rowan and Gabriel as they begin settling into a new life while learning to live, love and trust again.  With one eye on a brighter future and another on the danger they know is coming from their past, they deal with the repercussions of their trauma while living with the ever-present fear of being hunted down by their abusers.  It's soon crystal clear their battle for freedom has only just begun.

BEFORE YOU FOUND ME is an intense, gut-wrenching and heartfelt story about two wounded souls, both victims of traumatic abuse, who become survivors and allies in a fight for the future they richly deserve.  Beyfuss has a gift for creating characters that speak directly to readers' hearts by earning their empathy and respect - the kind of characters that linger long after the final page has been read.  While this story isn't always easy to read, it delivers a powerful message about the ability of humans to survive and flourish in the aftermath of pain, confusion and fear that comes from being horribly betrayed by someone in a position of power and trust.  The author sets an escalating pace that rises as the danger and threat of being tracked down escalates.  I enjoyed the secondary story of the broken, strained relationship between Rowan and her sister as they work to mend burned bridges between them, eventually coming to an understanding.  The importance and meaning of family, whether chosen or by blood, is emphasized as are the implications and long-term effects of domestic violence and child abuse on survivors as the author explores these themes with grace and respect.  As one might imagine, BEFORE YOU FOUND ME is a dark, disturbing read; however, through it all the author focuses on the light at the end of the tunnel - the hope, love and kindness that comes with healing and daring to trust again.

BEFORE YOU FOUND ME is a beautifully rendered, highly engaging and compelling story about the bond formed between two survivors of abuse who are charged with learning and accepting the true meaning of compassion, love and family as they reveal just how far they'll go to protect those they love.  While this book is dark, the author does a fantastic job of balancing the darkness with the light that comes with hope.  Fans of domestic suspense novels and stories that tug at the heartstrings are going to enjoy this story.

Synopsis:

How far would you go to save a child who isn't even yours?

Before You Found Me explores the unlikely bond that develops between two abuse survivors and takes a deep dive into personal sacrifice, morality, and the healing powers of family―both blood and found――from the author of After We Were Stolen.

Rowan McNamara doesn't open the door to her new life―she's thrown through it. Following an explosive argument with her abusive fiancé, Rowan runs. With no family except for her estranged sister, Celia, Rowan takes refuge in an idyllic New England town.

There, she meets Gabriel, the eleven-year-old son of her neighbor, Lee. Lee is welcoming, friendly, and a little too helpful. But Gabriel is a mystery: withdrawn, often bruised, and only willing to speak to Rowan through his basement window. When she discovers that Lee has kept Gabriel imprisoned for the past three years, Rowan is desperate to save him. Fueled by outrage and empathy, she abducts Gabriel and flees to her childhood home in rural Oklahoma, determined to raise him as her own.

Together they battle nightmares, curious stares, and Celia's constant disapproval. But when Lee begins haunting more than their dreams, Rowan and Gabriel realize they stopped pretending to be a family a long time ago. Their bond is just as strong as blood, and they're willing to do anything to protect one another.

WHERE THE DEAD SLEEP Review

Author: Joshua Moehling

Series: Ben Packard #2

Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press

Release Date: Aug. 15, 2023

Purchase Link: Amazon

Special thanks to the publisher for an arc.

Review:

WHERE THE DEAD SLEEP is book #2 in the Ben Packard series by author Joshua Moehling.  Ben is acting sheriff in a small town in Sandy Lake, Minnesota where's he's struggled to be accepted as a gay man not originally from there.  Things get complicated when he's called out to investigate the death of Bill Sanderson who died by gunshot while lying in bed.  There are three distinct and convoluted suspects, and it's Ben's job to sift through the family drama, lies, secrets and sparse evidence to reveal the truth.  Meantime, Ben has some big life decisions to make.  Should he run for sheriff in the next election?  While he prefers being out in the field, the other two candidates are poor choices plus they can make his life miserable if in power.  Ben Packard is a man with a lot on his mind and some life altering decisions to make.

Author Joshua Moehling has penned another riveting police procedural in the series.  The story is character driven, unfolding mostly through Ben's point of view.  Ben is a well fleshed out, intriguing character with great instincts and sense of self and a wry sense of humor.  While locals are leery of him, readers will find him sincere, likeable and intelligent.  WHERE THE DEAD SLEEP is well paced with a twisted plot line that keeps readers turning the pages.  The book can be read as a standalone with no issues as the author does a great job of including backstory, including appearances by a character or two from book 1, WHERE HE KEPT HER.  Highly recommended to fans of psychological thrillers and police procedural stories.  I'm looking forward to book #3!

Synopsis:

A small town's dark secrets turn deadly...

When an early morning call brings Deputy Ben Packard to the scene of a home invasion, he finds Bill Sandersen shot in his bed. Bill was a well-liked local who chased easy money his whole life, leaving bad debts and broken hearts in his wake. Everyone Packard talks to has a story about Bill, but no one has a clear motive for wanting him dead. The business partner. The ex-wife. The current wife. The high-stakes poker buddies. Any of them—or none of them—could be guilty.

As the investigation begins, tragedy strikes the Sheriff's department, forcing Packard to make a difficult choice about his future: step down as acting Sheriff and pursue the quiet life he came to Sandy Lake in search of, or subject himself to the scrutiny of an election for the full-time role of Sheriff, a job he's not sure he wants.

There's a hidden history to Sandy Lake that Packard, ever the outsider, can't see. Bad blood and old secrets run deep. But an attempt on Packard's life means he's getting uncomfortably close to the dangerous legacy of the quiet Minnesota town. And someone will do anything to keep it hidden.

Beneath Dark Waters Blog Tour with Excerpt & Review

Welcome to my stop on the BENEATH DARK WATERS Blog Tour!  You can read my review, the synopsis and an excerpt below!

Series: Romantic Suspense #28, New Orleans #2

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: August 15, 2023

Order Link: Amazon

Many thanks to Berkley for the tour invitation & arc!

Deadly secrets lie beneath the murky waters of the Louisiana bayou in this pulse-pounding new romantic suspense novel from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Karen Rose.

Praise for the novels of New York Times bestselling author Karen Rose
“Riveting. Emotional. Karen Rose at her best.”

—New York Times bestselling author Christine Feehan

“High-wire suspense that keeps you riveted.”

—New York Times bestselling author Lisa Gardner

“A high-octane thrill ride that kept me on the edge of my seat and up far too late at night!”

—New York Times bestselling author Lisa Jackson

 

About the Author

Karen Rose is the award-winning, #1 international bestselling author of more than twenty-five novels, including the bestselling Baltimore and Cincinnati series. She has been translated into twenty-three languages, and her books have placed on the New York Times, the Sunday Times (UK), and Germany’s der Spiegel bestseller lists.

Review:

BENEATH DARK WATERS is book 2 in Rose's New Orleans series and book #28 in the Romantic Suspense series.  Karen Rose's signature style is evident with a long, compelling, intricately woven plot line spanning a relatively short amount of time revolving around a large cast of characters.  Pay attention to the small details as they always prove to be clues in Rose's books. 

New Orleans Assistant DA J.P. Cardozo (Kaj to his friends) is working two high profile cases one of which brings about a thwarted kidnapping attempt on his young son Elijah.  Kaj calls in Broussard Investigations for help in guarding his son as he suspects a leak in the police department.  Highly trained, former Marine Val Sorensen is hired as Elijah's bodyguard and since they don't know who can be trusted, she and her guard dog Czar move in with Kaj and his son.  Val is the survivor of a brutal attack from which she still has flashbacks making her a flawed but admirable character.  When subsequent attempts are made to grab Elijah, Val and her team begin putting together pieces of a convoluted puzzle appearing to lead to the Gates brothers, one of which is being held in jail waiting to stand trial.  The story that ensues is a complex, tension laden thriller with nonstop action from beginning to end.

BENEATH DARK WATERS reveals a network of crime ultimately extending deep within the NOLA police department.  Rose draws upon the bayou setting of NOLA to set the scene for this dark thriller.  Characters, both good and bad, are richly defined and highly believable.  Crime scene depictions are brutal, graphic and disturbing.  The growing romantic relationship between Val and Kaj is well written adding some needed relief from all the horror and harshness from the crimes.  Elijah is a smart, observant child whose scenes with Val are heartfelt.  While the bad guys are known by readers early on, the story is intensive with our hero and heroine working to save a child while unmasking a killer.  Fans of the series are going to love seeing previous characters appear in this one; however, no worries if you haven't read previous books as each of this author's books stand alone with enough backstory and needed character references for readers to jump right in.  I will say, though, that you're missing some fantastic books if you don't decide to read previous books in order.

Fast paced, intensive and highly engaging and atmospheric, BENEATH DARK WATERS is the best of blends of suspense, police procedural and romance suspense.  Karen Rose's writing style draws readers in and holds them captive from beginning to end.  I couldn't turn pages fast enough!  Highly recommended to fans of suspense and crime thrillers with a side of romance.

Synopsis:

There's no safe place for a child to hide when danger comes from every direction.

Public prosecutor J.P. "Kaj" Cardozo has only lived in New Orleans for six months, and he's already working on a high-profile celebrity sexual assault case that's made headlines all over the country. But when his son becomes the target of a kidnapping attempt as a threat to Kaj, he is desperate to keep him safe and turns to a private investigative firm famous for their protection services.

A veteran Marine, Val Sorensen is glad to have found a new career with Broussard Investigations. Her latest assignment as the bodyguard to ten-year-old Elijah Cardozo reminds her why--Val is a kick ass guardian with a tender heart. Through her duties, Val grows fond of the boy--and his handsome father.

But when the high-stakes investigation reveals an explosive network of crime through a revived drug gang, lingering deep-seated corruption in the NOPD, and a group of murderers-for-hire targeting Kaj, Elijah, and his star client, they're all left scrambling for safety...

BENEATH DARK WATERS by Karen Rose

Berkley Hardcover | August 15, 2023

Excerpt

"Morning, Val," Burke rumbled in that deep Cajun drawl of his. "You have a new client. Bring a cupcake for him." Okaaaay. Holding the two cupcakes, Val walked to Burke's office door, hearing the whir of Joy's motorized wheelchair as the older woman followed her, unabashedly curious. A shiver of trepidation raced down Val's spine. A moment later, she knew why. Assistant District Attorney Jean-Pierre Cardozo was coming to his feet, having been seated in one of the chairs in front of Burke's desk. She'd first met him at a party back in the summer. Burke and his staff had been celebrating with some clients after closing an all-hands-on-deck case when Cardozo had arrived, dressed in an expensive black suit that made him look like a Fortune 500 CEO. He'd been charming as hell and impossible to ignore, despite her best efforts-that day and later. Unable to resist, she'd found herself googling him later that evening, learning surprisingly little personal information. Other than a few of the cases he'd tried up in the New York City courts, the man had no real internet presence, which took a lot of talent. Burke's IT guy, Antoine, would surely have been able to dig up a lot more, but she'd been unwilling to ask. Unwilling to voice aloud that the man had fascinated her. She knew only that he'd recently moved from New York and that his first name was spelled K-a-j, but pronounced Kai, rhyming with pie. And she only knew those tidbits because she'd overheard Burke telling someone else in the firm. After that day, she'd seen Cardozo twice. Once a couple weeks ago at another party at a friend's restaurant, Le Petit Choux. He hadn't stayed long, and she'd managed to avoid him. Their most recent crossing of paths had been in a courtroom the week before, a plea hearing for one of the criminals whose crimes Burke's group had exposed. No words had been exchanged between them either time, but Val had noticed the man's every movement. He moved so very nicely. And he was a good guy, prosecuting bad guys, but that smile he'd worn . . . He could get her to trust that smile. Which meant he was dangerous. He didn't look anything like that now. He was as handsome as before, his dark brown hair neatly combed, his face freshly shaven. His khakis were unwrinkled, the sleeves of his casual button-up shirt rolled up, exposing tanned forearms. He even wore a tie printed with whimsical dinosaurs. But his expression appeared haggard, as if he hadn't slept at all.

And his dark eyes were full of fear. Val glanced to the corner of the room, revealing the source of his fear. A boy of about nine or ten sat at Burke's little meeting table. His hair was white-blond, unlike Cardozo's. But their faces were too much alike for them not to be related. Father and son, she thought. She hadn't realized that Cardozo had a child, and she didn't want to think about why that disappointed her. It didn't matter that the child had a mother, that Cardozo had a significant other. It didn't matter because she was not interested in ADA Cardozo, first name Kaj that rhymed with pie. The child, however, had captured her attention. He clutched a tablet in his hands, staring down at it with a vacant look that Val recognized all too well. She'd seen it in the mirror plenty of times. He'd been traumatized. He didn't look up, so Val turned back to his father. "Hey," Val said quietly, because the mood in the room was brittle. "It's good to see you again, ADA Cardozo." The man's throat worked as he swallowed. "Likewise. This is my son, Elijah. Elijah, this is Miss Sorensen." My new client? Val wondered. She looked at Burke, who inclined his head toward the boy, gesturing her to engage. "Hi, Elijah," she said, approaching the table. "I'm Val." The boy didn't look up until Val put the cupcake in front of him. "Hi," he whispered. It was one tiny word, but said with a determination that won her respect. She pointed at the cupcake. "That's yours." "And that one, too?" Elijah asked, pointing at the cupcake still in her hand. "Pfft. No," she said, using her best duh tone. "This one is mine. You're a greedy one, aren't you?" She smiled so that he would know she was teasing. The boy's lips quirked up before returning to a grim line. "Was worth a try." "It's always worth a try when cupcakes are on the line. Are you my new client?"

Elijah pushed Harry Potter-style glasses up on his nose. "I guess so." "May I sit down?" She waited until Elijah nodded before taking the seat beside him. From this vantage point she could see the boy's face as well as that of his father. Cardozo lowered himself back into his chair in front of Burke's desk, his face still frozen in a rictus of fear. Whatever had happened, it had been bad.

Excerpted from Beneath Dark Waters by Karen Rose Copyright © 2023 by Karen Rose. Excerpted by permission of Berkley. All rights reserved.

Friends Don't Fall In Love Review

Author: Erin Hahn

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Publisher: St. Martins Griffin

Release Date: Oct. 17, 2023

Order Link: Amazon

3.5 Friendly Hearts

Special thanks to St. Martins Press for an arc.

Review:

Country music star Lorelai Jones has a bright future ahead of her - she's the rising queen of country music soon to marry the self-proclaimed king.  She's close friends with his band mate Craig Huckleberry Boseman aka "Huck".  Then one night it all comes crashing down when she dares to sing a protest song and ends up getting blackballed right out of the music industry.  To top it off, her fiancé dumps her on social media to avoid letting her "taint" his career.  Needless to say, Lorelai leaves town in a rush to lick her wounds and heal her broken heart but not before a drunken one-night stand with friend Craig - never to be mentioned again.  You can't keep a good woman down for long and now she's back and determined to make a comeback in the music industry.  The first person she reaches out to is her old friend Craig who's managed to make a good career for himself as a record producer.  As they spend more time together, sparks fly, and things heat up between them.  Both have hidden feelings that go beyond the fantastic sex to something more, but neither is willing to risk their friendship by voicing their feelings.  The story that unfolds is full of miscommunications, missed opportunities and hurt feelings.  Even as Lorelai's career takes off again, something's missing.  Is it possible for friends to find the forever kind of love?  Does she dare take a chance on getting her heart broken yet again?

FRIENDS DON'T FALL IN LOVE is a spicy friend to lovers' story about two people who are in denial about their true feelings, afraid to risk a really good friendship on a "maybe" good romantic relationship.  Hahn has a way of delivering characters that are vulnerable and likeable and yet just a wee bit dense about relationships.  So much heartache could have been avoided with a little true communication, but the learning process makes them enjoy the end results more.  Characters are well fleshed out and while this one starts off a bit slow, it certainly picks up in the second half as things start happening to throw Lorelai and Craig together where things sizzle, crackle and pop!  There are some very, very sexy scenes in this book as the one place this couple does not have an issue is the bedroom.  I enjoyed the inclusion of some song lyrics as a form of communication and the text messages are funny and sweet.  This is a saucy contemporary romance story with great banter that I highly recommend to fans of friends to lovers' stories.

  

Synopsis:

Lorelai Jones had it all: a thriving country music career and a superstar fiancé. Then she played one teenie tiny protest song at a concert and ruined her entire future, including her impending celebrity marriage. But five years later, she refuses to be done with her dreams and calls up the one person who stuck by her, her dear friend and her former fiancé’s co-writer and bandmate, Craig.

Craig Boseman’s held a torch for Lorelai for years, but even he knows the backup bass player never gets the girl. Things are different now, though. Craig owns his own indie record label and his songwriting career is taking off. If he can confront his past and embrace his gifts, he might just be able to help Lorelai earn the comeback she deserves―and maybe win her heart in the process.

But when the two reunite to rebuild her career and finally scratch that itch that’s been building between them for years, Lorelai realizes a lot about what friends don’t do. For one, friends don’t have scratch-that-itch sex. They also don’t almost-kiss on street corners, publish secret erotic poetry about each other, have counter-top sex, write songs for each other, have no-strings motorcycle sex, or go on dates. And they sure as heck don't fall in love... right?

Erin Hahn’s Friends Don’t Fall in Love is about long-time friends, taking chances, and finding out that, sometimes, your perfect person was right there in your corner all along.

An Evil Heart Review

Author: Linda Castillo

Series: Kate Burkholder #15

Publisher: Minotaur Books

Audio by MacMillan Audio

Narrators: Kathleen McInerney

Release Date: July 11, 2023

Purchase Link: Amazon

5 Bloody Hearts

Special thanks to MacMillan Audio for the audiobook arc.

Chief of Police Kate Burkholder investigates the brutal death of a young Amish man in An Evil Heart, the latest installment of the bestselling series by Linda Castillo.

Review:

AN EVIL HEART is book #15 in Linda Castillo's Kate Burkholder series, and it's another riveting thriller in the series!  When Painters Mill Chief of Police Kate Burkholder is called to a murder scene along a highway, she's shocked at the brutality and cruelty of the kill.  The victim Aden Karn is a young Amish man with a stellar reputation and a promising future.  No one has an unkind word to say about him.  His death by crossbow shocks the community and confounds the investigators. But as Kate digs deeper, what she discovers is quite different from what's she's been told as it appears there are some dark, ugly secrets being covered up.  With her wedding to Tomasetti only days away, Kate vows to solve this case before saying I Do.  Will she make it to the church on time?

The character of Kate Burkholder is unique in that she grew up as a member of the Amish Community only to eventually turn away from the lifestyle.  However having lived the life, she has the ability to move freely among the people with an understanding of their customs in a way other policemen can't, and she uses this to her advantage to solve some graphic, gruesome and emotionally disturbing crimes.  Castillo's writing is sharp and well-structured, and she has the ability to pull readers into the scenes alongside the characters while challenging them to solve the crime.  As in previous books, AN EVIL HEART is a heart pounding story with graphic death scenes with several red herrings thrown in to keep the investigators and readers on their toes.  The pace is quick and the tone dire.  While all books in this series stand alone, the character development is huge and for this reason I highly recommend reading the books in order.

Narrator Kathleen McInerney does a fantastic job rendering AN EVIL HEART with the perfect tone and pacing to keep readers listening. I highly recommend the audiobook version if you're a fan of audiobooks.  Highly recommended to fans of this series and fans of great psychological thrillers.

Synopsis:

On a crisp autumn day in Painters Mill, Chief of Police Kate Burkholder responds to a call only to discover an Amish man who has been violently killed with a crossbow, his body abandoned on a dirt road. Aden Karn was just twenty years old, well liked, and from an upstanding Amish family. Who would commit such a heinous crime against a young man whose life was just beginning?

The more Kate gets to know his devastated family and the people—both English and Amish—who loved him, the more determined she becomes to solve the case. Aden Karn was funny and hardworking and looking forward to marrying his sweet fiancé, Emily. All the while, Kate’s own wedding day to Tomasetti draws near...

But as she delves into Karn’s past, Kate begins to hear whispers about a dark side. What if Aden Karn wasn’t the wholesome young man everyone admired? Is it possible the rumors are a cruel campaign to blame the victim? Kate pursues every lead with a vengeance, sensing an unspeakable secret no one will broach.

The case spirals out of control when a young Amish woman comes forward with a horrific story that pits Kate against a dangerous and unexpected opponent. When the awful truth is finally uncovered, Kate comes face to face with the terrible consequences of a life lived in all the dark places.

DEADLOCK Review

Author: James Byrne

Series: Dez Limerick #2

Publisher: Minotaur Books

Release Date: Aug. 8, 2023

Order Link: Amazon

5 High Action Hearts

Special thanks to Minotaur for an arc.

Review posted in Mystery & Suspense Magazine

James Byrne's Deadlock is the sequel to the highly praised The Gatekeeper featuring Dez Limerick, one of the best new thriller heroes...

Review:  

DEADLOCK is the second book in James Byrne's Dez Limerick series.  To say this book is a fast-paced, tension laden thriller is a gross understatement.  Like its predecessor THE GATEKEEPER, the action is nonstop with explosive scenes setting the pages on fire through twists and turns readers and antagonists never see coming.  Cancel all other plans and buckle in before diving into this one.  It's one insane ride!

 Upon first appearance, Desmond Aloysius Limerick aka Dez to his friends is a happy go lucky, guitar playing guy with a quirky smile, sharp wit and endearing Scottish accent.  However, if circumstances warrant it, he can change into a lean, mean fighting machine in the blink of an eye - one with a bottomless arsenal of hard-won, honed skills to call upon.  He can appear like a ghost, move like a shadow, wreak havoc, and slip away in the darkness unseen leaving utter chaos and devastation behind - with a poop eating grin on his face the whole time.  Dez is a superhero on steroids.  Friends love him.  Enemies consider him the devil incarnate.  He is/was a "gatekeeper" - the keeper of doors.  He's never seen one he couldn't open, secure, and keep open as long as necessary making sure all his comrades escape and the job is complete before slipping away.  He's retired now . . . unless his skills are needed.  When a young friend calls him in distress over an unprovoked attack on her sister, Dez drops everything and answers her plea for help.  What he walks into proves to be a complex hornet's nest of lies, deceit and secrets centered around tech company Clockjack - do-gooders on the surface but serving as a front for a sociopath employing hired thugs for protection while plotting to carry out assassinations and take over small third-world countries providing criminals' safe harbor.  Before it's all said and done, the thugs wanting a piece of Dez are joined by numerous agencies including the local police, DEA and US Marshal Service.  The numbers aren't in Dez's favor, but he does love a good challenge.

 James Byrne has brilliantly penned a highly engaging, intensive story with a once in a blue moon, ferocious junk yard dog style superhero who's unique in every way from his Scottish brogue which can be hard to decipher at first to his razor-sharp wit that frustrates his enemies to no end but delights his friends to his big, old kind heart seen only by a precious few.  The large cast is just as unique with a vast array of personalities and roles manipulating their way through a minefield of electrified plot twists.  The pace is one speed - pedal to the metal, wide open from beginning to end - not to say there aren't any lulls but they're rare as hen's teeth.  

 DEADLOCK is a well-crafted, highly addictive thriller with a larger-than-life character who will make readers cringe, blush, cheer and laugh all within a few pages.  This book can be read as a standalone as the author weaves in enough backstory to give readers a solid foundation of who Dez is but do yourself a favor and grab THE GATEKEEPER and allow Dez to introduce himself.  Just don't fall for his "I'm a simple man who plays a guitar" routine . . . Dez is a force to be reckoned with.  I'm ecstatic over what I interpreted as the setup for another book to be found in the final pages.  Fans of high action thrillers and crime stories are going to devour DEADLOCK as will those looking for a new kind of hero.  Dez Limerick is your man!

 Synopsis:

Desmond Aloysius Limerick ("Dez" to his friends and close personal enemies) is a man withIa shadowy past, certain useful hard-won skills, and, if one digs deep enough, a reputation as a good man to have at your back. Now retired from his previous life, Dez is just a bloke with a winning smile, a bass guitar, and bullet wounds that paint a road map of past lives.

Jaleh Swann, a business journalist hot on the trail of an auditor who was mugged and killed, lands in the hospital just one day after her Portland apartment is ransacked. When Jaleh’s sister, Raziah, reaches out to an old friend for help, Dez has no choice but to answer. The Swann sisters have been pulled into a dizzying web of cover-ups and danger. At the center lies an insidious Oregon-based tech corporation, Clockjack, which has enough money and hired guns to silence just about anyone—including this rag-tag trio. Luckily, Dez’s speciality is not just to open doors, but keep them open—and protect those working to expose Clockjack’s secrets.

More stands in the way of the truth than just one corporation. When hired thugs come to the finish the job and attack the Swann sisters at the hospital, Dez does what he does best. Now, the two captured men (and the corpse Dez left behind) attract the attention of not just Clockjack, but of the Portland police, the D.E.A, and the U.S. Marshalls. Dez and the Swann sisters are on the run from powers beyond their control and means. Outnumbered, under resourced and outgunned, Dez must use all his skills to keep his friends safe and stand up to corporate conniving. After all, the one thing Clockjack didn’t count on? A good man with a simple job to do.