Saturday, May 30, 2015

The Ice Twins by S.K. Tremayne

Sarah and Angus Moorcroft suffered a horrible loss fourteen months ago when their six-year-old daughter, Lydia, died. Wanting a new start, they decide to move from London to Torran, an island that Angus' family owns in the Hebrides, with their surviving daughter, Kirstie--Lydia's identical twin.  When Kirstie tells Sarah that she's actually Lydia and that it was Kirstie who died, Sarah wonders if it's true.  Chillingly enough, there is no way for Sarah to medically prove which twin died because the girls DNA is same and they were never fingerprinted. As Sarah tries to come to terms with Kirstie's confession and think of another way she might uncover the truth, Kirstie--who insists she be called Lydia--begins behaving oddly. Sarah's and Angus' relationship also begins to splinter with Kirstie's revelation. With the isolation of Torran and rumors of ghosts, the Moorcroft family sees their lives unravel...  This novel of psychological suspense is similar to The Hidden Girl by Louise Millar, Beneath the Shadows by Sara Foster, and Hold My Hand by Serena Makesy.

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Beach Town by Mary Kay Andrews

Greer Hennessey is looking for the perfect Florida small town for a movie shoot. As a movie location scout, she's trying to redeem herself after her last job ended in disaster. Greer zeroes in on Cypress Key, which the director of the movie proclaims is perfect. Soon, Greer finds herself falling for the mayor, Eb Thibadeaux, but Greer is leery of getting involved with anyone--she's busy enough juggling her job, her sorrow at the recent passing of her mother, and the apprehension of reconnecting with the father she barely knows. Mixing her trademark light humor with a bit of romance, along with the relationships between the characters, Andrews has written another enjoyable beach read.

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Run You Down by Julia Dahl

Pessie Goldin's death is assumed to be suicide, but her husband believes she was murdered. However, since they come from an ultra-Orthodox community which forbids an autopsy, the police have let the case go cold. Reporter Rebekah Roberts finds herself meeting with Pessie's husband and agreeing to look into the case, since she's familiar with the Hasidic community and recently had success with a similar case. Rebekah comes face to face with her own past when it appears that her uncle Sam, whom she has never met, has a connection to Pessie. He is the brother of Rebekah's mother, Aviva, who left Rebekah with her father when she was a baby and disappeared. Will Rebekah find justice for Pessie and also be reunited with her mother? Run You Down is the second book in the Rebekah Roberts series and was just a so-so read, because the story was so similar to the mystery in the first book. It will be published next month.

Tuesday, May 5, 2015

In the Dark Places by Peter Robinson

When a farmer's tractor is stolen and blood is found on the floor of an abandoned hangar, the police joke about how insignificant the crimes are. But soon DI Annie Cabbot is dealing with a missing person named Michael Lane, who could have a connection to the tractor and DS Winsome Jackman's bloodstains appear to be related to Michael too. With their boss, DCI Banks, in charge, the detectives soon find themselves immersed in much more serious cases.  With this latest entry in the long-running series, Robinson puts the focus on the female detectives Annie and Winsome, and lets Banks take a back seat.  It works well, along with an intriguing mystery. "In the Dark Places" will be published in August.