Tuesday, April 21, 2020

The Last Flight by Julie Clark

Claire and Eva both have reasons for wanting to disappear, so when they happen upon each other at the airport, they decide to take the other person's flight. However, when one of the planes crashes, the danger they thought they were leaving isn't far behind. A great read-alike for The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine, The Passenger by Lisa Lutz and Peter Swanson. It will be published in June.

Wednesday, April 15, 2020

The House on Fripp Island by Rebecca Kauffman

Scott and his wife, Lisa, win a raffle for a four-day vacation to Fripp Island in South Carolina. They decide to invite Lisa's best friend from childhood, Poppy, and Poppy's family to accompany them, since Poppy has been such a help to Lisa's mother, Carol, as she recovers from cancer surgery. Scott, Lisa, and their two daughters, Rae and Kimmy, lead an upper class lifestyle, while Poppy, her husband, John, and their two children, Ryan, and Alex, have had to struggle financially. The House on Fripp Island recounts the story of the vacation through the eyes of the two families, but with a dark undertone. The reader knows that one member of the group will die by drowning, which the authorities determine was accidental, but was actually murder. Recommended for those who enjoy stories that explore family relationships. It will be published in June.

Friday, April 10, 2020

The King's Justice by Susan Elia MacNeal

A serial killer is on the loose in wartime London, and the press have nicknamed him "Jimmy Greenteeth." The police are eager to have Maggie Hope help them with the case, since she was instrumental in putting the murderer Nicholas Reitter behind bars. Maggie wants no part in it and spends her free time drinking excessively, while being part of the official group that defuses Nazi bombs around London. However, as Jimmy Greenteeth claims more victims around the capital, Maggie is drawn into a web of murder yet again.

Tuesday, April 7, 2020

Hide Away by Jason Pinter

After her husband's violent death, Rachel Marin moves with her two children to Illinois from Connecticut. Since his passing, Rachel has become strong physically, in addition to not being afraid to take justice into her own hands. When the former mayor, Constance Wright, is found dead in what appears to be suicide, Rachel contacts the police to let them know that she believes Constance was murdered. Rachel then insinuates herself into helping investigate the crime when she believes the lead detectives, John Serrano and Leslie Tally, are getting off track. However, Rachel's involvement might put her family in harm's way yet again... A good read-alike for Thomas Perry's Jane Whitefield series.

Saturday, April 4, 2020

Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell

Ten years ago, Laurel Mack's fifteen-year-old daughter, Ellie, disappeared and was never seen again. Since Ellie's been gone, Laurel and her husband, Paul, have divorced, and her relationship with her older children, Jake and Hanna, has suffered. When Lauren meets Floyd at a cafe, happiness seems possible again. However, we, as the reader, are privy to things that Laurel doesn't know (such as the identity of Ellie's kidnapper), and it seems like Floyd might have some connection to the crime. As one reads Then She Was Gone, you are on the edge of your seat in fear and apprehension for Laurel's current journey. A creepy, unsettling novel of psychological suspense.