The Truth About the Devlins - Lisa Scottoline

 The Truth About the Devlins - Lisa Scottoline

Pub. Date:  March 26, 2024

She read

The Devlins and their family firm are legal royalty. Well, all except for TJ, a recovering alcoholic who has served time for negligence and endangerment caused by his disease.  Underneath the crown, though, there are problems.  Mother and sister are loving, supportive people, with Sister Gabby eschewing greed for pro bono work.  When the reader meets Father, he is an egocentric, harsh taskmaster. And something is going on with Brother John, who seems to have some problem that is causing his downward spiral and endangering not only TJ but perhaps the entire family. 

Well written by Lisa Scottoline whose thirty six novels demonstrate she knows her way around family drama, legal thrillers, and a good mystery,  there is humor, pathos, suspense and a strongly plotted story. The Truth about the Devlins is an engrossing, fast paced, page turning thriller.  

I have read many of Scottoline’s books and enjoyed them all.  If you are unfamiliar with her writing, this would make a good introduction to it.  For her fans, this is will be a worthy contribution to her body of work. 

Thanks to #netgalley and @putnambooks for the ARC.

The Mystery Writer - Sulari Gentill

 The Mystery Writer  - Sulari Gentill

Pub. Date: March  19, 20224

She read

Australian native Theodosia Benton quits law school to write a novel and moves in with her attorney brother, Gus, who has emigrated to Lawrence, Kansas.  While working on her project at a local coffee shop, she meets Dan, a famous but reclusive author who becomes more than just a mentor for her.  When she discovers his dead body, a nightmare begins in which both Theo and Gus are alternatively accused of killing him and also in which their lives are in danger from unknown forces.  Throw in online conspiracy theorists, doomsday preppers, and an ultra exclusive publishing house and the plot thickens.

Books about writers and the writing process are always interesting. Add a thriller to the mix and there are all kinds of possibilities.  Although the plot line is a bit wild and after starting out slow the timeline rapidly skips ahead, you are in for an enjoyable, multi layered read.  

I  did cringe at some of the naive choices Theo made, but, after all, she was raised by “feral” (hippie) parents in 

Tasmania, so what does she know of the cruel world?  And especially of a world that seems to be more and more overtaken by conspiracy theories and misinformation and the control they can excerpt over people? 

BTW - Lawrence, Kansas really is the home of Stull Cemetery which has a role in this plot and is purported to be one of the 7 “gateways to Hell.”

Thanks to #netgalley and @poisonedpenpress for the ARC.

Jaded - Ela Lee

 Jaded - Ela Lee

Pub. Date:  March 19, 2024

She read; he is reading it

The daughter of a Korean mother and Turkish father, Ceyda, known as Jade, spends long hours as an attorney for a London firm that fancies itself pro women and pro diversity.  After too much to drink at a firm gala, she wakes up naked with no memory of how she got home.  Slowly, she realizes she has been the victim of a sexual  attack by a co worker.  Struggling to deal with the trauma of the event while balancing career, a boyfriend who seems less than understanding, her traditional parents, and a complicit workplace, her life soon spirals out of control.  

This is a skillful  debut novel and one I hope will receive a lot of attention.  There is much here for reflection and discussion including the treatment of people of color, cultural misunderstandings, cultural identity, racism, consent, the legal system as related to sexual assault, and the  misogyny, bias, nepotism and false benevolence of the corporate culture. While difficult topics, they are presented with intelligence, realism, and empathy. 

And how beautiful and symbolic is this cover?

Thanks to #netgalley and @simonbooks for the ARC.

 

Still See You Everywhere - Lisa Gardner

 Still See You Everywhere - Lisa Gardner

Pub. Date: March 12,2024

She read

Frankie Elkin is is a recovering alcoholic who has lost her one great love and abandoned a settled life to devote herself to tracking down cold case missing people, often putting herself in danger. All of her possessions fit into one small suitcase as she travels around the country, seeking those whom others have forgotten. 

She is contacted by Kaylee,“The Beautiful Butcher”, a brutal serial killer on death row about to have her sentence carried out in three weeks to find the Butcher’s minority age sister, Lea, who was abducted twelve years ago by Kaylee’s former abusive lover, a wealthy mogul.  Her search takes her undercover to a remote tropical island on which he is to build an eco resort.  There she meets a cast of characters, some of whom may be a danger to her.  When the mogul and Lea show up, everyone’s life may be in peril.

This is the third in the Frankie Elkin series; I have read one other.  this would work well as a standalone. 

Lisa Gardner is a successful, prolific writer, and this is another good addition to her body of work.  Although I found the plot more than a bit unbelievable, it was a fast paced, engrossing, suspenseful read. I loved the description of the flora and fauna of the island, which is based on Gardner’s trip to the real life Palmyra Atoll in the Pacific. Read this if nothing else to learn and have nightmares about the omnivorous coconut crab! 

Thanks to #netgalley and @grandcentralpub for the ARC.

The Dubrovnik Book Club - Eva Glyn

 The Dubrovnik Book Club - Eva Glyn

Pub. Date: March h8, 2024

She read

Claire, a UK native staying with family in Dubrovnik, has recovered from long Covid.  Her experience with the disease has made her leery of mixing with people in public.  She must overcome her fear as she has been hired as the temporary manager of the Welcoming Bookstore.  There, she meets co worker Luna who is struggling with coming out in a somewhat non tolerant culture.  Their weekly book club at the store includes Karmela, a visiting professor of history doing research.  She tends to be a self isolate, an after effect of her experiences when her family fled Sarajevo at the start of the Yugoslav War. Claire also enlists her cousin, Vedran, to help with the club.  Vedran is dealing with his own issues, having once been falsely accused of the murder of his girlfriend after she mysteriously disappeared and then the target of vicious social media postings.  

Although there is a bit of, as Claire puts it, navel-gazing, the book is beautifully written and an endearing story.  Written from the POVs of the four MCs, overlying all the storylines is the beauty that is Dubrovnik along with the pain, tragedy, loss of the War.  It is about the bond of friendship and moving forward in life, no matter your adversities.  

I have spent time in Dubrovnik; Glyn’s picturesque descriptions of the old city brought it back to life for me. I also appreciated the refresher on some of the background of the city, including its early history as the Republic of Ragusa as well as the Siege of Dubrovnik. It was enough information to be interesting but not weigh down the plot. 

Although some of the characters are in an earlier book by Glyn, this is not part of a series.

Thanks to #Netgalley and @harpercollinsUK @onemorechapterHC for the ARC.

Buzz Books 2024 Spring Summer

Buzz Books 2024 Spring Summer

She read

 I always look forward to the Buzz Books editions. I just finished this one and now have a list of books from favorite authors as well as some intriguing new titles for my TBR list. Looks like I am “booked” through the summer.

*****

Missing Before Daylight - Carolyn Arnold

 Missing Before Daylight - Carolyn Arnold

Pub. Date:  Feb. 22, 2024

She read

During the predawn hours, a young clerk in a gas station convenience store is shot dead and a former colleague of Amanda’s, Katherine Graves, is abducted. Katherine has been involved in many high profile cases in her time and there are any number of nefarious characters who could be involved.  It seems very personal as the perpetrator tells her “it’s time to pay for what you did.” Amanda and partner Trent work tirelessly to solve the case, but will their feelings for each other impede their progress?

This is the tenth in the Prince William County (VA) Detective Amanda Steele series.  Although I have read quite a few of them and have enjoyed seeing the repeating characters and relationships change and grow,  I think this would work well as a standalone.  The author does a nice job of filling in background information, including Amanda’s past history and references to some other cases she has worked.

Told in two POVs, Amanda’s and Katherine’s in captivity, this is yet another of Arnold’s fast paced, engrossing police procedurals. Arnold knows how to capture and maintain her readers’ interest. I love the repeating characters, especially Amanda who, despite an earlier tragedy in her life, is a strong, capable, independent, empathetic female.

Carolyn Arnold is one of my go to authors. She has written more than thirty books featuring five series and spanning different genre including strong police procedurals, cozy mysteries, and adventure novels. I also really like her Madison Knight series.  

Thanks to #netgalley and @bookouture for the ARC.

American Spirits - Russell Banks

 American Spirits - Russell Banks

Pub. Date. March 5, 2024

She read and he is reading it

This book is comprised of three dark short stories/novellas written by the late Russell Banks.  He passed away in 2023; a loss to American literature. The stories all take place in Sam Dent, a once bustling, now forgotten, decaying town in upstate New York.  

My reaction after reading the first story was “Wow…Just wow.” What a great writer. Banks captures well the struggles of people who feel marginalized, the culture that has made a cult hero out of a con man former entertainer and president of the United States and the hate and vitriol that characterizes our current social/political climate as well as the devastating effects of that vitriol.

While the title American Spirits refers to the brand of cigarettes smoked by some of the characters, it of course is a metaphor for so much more.  While reading about the sometimes horrors of everyday life may not be for everyone, I think I may have already found my favorite book of 2024.

Thanks to #netgalley and @aaknopf for the ARC.

Wandering Stars - Tommy Orange

Wandering Stars - Tommy Orange

Pub. Date:  Feb. 27, 2024

She read

He attempted

 This multigenerational tale begins with the story of Jude Star, a survivor of the Sand Creek Massacre of 1864 who was sent to the Fort Marion Prison Castle.  Star’s son was forced to attend one of the schools organized in the US to separate Native Americans from their heritage and where they were the victims of inhumane treatment.  The narrative continues on with further relatives and acquaintances.  Those who have read Orange’s Pulitzer Prize nominated There There will already be familiar with one of the characters. 

Beautifully written and recounted through multiple POVs, there is important history here as well as the bonds of family, heritage, and identity,  the devastation of loss, the ravages of addiction.  

This book and Orange’s writing style won’t be for everyone, but it is a very worthwhile read. In these days of politicians attempting to rewrite, ignore, or ban history, works such as this that preserve the reality of the treatment of our native population and the legacy of that treatment are incredibly valuable. 

Thanks to #netgalley and #knopf for the ARC

****

Finding Sophie - Imran Mahmood

Finding Sophie - Imran Mahmood

Pub. Date: March5, 2024

She read

Local teachers, Harry and Zara, are devastated when their daughter, Sophie, disappears. Disappointed in the police progress in finding her, they investigate on their own.  Harry has visited all the houses in their neighborhood, except one where the homeowner will not let him in.  As they become obsessed with the search,  to what extremes will they go?

I really liked this fast, engrossing read.  Well plotted, it kept me guessing as the truth was gradually revealed. This is a mystery as well as psychological and legal thriller.   Told from the perspectives of both Harry and Zara, it is a solid study of parental loss, grief, and familial relationships. 

Thanks to #netgalley and @randomhouse for the ARC.

*****

 

Under the Storm - Christoffer Carlsson

 Under the Storm - Christoffer Carlsson

Pub. Date:  Feb. 27, 2024

She read

In rural Sweden, a young woman is found dead in a house that has been set on fire to cover the crime.  Her boyfriend is charged with and convicted of the crime. As his beloved nephew, Isak, grows up, he fears that he may take after his uncle.  The disposition of the case nags at Vidar, one of the investigating officers. Did they charge the right perpetrator? There are some indications that someone else might have committed the crime.  His tortured obsession with it over more than a decade leads to some consequential decisions in his life.

Carlsson writes Nordic noir at its best.  This is the second of his books that I have read.  The first one, Blaze Me a Sun, which I loved, featured Vidar’s father. There is a sense of foreboding throughout the book and Carlsson captures well the vicissitudes, allure and danger of the Swedish climate.  

If you are a fan of Nordic noir or would like an introduction to it, I recommend this read. If you are new to this genre, do not expect a fast paced, action packed novel, but rather a slow unfolding of the plot along with developing, well crafted characterizations.  

Thanks to #netgalley and #randomhouse #hogarthbooks for the ARC.

*****