Category: Suspense

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Kimberly reviews Wrong Alibi by Christina Dodd

TITLE: Wrong Alibi
SERIES #: Murder In Alaska #1
CHARACTERS: Evelyn Jones
AUTHOR: Christina Dodd
PUBLICATION DATE: 12/29/20
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
WRONG JOB
Eighteen-year-old Evelyn Jones lands a job in small-town Alaska, working for a man in his isolated mountain home. But her bright hopes for the future are shattered when Donald White disappears, leaving her to face charges of theft, embezzlement—and a brutal double murder. Her protestations of innocence count for nothing. Convicted, she faces life in prison…until fate sends her on the run.

WRONG NAME
Evelyn’s escape leaves her scarred and in hiding, isolated from her family, working under an alias at a wilderness camp. Bent on vengeance, intent on recovering her life, she bides her time, patiently searching for the man who took everything from her.

WRONG ALIBI
At last, the day comes. Donald White has returned. Evelyn emerges from hiding; the fugitive becomes the hunter. But in her mind, she hears the whisper of other forces at work. Now Evelyn must untangle the threads of evidence before she’s once again found with blood on her hands: the blood of her own family…

REVIEW:
3.5 Hearts This is a new series from Christina Dodd. I haven’t picked her books up in a bit so decided this was the time to try her writing again.

This was a bit different than what I used to read by Dodd which is a nice change.

I found the characters interesting to read. I enjoyed the dynamic of a number of characters that you wouldn’t think would be allies. There were some surprises as the story progressed which is always an interesting thing.

There were a big number of too far-fetched ideas in the book as well. Some things were just not logical and should have been reined in.

All in all I thought the story was good.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

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Kimberly reviews Black Willows by Jill Hand

TITLE: Black Willows
SERIES #: Trapnell Thriller #2
CHARACTERS: Trapnell Siblings
AUTHOR: Jill Hand
PUBLICATION DATE: 10/22/20
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
A mysterious cowboy is stalking the eccentric Trapnell siblings. Is he a supernatural entity or a hired killer? To complicate things, the will making them heirs to their billionaire father’s estate is missing and a relative has returned from a watery grave.
Last time, the Trapnells saved the world from destruction. This time they may not be able to save themselves. Black Willows is a darkly funny Southern-fried adventure, complete with Voodoo, arson, and alligators.

REVIEW:
I am on the fence about this book. Not because it wasn’t well written but it seemed so soap opera like. And also had every stereotypical southern trait ever mentioned.

I found myself skipping a lot of the story and skipping just to the dialogue so I knew what was going on.

Not my cup of tea leaves.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

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Kimberly reviews The Girl She Wanted by K.L. Slater

TITLE: The Girl She Wanted
CHARACTERS: Alexa & Carrie
AUTHOR: K.L. Slater
PUBLICATION DATE: 10/22/20
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
What if my sister is unstable and everyone can see it but me? What was she really doing standing over Florence’s cot in the middle of the night?

Alexa has always looked up to her older sister Carrie. Carrie lives in Alexa’s family home, and adores her one-year-old niece Florence. Alexa doesn’t know how they would cope without her. So when Carrie is suspended from her job as a senior nurse, accused of the most terrible crime, Alexa reels in disbelief. Alexa knows how caring Carrie is, and as she watches Florence gurgling and cooing whenever Carrie is around, she knows her little girl is in safe hands.

Alexa’s husband doesn’t trust Carrie. He wants her out of the house, unable to ignore what people are saying about her. But when he suggests that Carrie could be a danger to their daughter, Alexa shuts him out. Nobody will ever come between her and her sister.

Then Florence is hurt while in Carrie’s care and Alexa at last starts to wonder. Alexa has always wanted to protect Carrie from the past they have hidden. But does Alexa know what Carrie wants? And will the secret that has kept the sisters together now destroy her little girl?

A completely gripping rollercoaster of a read about the darkness families hide behind closed doors. Fans of Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train will be hooked on The Girl She Wanted.

REVIEW:
3.5 Hearts If given the chance would you believe your own sister or your husband? And would you trust your sister with your precious child or trust your husband’s instinct and keep her far away?

I had a hard time getting into this book but once I did I enjoyed it. There was some suspense as to why Carrie was fired and did she really hurt the people she was nursing which I found interesting and kept me wanting to read to find out what really happened.

I also worried for the baby. The title led me to believe something was going to happen one way and that then it didn’t. So I kept waiting.

Interesting read.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

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Kimberly reviews Don’t Look by Alexandra Ivy

TITLE: Don’t Look
SERIES #: Pike, Wisconsin #1
CHARACTERS: Lynne & Kir
AUTHOR: Alexandra Ivy
PUBLICATION DATE: 12/01/20
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
IF YOU’RE ON HIS LIST
A woman’s naked body is discovered, cold and pale as the surrounding snow–except for the crimson scarf around her neck. The weeks that follow bring more victims and evidence of a terrifying pattern. The killer has a list. And every woman on it will get what she deserves . . .

YOU’RE AS GOOD
Dr. Lynne Gale followed in her father’s footsteps to become a vet in Pike, Wisconsin. For years, she’s had little contact with Kir Jansen, son of the town’s late sheriff. Suddenly he’s back, insisting that Lynne’s in danger. She can’t believe anyone would target her, but someone is hunting the women of Pike, savoring every last moment.

AS DEAD
Kir hoped that his father’s frantic calls about a serial killer were just an old man’s delusions. But the body count doesn’t lie. In this quiet town, a monster stalks and kills. And soon, Lynne’s will be the last name on his list . . .
REVIEW:
Yay! A New series from Alexandra Ivy!!!

I love Ivy’s writing. I have loved her writing back to her paranormal and into the suspense genre. She, honestly, never disappoints me. And she didn’t this time either.

Ok, lets state the obvious and move from there… Yes, Kir and Lynne become amatuer detectives and somehow figure out what the cops can not. This is not new in the genre. So yes, that is obvious and unrealistic but we do not pick up these books to read realism.

Now Kir returns to town to bury his father. His dad knows there is a serial killer out there and he was getting letters from the killer. But Kir comes back and realizes that his dad was right. And Kir also meets Dr Lynne, a vet, and a romance blossoms.

Alexandra Ivy always writes great characters. I would want to be friends with Kir and Lynne. And I would certainly want them on my side if my death seemed suspicious. And their romance that comes from their time together is expected and wonderful.

I am happy to see Ivy with a new series. I never miss her books and can’t wait to meet more of the people from Pike.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

4 Hearts

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Kimberly reviews Silent Ridge by Gregg Olsen

TITLE: Silent Ridge (original title: Dark Falls)
SERIES #: Detective Megan Carpenter #3
CHARACTERS: Megan & Ronnie
AUTHOR: Gregg Olsen
PUBLICATION DATE: 12/04/20
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
They say your past can come back to haunt you. For Detective Megan Carpenter, her past might just come back to kill her.

Detective Megan Carpenter is no stranger to horrifying crime scenes, but when she arrives at the home of a woman whose body has been brutalized, Megan is shocked to discover that she knows the victim. Monique Delmont helped Megan when she was in danger years ago. And the killer has left a disturbing calling card… two laminated photographs of a sixteen-year-old high school girl – Megan.

Someone is taunting her in the worst way possible and Megan is convinced she knows who is responsible. She just has to find him.

With the help of her new partner, Deputy Ronnie Marsh, Megan begins to unravel the clues that will lead them to the killer including links to three female murder cases from nearly twenty years ago – one of which was Monique’s daughter.

But to protect those closest to her, Megan must continue to hide the dark truth of her past, even if that means lying to her team about her connection to Monique.

When two photographs of a teenage Megan are found at her boyfriend’s place in Snow Creek, she knows the killer is circling and ready to strike again.

Can she get to him before he finds her? And will she pay the ultimate price for trying to keep her terrifying past buried?

An addictive edge-of-your-seat crime thriller from the Number One, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today and Amazon Chart bestselling author.

REVIEW:
When I requested this book from NetGalley it was titled Dark Falls but now it has been changed to Silent Ridge. Not sure of the reason for the change but I wanted to get that out of the way for those confused by the name change.

This is the third in the series and while I somehow missed book #2 having read the first in the series, Snow Creek, it was helpful to know the character already. I am not sure someone just coming into this series will appreciate the character as someone who has read one or both of the previous books.

I don’t know how I feel about this book. I mean I really like the writings of Olsen but I am already a little tired of Megan. I am not sure why everyone she encounters as a detective she has known before. And I am not sure I appreciate all the baggage she comes with. That being said she is a strong character who prevails above her past.

Will give the series more time to develop. And I hope we see a few more sides of Megan.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

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Kimberly reviews Deadly Games by Steve Frech

TITLE: Deadly Games
CHARACTERS: Clay & Genevieve
AUTHOR: Steve Frech
PUBLICATION DATE: 12/04/20
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
I know everything about you.
I know your name, your birthday, your kids’ names, where you live, where you work. I know when you get that big promotion, or when you argue with your spouse.
You tell me all this because I’m your bartender.
But someone knows everything about me too. Someone knows all my secrets and they’re using them against me. They’re setting me up.
The police think I murdered Emily Parker. To prove my innocence I need to find the real killer.
I need to beat him at his own game.

REVIEW:
3.5 Hearts This is one of those books that I just do not know how to rate. I liked it and yet I didn’t.

I really liked the characters. I found them very detailed and seemed as though if they were real I might go to the bar and meet up with them. I liked Clay and Genevieve a lot.

BUT… I really wasn’t overly impressed with the story. I found the story to be a bit draggy in some parts and quite a bit obvious. I had the murderer pretty much narrowed down to two and then once I decided “who-dun-it” I was right. And honestly I prefer to be surprised.

Maybe if I didn’t read as much as I do I would have enjoyed it more but it just seemed all too familiar of a story.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

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Kimberly reviews Haunting in Old Tailem by Janice Tremayne

TITLE: Haunting In Old Tailem
SERIES #: Haunting Clarisse #3
CHARACTERS: Clarisse
AUTHOR: Janice Tremayne
PUBLICATION DATE: 12/01/20
ORDER LINKS: Amazon

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
An Australian Ghost town. A resident demon and a local Shaman. A confrontation with evil awaits.

Clarisse realizes that running from evil is not a bad idea until you figure out you can’t hide. When some ghosts get tired of hanging around, they latch onto you. At the centre of the war on evil is a historic Church that carries dark secrets within its walls. After she meets with the local Shaman, Clarisse discovers secrets with evil consequences by digging too deep into the town’s past. When matters become complicated, she visits a circus of young performers on the outskirts of town triggering unexpected paranormal events and unleashing memories of a one-hundred-year curse. After being caught in the crossfire of a battle for evil supremacy, Clarisse confronts Little Charlie as he rallies the town’s ghosts into an impeccable evil stronghold.

Can the local Shaman and townsfolk rally in her quest to defeat the evil incarnate or will the town succumb to Little Charlie and his evil crew?

Haunting in Old Tailem is the third book of the Haunting Clarisse Series. If you like spine-tingling, chilling, creepy and spooky supernatural thrillers, then you will love this story by 2020 USA Readers’ Favorite International Book Awards Finalist in Supernatural Fiction, Janice Tremayne.

Pick up your copy today and follow Clarisse through her battles with evil!

★ This book can be read as a stand-alone

REVIEW:
First the synopsis says that this can be read as a stand alone. But I think having not read the first two I missed out on something. I feel I didn’t have a good feel for the characters even after getting to know them in this book.

Clarisse is a clairvoyant who goes to Australia to work with Henry but a spooky church in the town becomes more of the focus than the work Henry needs to do. Soon it becomes clear that this is not just ghost haunting but way more. Like Satan and his henchmen attracting legions to do is bidding. Including children who visit the town.

I was really looking for a ghost story but got more of a horror flick. Seems that the read is either dull or action packed. There is no in between. I have to say that once I was reading it I was fine with continuing but I was not jumping up to grab the book after having set it down.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

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Kimberly reviews He Will Get You by Charlie Gallagher

TITLE: He Will Get You
SERIES #: Maddie Ives #5
CHARACTERS: Maddie Ives
AUTHOR: Charlie Gallagher
PUBLICATION DATE: 04/10/20
ORDER LINKS: Amazon

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
A KILLER WHO LOVES TO WATCH THE RESULTS OF THE HAVOC HE WREAKS
DETECTIVE MADDIE IVES FACES HER WORST NIGHTMARE.
Lance Askew is a career serial killer. He lives for it.
THE FIRST VICTIM
Alice Oxley runs her own café. An older man has become a regular over the last month. He likes to people watch. He doesn’t say much.
When he does speak. It comes from nowhere, he waits until she is very close: ”Your son is dead. I killed him.”
Her boyfriend is dead too. He says he left them under the photo on the stairs, the one where they’re all smiling together.
He drinks in her reaction then breaks the spell: “Go!” he rasps.
She runs home to see what he has done.
THE SECOND VICTIM
Michelle Rice pushes open her garden gate. It makes a squealing sound – it always has. It is how Lance Askew knows she’s home. He can barely contain himself. He is waiting for her.
Soon she will see what he has done.
A THIRD VICTIM IS IDENTIFIED.
Another family are about to have their lives ruined.
Maddie Ives and Harry Blaker are the detectives who must stop this killer. And he is far from finished.
ONE OF THEIR OWN IS THE NEXT TARGET

REVIEW:
3.5 Hearts This is the 5th in the series but I have not read any so I could tell that I was missing something in the background of the characters but that did not take away from the suspense. But it did take a way a bit from the characters.

This story is a bit different. We actually know “who-dun-it” but we are not exactly sure the motive. And Lance Askew is a sick man. He likes to watch the mayhem he causes. He wants to see the devastated family. He wants the cops to keep looking for him while he enjoys his game. He was almost cringe-worthy.

I had a bit of a hard time with the murders. I like a good suspense book but have never been into the gore, I guess you could say and this book really kind of has that. There is so much detail I sometimes skipped over the details of the murder. The psychological side was a bit unnerving but intense which left me wanting to know why.

I think you need to be into the genre to enjoy it.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

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Kimberly reviews Daylight by David Baldacci

TITLE: Daylight
SERIES #: Atlee Pine #3
CHARACTERS: Atlee Pine
AUTHOR: David Baldacci
PUBLICATION DATE: 11/17/20
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
FBI Agent Atlee Pine’s search for her sister Mercy clashes with military investigator John Puller’s high-stakes case, leading them both deep into a global conspiracy — from which neither of them will escape unscathed.

For many long years, Atlee Pine was tormented by uncertainty after her twin sister, Mercy, was abducted at the age of six and never seen again. Now, just as Atlee is pressured to end her investigation into Mercy’s disappearance, she finally gets her most promising breakthrough yet: the identity of her sister’s kidnapper, Ito Vincenzo.

With time running out, Atlee and her assistant Carol Blum race to Vincenzo’s last known location in Trenton, New Jersey — and unknowingly stumble straight into John Puller’s case, blowing his arrest during a drug ring investigation involving a military installation.

Stunningly, Pine and Puller’s joint investigation uncovers a connection between Vincenzo’s family and a breathtaking scheme that strikes at the very heart of global democracy. Peeling back the layers of deceit, lies and cover-ups, Atlee finally discovers the truth about what happened to Mercy. And that truth will shock Pine to her very core.

REVIEW:
4.25 Hearts I love the writing style of Baldacci.

For years Atlee has wondered what happened to her sister, Mercy and finally she is going to get some answers. But finding answers also has her finding herself causing a problem in the arrest of a wanted man. And now she has to right the wrong she caused. Leading to a global search.

Any fan of suspense/crime thriller will LOVE this book. There is so much going on and it is non-stop. This could easily be turned into a movie with all the ins and outs that happen.

Baldacci has a way of writing that pulls you in and leaves you wanting more. At time I was on the edge of my seat wanting to know what was going to happen.

Great book.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

4 Hearts

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Kimberly reviews Nothing Good Happens After Midnight by 12 different authors

TITLE: Nothing Good Happens After Midnight
SERIES #: A Suspense Magazine Anthology
CHARACTERS: Various
AUTHOR: Jeffery Deaver, Linwood Barclay, Rhys Bowen, Heather Graham, Alan Jacobson, Paul Kemprecos, Jon Land, John Lescroart, Kevin O’Brien, Hank Phillippi Ryan, Joseph Badal, D. P. Lyle
PUBLICATION DATE: 11/17/20
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
The sun sets. The moon takes its place, illuminating the most evil corners of the planet. What twisted fear dwells in that blackness? What legends attach to those of sound mind and make them go crazy in the bright light of day? Only Suspense Magazine knows…

Teaming up with New York Times bestselling author Jeffery Deaver, Suspense Magazine offers up a nail-biting anthology titled: “Nothing Good Happens After Midnight.” This thrilling collection consists of thirteen original short stories representing the genres of suspense/thriller, mystery, sci-fi/fantasy, and more.

Readers’ favorites come together to explore the mystery of midnight. The ‘best of the best’ presenting these memorable tales, include: Joseph Badal, Linwood Barclay, Rhys Bowen, Jeffery Deaver, Heather Graham, Alan Jacobson, Paul Kemprecos, Shannon Kirk, Jon Land, John Lescroart, D. P. Lyle, Kevin O’Brien, and Hank Phillippi Ryan.

Take their hands…walk into their worlds…but be prepared to leave the light on when you’re through. After all, this incredible gathering of authors, who will delight fans of all genres, not only utilized their award-winning imaginations to answer that age-old question of why “Nothing Good Happens After Midnight”—they also made sure to pen stories that will leave you…speechless.

REVIEW:
12 authors all with one rule… Write about “late night” or “midnight”… that is what Jeffrey Deaver put to 11 other authors and, of course, himself.

Some authors are my go-to authors already (Deaver, Graham) and some I do not recall I have ever read before so this was a great mix of authors to enjoy the ones I knew and find new-to-me authors.

Because these are short stories (what Deaver calls magazine stories) there was just not enough time to get to know each character from each story. There were a number of stories I wish had been a full length novel and some I was happy with just the way they are.

A great collaboration of authors and a lot of great quick reads to have on hand.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

4 Hearts

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Kimberly reviews Cry For Mercy by Karen Long

TITLE: Cry For Mercy
SERIES #: DI Eleanor Raven #1
CHARACTERS: Eleanor Raven
AUTHOR: Karen Long
PUBLICATION DATE: 11/16/20
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Eleanor closed her eyes tightly against the image in front of her. Another innocent life taken, another family left grieving.

Detective Inspector Eleanor Raven arrives at the derelict power station briefed on the murder scene inside. A beautiful young woman has been found, her body posed and a cherry-red lipstick painted across her mouth. But when she catches sight of the engagement ring crusted with blood on her delicate finger, Eleanor pushes back on the grief it provokes. Lydia Greystein had so much to live for. The only way Eleanor can help now is to find the killer responsible, and she and her team immediately set to work.

And when another woman is found, bound in the same ritualistic stance and wearing the same bright red lipstick, Eleanor’s case becomes more twisted and urgent than ever. But struggling to unpick the killer’s motivations, the team is at a loss until Eleanor finds a link between the victims and a cold case, an unsolved death with a connection to her own personal life. To follow the clues now risks bringing her secrets into the open.

But as Eleanor begins to understand the killer, he starts to understand her too.

Eleanor must solve this case before more women are taken. Could the secrets she keeps from those closest to her be the final clue in this case… or will they ultimately cost Eleanor her life?

A fast-paced, tense and completely gripping mystery thriller that will keep you hooked until the final page. Karen Long will be the newest favourite crime author for fans of Lisa Regan, Angela Marsons and Robert Dugoni.

Cry for Mercy was previously published as The Safe Word.

REVIEW:
I am on the fence with this one. I enjoyed the story but wasn’t thrilled with the writing. I found the suspense part a worthy read. I wanted to know what was going on and wanted the conclusion.

However, the writing was lacking. I never liked any of the characters. I mean some of them I down right disliked. The chapters were a bit confusing with all the jumping around. And I would suggest a different proofreader.

But again I liked the suspense part of it. A few times I changed my mind about the “who-dun-it” and was surprised when I found out who the killer was. Which is always good that the author can catch me off guard.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

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Kimberly reviews Whispering Hearts by V.C. Andrews

TITLE: Whispering Hearts
SERIES #: House Of Secrets #3
CHARACTERS: Emma Corey
AUTHOR: V.C. Andrews
PUBLICATION DATE: 11/10/20
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
A desperate young woman’s bargain with a wealthy couple is not what it seems. From the #1 New York Times bestselling author and literary phenomenon V.C. Andrews—whose books are now major Lifetime TV movies (Flowers in the Attic, Heaven, Ruby)—comes a gothic tale of big city dreams gone wrong.

The English countryside is beautiful, but for Emma Corey it cannot compare with the bright lights of New York City. Tired of performing only in pubs and at church, she announces she’s moving to America—and her conservative father disowns her on the spot.

Distraught but undeterred, Emma will become a Broadway star—or die trying. Leaving the comforts of her youth is a thrilling adventure. The largeness of the city, her new friends, the boundless opportunities make everything shine with promise. However, New York has a way of chipping away at a newcomer’s resolve. First a robbery. Then a low-wage job. Then the realization that such a city attracts the young and the talented—competitors all.

Just when it seems like Emma might have to admit defeat and return to the UK, she is introduced to a peculiar couple: a wife that cannot bear children of her own, and a husband who would pay Emma to solve that problem.

Emma’s father once told her, “Money is life.” But when Emma trades one for the other and moves into the couple’s remote estate to participate in an elaborate ruse, there’s no telling what kind of life she’ll have once she’s taken the money.

REVIEW:
2.75 Heart I really need to stop reading “V.C. Andrews” books. When she passed away we lost the real author and no one can duplicate her so why I continue to try I have no idea.

This is the third in the series and to be honest I did not read the first two and felt like I stepped into the middle of a story even though I think they are supposed to be a stand alone they are not (in my opinion). The story was well sorry to say it was boring for more than a third to half of the book. I never connected with the characters at all.

I guess I could say this is my error for even requesting it knowing that the great V.C. Andrews is not who is writing these stories.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.