Liar, Liar

A faithful dog lies wounded beside the mutilated body of its owner.

A woman is discovered bound and gagged, dead in her own bed.

Both are police officers.

Both have a red rose at their side... worryingly more will follow...
Lies and accusations abound but who is behind the murders and why are the victims being targeted?

Charlie, Hunter and the team must find the killer targeting their own before another body is found.

*May Contain Spoilers*

Liar, Liar by Sarah Flint is the third novel in the DC Charlotte Stafford series. In this installment, set in London, Charlie and her team of detectives are up against a killer who is targeting police officers and killing them in overly gruesome ways. Up against the clock, Charlie must figure out not only who is committing these murders, but why they're doing it, in order to save her team. 

Though I haven't read the first two books in this series, I liked Charlie's character and felt that the details Flint shares make it easy to form a connection with her. Charlie is a hopeful character with a creative mind and a caring heart. She assigns importance to the people in her life and tries to ensure she's always there for them, even when it's a struggle for her to do so. She's an intelligent detective who wants to uncover the big picture before calling it a success and she's someone who doesn't give up easily in the face of a little backlash. I think readers will connect with Charlie through both her persistence and drive as well as her questioning mind and will respect Charlie for her work ethic and thorough personality. 

The plot of this novel follows both the killer (though unknown to the reader) and Charlie's team as they discover a serial murderer who is targeting officers. The reason why the officers are being targeted was a very interesting aspect of the book to me - they all had complaints from the public that were being investigated. I think this adds a little controversy and true life circumstance to this fictional crime thriller, which makes the book a bit more engaging. Though there were slow periods in between the investigative sections due to in-depth detail and procedural explanation, I really enjoyed reading this book. I would definitely recommend it to readers who enjoy crime thrillers, mysteries, and a race against the clock. However, I do have to admit that I was a little disappointed by the killer as it was a bit easy to guess once I hit the halfway point of the book. I like being stumped on a mystery and this one didn't get me. Maybe I'm watching too many crime dramas and reading too many thrillers... Regardless, I would definitely continue to the series. Or go back and start it for that matter. 

Rating: 3/5 Cups

Career of Evil (Cormoran Strike #3)

When a mysterious package is delivered to Robin Ellacott, she is horrified to discover that it contains a woman’s severed leg.

Her boss, private detective Cormoran Strike, is less surprised but no less alarmed. There are four people from his past who he thinks could be responsible – and Strike knows that any one of them is capable of sustained and unspeakable brutality.

With the police focusing on the one suspect Strike is increasingly sure is not the perpetrator, he and Robin take matters into their own hands, and delve into the dark and twisted worlds of the other three men. But as more horrendous acts occur, time is running out for the two of them…

Career of Evil is the third in the series featuring private detective Cormoran Strike and his assistant Robin Ellacott. A mystery and also a story of a man and a woman at a crossroads in their personal and professional lives.

*May Contain Spoilers*

I just love reading detective novels and Robert Galbraith exceeds every expectation with his book, Career of Evil, the third in the Cormoran Stike series. This installment revolves around Cormoran's past as someone is determined to see Strike taken down from his role as premiere detective. 

Though readers already know Strike and Robin pretty well, I'd say Galbraith takes it a step further in this book as we learn more about both of these main characters through their pasts. Readers learn more about Strike through the three suspects he reveals could have sent the leg and, thus, is committing the murders. Strike's mother and step-father are discussed in detail as Strike's hatred for Mr. Whittaker is bluntly demonstrated. This hatred stems from the way Whittaker treated Strike's mother and how Strike blames him for his mother's death. Both Donald Liang and Noel Brockbank are horrible men from Strike's past who both blame Strike for the way their lives turned out. Even though Noel is a child molester and Liang is severely unhinged as well as violent, Strike knows they blame him for their reputations and jail time. From these three men, Strike's past and mental state are further opened for the reader. However, I think readers will make a deeper connection with Robin in this book as something heartbreaking from her past is revealed. 

Robin's interest in detective work has never made sense to her fiance Matthew or her family. Yet, with this book, Robin's experience with sexual assault is revealed and therefore, readers will come to better understand her interest not only in detective work but in self-defense and sleuthing in general. This book also revolves around the fear of Robin being hurt as the initial severed leg is sent to Robin and not to Strike. With glimpses into the life of the killer, readers learn that his whole plan revolves around murdering Robin and disgracing Strike completely with the added hope that Strike is arrested for the murderer's crimes. This important aspect gives the entire book an air of trepidation as readers fear for Robin's every step as the killer stalks her. 

Overall, of course, the plot is engaging, intriguing, and, at times, downright disturbing. Galbraith leaves no gritty detail unwritten and the images are a bit extreme. This book kept me reading past my bedtime many nights and even inspired me to not start a new series on Netflix. If that doesn't say it's good, I don't know what will. I would highly recommend this to readers who like detective novels, the previous books in the series, or want to give a really well-written mystery a go. I'll also add that even though there were only three suspects, I did not figure out which one it was before it was revealed. Galbraith really keeps readers on their toes. 

Rating: 4.5/5 Cups

Note: Robert Galbraith is the penname for JK Rowling

A Life Removed

Detectives Bruce Marklin and Jocelyn Beaudette have put plenty of criminals behind bars. But a new terror is stalking their city. The killer’s violent crimes are ritualistic but seemingly indiscriminate. As the death toll rises, the detectives must track a murderer without motive. The next kill could be anyone… maybe even one of their own.

Officer Aaron Pimental sees no hope for himself or humanity. His girlfriend is pulling away, and his best friend has found religion. When Aaron is thrust into the heart of the investigation, he must choose who he will become, the hero or the villain.

If Aaron doesn’t decide soon, the choice will be made for him.

*Contains Spoilers*

Jason Parent takes a semi-used plot and twists it to new extremes in his novel, A Life Removed. When multiple murders are discovered in a small Massachusetts town, with the victims' hearts missing, the police force is pushed in an uncomfortable direction, one that uses the facade of religion to twist innocent people into murderers. 

Though Aaron isn't the leading detective in this crime thriller, he is the main character of the novel. Aaron is a mentally unstable police officer with a heart chilling secret. He suffers from depression and has tried to commit suicide twice, yet he goes on living, unhappy and unfulfilled. Though there's something distressing in his personality, readers will empathize with him as he struggles to find meaning and to enjoy his life. This creates a connection between readers and Aaron, as readers begin to understand Aaron's internal emotional turmoil. However, after Parent brings readers into Aaron's corner, he sets Aaron up in a tricky situation, one that could turn a man into a monster.

The story begins with Aaron as the first detective on the scene when a murder victim is discovered. The body count quickly rises and it's soon apparent that a serial killer is on the loose. It's revealed that the killer is using religious texts to justify his work just before it becomes obvious that this is not a one man operation. A Life Removed straddles the fence on various topics, utilizing religion and charismatic power to drive innocent people to play redeemer. Though none of the characters are very likeable or easy to relate to. As previously mentioned, Aaron has a dark secret which immediately pushed me away from his character, though I did root for him to resist the temptation so readily laid out for him. The two detectives, Bruce and Jocelyn, make a good team but Bruce is too desensitized to seem like a good person. However, Jocelyn is probably the character who offers the most in way of connection as a mother, an intelligent investigator, and the semblance of a balanced life and an honorable moral compass. 

Probably the most disturbing thing about this book was the true motive of the killers. This leads into the realm of spoilers, so feel free to skip this paragraph. The killers were murdering their victims in order to save their souls. However, after the removal of their hearts, the group would then eat bits of the raw muscle. This was supposed to allow them to take a part of their victim's soul into their own. This is disturbing by itself, but it's even more so because the killers were getting stronger after doing so. These details give the murders an even more eerie aspect as a medical aspect is added to the plot.

Though this novel was highly entertaining as a crime thriller, I don't know if it would be a good fit for everyone who enjoys the genre. There are some iffy ethics and religious motivations that I could see offending some people. I've read books before that involved murder in the name of religion and it's always a really tricky plot to pull off successfully. Though I think Parent does a good job in remaining neutral as the author, there are obvious marks against his characters that make them easy to dislike. There were also numerous uncomfortable situations with grisly detail, which is pretty common in the crime genre, but I still think deserves mentioning for future readers. Overall, this novel was a consuming crime thriller that bordered on the uncomfortable just enough to engage and entertain without stepping over any lines. I think I'd recommend it for most readers who enjoy the genre, but certainly not all. 

Rating: 3/5 Cups

Weave a Murderous Web

No good deed goes unpunished. When Jane Larson—a hot-shot litigator for a large firm in New York City—helps out a friend, she is sucked into the unfamiliar world of divorce and child support.

Jane's discovery of the deadbeat dad’s hidden assets soon unravels a web of lies, drugs, and murder that keeps getting more dangerous.

Soon, Jane is involved in a high stakes race to recover a missing suitcase of cash and catch the murderer before she becomes the next victim.

*May Contain Spoilers*

Murder victims, a long list of suspects, enough motives to go around... Welcome to the delicate legal world of NYC. Anne Rothman-Hicks and Ken Hicks share the next case of Jane Larson in their fast-paced thriller, Weave a Murderous Web. 

Jane Larson is a hard-hitting lawyer who does not back down. She's persistent, intelligent, and knows which questions to ask. Readers will enjoy her ability to stand up for herself and remain relatively calm in the face of danger. Her kind heart is revealed when she takes a case, basically pro-bono, to help out the daughter of Gail (a woman who only cares about herself) and Larry (a drug dealing lawyer who had his license revoked) at the request of her friend, Francine. Jane's only motivation is to make sure that Courtney gets the money she needs to live, after her father is murdered. I think readers will relate to Jane's passion to help, like her tough personality (a required trait in NYC law firms), and understand why she can't let this case go, even if it puts her life in danger. 

The plot of the novel revolves around the divorce case of Gail and Larry. Though Larry claims that he is completely broke, Gail believes that he's hiding money and she's prepared to do whatever it takes to stake her claim to that money. This is where Jane Larson comes in, but the case is not that simple. Especially when Larry is murdered. Jane is forced into a race to find the money, and a little digging connects a lot of people to Larry's side-job as a drug dealer. This creates a chaotic web of suspects and motives that will give readers a little mystery to solve along with Jane. The most entertaining part of the book is that any of the suspects could have done this and it creates a feeling that Jane cannot trust anyone. This brings readers closer to Jane as she slowly focuses in on the villain. It's always intriguing and entertaining to try to discover the murderer before the main character, and the authors give readers a few clues that could help them. And of course, the pressure built into the story makes the book even more thrilling because readers will undoubtedly want Jane to make it out alive. I would highly recommend this book for those readers of mystery and crime thrillers. 

Rating: 4/5 Cups

Hopatcong Vision Quest

Two drownings occur in Lake Hopatcong within days of each other, with similar circumstances. Diane is certain the deaths of her mother and of Ryan's wife were not accidents, despite the results of the official investigation. What she doesn't suspect is that the trail to the justice she seeks runs through a past life she and her friends shared hundreds of years earlier. With the help of a hypnotist, Diane, Ryan, and Martha look into their hidden memories. They learn that they lived in a Native American village on the shores of the waters that later became the lake they love.

Oota Dabun, Diane's counterpart in her past life, always dreamed of having a vision quest, a rite normally reserved for the young men of her village. This Lenape woman reaches for her dream in an unusual and compassionate fashion which teaches Diane a great deal about the capacity of the soul they share. Diane discovers relationships as well as repeating events, both of which provide clues that might lead to the justice she's after. Along the way she learns about life, love and the strength of the human soul.

*May Contain Spoilers*

Steve Lindahl unites the past and present in his novel, Hopatcong Vision Quest, through a handful of souls that pass through life, and time, together. Through reincarnation, the same souls find themselves together again in a new life, but the questions they have will only be answered by looking back. 

Ryan, Diane, Martha, and Maya are the main characters of the present tense section of the novel. Ryan's wife and Diane's mother both died within two days of each other. Though the police ruled the drownings an accident, Diane doesn't agree with that conclusion. Diane is a woman in her late twenties/early thirties who enjoys sailing and being around the lake near her home. Readers will connect with her through her tragedy, as this gets the story moving, but also through her investigative attitude and openness to new things and information. 

Ryan is a caring man who fears for his daughter, Maya, after his wife's death. He's also open minded, curious, intelligent, and strategic. Though he doesn't think his wife was murdered at first, he begins to see Diane's argument and arranges for them to be helped by a regression expert/hypnotist. I think readers will really enjoy Ryan's treatment and understanding of his daughter. Through that relationship, and his new one with Diane, readers will see his protective nature, which seems to be the core of his being. 

Martha was Diane's mother's best friend in life and has become Diane's closest friend after Lori's death. Martha is a woman proud of her Native American heritage and connects everyone together. She's a bit more cautious, but still open minded and outdoorsy. Maya is the daughter of Ryan and his late wife, and she's a key piece to the puzzle that the others find themselves in. Maya is a curious young girl with an interest in nature. Readers will connect with her through sympathy, empathy, and worry about her, just as Ryan does, as the story unfolds. 

The most interesting part of this book is the fact that each of these people, and others in the novel, have a previous life as one of the Lenape Native Americans. With the help of Glen, the hypnotist, each of the main characters travels back into the lives of their previous selves, learning, exploring, and discovering things that apply to the present situation. And though I was a bit nervous about this jumping back and forth through time at first, Lindahl does a great job in keeping everything situated and laid out in such a way that the reader has no trouble distinguishing who is experiencing the regression and how it involves each of the main characters. It's definitely a new way to solve a murder that was fresh, creative, and interesting! What I loved about it was that the past was just as intriguing as the present, with murder, trust issues, boundaries being crossed, and relationships forming. 

The novel as a whole revolves around the murder of Beth and Lori. When Diane enlists Ryan and Martha's help to find out the truth, this whole connective web begins forming between the past and the present. And as the past is known to repeat itself, the group of main characters search for clues in the past that can unravel the mystery in the present. It sounds complicated, and it is, but with Lindahl's writing style it's easy to understand and take in as a reader. I think readers who enjoy mystery novels and new ideas will like this book, though it does call for an open mind. 

Rating: 4/5 Cups

Girl on Point

Alexandra Campbell’s life comes to a crashing halt the night her younger sister is killed during a convenience store robbery. Shattered by guilt, Alex distances herself from her friends and family. Months later, with the police investigation stalled, she fears justice may never be served.

Determined to avenge her sister’s murder, Alex disguises herself and joins the gang responsible for the shooting. To identify the one who pulled the trigger, Alex must put her own life at risk in a world of dangerous criminals. But the longer she plays her new game, the more the lines blur between loyalty and betrayal.

*May Contain Spoilers*

This book was terrifying -in a real life, I can't believe this happens, kind of way. Cheryl Guerriero tackles a very intense topic with her novel, Girl on Point - gangs, murder, drugs, robbery. A topic, a world, that we all know exists, but a world that some of us don't experience everyday, or never experience at all. And that makes this book a terrifying representation of a real world problem, thrilling and frightening and heartbreaking. 

Alex is a teenage girl who loved basketball and planned on going to college. But when her sister is shot in a shady convenience store while their team is at an away basketball game, everything changes for Alex. She falls into a deep depression and dreams of escaping the pain of her grief. Yet, she can't let go because whoever killed her sister is still out there somewhere. Though it was difficult, I can totally understand how someone would refuse to let the death of their family member go. Especially when it's a gang related murder. I couldn't imagine anyone I know going to the extremes that Alex goes to in this book, but with her psyche so damaged and overshadowed by injustice and depression, I can't say I wouldn't believe that someone would do this. Alex is determined to find what the police missed so she decides to do anything she can to be a part of the gang who killed her sister with the hope that she'll uncover some actual evidence. 

After Alex becomes a part of this violent world, who she is and who she is pretending to be blend together, until her character is so blurry it's hard to see the real her. She starts participating in crimes in order to become closer to this gang of young girls. She starts doing drugs and drinking because they do -- and she wants to fit in with them. Alex wants them to trust her. She doesn't kill anyone, but she takes part (and sometimes the leading role) in these crimes. And then she realizes that she is a criminal. She has become one of them. Alex sacrifices everything to find out who killed her sister down a rabbit hole that, to me, could only end two ways. One possibility, Alex is killed by the gang she tries so hard to bring down. Or two, Alex is arrested right along with the girls, as she is no longer the innocent. This all adds up to an incredibly intense novel that is moving, heart-wrenching, down right scary, and confusing. The main question I couldn't stop asking myself was: can I blame her for trying this? The police had reached a seemingly dead end and instead of suicide, Alex chose to try to find her own answers. In a lose-lose situation, can we, as readers, see the justification of this behavior? I think so. And I think that's why anyone who reads this book will understand and connect with Alex. We may not like her choices or her actions, but we can see how the death of a sister and a police case that's quickly going cold could push someone to that edge. Which makes it all the more terrifying. 

Because of the drug use, the criminal activity, the cursing, and the violence in general, I can't recommend this book to everyone. It feels too real, which is a good thing with this topic. The author did an amazing job at capturing this part of the world, making it feel legitimate and believable. It provides a view of a part of the world that tends to be ignored, except for those who live in it. That gives this book power, evoking sadness, a sense of unfairness, and a hope that future generations find a solution to this kind of violence. 

Rating: 4/5 Cups

Big Little Lies

Big Little Lies follows three women, each at a crossroads:

Madeline is a force to be reckoned with. She’s funny and biting, passionate, she remembers everything and forgives no one. Her ex-husband and his yogi new wife have moved into her beloved beachside community, and their daughter is in the same kindergarten class as Madeline’s youngest (how is this possible?). And to top it all off, Madeline’s teenage daughter seems to be choosing Madeline’s ex-husband over her. (How. Is. This. Possible?).

Celeste is the kind of beautiful woman who makes the world stop and stare. While she may seem a bit flustered at times, who wouldn’t be, with those rambunctious twin boys? Now that the boys are starting school, Celeste and her husband look set to become the king and queen of the school parent body. But royalty often comes at a price, and Celeste is grappling with how much more she is willing to pay.

New to town, single mom Jane is so young that another mother mistakes her for the nanny. Jane is sad beyond her years and harbors secret doubts about her son. But why? While Madeline and Celeste soon take Jane under their wing, none of them realizes how the arrival of Jane and her inscrutable little boy will affect them all.

*Contains Spoilers*

Liane Moriarty defines the oxymoronic title of her novel, Big Little Lies, with the story of three women whose lives crash into each other, creating chaos that will underscore just how big little lies can be. 

The synopsis of this novel pretty much sums up the characters that play the larger roles in this novel, yet each of the three women have secrets that come spilling out, one drop at a time, connecting them to the reader. Though this book is about mothers of young children, there is such a larger dynamic force at work here that will surprise readers. As HBO has recently released the show that is based on this book, I already knew, roughly, what would happen in the novel. However, the book (per usual) goes into much more detail about the character's feelings by providing their point of view and even a little stream of consciousness writing. 

Madeline's character is much more likeable in the novel than in the show. I hate to make comparisons but it's true. Readers get a better in-depth look into what drives her. And, essentially, that is the fact that her ex-husband Nathan called it quits right after their daughter was born. That betrayal has scarred Madeline and she has vowed that she will never forgive him, even though she is remarried to a seemingly great husband, Ed, and has two more children. Readers will connect with Madeline, as they will with all of the characters, emotionally. Madeline is prompted into action by her emotions, whether they be anger or loyalty or love. 

Celeste and Jane are the main secret keepers of the cast of characters. Celeste has a life that seems perfect from the outside, but she's in love with a man (spoiler alert) that cannot control his anger. His abuse grows and evolves as the novel progresses, reaching a point where Celeste actually begins to believe he may kill her. Through Celeste, readers get an inside look at a relationship that is toxic and bruised by physical abuse. It's difficult to understand how someone would stay in an abusive relationship, but Moriarty does a fantastic job at relaying all the different facets of information that can go into making that decision. The answer to an abusive relationship isn't black or white. Like life, it's full of different hues of gray. As Celeste weighs her options and begins planning for a life without her abusive husband, readers will see how her mind works, the thoughts and feelings that push her to stay as well as the ones that make her want to escape. 

Jane has just moved to the area of Australia in which this story takes place with her son, Ziggy. She has a dark secret as well and that is that Ziggy is the result of a semi-violent one night stand. This experience has scarred her and she can't seem to move past it. However, as she finds new friendships with Celeste and Madeline, readers will see how Jane begins to heal. Readers will also see how much of an impact that this one night had on Jane's psyche as she struggles with an eating disorder and her self-esteem. 

As I said, readers will connect with these characters emotionally, but the main plot of the novel is set up as a frame. It is introduced early on that there was a death, a murder, at the school trivia night. As the novel progresses from six months before the incident, readers learn the ins and outs of the school and its hierarchy as well as witness the intricacies and selfish natures of the school parents. Through the revelation of secrets, the list of possible people who could have been murdered grows substantially to involve all of the main characters. And for those who have seen the show, the deceased is the same person, yet, the tumultuous situations that lead the characters to the balcony are more fully described and there is no cliffhanger ending of keeping the truth away from the police. Big Little Lies is truly a complicated network of cause and effect that culminates in a powerful statement about bullying, abuse, and violence in general. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys mystery with a large amount of drama and in-depth character analysis. 

Rating: 4.5/5 Cups

The Dog Walker (The Detective's Daughter #5)

Stella and Jack must reawaken the secrets of the past in order to solve the mysteries of the present.

January, 1987. In the depths of winter, only joggers and dog walkers brave the Thames towpath after dark. Helen Honeysett, a young newlywed, sets off for an evening run from her riverside cottage and disappears.

Twenty-nine years later, Helen's body has never been found. Her husband has asked Stella Darnell, a private detective, and her side-kick Jack Harmon, to find out what happened all those years ago. But when the five households on that desolate stretch of towpath refuse to give up their secrets, Stella and Jack find themselves hunting a killer whose trail has long gone cold.

*May Contain Spoilers*

The Dog Walker, by Lesley Thomson, is a detective novel that delves into the cold case of Mrs. Helen Honeysett, a young woman who disappeared thirty years ago on the Thames river towpath. Stella, the owner of Clean Slate, a cleaning company, is hired by the victim's husband, Adam Honeysett, to clear his name after all these years. With a community full of suspects, some living and some deceased, Stella and her partner Jack must turn over old stones, and open old wounds, to find out what happened on January 7, 1987. 

Stella Darnell seems to be a born detective. She's calm under pressure, doesn't mind pushing the wrong (or right) buttons, and is open minded enough to not cast blame prematurely. Her father, Terry, was also a detective and his instructions on how to ask questions or get suspects to open up guide her actions. Stella is a trusting woman, but she doesn't allow that to cloud her judgement. She seems to accept people exactly how they are, which allows her to see others from a unique, nearly outsider, perspective. Though Stella is one of the main characters, not a lot of the book's detail is about her. This might seem like it would be difficult to connect to her character, but Thomson's writing style makes up for this. The details that build Stella's character come out in her delicate actions and thorough thought process, as well as her spontaneous soirees led by intuition and interest. With her web of trusted allies, readers learn a lot about Stella from the background. There isn't just one main trait about Stella that brings readers to feel a connection with her, it's a combination of attributes that work to make her three-dimensional. For example, the fact that she owns a cleaning company says a lot about her personality. Stella likes when things make sense, when the dust is cleared away and the truth can be seen in the clutter that makes up a person's life. 

Though Jack's character offers readers a different sort of connection. Jack is Stella's partner in detective work and also works for her at Clean Slate, along with working on the London underground. Jack is a character connected to the supernatural. He believes in ghosts and True Hosts and gives off the sense that he's being haunted. Though he's truly only haunted by his own memories, or lack thereof. Jack likes to keep secrets and walk the streets during the midnight hours. If Stella were light and air, then Jack would be darkness and shadow. Jack balances Stella out, especially in their detective work. He has a sense about people, though it isn't always correct, that guides him to search for meaning in signs and discover the unseen. Readers will witness his wanderings and want to understand his haunting. His protective nature in regard to Stella will bring readers to his side while his emotional or sensed perceptions of the suspects will help lead them to the novel's conclusion. 

The Dog Walker revolves around the cold case file of Helen Honeysett. She disappeared on a winter night in 1987 while running, an act she did every night at precisely eight o'clock. Helen's character haunts the novel as her husband and the neighbors that live in the Thames cottages open the door to the past. Her husband, Adam, was the main suspect in the murder investigation until a neighbor's daughter told police that she saw her father follow Helen to the towpath that night. Though Helen's body was never found and no arrest was ever made. The details that the suspects share with Stella and Jack all add up to an un-obvious conclusion. Though I would love to say I had it all figured out, I was wrong in my suspicions, which makes the detective novel that much more fun. As readers join Stella and Jack on this cold case, they will undoubtedly be intrigued by the characters that make up the Thames Cottage community as well as the relationships that work between them. Let the title of this book be the first clue for this interesting and intriguing story of love, loss, judgement, and mystery. 

Rating: 4/5 Cups

In Between Dreams

Toby, was only a child when his father was murdered, not a day goes by where the image isn’t burned into his head. Toby, continuously has vivid dark dreams, he learns most of his dreams aren’t dreams at all, but visions of people being slaughtered.

Toby, has no choice, but to try and find the person behind these murderous dreams, and stop them from committing any more heinous murders, even if he finds out he's the killer himself.

*May Contain Spoilers*

In Between Dreams by Eugene Knight is a psychological crime thriller that connects a serial killer with a young man who is the son of his first victim. Toby often suffers from terrifying nightmares where he witnesses torture and murder. When his therapist, Dr. Louis, comes up with an unbelievable explanation, Toby wonders if the killer he sees in his dreams is real. When the victim toll rises drastically, Toby begins to understand that his dreams aren't dreams at all, but visions. 

Ten years after the murder of his father, Toby is a twenty-two year old young man who has a beautiful girlfriend and a mother that is still struggling to regain her life since her husband died. Toby is a caring son and dutiful boyfriend. He takes care of his mother while also offering help, in the form of odd jobs, to the surrounding community. He spends a lot of time with his best friend, Brian, acting like a teenager. Riding bicycles, dirt bikes, and digging through dumpsters to find valuable things that have been thrown away. Some of his actions are a bit on the childish side, but he also knows when to act like an adult. This isn't surprising for a character in his early twenties with no job, currently, and no real responsibilities. Though, Toby's character is really put to the test with this serial killer on the loose. Especially since he becomes the main suspect early on by being in the wrong place at the wrong time. The sense that heroism has been pushed onto a regular young man will connect readers to Toby, as they fear for his life and the life of his loved ones. 

The plot of this novel is fearfully exciting. It is definitely on the edge of the horror genre because a lot of the chapters have a gruesome details that set the tone of the book. The story line revolves around Toby and his visions of the murderer. He meets a Dr. Niles, who studies psychic connections between siblings, specifically in twins, and pushes Toby to wonder if he has a brother. If so, then Dr. Niles thinks that his brother is the one who is committing the murders. In a race against the killer, Toby must do all he can to find the truth. The pressure is added when the detective on the case happens to be the same one who had investigated his father's murder and did a shoddy job of it. The novel as a whole is very intriguing and has a good plot development. Though the version of the book that I read had quite a few errors in regard to word choice, spelling, and sentence structure, looking past that allows for the book to be an interesting read. The pace of the novel gets faster and faster as the killer's ultimate goal becomes glaringly obvious and it threatens to destroy Toby's life. I think readers who enjoy crime thrillers, psychological twists, and surprise endings will enjoy this book. Though a second edition with more editing would make it a bit stronger. 

Rating: 3/5 Cups

Engadine Aerie

Today is the release day of the new installment of the Hardy Durkin travel mystery series, Engadine Aerie! Enjoy this launch day review!

Synopsis:
Hardy Durkin heads to the pristine Engadine Valley in Switzerland with the Ski marathon in mind, but is detoured by a body in the snow and an exotic beauty. While assisting TIGRIS in the hunt for a terrorist arms buyer he narrowly escapes two attempts on his life and meets a new and very deadly nemesis in Engadine Aerie.

Review:
It seems trouble follows Hardy Durkin, or rather, he knows how to find it even when it's hiding in plain sight. In this installment of the travel mystery series, Hardy is helping a friend, Abby, on her first trip as a ski group leader. As Hardy has led many hiking treks around the world, Abby trusts Hardy to offer support while participating on the slopes. Though, there's quite a few members of the group using the trip as a means to their own ends. This is unbeknownst to Abby, but Hardy picks up on it pretty fast, considering he uncovers a dead body on their first outing.

Hardy is a persistent, curious, and cautious man who has dealt with uncovering crime in the past. Having read one of the previous installments of this series, I kind of knew what to expect from this book. Beautiful descriptions, well-rounded explanations and information, and of course, surprises around every corner. Even though the history gets a little dense, Bluette Matthey gives readers everything they need to know it order to understand the story line and enjoy the adventure. As Hardy seems to be a natural born leader, readers will follow his line of thinking and understand his motivations. Though Hardy's character really does seem to always find himself in heaps of trouble, it gives the book a fun though serious aura. Even though it seems unlikely that a trek leader would find himself in the middle of an arms deal, murder plot, and terrorist attack in the same vacation... I guess crazier things have happened.

Overall, Hardy is a likeable character. He's friendly, supportive, and intrigued by anything mysterious, which keeps the book a little bit spicy. There were a couple of disturbing parts of the book including the twins who take their relationship to an illegal level as well as the brother-sister villains who pretend to be each other. Even with these uncomfortable caveats, I did enjoy reading the book. I think I would have liked it more had the plot felt more connected. I could see the web that Matthey was creating and it works but something felt disjointed, perhaps even forced. I think there were too many factors and too many moving pieces to believe that Hardy could just stumble into the plot and figure it all out as easily as he did. Not that it's completely over, and not that I wouldn't read the next installment. The intrigue and adventure is there to pull the reader in, even when the lack of connection is causing issues. My favorite part about the book is the fact that Matthey actually visits all of these places in order to write more honestly about the location. I think that really shines through in this novel. The descriptions are very enjoyable and that helps build the setting that houses so much chaos around this ski trip.

Rating: 2.5/5 Cups

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What's Next, Wednesday (52)

•  To play along share a book you've been looking forward to reading, whether it's new or has been on your reading list for a while.

I'm looking forward to...

In Between Dreams by Eugene Knight. I'm a little nervous about reading a horror novel, but it sounds so psychologically interesting. The main character experiences dreams that turn out to be visions of murders. This leads him to try to find out who is committing the crimes and stop them. Right now, intrigue has won out over my nervous and slightly scared attitude. We'll have to wait and see how this one goes.