A Book A Week

Like clockwork, each summer Riley Sager releases a new standalone thriller. While he’s made his name with horror-tinged novels like Lock Every Door and Home Before Dark, he’s never been afraid to push into new territory. This year’s release, With a Vengeance, may be his boldest departure yet. Instead of haunted apartments or eerie estates, Sager gives us a classic locked-room mystery in the style of Agatha Christie, set in the 1950s, aboard a train hurtling down the tracks, where a murder leaves every passenger a suspect. It’s a familiar setup, but one I couldn’t wait to see Sager twist into something of his own.

Anna Matheson has been seeking justice for her family ever since six individuals destroyed their lives back in 1942. Justice, of course, is never easily won. For twelve years, Anna has been carefully plotting her revenge, and tonight her plan finally comes into motion. She’s lured those responsible onto a luxury train bound from Philadelphia to Chicago, an overnight journey with no escape. Once trapped together, she believes they’ll have no choice but to confess, and when the train pulls into the station, the authorities will be waiting.

But the best-laid plans rarely hold. A murder aboard the train threatens to derail everything. Someone else is on board, and they're pursuing their own brand of revenge. The first victim is only the beginning. Suddenly, Anna finds herself in an unthinkable position protecting the very people she despises, all while racing to unmask a killer. After all, she can’t have her vengeance if her enemies die before they confess.

With a Vengeance feels like the most straightforward mystery Riley Sager has ever written, and I’m not entirely sure how I feel about that. I’ve come to expect original plots from him, filled with wild twists and at least a touch of the spooky or supernatural. While there are some clever reveals here, much of the story feels a bit too familiar. I also never fully connected with Anna as a main character. With nearly everyone else on the train painted as awful people, it was tough to root for anyone.

Maybe I’m being too picky. I do admire that Sager refuses to repeat himself, and with that approach, it makes sense that I’ll enjoy some of his books more than others. Taken on its own, With a Vengeance is a respectful homage to a bygone era of mystery writing. It didn’t thrill me in the same way some of his other novels have, but it’s still a perfectly fine, classic-feeling whodunit.

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads. 

(2025, 71)

How long do you give a book to win you over? For me, it’s usually within the first 50 pages. I can tell pretty quickly if I’m going to connect with a story, and if not, I’d rather move on. There are too many great books waiting to be read to waste time on something that doesn’t click. When I picked up Jennifer Hillier’s The Butcher, though, I didn’t need 50 pages. A coworker had recommended it, warning that it was dark, twisted, and impossible to put down. By the end of the first chapter, I knew exactly what they meant. I was hooked, and I tore through the rest of the novel in a single breathless rush.

The Beacon Hill Butcher terrorized Seattle for years, abducting and murdering young women with his signature brutality. That reign of terror ended in 1985, when Rufus Wedge—the alleged Butcher—was gunned down by police officer Edward Shank. Overnight, Shank became a hometown hero, celebrated for his bravery and eventually rising to the role of police chief before retiring decades later.

But that was a lifetime ago. Now in his eighties, widowed and slowing down, Edward is ready for one last transition. He's moving into a retirement community and passing his longtime home to his grandson, Matt. Matt Shank has gained local fame as the chef behind a fleet of popular food trucks and a hot new restaurant. Raised by his grandparents, he’s eager to settle back into the house that shaped him. But when backyard renovations uncover a buried, locked crate, Matt pries it open and finds a secret so dark it threatens to unravel not just his family’s legacy, but his entire life.

Jennifer Hillier wastes no time dragging readers into the twisted world of The Butcher. The very first chapter ends with a staggering revelation that reshapes everything you think this story will be. From there, the tension comes from watching the other characters circle around a secret we already know and wondering how long it will take before it all comes bubbling up to the surface.

Hillier doesn’t pull punches when it comes to grotesque violence or the disturbing realities of sexual assault. But she balances the horror with sharp pacing, ratcheting up suspense through a steady stream of reveals and flashbacks. Even though I guessed the final twist long before it landed, I still enjoyed watching it play out. The Butcher is a grim, twisted, and highly original thriller that kept me hooked straight through to the last page.

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads. 

(2025, 70)

I’ve been a voracious reader of crime fiction for as long as I can remember. No other genre hooks me quite like the slow unraveling of a mystery, and I always find myself coming back to it after wandering into other types of books. That was the case with Joe R. Lansdale’s latest novel, Hatchet Girls. His publisher kindly sent me a copy of the fourteenth installment featuring his crime-solving duo Hap and Leonard. Though I hadn’t read any of the previous books in the series, I decided to dive in. Coming off a nonfiction read, I was eager for something that felt a bit more familiar.

Hap and Leonard have their hands full on the domestic front, happy to let their private investigation work sit on the back burner for a while. Hap and Brett are busy making their new home perfect, settling into cohabitation with all the mess and joy that comes with it. Meanwhile, Leonard is caught up in the whirlwind of wedding planning with his fiancée, Pookie. There’s a guest list to finalize and a venue to secure, but mostly Leonard is just thrilled at the thought of marrying the love of his life. Both men are content, happy even, but if history has taught them anything, it’s that peace never lasts long.

Sure enough, chaos comes calling, literally, in the form of a panicked young woman and a pig strung out on meth. Hap and Leonard rush in, only to discover the hog is the least of their problems. Their caller is tangled up with a crew of hatchet-wielding women, all sworn to a vengeful leader with big plans for blood-soaked retribution. What starts as a bizarre errand spirals into a helter-skelter showdown, forcing Hap and Leonard to set aside their home lives and square off against lunacy in its purest, most violent form.

The term hard-boiled gets tossed around a lot in crime fiction, but it feels tailor-made for Hatchet Girls. Joe R. Lansdale blends pulpy wit with bursts of violence to craft a story that’s both timeless and timely. Hap and Leonard are throwback detectives at heart—unafraid to bend the rules if that’s what it takes to set things right—and following them is pure fun. Even without any background in the series, I slipped easily into Lansdale’s world, rooting for his mismatched heroes while marveling at the sheer lunacy of their enemies. The result is a brisk, wildly entertaining read that scratched my itch for a true hard-boiled crime novel.

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads. 

(2025, 69)

On August 6, 1945, the American military dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, and the world was forever changed. It’s difficult to comprehend the full weight of this moment: more than 200,000 people lost their lives as a result of the blast. In Ghosts of Hiroshima, Charles Pellegrino revisits this devastation through the eyes of survivors, blending history, science, and deeply human testimony. The result is a sweeping yet intimate account that captures both the scale of destruction and the lasting human cost of this turning point in history.

Like many readers, I approached this book with the realization that I knew very little about Hiroshima. In school, it was taught as part of the larger World War II story, but little attention was given to the profound human aftermath. Pellegrino corrects that by grounding the narrative in individual stories, tracing the moments leading up to August 6, 1945, and the unimaginable consequences that followed. He draws on firsthand accounts, archival research, and his scientific expertise to create a narrative that feels immediate, visceral, and raw.

What struck me most was the way Pellegrino uses memory as the central thread. He reveals how trauma lingers across decades, shaping survivors’ lives and echoing through generations. The “ghosts” of Hiroshima are not only the lives lost that day, but also the radiation sickness, survivor’s guilt, fractured families, nationalism, and the moral reckoning with nuclear warfare that followed. There are no easy answers here, only the necessity of remembering, learning, and honoring the people who lived through the unimaginable.

Ghosts of Hiroshima is a powerful, haunting read that humanizes a moment in history often reduced to statistics and summary. Pellegrino balances his scientific background with rich storytelling, making the book as informative as it is moving. It’s no surprise that filmmaker James Cameron has announced plans to adapt it for the screen. Until then, Pellegrino’s work ensures these voices—and their ghosts—are not forgotten.

For more information, visit Amazon and Goodreads. 

(2025, 68)

Claire hasn’t exactly been avoiding home, but she hasn’t made any effort to return either. For years, work gave her an excuse, but now she’s jobless, nearly broke, and running out of reasons. The truth is harder to face. Her sister Natalie vanished twenty-two years ago, just days after her eighteenth birthday. A man was arrested, blood was found in a car, and the case was declared closed. But Claire’s family never really moved on.

When a call from her father brings news of her mother’s injury, Claire finally comes back. Yet the house is suffocating, heavy with memories she can’t bear. With nothing to keep her in the city and nowhere else to go, she takes a summer job at Galloway Farms, a muscadine vineyard on the South Carolina coast, the very place Natalie spent her last summer alive.

What begins as a way to escape soon turns darker. Hidden among the vineyard’s belongings, Claire discovers an old diary. At first, it reads like a story of youthful rebellion. But as its secrets unravel, Claire is drawn into something far more sinister. And she can’t shake the feeling that Natalie’s disappearance may be tied to it all.

I first encountered Stacy Willingham’s writing with her debut, A Flicker in the Dark, and I was immediately drawn to the way she weaves psychological suspense with deeply developed characters. Her prose breathed fresh life into the Southern gothic thriller genre, a strength she carried into her follow-up novels as well. So when her publishers offered me a copy of Forget Me Not, I had to resist the urge to abandon my towering TBR pile and dive right in.

Forget Me Not has everything I’ve come to expect from a Willingham novel: a protagonist haunted by past trauma, a mystery that unfolds with expert pacing, and plenty of twists designed to keep readers off balance until the final reveal. Willingham takes her time letting the story simmer, building atmosphere and dread with each new revelation. I experienced most of the book through the audiobook, and Karissa Vacker’s narration gave the story a grounded, realistic weight that pulled me in even further.

My only minor complaint lies with the diary sections, which were written in third person. I’m not sure why that choice was made, but it occasionally pulled me out of the otherwise immersive flow. Still, buoyed by the atmospheric Southern vineyard setting, a troubled yet compelling main character, and a mystery that ties everything together, Forget Me Not proves once again why Willingham is one of today’s most exciting voices in suspense fiction.

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads. 

(2025, 67)

Before succumbing to cancer in 2008, author Michael Crichton built a career on blending cutting-edge science with page-turning thrillers. It's a recipe that produced hit after hit. Many of his bestsellers, including Jurassic Park and its sequel The Lost World, went on to become blockbuster films. Crichton often grappled with the moral tension between scientific advancement and its potential cost to humanity, so it’s fitting that his work continues to spark conversation even after his death. The latest posthumous release comes in collaboration with James Patterson, the world’s bestselling author, who completed Crichton’s unfinished manuscript for Eruption. The result is a novel that feels true to both authors’ sensibilities.

It’s no secret that Hawaii’s islands are the remnants of volcanic eruptions. As director of the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, John “Mac” MacGregor has dedicated his life to studying and learning from volcanoes. So when he hears a deep rumbling and feels the beach tremble, he knows exactly what it means. The long-dormant volcano on Hawaii’s Big Island has roared back to life. And this time, its impact will be felt far beyond the shoreline.

Mac springs into action as rivers of fire race toward towns, threatening to wipe entire communities off the map. The eruption is unlike anything scientists have ever recorded. It's violent, unpredictable, and catastrophic, but that’s only the beginning. Beneath the island lies a deadly secret, buried for decades under the guise of national security. The molten earth threatens to expose it for all to see. Mac and his team find themselves caught in a desperate race against nature, politics, and human folly. The fate of humanity hangs in the balance.

Eruption is exactly what I’ve come to expect from a Michael Crichton and James Patterson novel. Their styles blend seamlessly—Crichton’s compelling scientific setup and speculative edge merging with Patterson’s breakneck pacing and punchy short chapters—to create a story that hooks from the very first page. Is it the best novel I’ve ever read? No. It plays out like an old-school action movie, and many of the beats feel familiar. But the formula works for a reason, and it works here. Eruption delivers classic action-thriller excitement, grounded just enough in science to make even its wildest moments believable. It’s fast, fun, and exactly the kind of escapist page-turner I look for in a summer read.

For more information, visit Crichton's website, Patterson's website, Amazon, and Goodreads.

(2025, 66)

Each year, an estimated 30,000 dogs in the U.S. are bitten by venomous snakes. Last month, my dog Murphy became one of them. We let him out before bed, as we always do, and he came back limping, unable to put weight on his back leg. Within minutes, his paw swelled, and two small puncture wounds made the cause unmistakable. It was a snake bite. Thankfully, we rushed him to the emergency vet, and he’s made a full recovery. Still, I’d be lying if I said the thought of snakes lurking in my backyard doesn’t unsettle me. Like many people, I grew up believing the best snake was a dead snake.

In his newest book Slither, Stephen S. Hall shows just how common—and deeply ingrained—those fears are. But he also challenges them, arguing that if we took the time to understand snakes, our fear might shift into a deeper understanding. 

As we look back through history, it’s no wonder snakes have been both reviled and revered. From the sacred deities of ancient Egypt to the cautionary tales of the Garden of Eden, serpents have slithered their way through mythology, art, and religion. Stephen S. Hall traces this complex relationship with precision, showing how the enigma of snakes—their beauty, danger, and mystery—has shaped human culture for millennia. But what makes Slither most compelling is the way Hall blends that rich history with cutting-edge science.

For better or worse, much of what we now know about snakes has only come to light in recent decades. For centuries, fear and superstition kept us from asking what we might learn from them. Hall highlights startling discoveries.  He shows how pythons, for instance, spend most of their lives in metabolic stillness, with their stomachs at a pH similar to that of water—only to completely rewire their biology after a massive meal. Their organs grow and regenerate at astonishing rates before shrinking back to normal, a process scientists believe could unlock clues about metabolism and tissue repair. And that’s only scratching the surface.

Slither is a sweeping, comprehensive study that weaves science and biology with mythology, artistic depictions, and cultural fascination. Hall captures the wonder of what we still don’t fully understand, from snakes’ mysterious mating habits to their resilience against biological swings that would kill most other animals. He also explores the long-term consequences of human interference, like the exploding population of non-native Burmese pythons in Florida. By the end, I found myself with a healthier respect for snakes. I’m still wary of them, but Hall convinced me of their vital place in our world and the importance of continuing to study them.

For more information, visit Amazon and Goodreads. 

(2025, 65)

The Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina are known as much for their beauty as for their mystery. No one knows this better than Annie Gore. She grew up in a small holler, where legend and tradition could dictate a way of life. She took the first chance she had to escape by joining the military right out of high school and working her way up to become an Air Force Special Investigator. But folks in those hills will tell you something always draws you back home. Now retired and working as a private investigator, Annie is about to be pulled back to the place she left behind.

Ten years ago, three little girls vanished from a tiny mountain town not so different from the one Annie grew up in. One returned. The others were never seen again. After a decade without answers, the brother of one of the missing girls hires Annie to find the truth. She knows it’s a long shot, but the money is good and her own need for answers runs deeper than she admits. As Annie digs into a case tangled in secrets, whispered folklore of witches and crows, and a community desperate to forget, she realizes the sins of the past aren’t buried at all. They’ve been waiting for her to come find them. 

In The Witch's Orchard, Archer Sullivan draws upon her own experience growing up in the mountains to craft a mystery steeped in the enigma of Appalachian folklore. Every page hums with a lived-in atmosphere that deepens the suspense. I was first drawn in by the central mystery of the missing girls, but I became even more captivated by the way the townspeople responded to it. Each person Annie encounters offers their own version of events, and each one seems increasingly tangled with a folktale turned horror story.

What’s real and what’s just local legend remains uncertain, and that ambiguity fuels much of the novel’s tension. Sullivan’s publisher kindly provided me with the audiobook version, and I found Emily Pike Stewart’s narration to perfectly capture the haunting, lyrical quality of Sullivan’s prose. This is top-notch mystery writing that blends compelling characters, a touch of folklore, and a chilling sense of place. All in all, The Witch’s Orchard is an atmospheric and absorbing read.

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads. 

(2025, 64)

It just isn’t summer reading without a twisty thriller that keeps you turning pages long past bedtime. While I’ve read my fair share of great ones this season, I’ve been especially eager for Lisa Jewell’s latest, Don’t Let Him In. Her last novel, None of This Is True, completely floored me, so my expectations were sky-high. Apparently, I wasn’t alone. When the book hit shelves in late June, I placed a library hold right away, only to learn the wait would be “several weeks. Patience isn’t exactly my strong suit, but this week my turn finally came.  I’m happy to report it was well worth the wait. Jewell once again proves she knows exactly how to lure you in and keep you there until the very last page.

The title Don’t Let Him In works as both a warning to the characters and to us, the readers. The “him” in question is a master manipulator. He's magnetic, charming, and deeply dangerous.

To Nina Swann, he’s Nick Radcliffe, an old friend of her late husband who reappears after her husband’s untimely death. Nick is polished, attentive, and always seems to know just what to say. In the fog of grief, Nina finds him to be a comforting presence, and their bond quickly deepens into something more.

To Martha, he’s Alistair, her devoted husband, father to their infant daughter, and the one encouraging her to chase her dream of opening a flower shop. But lately, Alistair has been disappearing for days at a time, always with a reasonable-sounding excuse. The more Martha presses for answers, the more her suspicions grow.

Who is this man really? That question threads through every page, tightening the tension until the truth can’t be ignored. The closer we get to the answer, the more we’ll find ourselves silently shouting the same desperate plea: Don’t let him in.

With Don't Let Him In, Lisa Jewell proves once again why she’s a master of the genre. She’s crafted a tale centered around a despicable man whose true nature is slow to reveal itself. Jewell alternates perspectives between various women, and at first, we’re unsure how they’re connected. Only when we realize the man in their lives is the same person does the dark truth begin to surface. And what a twisty, nefarious truth it is.

Jewell builds the suspense with affable characters we can root for, even as they inch toward the devastating realization we’ve already reached. It all comes together in a karmically satisfying finale that will have you holding your breath. I couldn’t stop reading, and I suspect you won’t be able to either. This is, without question, my favorite thriller of the year so far.

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads. 

(2025, 63)

Sarah Pekkanen has carved out quite the niche for herself, reliably releasing a new standalone popcorn thriller each August. I first discovered her writing through the twisty novels she co-authored with Greer Hendricks and have since enjoyed her solo efforts like Gone Tonight and House of Glass. So when her publisher offered me an early copy of her latest, The Locked Ward, I didn’t hesitate to dive in. Could it deliver the same high-stakes suspense I've come to expect from her?

Imagine going thirty years without knowing you had a twin. That’s the shocking reality Amanda (Mandy) faces when she discovers her biological sister was secretly adopted by another family shortly after birth. Even more shocking? Her twin is Georgia Cartwright, the adopted daughter of a wealthy southern family, now infamous for committing the so-called “Crime of the Decade." She's accused of murdering her adoptive sister, the Cartwrights’ only biological child. Georgia now sits catatonic in a locked psychiatric ward, awaiting trial.

Despite her doubts, Mandy visits the ward. She doesn't expect to get much from Georgia, but to her surprise, her sister manages to whisper a chilling plea, “I didn’t do it. You’ve got to get me out of here.” Mandy doesn’t trust her, but she also can’t abandon someone who shares her face to a place that feels more cursed than clinical. As she digs deeper, Mandy is left with more questions than answers. Is Georgia truly innocent, or is she drawing upon her sister's goodwill to lead her down a path of betrayal?

Every thriller requires a bit of suspension of disbelief. It comes with the territory, and the best authors make you forget the logic gaps and just enjoy the ride. Sarah Pekkanen is usually one of those authors for me. Unfortunately, that isn't the case with The Locked Ward. The setup is undeniably compelling. There's a long-lost twin, a murder accusation, and a psychiatric ward shrouded in mystery. I was hooked from the start. But as the story unfolded, it veered too far into implausibility. Georgia is supposedly locked away in a catatonic state, yet she somehow manages to communicate clearly with both her lawyers and Mandy. Even if she’s faking it (spoiler: she is), it’s hard to believe the entire facility would fall for the act. That disconnect pulled me out of the story more than once.

There are still moments of gripping tension, particularly in the scenes set within the ward, but the story spends far too little time there. Instead, it leans heavily on family drama and twisty reveals that don’t quite stick the landing. For the first time, I found myself underwhelmed by a Sarah Pekkanen novel. That said, her strong track record still has me looking forward to her next release. Just enter The Locked Ward with your expectations in check and a healthy willingness to suspend your disbelief.

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads. 

(2025, 62)

From the outside, Sarah and Adam appear to have a perfect marriage. She’s a high-powered attorney in D.C. with an unbroken winning streak. He’s a published novelist working on his next book from their quiet lake house. Together, they look like a golden couple. But appearances can be deceiving.

Behind closed doors, Adam is unraveling. He's grown resentful of Sarah’s meteoric rise and bitter over his own creative failures. While she racks up victories in court, he sinks deeper into self-pity and distraction… including an affair with Kelly Summers, the wife of an abusive cop. Just as Adam prepares to leave Sarah and start over with Kelly, everything falls apart. Kelly’s body is found at the lake house, where Adam last saw her, and he’s arrested for her murder.

Despite the betrayal, Sarah agrees to represent him in court. She took a vow after all. She knows Adam is a liar. She knows he’s a cheater. But is he capable of murder?

The Perfect Marriage by Jeneva Rose has been on my TBR list for years, and I finally picked it up thanks to it being my book club’s July selection. I can’t believe I waited this long! Rose delivers a fast-paced psychological thriller full of shifting perspectives, layered motivations, and a twist I truly didn’t see coming. Sure, some suspension of disbelief is required—par for the course in this genre—but I devoured it in one sitting and had a blast. Now I’m itching to dive into the sequel that dropped earlier this year. If you're looking for a thriller that's easy to binge and packed with surprises, this one absolutely delivers.

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads. 

(2025, 61)

We’re taught to fear what waits in the dark. We flip on porch lights, clutch our keys a little tighter in empty parking lots, and leave a lamp glowing when we go out, anything to suggest there’s life inside. Logically, we know the dark isn’t dangerous in itself. But try convincing your brain of that. It’s a fear born early. We plug in nightlights, teach kids to be wary of what hides in the shadows, and for every false alarm, there’s just enough truth to keep the fear alive.

It’s in that charged space between logic and imagination that Daphne Woolsoncroft sets the stage for Night Watcher. She conjures a killer who moves within those shadows, lurking just out of sight, ready to strike. The result is a chilling, pulse-pounding read that plays perfectly on our most primal fears.

Nola has never escaped the shadow of that night. As a child, she came face-to-face with one of the most infamous serial killers to ever haunt the Pacific Northwest. Her babysitter, Mia, was murdered downstairs, while Nola was inexplicably spared. The killer wore a white stitched mask, and that image burned into her memory. Dubbed The Hiding Man, he vanished into the darkness and was never caught. For years, Nola lived with the fear he might return.

Now an adult, Nola has made a name for herself as the host of Night Watch, a late-night call-in radio show that delves into unsolved mysteries and conspiracy theories. She tells herself she’s moved on, but the security cameras dotting her property suggest otherwise. The feeling of being watched has never quite left, and lately, it’s grown stronger. When a disturbing call comes in during a live show, from a woman whispering about an intruder in her home, Nola’s blood runs cold. The voice on the other end describes a man wearing a white stitched mask. After all these years, The Hiding Man is back. And this time, he's coming for her.

Night Watcher sees Daphne Woolsoncroft prey on our fear of darkness and the unknown in the best, most skin-crawling way possible. I was immediately creeped out by The Hiding Man, and Woolsoncroft expertly threads that fear through a tense, fast-paced narrative. Shifting perspectives offer a layered look at the hunt—or lack thereof, depending on the POV—for the killer. Inspired by the unsolved murder of her own aunt, Woolsoncroft channels real grief and paranoia into the novel, and it shows.

Even when the pacing slowed briefly, I was too hooked to care. Everything builds toward a pulse-pounding conclusion that left my heart racing more than any thriller I’ve read this year. Night Watcher is a winner. It's smart, scary, and downright impossible to put down.

For more information, visit Amazon and Goodreads. 

(2025, 60)

“What do you want to be when you grow up?” When I was four, I remember proudly answering that question with what I thought was a perfectly reasonable response: “I want to be a rodeo clown.” To me, there was no profession more noble. I had seen Texas legend Leon Coffee perform at my hometown rodeo and was in awe of how he always had a joke at the ready, right before throwing himself in front of raging bulls to protect fallen riders. It never occurred to me that this wasn’t an acceptable answer, and to my parents’ credit, they didn’t discourage the dream. As I grew, though, I came to understand the realities of being a clown, and my interests drifted elsewhere.

In her newest novel, Stop Me If You’ve Heard This One Before, Kristen Arnett introduces us to a woman who never outgrew that dream. She wants to be a clown, and her story is equal parts hilarious, raw, and compelling. 

Cherry is a clown, or at least, she’s trying to be. By day, she works a dead-end job at an aquarium supply store and hooks up with an older woman on the side (mommy issues, anyone?). But her real passion comes alive when she steps into character as Bunko, the rodeo clown with a fear of horses. The gigs aren’t glamorous (kids’ birthday parties, county fairs), but Cherry’s committed to the dream. She's chasing both a creative calling and the memory of her late brother, the one everyone remembered as the funniest person in the room.

When she meets Margot the Magician, an alluring, successful older woman with a flair for mixing commerce and art, Cherry thinks her luck is finally turning. The chemistry is electric, but it’s the promise of mentorship that sparks real hope. Margot might be the key to taking Cherry’s act from small-town oddity to something bigger. But as the lines between personal and professional blur, Cherry is forced to ask herself how much she’s willing to risk for Margot, for the act, and for the kind of woman she really wants to be beneath the greasepaint.

I was drawn to Kristen Arnett’s newest novel based on how much I enjoyed With Teeth, a raw and emotionally charged exploration of motherhood, queerness, and the pressure to be perceived as perfect. In Stop Me If You’ve Heard This One, Arnett brings her wit and singular perspective to a very different kind of character. She isn’t striving for perfection at all. In fact, Cherry knows she’s a screw-up, and she leans into it.

Caught between ambition, desire, and lingering trauma, Cherry is a messy, complex protagonist who often gets in her own way. She’s not easy to root for—much of her misery is self-inflicted—but Arnett’s sharp humor and deeply human writing kept me engaged. Unlike With Teeth, this novel doesn’t have a driving plot or sense of momentum. But that may be the point. Cherry is drifting, and the book serves as a lens into that aimlessness. It’s a character study above all else. I liked it, though I didn’t love it. And that’s perfectly okay. I still admire Arnett’s writing immensely and will be eager to see what she does next.

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads. 

(2025, 59)

What would you do if your entire world crumbled around you?

Adele never expected her husband to vanish without a word. Only after he disappeared did she learn the truth. He’d been embezzling from his company and was now a fugitive, leaving Adele behind with two kids, no money, and a mountain of questions. With Violet and Blake depending on her, Adele did what any mother would—she kept going. She began posting about her life online, sharing fitness tips, budget-friendly recipes, and her experiences as a single mother. Slowly, she built a following. It wasn’t enough to pay the bills yet, but with a bit of luck, maybe it could be.

That’s how she ends up on Falco Island, one of several influencers invited to compete in a high-stakes game of hide and seek hosted by Maverick Dillan, a social media mogul known for his flashy contests, huge payouts, and questionable ethics. The prize money could change everything for Adele and her kids, but she’s unaware of the dark rumors swirling around Maverick’s last event, the one where a contestant vanished without a trace. What begins as a quirky competition for fame and fortune quickly spirals into something far more dangerous. And as Adele soon learns, not everyone came to the island to play fair.

I first encountered Lisa Unger’s writing through her holiday-themed novella Christmas Presents, a story that showcased her knack for clever plots, affable characters, and tantalizing twists. With Close Your Eyes and Count to Ten, Unger cranks that formula up to eleven. Adele is the emotional anchor of the story, but Unger enriches the narrative by alternating perspectives—jumping between Adele, her two children, Maverick, and his business partner and lover. The result is a propulsive, layered thriller where we see motivations and revelations unfold in real time, often before the characters themselves do.

Though I spotted a few twists ahead of time, Unger still surprised me with the direction she took things. The thrills come fast, but they’re grounded in emotional nuance—especially around themes of parenthood, identity, and navigating a life shaped by social media. It’s a summer read that packs a punch. Close Your Eyes and Count to 10 is entertaining, fast-paced, and full of unexpected heart. It's a rollicking good time.

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads. 

(2025, 58)

Summer is in full swing, and no summer day is complete without spending some time by your favorite body of water and reading a good book. Oceans, rivers, lakes, pools—whatever you choose, there's nothing better than a peaceful setting where the only thing you have to do is turn the next page. Jaime Day has built a career writing domestic thrillers that blend humor and relatability with darker twists and turns. It's a formula that has already supported two books and is also the foundation of his newest novel, The Lake Escape. After having enjoyed the over-the-top approach to their last book, One Big Happy Family, I happily accepted a copy of this latest from the publisher.

Every summer, Julia, David, and Erika return to their Vermont lake homes. It was once the backdrop of sun-soaked childhood memories, but now it’s a place of aging bodies, restless teenagers, and marriages stuck on autopilot. This year, things feel different. David shows up with a much-younger girlfriend, a perfectly polished nanny, and a smug attitude about his newly renovated lake house—a house that now blocks the lake view his friends once cherished. And then the girlfriend vanishes. At first, there are only whispers of suspicion, but it’s not long before paranoia sets in. The lake already has a shadowed past—two young women went missing there three decades ago—and the weight of those unresolved tragedies lingers just below the surface. As secrets unravel and loyalties are tested, Julia and Erika are forced to question how well they ever knew David... or each other.

The Lake Escape is another twisty, sun-drenched thriller from Jaime Day, filled with juicy drama, tangled secrets, and a rotating cast of unreliable characters. Like their previous book, it doesn't aim for subtlety or deep character exploration. Instead, it leans hard into thriller tropes and soapy reveals. And honestly? That’s part of the fun. It’s the kind of book you fly through in a couple of sittings, pulled along by the suspense, the messiness, and the summer setting. It may not linger long after you’ve finished, but while you’re in it, it delivers exactly what you came for. It's a fast, fun escape.

For more information, visit Amazon and Goodreads. 

(2025, 57)

I first discovered Lisa Scottoline’s writing with her 2019 novel Someone Knows, a suburban thriller rich with emotion and deeply drawn characters. I remember enjoying it, but for whatever reason, I never picked up another of her books—until now. When her publisher graciously shared a copy of her latest, The Unraveling of Julia, I jumped at the chance to dive back in. Based on my prior experience, I expected another grounded character study woven into a twisty thriller. What I got instead was something altogether different.

If anyone had reason to believe in curses, it’s Julia. Her life has been one tragedy after another—first the loss of her adoptive parents, then the violent murder of her husband, which she witnessed in horror. Since that terrible day, Julia has blamed herself. After all, her horoscope practically foretold his death. If she’d only paid attention, maybe she could have prevented it. Instead, she let fate take its course, and now she’s trapped in what feels like a cursed life.

But everything changes when a mysterious letter arrives. Julia has been named the sole heir to a villa and vineyard in Tuscany, left to her by a woman she’s never heard of, Emilia Rossi. Having never searched for her birth parents, Julia wonders if Rossi could be a relative. With nothing tying her down, she heads to Italy in search of answers.

In Tuscany, Julia finds more than just a crumbling villa. She uncovers eerie parallels between herself, the reclusive Emilia Rossi, and a legendary Renaissance duchess obsessed with astrology. As unsettling events unfold and danger creeps closer, Julia must confront the truth about her identity and whether fate is guiding her... or hunting her.

I went into The Unraveling of Julia expecting a grounded, character-driven thriller. What I got instead was a wild ride of shifting fortunes, psychological suspense, and over-the-top twists. That’s not a complaint. It just wasn’t what I expected. Scottoline clearly has fun with this story, unraveling her heroine both mentally and literally in ways that blur the line between the supernatural and the real. Not every plot thread lands, but that didn’t stop me from racing through the pages. There’s something refreshing about a book that doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s different, yes, but it’s also a whole lot of fun.

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads. 

(2025, 56)

Summer is in full swing, and this is the time of year when I find myself craving fast-paced page-turners—books that hook me from the very first page and don’t let go. While my definition of a perfect summer read has evolved over the years, sharp, punchy thrillers remain my seasonal go-to. Enter Girl in the Creek, the latest novel by Wendy N. Wagner. A horror-tinged mystery with an arresting cover that instantly caught my eye, it had a premise I couldn’t resist. The moment I read the synopsis, I knew I had to dive in.

Erin Harper has arrived in Faraday, Oregon, under false pretenses. She’s pitched a travel piece to a magazine, claiming the small mountain town is the next must-see vacation destination. In truth, Faraday is anything but. Nestled in the shadow of Mt. Hood, it's a fading community anchored by a decaying hotel overtaken by fungus and rot, a far cry from the charming getaway it once was. Erin’s real reason for coming is personal. Her brother disappeared here, and she’s determined to find out what happened.

Erin's brother isn't the first person to vanish. People go missing here. Always in the woods. Always without a trace. Erin thinks she might finally get answers when another young woman vanishes and later turns up dead in a creek. But the relief is short-lived. The girl disappears again—this time from the morgue—and her fingerprints resurface days later at a violent crime scene. Is it a serial killer? A town-wide cover-up? Or is something darker taking root in the forest itself—something ancient, infectious, and impossible to contain? Erin’s running out of time. If she doesn’t solve the mystery soon, she may become the next to disappear.

Girl in the Creek sees Wendy N. Wagner blend classic mystery elements with eco/body horror in an atmospheric page-turner that hooked me from the start. There’s something irresistible about a quiet small town hiding secrets, and Wagner taps into that unease with sharp prose and a breakneck pace. The story unfolds through alternating perspectives, keeping the tension high throughout.

The cast is fairly large, but the real focus is on Erin, whose character is the most fully developed. The others serve more as background players, which isn’t necessarily a flaw, but it does mean the emotional stakes stay closely tied to Erin's journey. One of the most imaginative points of view comes from a mysterious entity Wagner calls 'The Strangeness'—a force that’s as eerie as it is original. I’d love to say more, but to do so would spoil the fun. Suffice it to say, Girl in the Creek is a quick, creepy, and satisfying summer read that kept me glued to every page.

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads. 

(2025, 55)

There's something wrong with Iðunn. At least, that’s what she thinks. How else can she explain the way she sleeps soundly every night, only to wake up exhausted, her body sore, aching, as if she’d spent hours working out? She would never. So, once again, Iðunn drags herself to another doctor’s appointment, desperate for answers, terrified of what those answers might be. ALS? That’s her guess. God, how awful. But at least it would be something.

Instead, the doctor finds nothing out of the ordinary. Her bloodwork looks fine. Her reflexes are fine. Everything is fine. She’s sent home with a prescription for sleeping pills and the usual suggestions to eat better, exercise more, and reduce stress.

Iðunn isn’t convinced. She’s seen plenty of doctors, and none of them have been able to give her a proper diagnosis. Still, she decides to humor this one and buys a smartwatch to start tracking her health. One night, she forgets to take it off before bed. The next morning, she checks it on a whim, and her stomach drops.

Thousands of steps. Walked in the middle of the night.

Sleepwalking? Maybe. But it’s rare in adults, especially without a history. Usually, it’s connected to something... worse. Iðunn doesn’t want to go there. Not yet. But the strange nightly journeys continue. The steps always seem to center around a single location somewhere near the harbor. She avoids it by day, too afraid to confront whatever might be waiting for her there.

And then come the injuries. Deep aches. Strange bruises. And one morning, something even worse.

Blood.
On her skin.
Not hers.

Something is happening.
And Iðunn is running out of time to figure out what it is.

A co-worker recently recommended I check out The Night Guest by Hildur Knútsdóttir, and after reading the blurb, I couldn’t wait to dive in. At under 200 pages, it’s a quick read, but don’t let that fool you. This book packs a serious punch.

Told entirely from Iðunn’s perspective, the story begins with what seems like run-of-the-mill hypochondria. But as the strange occurrences mount, it becomes clear that something far more unsettling is going on. We only know what Iðunn knows, and that isn’t much. Her fear and paranoia creep in slowly, then crash over you with every page. Knútsdóttir writes with urgency and precision, making it nearly impossible to put the book down. I read it in a single sitting, desperate to see how it would all play out.

My only complaint is with the ending. After such tightly wound tension and eerie buildup, the final pages lean more toward ambiguity than resolution. Because we only see through Iðunn’s limited lens, there’s not quite enough context to fully understand what’s really happening. It’s a bit of a letdown after such an intense lead-up.

Still, The Night Guest is a suspenseful, sharply written psychological thriller with plenty to admire. Knútsdóttir may not quite stick the landing, but the journey is more than worth it.

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads. 

(2025, 54)

I’ve heard my reading friends rave about Linda Castillo’s books for years. She’s been on my TBR list for just as long, but I’d never gotten around to reading her work. If I’m being honest, the idea of diving into a long-running series felt a little daunting. But when her publisher offered me a copy of her latest novel, Rage, I finally gave in. It’s the 17th book featuring Castillo’s heroine Kate Burkholder, and it quickly showed me why this series has become a must-read for so many.

The brutal summer heat has settled over Painters Mill, Ohio, but the temperature isn’t the only thing rising. Chief of Police Kate Burkholder is called to a grisly scene discovered by three Amish children: the dismembered body of 21-year-old Samuel Eicher, a well-respected young man who ran a successful landscaping business. It’s a horrifying sight and the start of something far more sinister. Before long, another body turns up, this time stuffed inside a barrel and dumped in a ravine. The victim is 21-year-old Aaron Shetler, Samuel’s best friend. Two young Amish men, murdered within days of each other. But why?

As Kate begins her investigation, she’s met with silence. No one wants to talk about the two men, and it quickly becomes clear that there’s more to this story than meets the eye. Just when the case seems to be hitting a dead end, a mysterious young woman surfaces with disturbing new information. Samuel and Aaron were involved with dangerous people, far removed from the simple, peaceful life they were supposed to lead. Whatever secrets they were keeping may have cost them their lives. And unless Kate can piece together the truth, she could be next.

Although this was my first time reading Linda Castillo’s Kate Burkholder series, I was instantly drawn in. Castillo builds a tense atmosphere, establishing both the mystery and the world around it with ease. Kate, a former member of the Amish community, brings a unique perspective to the investigation. Her personal connection adds an extra layer of emotional complexity to the story. This is a dark tale. The violence and crimes are portrayed with an unflinching intensity, and Castillo doesn’t pull any punches. Still, she weaves the mystery together with compelling characters and steadily rising stakes, culminating in a satisfying and well-earned conclusion. This may have been my first experience with the series, but it certainly won’t be the last.

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads.

(2025, 53)

I just finished reading The Housemaid Is Watching, the third book in Freida McFadden's addictive, page-turning series, and I was genuinely impressed by how natural and fresh the story expanded. That third installment was a hit for me, and it left me eager for more. To my surprise, I discovered there’s a short novella in the series—The Housemaid’s Wedding—a quick story meant to fill the gap between books two and three. Still riding high from Watching, I decided to dive in.

Millie is just four hours away from what’s supposed to be the happiest day of her life, her wedding to Enzo. It’s a day she’s dreamed about, though never truly believed would come, especially after everything the couple has endured. When Millie found herself pregnant, Enzo popped the question, and now a small, winter-themed ceremony is underway. But things are already starting to unravel. Her dress doesn’t fit, she’s running out of time, and then she gets a threatening phone call from an unknown number. It’s not just cold feet—someone doesn’t want her to walk down the aisle. Someone wants her dead.

After enjoying all three full-length novels in Freida McFadden’s Housemaid series, I have to admit this novella left me disappointed. The Housemaid’s Wedding struggles to justify its existence. There’s little suspense, barely any twists, and even the central mystery feels underdeveloped. I suppose you could read it for completion’s sake, but honestly, even that seems unnecessary. McFadden has wowed me up until this point, but this one just doesn’t work. If you’re looking for more thrills from the Housemaid universe, you’re better off skipping this one.

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads. 

(2025, 52)