A Book A Week

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)

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)

The blistering heat of a Texas summer is officially upon us, and the only way I’ve learned to cope, short of staying inside, is to escape to the lake cabin. That’s precisely what I did this weekend, and it was a much-needed relief. Of course, no summer getaway is complete without a page-turning read, and I had the perfect book waiting to be devoured.

I first discovered Freida McFadden’s addictive writing late last year. Her blockbuster novel The Housemaid was everything I look for in a popcorn thriller, and its sequel delivered even more jaw-dropping twists. I’d been sitting on the third book in the series, The Housemaid Is Watching, for a while now, and this lake trip felt like the perfect moment to dive in.

Millie’s life is now much different from when we last saw her. In fact, she’s more reminiscent of the women she used to clean for than the maid she once was. She’s no longer scrubbing toilets. She’s earned her degree, works as a hospital social worker, and is now married to Enzo, the charming Italian landscaper who’s stood by her through more than one dark chapter. They have two kids, Ada and Nico, and are finally moving out of their cramped Bronx apartment into a bigger home on Long Island. It’s a stretch financially, but Millie is determined to make it work.

But trouble has a way of finding Millie, and this new neighborhood is no exception. Their next-door neighbor, Mrs. Lowell, is all smiles and fake sweetness, the kind of woman who can't stop bragging about her bigger house, her maid, her booming real estate career, and her child-free lifestyle. Millie doesn’t trust her for a second. Especially when Mrs. Lowell takes a little too much interest in Enzo. Still, Millie is trying to fit in, even if it means enduring fake friendships. So she accepts an invitation to dinner at the Lowells’. But the second the door opens and she sees their maid—expressionless, silent, eerie—Millie gets chills.

Then there’s the house across the street. Someone seems to be watching them. Flickers in the window. Unsettling stares. Enzo starts acting strange, claiming he’s trying to build his landscaping business and needs Mrs. Lowell’s help to network. But Millie isn’t convinced. And when she finally meets the reclusive woman who lives across the street, she’s greeted with a chilling warning: don’t trust the neighbors. Millie thought a fresh start would finally free her from the darkness that had haunted her past, but this new neighborhood might hold the darkest chapter yet.

With The Housemaid Is Watching, Freida McFadden proves once again why she’s the queen of the psychological thriller. This third installment isn’t just a retread of what’s come before. McFadden evolves her characters, places them in new and perilous situations, and manages to thrill in completely original ways. While returning readers will appreciate the callbacks and nuance, newcomers can jump in here without feeling lost. The story stands on its own, and the continuity mostly serves to reward longtime fans.

As with the previous books, I couldn’t put this one down. I read it in a single sitting, and I suspect you will too. McFadden writes with urgency. Her short chapters keep the pages flying, and she expertly drops breadcrumbs that pull you along until the very last twist. Every time I thought I had it figured out, she flipped the script. This is exactly the kind of addictive summer read I crave: fast, fun, and full of surprises.

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

(2025, 51)

Leila Mottley made waves when, at just 19 years old, she released her debut novel Nightcrawling. That book became a bestseller, an Oprah Book Club pick, and a critical darling. It even landed on my list of favorite reads of 2020. Not bad for a first outing. When her publisher offered me an early copy of her highly anticipated sophomore novel, The Girls Who Grew Big, I couldn’t say yes fast enough. It's another raw, sobering character study about girls forced to grow up too fast and live with the consequences of their choices. 

From the start, Mottley makes clear the kind of unflinching story she’s here to tell. We meet Simone, a pregnant teenager giving birth in the back of a pickup truck. The baby’s father watches in panic as she delivers fraternal twins, right there in the thick, humid air of small-town Florida. There’s a certain brutality to the moment, but also a revelation. For the first time in her life, Simone knows what real love feels like. She isn’t sure how she’ll provide for her children, but she knows she will. She has to.

Then there’s Emory, who was at the top of her class before she got pregnant. She never stopped doing her schoolwork—not during the pregnancy, not after giving birth. Every day, she arrives at school with her newborn in tow, determined to graduate and attend college. One mistake isn’t going to ruin her life. She won’t let it. Not for her sake, and not for her child’s.

Finally, we meet Adela, a sixteen-year-old swimming phenom with Olympic dreams—until her pregnancy sends those ambitions off course. Her parents send her away from their Indiana home to live with her grandmother in Padua Beach, Florida. It’s there that Adela meets Simone, now raising four-year-old twins, and Emory, along with the rest of “the Girls”, a makeshift community of teen mothers doing their best to raise their children and hold onto their futures.

From the outside, it may seem as though these girls have lost their way. But as Mottley makes clear, they’re just beginning to find it.

With The Girls Who Grew Big, Leila Mottley proves the success of her debut novel was no fluke. This new work revisits familiar themes—lost innocence, the impact of poverty, and the paradoxes of womanhood—but it’s far from a retread. Mottley expands her storytelling by shifting perspectives among three protagonists, each of whom faces the realities of teenage motherhood in her own way. Through them, we see how different personalities respond to the same impossible weight.

At times, it can be overwhelming to read. The stories are tragic in a way that makes you pause and reflect on them. But that’s the point. These traumas aren’t uncommon. For many young women, this is real life. The systems aren’t built to support them, and the social stigmas they face are relentless.

The Girls Who Grew Big is raw, emotional, and brilliant. Mottley takes big swings and grapples with even bigger ideas. The novel may feel rough around the edges at times, but that’s part of its power. This is writing with heart. It feels lived-in, honest, and bursting with truth. I have no doubt this book will end up on my list of favorites at the end of the year.

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

(2025, 50)

Nita Prose first captured my imagination with her novel The Maid, which I read last summer. I was instantly charmed by her original protagonist, Molly the maid—a neurodivergent hotel cleaner who unexpectedly becomes the prime suspect in a murder investigation. I loved her so much that I immediately picked up the sequel and devoured it just as quickly. When a Christmas-themed novella featuring Molly was released last fall, I didn’t hesitate to read that too. Prose has a knack for blending witty scenarios, clever mysteries, heartwarming romance, and the theme of found family into books that are a true delight. Naturally, I was eager to pick up her latest installment, The Maid’s Secret.

The last few years have brought plenty of change for Molly. First, her Gran succumbed to cancer, leaving her to face the world alone. It could have been terrifying—and at first, it was—but Molly soon found herself surrounded by people who accepted her, quirks and all. Since then, she’s been promoted to Head Maid at the Regency Grand Hotel, found herself entangled in two high-profile police cases, reconnected with her long-lost grandfather, and even got engaged to the love of her life, Juan Carlos, a cook at the hotel. Yes, change has been a constant, and with a wedding on the horizon and a recent promotion to Special Events Coordinator (in addition to her duties as Head Maid), Molly is learning to embrace it in all its forms.

But nothing could prepare her for the biggest change yet.  A film crew has arrived at the hotel to shoot the hit reality TV show Hidden Treasures. Just for fun, Molly brings in a shoebox of her Gran’s old belongings for appraisal, and to everyone’s shock, one item turns out to be a rare and priceless artifact. Suddenly, Molly becomes a rags-to-riches story, the kind that captures audiences across the nation. But just as she begins to process this overwhelming turn of events, another twist hits. The artifact is stolen in a bold heist.

The key to solving the mystery may lie in the locked diary of her late grandmother. To find the stolen treasure and regain control of her rapidly spiraling life, Molly will have to confront her family’s past and uncover secrets of Gran's history before it's too late. 

With The Maid's Secret, Nita Prose continues to expand the world of her beloved heroine, pushing Molly’s story forward while peeling back the layers of her family's past. As the series has evolved, the sharp, twisty mysteries that defined the first two books have given way to narratives that lean more toward the cozy mystery genre. The stakes are lower, and the primary focus shifts more toward romance and personal discovery. It’s still enjoyable, but I’ll admit I miss the intrigue and tension that made the earlier books so gripping.

Prose alternates between present-day chapters and entries from Gran’s diary, offering a deeper glimpse into family history. While these glimpses eventually tie into the current mystery, I found myself less engaged with the diary sections. Ultimately, The Maid's Secret retains many of the elements that made the first book such a delight (Molly’s unique voice, the hotel setting, the warmth of found family), but their impact has softened. It’s a fun, feel-good read, just not quite a must-read.

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

(2025, 49)

Are you in a book club? For as much as I read each year, you’d probably be surprised to hear that I’ve never had much luck with them. I’ve taken part in virtual discussions, read the same books as friends, but I’ve never officially joined a club. That changed recently when a co-worker invited me to take part in a new club they’d started. At first, I wasn’t sure I could commit to a monthly discussion, but then I learned the group would focus exclusively on thrillers. I was in. This month’s pick is What the Wife Knew by Darby Kane.

Addison’s marriage was brief and unexpected. Everyone who knew Dr. Richmond Daugherty was surprised when the renowned pediatric surgeon married the much younger Addison, his second wife. They were even more surprised when, just 97 days later, he died after a mysterious fall down the stairs, leaving his grieving young bride the sole beneficiary of his fortune. Suspicion immediately falls on Addison. After all, there had already been two suspicious “accidents” before this one. And if Addison’s being honest, she hadn’t married for love. No—she always intended to get revenge and take down this powerful man. His untimely death may have altered her plans, but she’s far from finished with the late doctor.

Then there’s Kathryn, Richmond’s first wife and the mother of his children. From the start, she suspects Addison’s involvement and leads the charge to convince authorities of her guilt. But are Kathryn’s motives as pure as they seem? What really caused her marriage to fall apart in the first place? As the layers of this tangled drama unfold, it becomes clear that no one here is innocent. Family, love, and revenge all collide in dangerous ways. Only one thing is certain. You won’t see the ending coming.

In What the Wife Knew, Darby Kane delivers a psychological thriller packed with twists, time jumps, and shifting perspectives. I’ll admit, when I first started listening to the audiobook, I found myself hitting rewind more than once just to keep track. Many of the key players are women with personal vendettas against the deceased Richmond Daugherty, and their voices can blur together, especially in audio format. I imagine the story would be easier to follow in print—something to keep in mind if you’re considering how to read it.

That said, the pacing is relentless. Kane keeps the reader intentionally off-balance, jumping from one scene to the next as she constructs a layered mystery that only clicks into place once the final piece is revealed. Each character operates with self-serving motives, and even the victim proves to be deeply unsympathetic. As a result, there’s no real moral center or character to root for, which, for me, brought the book down a notch.

Still, I’d be lying if I said the final quarter didn’t have me hooked. Revelation after revelation hits in rapid succession, and though the ending feels a little abrupt after all that buildup, it’s still an undeniably gripping ride. It may not be my favorite thriller of all time, but it’s certainly a fun, twisty one. I’m looking forward to unpacking it with my book club later this month.

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

(2025, 48)