The Secret Place

In Tana French's the Secret Place,  the 5th book in the Murder Squad thriller series, she told us a dark tale setting at a Catholic prep school for girls in Dublin, Ireland. It all started for Cold Case Detective Stephen Moran, when Holly Mackey handed him a card. From there, he opened the year-old murder case of Christopher Harper, a student from St. Colm's school. He teamed up with Murder Squad Detective Antoinette Conway to find out what happened to him. In proceeding and alternating chapters, we flash back to a year ago for Holly and her three friends and their nemesis, four rival students. It was up to Conway and Moran to find out whodunit, and why Holly gave him the chapter in the beginning. Although with a slow start, it had a spectacular finish, when someone confessed to the murder as things wouldn't be the same again for Holly and her friends in this shocking thriller.

This was an insane and intense dark thriller set in Ireland. Some of the girls I didn't care for much like Jo Ann and Gemma. I hate people who bully and tease people for their own thrills. I do like Moran and Conway as a partnered team to solve one murder. I liked the flashback scenes that lead to the murder of Chris Harper as well. I liked the school scenes as well. Fast-paced with plenty of drama, this would leave you  breathless and chilled as well.

Ready for a great thriller? Grab a copy today!

Special review: Blood of the Wicked from December 2008

In Leighton Gage's Brazilian mystery debut, Blood of the Wicked, we were introduced to Mario Silva, the lead detective of the police force.  Homeless peasants confronted the owners of their vast estates painted the scene in Cascatas do Pontal, Brazil. A bishop was flown in by helicopter to consecrate a new church and then was assassinated in cold blood. The pope called the Brazilian president, when Silva was dispatched to investigate the grisly scene with his nephew, Hector Costa, who was also a policeman. Together while they search for clues in the bishop's murder, they battle the state police, corrupted lawyers, and preying criminals on the streets, along with the church and a slew of other people to solve this shocking cold-blooded murder, when old secrets eked itself out in this disturbing investigation to find out who was the culprit. 

This was a fantastic mystery debut. I loved the backdrop of Brazil for the series. You really get a sense of how the Brazilians lived. Great vivid scenery to painted the picture well. I loved the introduction of Hector and Silva and the rest of his police team. We did get a sense of their background. I didn't like the bishop assassination scenery in the beginning. Nice storytelling and plenty of drama.

Check this out today!

Special Review: Fatal FIxer Upper from April 2009

In the first installment of the DIY series from Jenna Bennett aka Jennie Bentley, Fatal Fixer Upper, this new cozy had clever DIY tips for you to fix up your home or business. We were introduced to Avery Baker, a New York interior designer who had inherited her aunt's old Maine cottage. And that had lead her down the path to home renovation with handsome handyman, Derek Ellis. When they met, sparks flew between them. While she learned the process of DIY, they were on the case of a missing professor, while they rehabbed her great-aunt's home. With Derek's ex-wife trying to get her clutches back into her arms and her ex-fiancé to win her back, they had their fill of excitement. The closer they've gotten closer to the truth, she wondered if they can finish the process in time, before she became the next victim on his or her list.

This was a great DIY introduction to the cozy series. I loved the New York and Maine locations for the beautiful scenic depictions. it was so picturesque and grand in view. I loved the DIY tips and the renovation with Avery's aunt's place. I loved how Avery and Derek met for the first time. I didn't like the meddling Melissa or Avery's ex one bit. This was a great cozy for a quick read. Good drama, nice action and a hint of sparking romance too.

Ready to fix your TBR list? Give this one a go today!

Ice Trap

In the thriller debut from Kitty Sewell in Ice Trap, you'll be in for a cold thrill ride from both sides of the earth. For Dr. Dafydd Woodruff, it all started with a letter from a thirteen-year girl claiming she's his daughter--and that she has a twin brother named Mark. That's when the flashbacks started for him, which took us to Moose Creek, a tiny outpost in Canada, where he worked over a decade ago. From the past to the present in Cardiff, Wales, we've gotten to know him better, while his marriage to Isabel came unraveling apart. We watched Dafydd interact with his friends and colleagues at the small clinic where he worked at, especially with one cold-hearted, conniving, manipulating woman named Sheila Hailey, the twins' mother who had a wicked bone to pick with him. Later on, Dafydd returned to Moose Creek to noticed how things change and how wicked she was then, and learned the truth behind the secrets with a shocking conclusion.

This was a disturbing and twisted thriller debut. I loved the Canadian and Welsh backdrops for the settings. We could see how they were both from two different worlds and cultures, past and present.  I did feel bad for Dafydd and Isabel, since this ordeal had torn them apart and ruined their relationship. I didn't care for much on Sheila and her animosity against him, then and now. But I also felt such sorrows for the twins, Miranda and Mark, who underwent this situation. But I loved the storyline with every gripping page with a flashback and present day. This would leave you with chills and shivers from start to finish.

Don't get trapped? Pick up a copy for Black Friday!

Special review: False Prophet from August 2008

In the fifth installment of the Decker/Lazarus mystery series by Faye Kellerman, LAPD Detective Peter Decker wound up in a pickle on his next case in False Prophet. He didn't know what to think about Lilah Brecht.  Daughter of a faded Hollywood legend and a beautiful eccentric spa owner,  someone beaten and raped her in her own home. She also claimed she had psychic visions to see into the looming future. Between his heart and his young pregnant wife Rina, he couldn't take much credence into her story between Lilah's family and her own ridiculous claims. But when her dark visions come real, they rocked his world with her secrets and obsessions, they entrapped Decker and pointed the killer to his own family.

This was another fascinating Faye Kellerman mystery. I believe the team of Lazarus and Decker were a dynamic duo. The character of Lilah was interesting and amusing as well, except for her psychic prophesies,  I didn't like it, when Rina ended up entangled into this mess, when she was in a delicate condition. I still love the rich Los Angeles background for this series. This novel made me feel quite flabbergasted and second-guessing along the way. Great dramatic build up with plenty of suspense and action on every page.

Ready for a good book? Give this one a try this weekend!

Steel Guitar

In Linda Barnes's Steel Guitar, this cool fast-paced mystery will leave you singing the blues. Meet Carlotta Carlyle. A former Boston cop turned PI who drove a hack for her side business. When she went to pick up her latest customer, it was a blast of the past. Dee Willis was a R&B singer with a band and a former foe of Carlotta. It all started with a crash of a mad mob at the park, when Carlotta's purse had gotten stolen from her. From there, it went downhill from there, when Dee asked her to find a former friend of theirs and fellow bandmate, Davey Dunrobie. With any bittersweet animosity aside, she discovered what was the story behind the letter she received. She also had some run-ins with her band and groupie, when things turned grisly, when a former band mate turned up dead. It brought back painful memories of when a fellow friend of theirs died the same way a decade ago. Although her close friend was in trouble with the law, she continued the search for Dunrobie and went into her ex-husband Cal. Right in the end, they've nabbed the bad guys and had a sobering ending of their close friend. Bring a hankie!

This mystery had a lot going on, for starters. I thought Carlotta was an amusing private detective.  I did care for Carlotta and for her friends. I loved the Boston location to set the scenery. It was very picturesque and lovely. I loved the concept of the blues band and the art of music recording, too. I did feel sorrow for Davey with a ping of heartache as well. As for Dee, I thought she was a great singer. I didn't care for much for some of the band members like Brenda. I thought it was a shocking twist that she slept with her ex. Great drama on the edge of suspense, lots of tension, and a good action. This was one powerful read that you make you sigh and cry in the end.

Ready to sing the blues? Pick up a copy this weekend!

Cake on a Hot Tin Roof

In the second Piece of Cake Mystery by Jacklyn Brady, Rita Lucero was way over her head in Cake on a Hot Tin Roof. While she recovered from the previous murder case she came out unscathed and trying to take the helm of Zydeco Bakery in New Orleans. Mardi Gras was around the bend, which made everyone in Zydeco hectic and frantic to get ready with their orders of King Cakes. Fellow employee breathed down her neck for the website and blog, when her aunt and uncle dropped by for an unexpected surprise visit from Chicago. While she tried to score an order for a big wedding deal, she came across some unsavory characters at a Musterion krewe party. She'd gotten her head into the murder of a family fight, when her uncle became suspected of the murder. It was up to Rita to clear her uncle's name, find out what's going on with her aunt and uncle, and to come clean on her feelings on Liam Sullivan. This one included some yummy recipes, too.

This was another fascinating culinary cozy mystery. I loved the backdrop of the Mardi Gras season in New Orleans to set the scene. I loved getting to know more about Rita's family better. I did feel a pang for Rita, when she dealt with running the bakery and running interference for her family at the same time. I also loved the connection Liam and Rita had as well, too. I didn't like the victim's family, either, which came to a sad and tragic ending. Plenty of drama and lots of action into delicious culinary cozy.

Ready to party during Mardi Gras? Jump aboard with a copy today!