Honey Talk, by Declan Davey

 

Honey Talk, by Declan Davey

Indie/Small Press - 2019
Thriller - Psychological
E-book

289 Pages

* I received this digital review copy courtesy of the author's rep in exchange of an honest review. This does not influence the following opinions which are my own.

Lily knows she needs therapy, but therapy isn't cheap, and paying to tell her deepest darkest secrets to a complete stranger isn't too appealing to her either.  When Lily's friend Zayan is nearing the completion of his training to be a psychologist, Lily manipulates the situation by offering to "act" as a patient for him to practice on.  Lily is pleased with her resourcefulness - what could go wrong?  Lily creates a persona named Madison for their therapy sessions.  But while Madison isn't real, her problems are.  Stemming from childhood trauma, they are firmly rooted. Can Lily handle the therapy sessions?  Can Zayan?

This story was engaging and had a good plot.  The story is told in alternating timelines between Lily's struggles in the present and flashbacks to her traumatic past.  Her deterioration though subtle at first, gains momentum and carries the plot to the final exciting pages of the book. 

Honey Talk is a refreshing take on the the popular Thriller genre. A short, quick-paced book well worth the read.  

Note: Honey Talk is described as book one of  the Talk Series. As of this writing, the second book has not been released for sale. 

Happy Reading,

Christine

His & Hers, by Alice Feeney

 

His and Hers, by Alice Feeney

MacMillan Audio - 2020

Thriller

Audiobook
Narrated by Richard Armitage and Stephanie Racine 

10 Hours, 39 Minutes

* I received this digital ARC courtesy of MacMillan Audio, via NetGalley, in exchange of an honest review. This does not influence the following opinions which are my own.

Alice Feeney returns with a vengeance with another well thought out and twisty thriller to keep readers eagerly listening to "just one more chapter" - talk about lying to yourself!

Anna was returning to work as a television reporter and news presenter after her maternity leave, only to find that the woman who was supposed to be her temporary replacement has made herself quite comfortable and is not going anywhere - in fact she not only took over the job Anna took leave from, she took over the job Anna was working towards. Now struggling to balance the needs of her family with the demands of her cut-throat work environment, Anna is trying to have it all, and is determined to do whatever it takes to reclaim her rightful position at the news desk.

When Anna is dispatched to cover a recently discovered murder, she sees it as an opportunity to try and reclaim her position behind the anchor desk and to get back on track for her planned career path, but instead she finds herself in the middle of the murder investigation when the victim turns out to be an old childhood friend. But she is not the only one, Detective Jack Harper soon becomes a suspect as well. What is true, what is just perception, and what are lies? The truth is elusive, hiding in the shadows of this story. impossible to see in its entirety until the very end. Just the way it should be in a good twisty thriller!

This audiobook was narrated by Richard Armitage and Stephanie Racine and I could not imagine better casting.  Both performed extremely well, but I cannot say enough about the creep factor in Richard Armitage's performance as an anonymous male narrator. So deep and dark...a perfect addition to Feeney's already engaging, dark tale!

Feeney's writing is enthralling and edgy in its own right, but this book, I suspect, is even better as an audiobook.  

Happy Reading,

Christine

Review - Pretty Things, by Janelle Brown

Pretty Things, by Janelle Brown

Random House Canada - April 21, 2020
Thriller
E-book

470 Pages

* I received this digital ARC courtesy of Random House Canada, via NetGalley, in exchange of an honest review. This does not influence the following opinions which are my own.

My Rating (out of 5)

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Pretty Things by Janelle Brown is a modern, character driven story of class and revenge. 

Nina had dreams and aspirations. but as the daughter of a con artist, she eventually falls into her mother's line of work. Nina's world threatens to implode when her mother falls ill. Desperate to save her mother, she and her boyfriend Lachlan plan a job much larger and riskier than anything they have done in the past. A job that will see Nina return to Lake Tahoe where she once lived.

Vanessa was born with a silver spoon in her mouth. Never having had to worry about money she travels the world as a fashion influencer, modeling clothing and products given to her by top design houses in exchange for a spot on her popular Instagram feed.  When her engagement is broken, she retreats to Stonehaven - the mansion she inherited on the shores of Lake Tahoe, but was the setting for some of the most traumatic events in her life. 

As these women come together, their pasts and the present meld into a tale of desperation and revenge, double-handedness and deceit.  

I struggled to get into the story. It wasn't until about half way that it started to pick up for me.  Part of the problem was my personal situation and reaction during the COVID adjustments, but I think that only intensified the slow start of this book for me. Once I reached the half-way mark and the story started to take shape, it become more enjoyable, and by the end I was quite enjoying it; so even though slow to start the ending was strong.

Character development for this novel was one of the things about it I did enjoy. As the story unfolds we see in both women aspects of victim and villain.  Both have been shaped by their life experiences and seeing each from different perspectives gives depth and dimension to them and to the story. 

The plot was strong and had some good twists to keep the reader on their toes.  The ending was clean and satisfying. 

All in all, while slow to start, this novel was a solid character driven thriller with an exciting and satisfying conclusion. 

Happy Reading,

Christine

Quick Review: The Red Lotus, by Chris Bohjalian

The Red Lotus, by Chris Bohjalian

Random House Audio

Audiobook

12 Hours, 1 Minute

Narrated by Rebecca Lowman

*Quick Reviews are slightly less formal reviews using the publishers summary

Publisher's Summary:

The first time Alexis saw Austin, it was a Saturday night. Not in a bar, but in the emergency room where Alexis sutured a bullet wound in Austin's arm. Six months later, on the brink of falling in love, they travel to Vietnam on a bike tour so that Austin can show her his passion for cycling and he can pay his respects to the place where his father and uncle fought in the war. But as Alexis sips white wine and waits at the hotel for him to return from his solo ride, two men emerge from the tall grass and Austin vanishes into thin air. The only clue he leaves behind is a bright yellow energy gel dropped on the road.

As Alexis grapples with this bewildering loss, and deals with the FBI, Austin's prickly family, and her colleagues at the hospital, Alexis uncovers a series of strange lies that force her to wonder: Where did Austin go? Why did he really bring her to Vietnam? And how much danger has he left her in?

Set amidst the adrenaline-fueled world of the emergency room, The Red Lotus is a global thriller about those who dedicate their lives to saving people, and those who peddle death to the highest bidder.

My thoughts:

I always enjoy Chris Bohjalian's books.  I can count on him to write solid, engaging, stories. The Red Lotus may be a slow burn thriller, but I never felt bored with it.

Bohjalian knows how to draw a reader into a story and keep their attention! It is clear from the beginning of The Red Lotus, that Bohjalian has taken the time to do a significant amount of research for this book, ensuring medical, technical, and cultural aspects have a realistic feel to them. This, paired with his good sense of literary timing, results in a highly engaging story with a complex, well timed, and interesting plot.  The characters development is strong with the lead characters being multi-faceted and interesting. 

On a side note: this book was released in the midst of the pandemic. Though  while writing it I doubt Bohjalian could have ever imagined that this book would be released into the world enduring our current state of affairs, and the coincidence of some of the subject matter in the book was quite striking to me as a reader. 

Narration was provided by Rebecca Lowman, who performed well with good cadence and tone, as well as range of characters and emotion, making listening to this story as an audiobook a pleasure. 

Engaging and well written, The Red Lotus is an enjoyable international thriller.

Happy Reading,

Christine

Review: Darling Rose Gold, by Stephanie Wrobel

Darling Rose Gold, by Stephanie Wrobel

Simon & Schuster - Available March 17,2020
Thriller
E-book
320 Pages

* I received this digital ARC courtesy of Simon & Schuster Canada, via NetGalley in exchange of an honest review. This does not influence the following opinions which are my own.

Darling Rose Gold is thriller with a strong sinister feel to it.

Rose Gold Watts was always sick. From the time she was baby, she struggled with allergies and digestive issues that left her frail, weak and confined to a wheelchair for the most part, and spending much of her time at hospital and doctor's offices. For eighteen years her single mother Patty counted on the support of the community for financial and moral support as Rose Gold's illness consumed their lives. 

When Rose Gold was eighteen, the cause of her illness was finally determined to be Patty.  Patty was charged, tried, and convicted with Rose Gold taking the witness stand against her. In the five years that Patty spent in prison, Rose Gold got a job, bought a house, and moved on with her life, and is now raising a baby herself. When Patty is released, she has no one else for support, and nowhere else to go. She turns to Rose Gold for a place to stay, and the community is shocked to find out that Rose Gold has actually agreed to take Patty in.

Has Rose Gold really forgiven Patty for all that happened to her?  Has Patty really forgiven Rose Gold for testifying against her in court?  Has Patty changed in the last five years? The mother-daughter duo play out a twisted drama you can't help but wonder who will be the winner and who will be the loser. All Mother-daughter relationships can be a little complicated at times, but this pair raise that bar to new heights.

This sinister feel to this story is almost tangible. Told in alternating points of view between these two women, it soon becomes clear that Rose Gold is not the sweet, demure victim she was as a child, and Patty's years behind bars have not improved her disposition.

The plot was well thought out and had a good twist at the end.  You might think you know what is going to happen, you might even figure out part of it,  but you probably won't understand the whole thing until the final pieces slide into place at the end. 

Happy Reading,

Christine

Woman On The Edge, by Samantha M. Bailey

Woman On The Edge, by Samantha M. Bailey

Simon & Schuster Audio - 2019
Thriller
Audiobook 
Narrated by Katherine Fenton

8 Hours, 25 Minutes

What drives a woman to do the unthinkable? To give her baby to a stranger and leap to her death?

Nicole Markham was a woman who had it all. Founder and CEO of a major athletic brand, she had a successful career, financial security and then a beautiful baby. One day, looking haggard and disheveled, she speaks to a stranger, calling them by name and asking them to take her baby before thrusting the child into the stranger's arms and jumping in front of a subway train. Morgan Kincaid is left stunned, speechless, and holding the woman's baby. 



With no corroborating witnesses she is soon the main suspect in the police investigation into Nicole's death.  When it becomes clear that that the police are not looking any further than Morgan, she is determined to clear her own name. Was Nicole being stalked and in danger, or was she just paranoid? After mysterious events and close calls, Morgan realizes she may now be the one in danger. And just how did Nicole Markham know her name?

There is no beating around the bush here, the story forcibly grabbed my attention in the first few paragraphs, and a steady level of suspense saw the story to its conclusion. 

Narration was performed by Kathrine Fenton who has a clear and pleasant voice with good tone and cadence, as well as a good range of character and emotion for the story. 

Woman On The Edge, by Samantha Bailey is a solid debut thriller and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

Happy Reading,

Christine

Review: Someone We Know, by Shari Lapena

Someone We Know, by Shari Lapena

Penguin Audio - 2019
Fiction - Thriller
Audiobook
Narrated by Kirsten Potter

7 Hours, 50 Minutes

Someone We Know, by Shari Lapena has a strong story line, but what could have been a great book, fell short of its potential for me, still good - but not great. 

In a happy middle-class neighborhood, a teen is breaking into homes to hack computers, snoop and send prank e-mails. When anonymous letters surface from a mystery parent telling people that their homes and computers have been compromised, people in the neighborhood start to worry. When a missing woman turns up murdered, nerves fray, tensions, rise and everyone is both a suspect and suspicious. Everyone in this neighborhood seems to be up to something they don't want anyone else knowing about and desperate to keep their secrets, and one of them is even a murderer.  

The plot certainly had me intrigued, so many secrets, so many possibilities! My mind was constantly turning over the possibilities of who the murderer was. The husband? The moody teen with a criminal hobby? A scorned spouse or lover?So many possibilities swirling in my mind! 

Unfortunately, I didn't feel like it mattered to me who it was. I didn't really like any of the characters, but for that matter I didn't really hate any single character either. I am one of those readers that is happiest when I have a character that I love, or a character that I love to hate.  None of the characters in this story stood out to me in either a particularly good or bad way compared to the others. I never once thought to myself "I hope it's not 'x', he seems like a decent guy caught in bad circumstances"; Or,  "I just know it must be 'x', she is so nasty and devious!". In the end, while I was interested from a rational perspective as to who the killer was, I was not at all emotionally invested enough in any of the characters for it to really matter other than addressing my idle curiosity. 

Narration was performed by Kirsten Potter who read with a clear and pleasant voice, good cadence and tone, and provided an appropriate range of emotion and character. 

Someone We Know is a thriller that is strong on plot but fell short of its true potential. 

Review: The Turn Of The Key, by Ruth Ware

The Turn Of The Key, by Ruth Ware

Simon & Schuster Audio - 2019
Thriller
Audiobook
Narrated by Imogen Church

12 Hours, 13 Minutes

The Turn of the Key, by Ruth Ware is an immersive and engaging thriller with just the right amount of creep-factor.

The story starts with the protagonist Rowan and several of her failed attempts to start a letter to a well known, successful lawyer to plead for him to take her case.  Incarcerated for murdering a child of the family she was hired to nanny for, she knows no one believes her or wants to help her, but she is vehement that while she may be guilty of some things, murder is definitely not one of them. 

Slowly her story is teased out. How she came across the add that seemed too good to be true, and then turned out to be exactly that - too good to be true. The reality was something different all together. The fancy house that at first impressed her, soon became creepy and invasive, and the malfunctioning smart system was robbing her of sleep she so desperately needed. The parents were both gone for long stretches, and the children were...difficult. The part time housekeeper was terse, unfriendly, and judgmental. Her only hope of a friend and ally is the resident handyman, but she cannot help but question his motives. Then there were the odd noises coming from above her room and the odd message left by the previous nanny. She soon understands why the family has had such difficulty finding a nanny to stay. 

When the unthinkable happens and one of the children dies, blame falls on Rowan as the obvious suspect, and as some of her lies come out she appears guilty. Rowan insists she did not murder that child though; but if she didn't, who did?

This book was very engaging, dark, and atmospheric. the use of the letters to the lawyer was a great vehicle for delivery of this story. The literary timing was on point, and the setting was created the perfect amount of unease.  I could feel my nerves slowly fray in sympathy for Rowan's tale through each twist and turn as the tension built up to a perfect ending.  

Narration was provided by the talented Imogen Church.  Church has a long  list of narration credits, and her name instantly inspires confidence in me that the book I am about to listen to will be enjoyable and well performed. I was not disappointed. 

The Turn of the Key is a thriller with a dark, creepy appeal that had me hanging on every word.

Happy Reading,

Christine

Review: The Guardians, by John Grisham

The Guardians, by John Grisham

Random House Audio - 2019
Thriller - Legal
Audiobook
Narrated by Michael Beck

11 Hours, 50 Minutes

You can always count on Grisham to deliver consistently gripping legal Thrillers, and this book was one was one of my favorite Grisham books that I have read. 

A lawyer working late one night is shot and killed at his desk. A young black man named Quincy Miller - a one time client client of that lawyer, is charged, convicted, and sentenced to die for the crime.  Though no one believed him he proclaimed his innocence for the next twenty-two years, until a letter he sent to a small non-profit innocence project called Guardian Ministries pays off and they take his case. His new lawyer, Cullen Post - who is also an Episcopalian minister, works on a shoe-string budget, tirelessly digging into the twenty-two year old case to try and exonerate his client. All this time later though, there are still people with an interest in the case.  They want Quincy's verdict to stand, and they would have no problem seeing another lawyer dead to keep it that way.

There is no arguing that Grisham knows how to write a legal thriller.  Not only has he written Quality legal thrillers that saw the top of the book charts (some of his better known early works made into block-buster movies as well), he has also produced an impressive quantity of books (The Guardians being his 40th according to his website).  Often when an author becomes prolific in their writing, the quality suffers somewhat.  In the case of this book, I can see no evidence of that.  I still got pulled into the stories of Quincy and Cullen right away and every time I had to put it down I was always eager to get back to the story and find out what happened next.

The characters in this story were particularly engaging.  

The trope of a potentially innocent person rotting in jail for a crime they did not commit is not new, but the fact that Quincy had spent so much time on death row and was so close to being actually executed made it more intense.  The sense of injustice the reader develops thinking about twenty-two years combined with the sense of desperation as Quincy has come so close to meeting his execution makes for a certain intensity. 

As characters, people often see lawyers as rich, entitled, or elitist, but Grisham has a way of making his lawyers likable and relatable to all his readers.  In The Gaurdians, the character of Cullen is no exception.  He is not rich or entitled, and far from having an elitist attitude.  Champion of the "under-dog" he lives more modestly than most people, and works for the benefit of lower-income, wrongly accused people persecuted and long forgotten  by "the system". 

Narration was performed by Michael Beck and was flawless. Portrayal of emotion was in keeping with the story, and it was easy to follow character changes. Tone and cadence where pleasant yet lively when the story called for it. 

In the author's notes, Grisham tells us that this story, while fictional was inspired by a true case of wrongful conviction.  In fact, Grisham has authored a NON-fiction book about  the case titled The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice In A Small Town, which has been made into a NetFlix documentary/mini-series. 

The Guardians is proof that John Grisham has not lost his writing edge!

Happy Reading,

Christine

Review: Parting Shot, by Linwood Barclay

Parting Shot, by Linwood Barclay

Doubleday Books - 2018
Thriller
Promise Falls (Spin-off/Stand alone)
Audiobook
Narrated by Jim Meskimen and James Babson

12 Hours, 56 Minutes

A solid thriller filled with scandal amid the rich and entitled.

Jeremy Pilford was convicted of stealing a car and causing the death of a young woman.  He claims no memory of that night at all, citing excessive alcohol consumption. During the highly publicized trial, he was sentenced only to probation. His defense was that during his privileged childhood, he was not properly educated on the nature of right and wrong. While the judge may have offered leniency, the public was outraged. Jeremy became known as "The Big Baby". If the taunting and general harassment were not enough, the threats being leveled at him are another thing, so Jeremy's wealthy aunt hires former police detective Cal Weaver to act as body guard for Jeremy.  Reluctant at first, Cal soon finds that Jeremy isn't such an awful kid after-all, and he soon suspects that there is more to what happened that night than Jeremy was either willing or able to talk about. 

Meanwhile, Cal's friend and former co-worker detective Barry Duckworth is investigating a strange and violent assault, the second unusual assault which points to the possibility that a serial revenge attacker is on the loose. Weaver does his best to protect Jeremy from not only unknown threats, but from Jeremy himself as well. 

The story itself was engaging, the plot was solid, and while the basic premise was easily grasped by the reader early on, the details were delivered in well timed tid-bits and full understanding was reserved until the end; but while this book was touted as a spin off/stand alone, it was clear to me (as is often the case in these scenarios) that there was a back story that I was not familiar with.  The book still worked, but I was always acutely aware that there was another part of the story I had not read. 

Narration was provided by Jim Meskimen, and James Babson. Both performed their parts well with clear voices, good cadence and tone, and emotional range in keeping with characters experiences. 

Parting shot was a good thriller with a solid story, but while this stand alone still worked, it was nonetheless weighted by one of its main characters relying on a history based in the series that that preceded it.

Happy Reading,

Christine

Review: Dear Wife, by Kimberly Belle

Dear Wife, by Kimberly Belle

Harlequin Audio - 2019
Thriller
Audiobook
Narrated by Vivienne Leheny, Chris Andrew Ciulla, and Pete Simonelli

9 Hours, 37 Minutes

Dear Wife is an edgy and compelling thriller. 

Two women, one on the run from an abusive husband, the other mysteriously gone missing.  Who are these two women, and how are their stories related?  

Beth Murphy has carefully planned every aspect of her escape from one life and the beginning of her next.  She knows her abusive husband is smart and her only hope of escaping him is to be smarter, to never underestimate him, and to never slip-up. 

Another woman - Sabine Hardison, is missing. There are few clues to her disappearance. She has taken almost nothing with her. Even her car - the only clue to her disappearance, is found abandoned and has little in the way of clues to offer. Police suspect foul play, but without any real evidence, the investigation falters, but Marcus, a local detective, is determined to find answers.

Told in alternating points of view, this story is a well woven and intricate tale of escape and survival. The tension rose in a steady arc as each chapter carefully revealed clues and laid the groundwork for the next. Though i was able to figure out some aspects of the plot, I was also shocked and surprised by several others. The main character was well developed and Belle does very well at rendering a character that displays the desperation of a an abused and tormented woman attempting to flee her abuser. 

As the story went on, the rising tension and gaining momentum elevated my interest in the story, and by the final chapters I was desperate to find a few more minutes here and there to carry on with the story. The final chapters tied things up with a very satisfying adding.

Narration was provided by a trio of performers - Vivienne Leheny, Chris Andrew Ciulla, and Pete Simonelli.  As always, a multi-performer cast adds depth and enjoyment to the audiobook experience. Each performed well offering suitable emotional range to their character.  

Dear Wife is a well timed and captivating domestic thriller. Edgier and updated but still  reminiscent of the 1987 novel Sleeping With The Enemy, by Nancy Price.

Happy Reading,

Christine

Review: Follow Me, by Kathleen Barber

Follow Me, by Kathleen Barber

Simon & Schuster Canada - Available February 25, 2020
Thriller
E-book

352 Pages

* I received this digital ARC courtesy of Simon & Schuster Canada, via NetGalley in exchange of an honest review. This does not influence the following opinions which are my own.

A thriller for the age of social media.

In a world where it is not uncommon for some individuals to post the minutiae of their daily existence on social media, Barber has written a timely thriller to make people think twice about how much they share on their timelines.

Audrey lives her life on the internet. With a million Instagram followers she carefully cultivates, designs, photographs, and filters things that most of us do by rote.  She lives for the "likes" and the comments.  

When Audrey accepts a job that combines her two passions - art history and social media, she moves from New York to Washington to become a social media manager for part of the Smithsonian group.  

The move brings her closer to her college bestie who for her own reasons lives her life as privately as Audrey lives hers publicly, and her ex-boyfriend who she cannot seem to stay away from. Not everything in her new life is picture perfect though.  Her new apartment is not exactly a glamorous insta-worthy backdrop, it has a broken lock and the land-lady's son who lives just upstairs is creepy. Speaking of creepy, there is also some man hanging around her work all the time.  After a few happenings, Audrey realizes that she has a stalker, and while her stalker knows everything about her, she knows nothing about them. Audrey is learning that when you share every bit of your life online, there is nowhere left where you can hide.

Follow Me is a thriller centered around social media, now so much a part of our everyday life. This makes it easy for the reader to relate to the basic premise of the story if not the character of Audrey herself. We all have that one friend (or two) that simply shares too much information on their timelines. The story easily captures the reader's attention early on and the reader is soon considering and re-considering characters from page to page. The tension increases in a steady arc resulting in a taut well executed thriller. 

A quick and easy read, Follow Me is a gripping and cautionary story that will have you checking the privacy settings on your social media accounts.

Happy Reading,

Christine