Tag: murder mystery

Posted in Book Review

Review: The Wicked Girls, by Alex Marwood

Posted on by writingkat95

The hook:

Two little girls became fast friends, and on that same day, killed someone. Years later, they run into each other again despite all odds and a court order to steer clear of each other. What’s more, there’s a serial killer on the loose.

My impressions:

While the story itself was compelling and full of twists, I found the book a bit difficult to read. I’m well aware that this genre is full of violence against women, missing girls and dead ones. However, this book had a seemingly unusual amount of specifically sexually motivated violence, despite the fact that (minor spoiler coming here) the murder that makes up the backstory of the two protagonists is actually really more of an accident and a panicked cover up.

There’s certainly plenty of suspense, and the author writes with the same carefully unfolding style as Tana French and Lisa Jewell. If you can stomach the actual content of the story, the panache with which it is told will be, if not entirely worth it, pretty darn close. At the very least, it made me interested enough in the author’s style to want to read another of her books soon.

I recommend this one if you have a strong stomach and want a bit of a hard boiled case. Fans of Karin Slaughter will probably be able to handle this one just fine.

Happy reading!

Posted in Book Review

Review: The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James

Posted on by writingkat95

The Hook:

A young woman is ensnared by the secrets of the
mysterious Sundown Motel While Working there as
the night clerk. Thirty years ago, her aunt worked
the same night shift -until the night she
mysteriously disappeared from work, never to
be found.

My Impressions:

Simone St. James is masterful at creating
gothic atmosphere, and The Sun Down Motel
is no exception. Every character – alive or
dead – is memorable and fits perfectly in the
spooky setting.

If you’re looking for a great chilly read
to curl Up with during the spookiest time
of year, this is the perfect book for you.
The thrills and chills of the Sun Down Motel
are bound to keep you on the edge of your
seat, reading long past dark to see what
happens next.

Sometimes you just need a good ghost
story, and this is one of the best.
It also has a bit of a detective noir
vibe, which makes for a thoroughly
enjoyable read.

Happy Reading!

Posted in Book Review

Review: The Hunting Wives by May Cobb

Posted on by writingkat95

The Hook:

After moving to a small town in Texas, Sophie
becomes increasingly obsessed with her
neighbor, Margo. Margo invites her to take part
in her exclusive club, the Hunting Wives, and
Sophie finds herself drawn further and further into
the twisted secrets of the other women. When
someone turns up dead, Sophie fears one of
the Hunting wives might’ve had something to do with
it.

My impressions:

Everything’s bigger in Texas-and apparently
that includes the secrets. Despite all the crime
and deception, this book was a refreshingly fun
romp without too much disturbing content.
The underlying current of tension that pervades
the interactions between Margo and Sophie
felt palpable, really lending the book some
extra suspense.

Fans of Finlay Donovan is killing it are likely
to enjoy this darkly funny thriller. The
atmosphere is spot on, the heat and humidity
of Texas practically seeping through the
pages. If you’re looking For a fun read with
a side of murder, this just might be the book
for you.

Happy Reading!

Posted in Book Review

Review: The Maidens by Alex Michaelides

Posted on by writingkat95

The Hook:

When Mariana’s niece, Zoe, tells her that one of
her classmates has been found murdered, dark
specters of Mariana’s own past begin to haunt
her. She is convinced that the enigmatic
classics professor Edward Fosca is responsible,
and she sets out to prove it or die trying.

My impressions:

I really expected to like this book, and for the
most part, I did. Unfortunately, the longer the
book went on, the more it seemed to unravel.

The twists didnt feel organic, and some of the
plot points felt more like the author trying to be
clever and less like natural consequences of
the characters interacting.

Still, despite all that, it was a thoroughly fun
read. The atmosphere was wonderfully spooky,
and I loved the almost gothic vibe of the
setting. If you like dark academia, you’ll
probably enjoy this book.

Happy Reading!

Posted in Book Review

Review: The Box in the Woods by Maureen Johnson

Posted on by writingkat95

The Hook:

Stevie Bell, notorious for solving the
Ellingham cases, takes on her first case
outside of the school. This time, it’s the long-
unsolved case of the slaying in the woods
at camp Wonder Falls.

My impression:

As a longtime fan of the Stevie Bell mysteries,
I knew right off that I would enjoy this
book. While I do think it suffered from
the absence of some of the atmosphere
of the previous books, I felt that it was
still a solid mystery.

Stevie’s investigation plays out in her usual quirky
Poirot – esque fashion, and despite the grisly
nature of the case, it felt like quite a romp.

If you’ve enjoyed the previous books in the
series, this one will feel like seeing old
friends again, and you’re bound to enjoy
going along for the ride as Stevie sets
her mind to solving another case.

Fans of YA mysteries like” A Good Girl’s Guide to
Murder” will likely enjoy this book as well
as the rest of the Stevie Bell mysteries.

Happy Reading!

Posted in Book Review

Review: All These Beautiful Strangersby Elizabeth Klehfoth

Posted on by writingkat95

The Hook:

Seventeen year old Charlie is haunted by
her mother’s disappearance ten years ago.
Determined to let go of the past, she focuses
instead on life at Knollwood, the exclusive
private school she now attends. She is soon entwined
in a dangerous game as part of the initiation
process for a secret society known on campus
as “The A’s.”

My Impressions:

This was a great quick read, perfect for curling
up on the couch with and reading over a
weekend. The characters felt well fleshed out, and
their motivations drove the story forward. Charlie
is a nice, active protagonist, who feels realistic
in her choices throughout the book.

If you liked Karen McManus’s books, this
will scratch that same itch. The secret society
plot was less predictable than most, and I
felt genuinely surprised by some of the plot
twists. With plenty of suspense to go around,
it makes for a fun quick paced read on a
slow day.

I recommend this book for fans of Karen
McManus and Kara Thomas who are looking
for a slightly more hard-boiled vibe.

Happy Reading!

Posted in Book Review

Review: Quiet in Her Bones by Nalini Singh

Posted on by writingkat95

The Hook:


Aarav’s mother disappeared ten years
ago and was never found. Now, as memories
resurface from the night she vanished, Aarav
is determined to uncover the truth of what happened
that night.


My Impressions:


With memorable characters and stylish narration,
this book makes for an excellent weekend read.
Each revelation spurred me on until I finished
reading the book in a single sitting.

Aarav makes an entertaining protagonist,
lending a certain sense of humor to the
dark themes of the book. The other characters
were memorable and distinct, and while there
was plenty of suspense, the pervasive feeling
the book evoked was tragedy. Aarav’s
mother is rendered with such humanity, it’s
impossible as a reader not to feel the
acute loss of her.

I highly recommend this book to mystery
fans. It’s a quick read, and impossible to
put down before the end.

Happy Reading!

Posted in Book Review

Review: The Last House Guest by Megan Miranda

Posted on by writingkat95


The Hook:

When Sadie Loman disappears,
her family becomes suspicious of her
best friend, Avery Greer, a girl from
“the wrong side of town.” A year
later, Avery works to uncover the
real truth behind what happened
to Sadie.

My Impressions:

This book kept me on my toes from start to
finish. There were twists along the way
that even made me gasp out loud.
Sadie felt like a tangible presence,
haunting me until I read on to find
out what became of her.

Megan Miranda’s narrative style works
wonderfully to create a sense of
tension and even claustrophobia as the
tight knit Maine town Avery grew up in
becomes more and more menacing as
her suspect list grows.

This book is an excellent read for mystery fans,
and serves as a perfect entry point to
Miranda’s works.

Happy Reading!

Posted in Book Review

Review: The Family Upstairs, by Lisa Jewell

Posted on by writingkat95

The hook:

On Libby’s twenty-fifth birthday she inherits a mysterious abandoned mansion and a mystery. Something terrible happened in this house twenty-five years ago, and Libby isn’t the only one looking for the truth.

My impressions:

This excellently told gothic mystery quickly became one of my favorite books I’ve read this year. Told from multiple perspectives across both the past and the present, this book explores the reasons behind the tragedy that left the mysterious house abandoned and the truth of the day Libby was found there as a baby, alone.

Fans of gothic stories and books like Flowers in the Attic are likely to enjoy this twisted tale of family and manipulation. What really happened twenty five years ago? Who were Libby’s parents? And why was she the only one left alive in that house after the tragedy that took place there just before she was found by the authorities, alone and abandoned but mysteriously well cared for?

You’ll have to read to find out, and I promise the journey is well worth it.

-Happy Reading

Posted in Book Review, Uncategorized

Review: Tell Me Everything, by Cambria Brockman

Posted on by writingkat95

The hook:

A tight knit group of college friends is thrown under suspicion when one of their group meets a tragic fate during a night of partying. Someone in the group knows more than they are telling, and everyone has secrets they’d rather not come to light.

My impressions:

This book got ahold of me and didn’t let go until I’d finished it. Every twist was perfectly timed, and as I pieced together the clues and foreshadowing, I found myself repeatedly whispering “oh no, oh NO” under my breath. If you’re a hardcore mystery fan, this is a perfect book to devour in one frantic sitting. Fans who are less used to the brutality of some of the darker books of the genre may want to seek out a spoiler free trigger warning list, as there are certainly some parts of the book that are quite disturbing. Even as a seasoned lover of mystery novels, I found myself queasy and disturbed by some of the scenes near the end of the book, and I don’t recommend it to anyone who dislikes depictions of gruesome material. There’s not much gore exactly, it’s more that the descriptions of some plot elements are psychologically disturbing. All that said, if you go into it prepared for all that, it’s an incredibly well written book that you’ll be unable to put down.

Fans of the shows Criminal Minds and How To Get Away With Murder will enjoy this twisty read. If you’re looking for a tangled tale to keep you up at night, you’ll love this book.

-Happy Reading