This book starts out with a unique premise. While perusing a newspaper, our main character sees a picture of someone she recognizes as herself along with a phone number and a website address. This frightens and confuses her but she is determined to figure out who used her picture and why.

I liked the interaction between the characters and most of them are roundly fleshed out to make them likable or unlikable, depending upon who they are and what their function is within the story. However, in my opinion, the character we learn the least about is a major, if unbelievable, player. The ending could have been satisfactory but I feel that the "twist" was thrown in to create an artificial opening for a sequel. The ending felt forced and soured the entire book for me. Again, in my opinion, the twist did not ring as believable. I would not be interested in finding out what happens if a sequel is published.

I haven't read a light-hearted mystery in a while and this book is definitely the ticket if you're interested in a good page-turner.

The characters are numerous so you have to pay attention as introductions are made, but the main characters are quickly fleshed out and are easy to like, or dislike, as the case may be. The mystery is an easy solve, but standby for the twist! Overall, a solid mystery with likable characters and a good beginning to what I imagine will be an ongoing series. I'm already looking forward to the next one!

Children are going missing in the Falkland Islands and someone knows who's taking them.

It's been some time since I've read something as tightly suspenseful as Little Black Lies. From the first page through the last, the author keeps us tightly wound, slowly increasing the tension as we move through the three main characters' narratives until everything comes together in a denouement largely satisfying, if not somewhat convenient. I enjoy books that offer up main characters that are not easily likeable and this book delivers in droves. The islands themselves, also play into the story. Rugged, lonely, and beautiful, they are the perfect setting for the overwhelming sadness and loss that permeate this story. I also appreciate how each character's narrative shone a light on the others which in turn, changed the way we, the reader, may have seen them. All in all, a taut, suspenseful read with an ending you think you saw coming, just not in the way you thought you did!

The overall premise of House of Echoes is familiar. Young family leaves the big, bad city to start a new life in a house in the middle of nowhere, in a small town where everyone knows everyone, and newcomers are not necessarily welcome with open arms. Although the plot is solid, the story is familiar and the ending is somewhat predictable. The main characters, the parents and their two sons, are well written but don't seem to function fully as a family. The storyline provides somewhat steady tension throughout, but there were parts of the book that were dull and lulling. Overall, I would consider this a solid effort with scary parts interwoven throughout the story but not enough to consider this a page-turner.

I read an account of the Lusitania when I was a young girl and had been fascinated by the story. There were so many mysteries surrounding the sinking of this ship and the book answered many of them. But in addition to answering questions regarding the faults that lead up to the ship being torpedoed, we learn about what happened to the survivors of the tragedy. I appreciate how much research these authors put into solving the mysteries surrounding the story and feel as though the authors gave me a front seat to people's lives as the story unfolded. The story is well written and companionable. The first half of the book is somewhat mundane but it's worth the time to read through to the end as the second half of the book follows the lives of the people who survived the tragedy. Definitely a good read!

'Five' offers a new twist to the typical serial killer thrillers. GPS coordinates are found tattooed on the soles of a victims' feet. The coordinates send police on a "treasure hunt" of sorts where the killer mixes murder with geocaching, an activity where geocachers hunt for hidden objects based on GPS coordinates and clues from other geocachers. An enjoyable read (if you like dark murder mysteries) with an intriguing lead character, D.I. Beatrice Kaspary. As a geocacher myself, it was fun to read about a popular hobby in this light. It adds a bit more mystery to an already interesting pastime.

Do yourself a favor. If you've read Gone Girl, put it out of your mind before you start reading this book. There are comparisons, but they're two distinctly, different books. This is a suspense/thriller that will hook you with its smart and solid characters. Rachel and Clara have been friends who appear to have shared everything from the moment they met and became friends, but all is not as it appears to be. It's dark and you can feel there's something "not right" about the relationship between the main characters but you can't quite put your finger on it.

This story has an engrossing plot line told in a simple and effective manner. The ending you think should be happening might not be happening because the twist you thought was the twist wasn't a twist at all! There's no way to elaborate without giving too much away so you'll just have to read it for yourself.

I rated this 4 stars but if halves were available for use, I would probably have rated this 3 and a 1/2 stars.

Two gruesome murders of an almost identical nature that occur almost simultaneously would normally lead a good investigator to the belief that only one killer is responsible, but what happens when the two murders occur in two vastly different locations? Can the same killer be responsible for both? This is the premise of Where Monsters Dwell by Jorgen Brekke.

Homicide detective Felicia Stone from Virgina and Odd Singsaker from Trondheim, Norway, eventually come together to unravel the mystery of the murders and find not only similarities in the killings, but a common theme to both murders involving a rare book from the 1500's.

The novel is written in two different narratives, one set in the 1500's and one set in the current time and the reader moves back and forth between circumstances in the 1500's that shed light on why these murders may be connected now.

The first part of the book was a little hard to get through for me but about a third of the way in, the story picked up and moved easily from there.

Characters are well formed, if a little clunky, and the story is well thought out. I think the translation was commendable and helped keep the storyline flowing well between periods.

There are lots of red herrings but I think it's pretty easy to figure out "who done it", maybe not so easy to figure out why. Overall, this is a solid mystery with a solid plotline and likeable characters. I hope detectives Stone and Singsaker continue to work together in future novels. On a side note, if 1/2 stars were available, I would rate this book at 3 and a 1/2 stars.

Don't get me wrong here. It's a good story with strong lead character who is intelligent and likable. However, based on the book's description, I anticipated more psychological insight into the protagonist's frame of mind after her own ordeal. Instead, we have a story with a somewhat predictable plot line and a somewhat predictable ending. On the plus side, if the author creates a series with her protagonist as a detective specializing in abduction cases, there may be hope yet!

Chief of Police, Kate Burkholder, is called to the scene of a hit and run that strikes a personal note when she finds that the victims are the husband and children of her childhood best friend.

There's baggage in this former friendship due to her upbringing, then leaving, the Amish community. There's more baggage coming from Kate's relationships with her brother and sister, who are still Amish and in the fact that they are all helping Kate hide a secret from her past that could destroy their lives, as well as her own life and career. Add a semi-new personal relationship into the mix and it makes for a fast read with a quick plot line, easy to remember characters, and a slightly surprising ending. Overall, a very enjoyable read that stands alone in the Kate Burkholder series.

DC Maeve Kerrigan is a fresh detective with a condescending, know it all, chauvinistic partner and a boss who may or may not be tumbling from the pedestal on which she's placed him. Factor in the current case of a prominent defense attorney who is unwilling to work with the police to help find the killer of his murdered wife and daughter, and you've got a pretty lively read.

I'd like to have read all the books in this series as there are some back stories that play a bit into the plot but overall, this book stands alone. The character types are a little tired but their personalities are solid and thought out. Even though Kerrigan's partner is a thorn, Kerrigan holds her own and works the case in spite of it. The fact that she is somewhat "fresh" helps her see the case the way her partner cannot and her boss, the police superintendent appreciates and respects that about her.

DC Maeve Kerrigan has her flaws. She isn't a genius who is able to make cognitive leaps to immediately solve the crime. She is human and she is a good investigator and this is what translates into a good read.

The minute I started reading, "Rage Against Dying", and learned that the main character, Brigid Quinn, was 59 years old, I was intrigued.

I've read plenty of serial killer thrillers before but this is the first one I can think of with an older, retired female, FBI agent, who isn't an "accidental" detective or who doesn't just trip her way into a case. Brigid Quinn is a real agent with real experience who has skeletons in her closet, the ghost of a failed mission in her past, and the realities of an unrealistic personal relationship that she's set up to fail.

Brigid Quinn is forced into early retirement and finally finds the life she thinks she's always wanted. A wonderful husband and a family of pugs help Brigid enjoy the banalities of a "normal" life until she is called in to help close out the case that changed her life and took the life of her young protégé.

Suddenly, her "normal" life takes a turn for the worse and try as she might, she cannot gain control of what she had, and worse, cannot let go of this case, even though she can see it all going to hell in a hand basket.
   
I wish there was a "Good " category for rating books. This is really, one of the most original serial killer thrillers I've read in a while. Nicely rounded out characters, fast moving plotline, and a great level of suspense make this a must-read for any suspense/thriller fans out there.

Is there any such thing as an "intellectual" horror story? Before I read, The Devil In Silver, I probably would have said, "Yes, but you don't see it often enough."

Don't think that because the bulk of this story occurs in a mental hospital, that you're going to read the typical "mental hospital" type story. And don't think because the Devil (yes, THAT devil) is a main character that you're going to read a typical horror story.

You will be reading an intelligent, witty, original story about a man who is committed to a 72 hour stay in a hospital psych ward that turns into a much longer stay than expected. You will be reading about a microcosm of life that is influenced by the people that inhabit the psych ward and the devil that influences them.

The dialogue is snappy. The characters are interesting. The storyline is engrossing. It is definitely worth the read.

Let me start by saying that "My Brilliant Friend" is a difficult read but as a lover of all things Italian, I pushed through it. I was finally rewarded with a good story of three life-long friends, and I say three because Naples is a very large part of the the girls' relationship.

Family and friends also inundate the story. Lots of family and friends! There are so many characters to keep up with, the author kindly provides us with an "index of characters" that you WILL need to keep up with them all.

It's a slow start and you have to push yourself past the beginning of the book to get to the point where you're too invested to quit reading but I think, considering that this is the beginning of a trilogy, that the story will not only get better, but will continue to flesh out the most important characters, especially, Elena and Lila, whom we follow from their 8th year of age to their 16th year, which is why I only graded it as "average".

I don't think this type of book is for everyone. It's a good story but it's a bit convoluted and it's not what I would call a "relaxing" read. I plan on reading the next two installments but I have to say it's dependent upon how quickly they are published because I usually re-read the previous books to get myself back into the story and I'm honestly not sure I would re-read this book.

Paris in Love by Eloisa James is a memoir of sorts but not written in typical memoir fashion.

After her mother’s death and her own diagnosis of cancer, the author, now a cancer survivor, decides it’s time for a sabbatical so she, her Italian husband and two kids, pull up temporary stakes and head for Paris, France.

This is a light, easy read that made me want to find a nice meadow with a bubbling brook nearby, throw down a blanket and read the day away. Paris in Love isn’t so much a story, as it is a compilation of short introductory paragraphs and collections of short facebook entries and tweets by chapters.

Ms. James doesn’t shy away from talking about the dark side of living in Paris but her joie de vivre over the simple pleasures overshadows the negatives. She also doesn’t strive to make her family life the picture of perfection. In the small snippets of daily living, we are privy to the ups and downs of day to day family life with husbands, kids, in-laws, and visiting family and friends.

We learn that Paris is not without its faults. There is bad weather. There are homeless people living on the streets. Some Parisians look down their noses at Americans. Not every French restaurant serves perfect French cuisine (gasp!).

Although these little snippets may seem disjointed at times, Ms. James’ little Parisian vignettes relayed warmth and painted some wonderful pictures in my head that kept me reading.