I loved this book. It is the real deal. Beautifully written, enthralling, entertaining and educational. The sisters' travel in the bowels of the SS Hudson from the Old World to the New was not for the feint hearted. The portrayal of the Cuban Havana scene in the early 1900's was so vividly realistic, I felt I was there. Then we have life in NYC and Detroit! The characters all had depth and heart, Pearl in particular. It was a very satisfying read.
Fascinating!

I have to say I enjoyed this book. I could relate to the story in that I had a German grandmother named Maria, whose husband was sent off to WWI. So as granddaughter of my oma Maria, I could put the story into a personal perspective. I guess I could have been in the narrator role. I like the Germanic vibe of the story and the German references. What I did not care for is that it was confusing as to who the narrator really was. And not broken down into chapters! This is the first book I read that as soon as I read the last page, I flipped back to front and reread the first thirty pages, wondering if I missed something! I thought it interesting how everyone lived out the rest of their lives (or died young), and how much seemed negative, like there was a curse of sorts. But given all that, I still enjoyed the book, and might read it again with fresh eyes. i would also like to have seen a picture of the beautiful Maria!

This is easily one of the best books I have read all year. Spoken in the voice of an 11 year old girl, it is so real and readable. It deals with a half American Indian girl who gets involved in a tragic crime and winds up in one of the terrible homes that were meant to "Americanize" Native Americans. Eye opening and shameful. But I read this in two days. My only gripe is I would have like an ending that was more concrete. For those who liked Where the Crawdads Sings, and even, To Kill a Mockingbird. Do not miss this one!

True Crime Story is a novel that doesn't feel like a novel.
It feels like being a party to an investigation.
A failing writer becomes interested in a seven year old
cold case of missing co-ed Zoe, who happens to be a twin. The story unfolds via interviews with the victims friends and relatives, and a series of emails between the failing writer and a successful crime writer who is helping her get the book together. The characters gradually unfold, and become quite well developed, albeit unsympathetic, for the most part. The end was a one/two punch! Certainly would recommend this mystery, twin study, and look into family dynamics. Very clever read.

Just finished He Started It. "A wild ride" has become a cliché in describing this genre, but this truly was the "wildest" ride yet. Dysfunctional family, again an understatement. I would say a truly despicable cast of characters, each person deserving their ultimate fate. This book is compulsively readable, powering though it in two days. Had to see where this road trip ended, and certainly did not see the endpoint. Wow, an exhausting, suspenseful thriller. Samantha Downing surpassed her first novel, My Lovely Wife, no contest

I am a big fan of these new psychological thrillers, but this one just didn't cut it with me. I think it was because I didn't think it was realistic that Amy would let Roux push her around, even though Roux had knowledge of the her big secret. I just didn't care for any of the characters, and the Roux-Luca relationship was obviously disturbing.

I read this book in one day. Ok, I admit it was travel day, flying to Italy, so I had plenty of time to read, but this book made me not mind the hours of sitting in airports! It was the only book I brought on the trip and when my husband saw I was getting close to the end of the book, he suggested I save it for the flight home. NO WAY was I going to wait 10 days to see how this book ends!!
This is a disturbing story of a seemingly "normal" couple who "get off" on finding women they can kill. It is a very creepy premise, but it is not graphic , which I appreciated. The wife is a psycho, much like in Gone Girl. The ending is unexpected, though considering the couple, nothing should come as a surprise! It is sure to be made into a movie.

This was one terrific read, albeit a dark one! This story of a seemingly normal family situation that spirals out of control, was an enthralling read, especially from the comfort of my own "normal" existence. There were twists and turns, situations going from bad to worse. The husband Bram was really not a bad person, but certainly a flawed individual that made some very bad decisions. This is a book filled with suspense and surprises. It does not disappoint! I love forward to reading more of Louise Candlish.

Holy Cow! What a wild ride. Sometimes I Lie is a terrific read. The plot is like an onion; layer after layer of revelations about the cast of characters. It's complex, twisted and dark. It is very much in the genre of Gone Girl, and Girl on Train, and every bit as good as either, perhaps even better. The short chapters make it ever so tempting to read "just one more" before calling it a night. A tough book to put down, and equally tough to process. Who was the most psychotic of the cast of characters? Might have to read this one again!