Saturday, March 16, 2024

What's Not Mine

What's Not Mine by Nora Decter
4/2/24; 248 pages
ECW Press

What's Not Mine by Nora Decter is a recommended coming-of-age novel.

The summer Bria Powers turns 16 she is living with her aunt Tash and bestfriend/cousin Ains because her mother is long gone, her father is in jail for drug-dealing, and his girlfriend she was living with died from an overdose. During the day Bria and Ains babysit Ains’s younger siblings. Then they both go to work at the Burger Shack. After work Bria is personally struggling with drugs, alcohol, a bad relationship with a man she calls Someboy, and trying to find her place in the world. As if that isn't enough, some male is texting her pornographic images.

Bria is not a likable or trustworthy narrator. She will, however, elicit your sympathy because she is such a mixed-up broken teen who needs more support than she is receiving from those around her. She is in a rough situation that would leave many teens struggling. The hot, dry summer and the plethora of insects invading the area help set the desperate tone.

The pace is steady, but slow. There is some dark humor, but I was left mostly feeling depressed by the novel. (It feels like a YA novel, although it is not presented as one.) The novel does succeed in capturing the sad social realites of fentanyl infiltrating the community and the descriptive passages concerning the natural events of the summer are quite well-written. It does have a satisfying ending. Thanks to ECW Press for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

A History of the World in Twelve Shipwrecks

A History of the World in Twelve Shipwrecks by David Gibbins
4/2/24; 304 pages
St. Martin's Press

A History of the World in Twelve Shipwreck by David Gibbins is a highly recommended history based around 12 shipwrecks written by an expert in both archaeology and diving. In the prologue Gibbons makes it clear that the twelve shipwrecks he covers provide a springboard for looking at the wider historical context. Shipwrecks are unique because it represents a collection of objects used at the time of the shipwreck and thus can be closely dated. This can offer new historical insights into the past. 

The shipwrecks examined are: The Dover Boat constructed in 1575-1520 BC; Royal cargoes at the time of Tutankhamun in 14th century BC and the Uluburun wreck; a Classical Greece wreck off the Aegean coast of Turkey from the 5th century BC;  a shipwreck in the Mediterranean from the Roman Empire in the 2nd century AD; 6th century AD Christianity and early Byzantium; Tang China, the Land of Gold, and Addasid Islam in the 9th century AD;  11th century AD Viking warship of King Cnut the Great; the Mary Rose, the flagship of Henry VIII, 1545;the Santo Christo de Castello a Dutch ship from 1667; The Royal Anne Galley, 1721; the HMS Terror, 1848; and the SS Gairsoppa, destroyed by a Nazi U-boat in the Atlantic during World War II. (The final version will include illustrations, an index, bibliography, endnotes, and resources.)

These shipwrecks are the starting point to a larger discussion of world history. It is well-researched and includes many ties into a wider historical context of the time the ship would have been sea worthy. The people, the cargo, the spread of the materials they carried and the beliefs they held are all tied together with the 12 significant shipwrecks and the insight they provide into the times in which they sailed. 

Admittedly, I found some of the shipwrecks and their historical context more interesting than others, but A History of the World in Twelve Shipwreck will appeal to those who enjoy history and especially maritime history. Thanks to St. Martin's Press for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

Everyone Is Watching

Everyone Is Watching by Heather Gudenkauf
3/26/24; 320 pages
Park Row Books

Everyone Is Watching by Heather Gudenkauf is a very highly recommended locked-room thriller that is absolutely riveting from start to finish.

Five contestants have been chosen to compete for ten million dollars on the game show One Lucky Winner which will be live streamed across the world. The competition is held on a secluded estate in California and the rules are strict - no contact with the outside world and you can't leave the property. The contestants are given the monikers of The Best Friend, The Confidant, The Senator, The Boyfriend, and The Executive. Quite quickly, two facts become clear: they were purposefully chosen for a reason and someone is out for blood.

Set all incredulity and disbelief aside and prepare yourself for a well-written, twisty, unrelenting, immersive, and dangerous locked-room thriller. The story is told through the point-of-view of three women:  Maire Hennessy, a 40-year-old single mother with a chronically ill child (The Best Friend); Camille Tamerlane, a 38-year-old therapist and popular podcast host; and Fern (Fernanda) Espa, the host of the show and assistant to the woman who is the demanding executive producer of One Lucky Winner. We also learn their backstories and gain valuable insight into how the seemingly random contestants are actually interconnected.

Everyone Is Watching is fast-paced, tension-packed and thoroughly compelling from start to finish. The stakes, ten million dollars, are high, but it soon becomes clear that the challenges are very dangerous and made for revenge. What is really on the line is their reputations and exposure of secrets they hold. Thanks to Park Row Books for providing me with an advance reader's copy via Edelweiss. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

Wednesday, March 13, 2024

The Truth about the Devlins

The Truth about the Devlins by Lisa Scottoline
3/26/24; 384 pages
G.P. Putnam's Sons

The Truth about the Devlins by Lisa Scottoline is a very highly recommended domestic psychological suspense novel following a dysfunctional Philadelphia family. This is an excellent, un-put-downable thriller that will hold your attention from start to finish.

TJ Devlin is the youngest son and the greatest disappointment in his family of lawyers. Both his parents, Paul and Marie, and two older siblings, John and Gabrielle, are lawyers in the successful family firm of Devlin and Devlin. TJ, on the other hand, is an ex-con and, after rehab, has maintain his current sobriety for two years. The only employment he has been able to find is with the family law firm in a make-work job with the title of investigator. 

When his older brother John is frantic because he thinks he murdered Neil Lemaire, an accountant he confronted with proof of embezzlement, he privately turns to TJ for his help. TJ agrees to help him and this act of brotherly fidelity sets into motion a complicated entanglement of schemes and deception, especially after John falsely tells his family that TJ is drinking again. At the same time, he is helping Gabby on a heart-breaking pro bono case.

TJ is a likable, genuine character who is honest about his many flaws and failings. He is determined, intelligent, tenacious, but also self-effacing and realistic. This is truly a family drama and the interpersonal dynamics in the Devlin family play an important role. TJ remains loyal to his family, even when it is to his own detriment. His father is a disagreeable, unlikable character and John is an arrogant, pompous jerk. His mother, Marie, and sister Gabby are both likable, agreeable characters.

As expected, the writing is exceptional and descriptive. The pace is fast and compelling for most of the novel, although there is a more even pace in the middle. The narrative is full of action and suspense, containing a good dose of family drama and hysterics, as well as several twists along the way. The Truth about the Devlins is truly an un-put-downable, just one-more-chapter book that had me staying up way-too-late to finish it. The pages flew by. There are several shocking surprises and twists along the way. You will be cheering TJ on as it seems more and more mud is slung in his direction while he is trying to do his best.

The Truth about the Devlins is another winner from Scottoline! Thanks to G.P, Putnam's Sons for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The Memory Bank

The Memory Bank by Brian Shea and Raquel Byrnes
3/19/24; 328 pages
Severn River Books

The Memory Bank by Brian Shea and Raquel Byrnes is a murder mystery that features an exciting, action-packed blend of a police procedural and technothriller. It is very highly recommended and marks the start of an engrossing new series.

Detective Morgan Reed and new partner Detective Natalie (Nat) De La Cruz start an investigation into a series of deaths with some disconcerting and strange similarities. The most recent case is the death of technology pioneer Dr. Gerald Price. The evidence seems to point to a suicide, but after another death Reed notices a strange clue that becomes the impetus to further investigate the two cases along with some previous cases. Clearly, Reed and Nat are on to something as they discover more clues, they also become targets.

Set in a near future The Memory Bank features cutting edge technology that is easily to envision happening. The technology is in the hands of the police too, and Nat is the one gifted in knowing how to use it or who to go to for information. Reed is the one with the innate instinct to see clues and question assumptions. The two have skills that compliment each other, work well together, and have a dynamic partnership. They are both great characters and I look forward to their next case.

The well-written narrative moves at a lightning-fast pace and is compelling from start to finish. Once started it is impossible to put down. Sure, there are high-tech innovations as part of the plot, but the technology is well-presented and the concepts are easily grasped. The corporate treachery in the plot is readily understood as is the heart-stopping action. Thanks to Severn River Books for providing me with an advance reader's copy via Edelweiss. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

Sunday, March 10, 2024

Good Half Gone

Good Half Gone by Tarryn Fisher
3/19/24; 304 pages
Graydon House Books

Good Half Gone by Tarryn Fisher is a thriller with two timelines following a sister seeking her twin who was abducted in front of her. It is highly recommended.

When they were both fifteen, twin sisters Iris and Piper Walsh went to the movies. As they were leaving a couple young men grabbed Piper, threw her into a car and sped off. Iris contacted the police, but the officers didn't believe her, assuming Piper was just another runaway. By the time they took her seriously, it was too late. The girls were being raised by their loving grandmother who rescued them from their neglectful mother. A decade later after college Iris accepts an internship at Shoal Island Hospital for the criminally insane. She believes her sister's killer is locked up there.

The plot unfolds through two timelines. In the first Iris is a teen looking for Piper, seeking clues about her abductors, and struggling to continue on without her twin. In the second Iris is now in her 20's with a son and she accepts the internship position at the Shoal Island Hospital with ulterior motives. Both plot threads are compelling and add important details to the narrative. They also move at an uneven pace with several distractions along the way.

Iris is a fully realized character. Readers will know what motivates her and drives her to proceed as she does in each time period. Piper, her twin, has a very different personality and that also comes through. Readers will appreciate her grandmother and the love she has for the girls. The depiction of the grief Iris and her grandmother share for the loss of Piper is well done, as is the obsession Iris has in her search for her twin.

The ending requires the reader to accept a colossal dose of disbelief, which I just couldn't do. I can often set aside disbelief and go with the flow, but in this case it was too implausible. I can't ruin the ending by listing all the reasons why, but let's just say it would be paragraphs and lists. However, it can't be denied that it is an entertaining, action-packed ending. Thanks to Graydon House for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

Saturday, March 9, 2024

Has Anyone Seen Charlotte Salter?

Has Anyone Seen Charlotte Salter? by Nicci French
3/19/24; 544 pages
William Morrow

Has Anyone Seen Charlotte Salter? by Nicci French is a domestic mystery which ends as a police procedural. This gripping story of families seeking closure while dealing with a missing person and death is very highly recommended.

It is December 22, 1990 in the village of Glensted in East Anglia and Alec Salter's 50th birthday party is being held in a cleaned-up barn. The four Salter children are present, Niall, Paul, Ollie, and Etty, along with most of the village. It becomes clear that Alec's wife, Charlie (Charlotte), is missing. Alec doesn't seem to care, but fifteen-year-old Etty becomes increasingly worried and finally ends up calling the police to report her missing. The police aren't as concerned. As the days pass by and nothing is heard. Then the body of neighbor and family friend, Duncan Ackerly is found in the river, a presumed suicide, and the police tie the two cases together with no supporting evidence.

The narrative is presented in three parts. Part one is in 1990 and covers the missing person case of Charlie and death of Duncan. It is mainly told through Etty's point-of-view. Part two is set in 2022 and finds the Salter's reunited to move their father Alec to a care facility. It has the two Ackerly brothers also reuniting in the area to make a podcast about their father's death and Charlie's disappearance. Part three has London sending Detective Inspector Maud O’Connor to Glensted to in response to the podcast. Her job is to seriously look at the facts and evidence to find a resolution to the 30 year-old case.

Has Anyone Seen Charlotte Salter? is an exceptionally well-written character-driven murder mystery that transforms into a procedural. It was enjoyable to meet the characters when the majority were young and living in dysfunctional homes, and then viewing them as adults where you could see the damage the tragedies inflicted on them and how their lives will always be interconnected. The time span provided a full examination of them as individuals. Alec is shown to be an angry, disagreeable man. Both Charlie and Duncan are also developed as characters.

The first two parts are emotional, have an even pace, and the characters are handled with great compassion. The switch between a character driven mystery and psychological examination into a procedural, where the same characters are viewed by a third party was a wonderful choice. The contrast between the two investigations thirty years apart is disconcerting, as is the introduction of Detective Inspector Maud O’Connor into the plot. She is an excellent character and I quite enjoyed the switch to a procedural to bring closure to the case.

Nicci French is the pseudonym adopted by writers Nicci Gerard and Sean French. Has Anyone Seen Charlotte Salter? is an excellent novel that showcases their skill and talent. This very highly recommended novel is outstanding. Thanks to William Morrow for providing me with an advance reader's copy via Edelweiss. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.