Rules of Frost by Brendan Duffy

"The Shining" meets "Jumanji". I've seen these movies before.

Rules of Frost immediately hooked me with its premise: A nearly deserted boarding school over winter break, a blizzard cutting everyone off from the outside world, and a mysterious game that quickly turns dangerous. It has all the ingredients for an atmospheric survival horror story, and the isolated setting is one of the book's strongest assets.

The game itself was also an interesting concept. Watching the remaining students become increasingly invested in completing its quests, even when common sense should have told them to stop, felt believable. As a teacher, I could easily imagine kids getting caught up in the excitement and peer pressure, which added an extra layer of tension.

Unfortunately, the story never fully came together for me. Much of it felt derivative, relying on familiar horror conventions rather than offering a fresh take on them. The isolated campus, relentless snowstorm, dwindling resources, and looming danger created a creepy atmosphere, but they also reminded me of stories that have explored similar ideas with greater originality. Because the plot followed such familiar beats, very little surprised me along the way.

I also struggled to connect with the characters. Although each of the remaining students and teachers had distinct personalities and backstories, I never became emotionally invested in their fates. That lack of connection made it difficult for the suspense to have the impact I was hoping for. Instead of sitting on the edge of my seat, I found myself emotionally detached and waiting for the story to deliver the kind of twist that would make everything click.

To the author's credit, I did not correctly predict the identity of the true villain. However, the reveal felt more surprising than earned, and the final resolution required more suspension of disbelief than I could give, leaving me disappointed by the ending.

Readers who enjoy atmospheric boarding school horror, survival stories, and isolated winter settings may have a better experience than I did. Content warnings include violence, death, child endangerment, psychological horror, and scenes of peril in extreme winter conditions.

While the premise and setting held plenty of promise, the familiar story beats, lack of emotional connection to the characters, and an ending that didn't work for me ultimately made this a two-star read. 

My sincere thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review. 

Don't Answer the Door by Nicci French (Maud O'Connor #4)

 It's never who you most expect. Never.

I had never read anything by Nicci French before, so I wasn't quite sure what to expect. Five hours later, I had finished Don't Answer the Door and was left wondering why I'd waited so long to pick up one of their books. (Fun fact: Nicci French is actually a husband and wife team of authors.) 

The story begins with the shocking murder of Amy Barton. We appear to have an obvious suspect - the husband, of course. While the local investigators are ready to wrap things up neatly, Detective Maud O'Connor is sent from London to observe the investigation. After all, having an all male investigative team isn't a good look for the murder of a woman. So everyone expects DI O'Connor, as the token female, to sign off on the existing theory and head home. Instead, she does what every good detective should do: She starts asking questions.

Maud quickly became my favorite character. She's intelligent, tenacious, and quietly confident, refusing to be intimidated or dismissed in an environment where she's clearly expected to stay in her lane. I always enjoy a strong female protagonist who earns respect through competence rather than theatrics, and Maud does exactly that.

What impressed me most, though, was the way Nicci French handled the story itself. Just when I thought I had everything figured out, the novel shifted in a direction I never anticipated. Every time I felt confident about where things were headed, the authors subtly pulled the rug out from under me. Nothing felt forced or unfair; it simply reminded me that I wasn't nearly as clever as I thought I was.

I appreciated that the suspense never relied on graphic violence or cheap shock value. Instead, it came from the investigation, the characters, and the growing need to see justice served. I became completely invested in discovering not only what had happened, but whether the truth would ever come to light.

The title couldn't be more fitting, and the ending absolutely sticks the landing. Every thread is tied together in a satisfying way, and I closed the book with complete satisfaction.

If you're looking for a compelling crime novel with memorable characters, a smart investigation, and twists that genuinely surprised an experienced thriller reader, Don't Answer the Door is an easy recommendation. It earned every one of its five stars, and it certainly won't be my last Nicci French novel.

My sincere thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow Paperbacks for the advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Memory Man by David Baldacci (Amos Decker #1)

The best protagonists aren't the ones with extraordinary abilities. They're the ones who have to pay for them.

I picked up Memory Man as a commute audiobook, fully expecting to listen to it only in my car. I should know better. We're talking about David Baldacci, after all. The production company he uses for his audiobooks is fantastic. Kudos to narrators Ron McLarty and Orlagh Cassidy. This isn't the first time I've listened to them, and it certainly won't be the last. I didn't wait for my next commute to finish this book, and I have already purchased the next two books in this series.

Amos Decker isn't your typical thriller hero. A former detective, he has hyperthymesia, a condition that allows him to remember virtually every detail of his life. At first, it sounds like the perfect skill for solving crimes. But Baldacci wisely doesn't treat it as a superpower. Instead, he shows it for what it really is. As Adrian Monk would say, it's a blessing and a curse.

Most of us heal because memories soften with time. The sharp edges dull. We forget little details, and sometimes that's a gift. Amos Decker doesn't have that luxury. Every tragedy, every mistake, every painful memory remains as vivid as the day it happened. That includes every single little detail of the day he found his family murdered. His greatest strength is also the thing that keeps him from moving forward.

That alone would have made for an interesting character, but Baldacci wraps him in an investigation that kept me guessing until the very end. The clues are all there from the beginning, but Baldacci has a gift for steering readers toward the wrong conclusions. I found myself making the wrong assumptions exactly as he intended.

Decker is socially awkward, grieving, stubborn, physically imposing, and emotionally scarred. He's competent, but deeply flawed. Those are the protagonists I connect with most because they feel like real people rather than action heroes. Decker doesn't breeze through impossible situations because he's invincible. He succeeds despite carrying burdens most of us couldn't imagine.

Memory Man is more than a cleverly plotted thriller. It's an exploration of memory, grief, and the cost of never being able to forget. The mystery may be solved by the final chapter, but Amos Decker's journey feels like it's only beginning. I'm looking forward to following him wherever Baldacci takes him next.

Bone Maker by D. F. Bailey (Will Finch #1)

 PSA: Bears are not picky eaters. Just sayin'. 

Bone Maker by DF Bailey is one of those thrillers that builds slowly. It actually took me three days to read, which surprised me because the opening made me think I was headed for a marathon reading session.

We begin with Ethan and his son Ben. They are out hunting when they come across a Mercedes parked with its window open and a bear happily chowing down nearby. And let’s be honest, bears aren’t exactly picky eaters when they’re hungry. 

So immediately we have questions. Who was the bear’s dinner? Why would someone see a bear and open the window? Did that even happen the way it appears?

As the story progresses, Bailey doesn’t hide who the villains are. Instead, the tension comes from watching reporter Will Finch piece everything together. Once it’s discovered that the victim was shot before becoming bear food, the mystery shifts from who did it to how Will is going to uncover the truth without ending up on the menu himself.

The middle moves at a measured pace, but the investigation gradually gathers momentum, and by the end I was fully invested in seeing how Finch would connect the dots. If you enjoy crime thrillers where the suspense comes from the hunt for evidence rather than a last-page twist, Bone Maker is worth picking up.

Depth Perception by Linda Castillo

Murder, mayhem, and mystery. I would love it if we kept our clothes on. 

I just finished reading Depth Perception by Linda Castillo, and it earned a solid four stars from me. I originally picked it up because I thought it was another entry in the Kate Burkholder series. I was initially disappointed to discover it wasn't. It didn't take long for the murder, mayhem, and mystery Ms. Castillo writes so well to convince me I'd picked up a winner.

The story follows two people returning to the small town they once called home. Nick has just been released from prison after serving six years for a crime he didn't commit, framed by his business partner. While he was behind bars, his young son drowned in what was ruled an accident. Natalie returns after spending two years in a coma following the brutal murders of her husband and son and her own suicide attempt. Those murders remain unsolved, and she's determined to find the person responsible.

Before the deaths of Nick's and Natalie's sons, several other children's deaths had also been dismissed as tragic accidents. When two more children disappear, Nick and Natalie begin asking some uncomfortable questions. Suddenly, all those accidents don't look accidental anymore.

By now, I really should know better than to suspect the obvious. Linda Castillo has fooled me enough times that I should know the most suspicious character usually isn't the guilty one. And yet she surprised me again.

One thing I appreciated was how the mystery kept expanding. What begins as two parents searching for answers slowly grows into something much darker. The emotional stakes are high because this isn't just another police investigation. Nick and Natalie have lived with unimaginable loss, and their determination to uncover the truth gives the story real heart.

The novel also includes a paranormal element. After waking from her coma, Natalie discovers she can communicate with her deceased son through trance writing. Normally, that's not something I gravitate toward, but I thought it worked well here. Whether you believe in that sort of thing or simply see it as part of the story, it adds another layer of mystery and reinforces Natalie's role as an outsider in her own hometown. More importantly, it becomes an integral part of solving the case rather than feeling like a gimmick.

Nick and Natalie also make a strong investigative team. Once Nick begins accepting Natalie's unusual abilities, they complement each other well, and their shared grief creates a believable partnership built on understanding as much as attraction.

Now for my one complaint.

As many of you already know, when the clothes start coming off, I start skipping pages. The romance itself didn't bother me, but the explicit love scenes pulled me away from a mystery I was eager to get back to. Your mileage may vary, but I'd have happily traded the steamy scenes for a few more pages of investigation. Or even another murder. I'm not too picky. 

Fortunately, the mystery is strong enough that it more than makes up for it. The ending ties everything together, justice is served, and there are no frustrating loose ends left dangling.

If you enjoy mysteries with emotional depth, personal stakes, and just a touch of the unexplained, Depth Perception is well worth the read. Just remember: if you think you've figured out the villain halfway through, Linda Castillo is probably smiling.

South of Nowhere by Jeffery Deaver (Colter Shaw #5)

The only thing wrong with finishing the fifth Colter Shaw novel is realizing there is no sixth waiting on my TBR list.

I have a confession to make. I read South of Nowhere, the fifth and (currently) final Colter Shaw novel by Jeffery Deaver, in one day.

To be fair, Mr. Deaver made it nearly impossible to stop. Every chapter ended with something that convinced me I'd quit reading after "just one more chapter." Several hours later, I reached the last page and realized the sun was setting. Oops.

This time, Colter Shaw finds himself in a small mining town facing what appears to be an unavoidable natural disaster. Days of relentless rain, rapid snowmelt, and an aging levee that has long been ignored have everyone watching the water rise. If the levee fails, the entire town could be washed away. That looming catastrophe creates an urgency unlike any of the previous books in the series. The mystery is compelling, but Mother Nature is keeping her own countdown.

I labeled this one a small-town thriller, and the setting deserves just as much credit as the characters. In a small town, everyone knows everyone else's business (or thinks they do). You have local politics, curious bystanders, selfie seekers, opportunists hoping to profit from the chaos, and officials trying to keep everything from falling apart. One of my favorite details was the mayor suddenly finding himself serving as the completely inexperienced chief of police. Only in a small town could that seem remotely plausible.

One of the things I've always loved about Colter Shaw is how his mind works. He doesn't rely on hunches alone. He assigns percentages to possibilities, constantly recalculating as new information comes in. Maybe that's the math geek in me, but I love watching him analyze every situation instead of simply charging ahead. Even five books into the series, his methodical approach never got old. If anything, it became one of the reasons I kept turning pages.

Jeffery Deaver is also a master of misdirection. Just when I thought I understood where the story was headed, well, nope. Add in relentless pacing, and this became one of those novels where putting the book down felt impossible. So I didn't.

The supporting cast shines as well, especially Colter's mother, Mary Dove. Hey. Someone was shooting at her children. What's a mom to do? I may have smiled at a little justice outside the system.

One scene, in particular, had me holding my breath. Dorion receives a simple text message: "Need you now." It names a local medical center, and suddenly everything changes. It's a perfect example of how Deaver can create enormous suspense with just a few carefully chosen words.

I've also been watching Tracker, the television series inspired by these books, and I've enjoyed it. But reading the Colter Shaw novels is a different experience entirely. The show captures the spirit of the character, but the books let me climb inside Colter's analytical mind. I get to watch him weigh possibilities, notice details everyone else overlooks, and build the solution piece by piece. Reading creates a richer experience because my imagination gets to direct the movie.

Looking back over all five Colter Shaw novels, what impresses me most is that none of them felt repetitive. Each adventure presented a completely different challenge, and South of Nowhere may be the most unique of them all by blending a disaster thriller with a small-town mystery.

If this truly is the end of the series, I'll miss following Colter's adventures. But if Jeffery Deaver ever decides to write a sixth book, I'll happily clear my schedule. Because apparently reading an entire Colter Shaw novel in one day is now a thing I do.

Burning Bright by Nick Petrie (Peter Ash #2)

 Sometimes the hardest battle is learning to heal. 

There are thriller protagonists you enjoy reading, and then there are the ones who earn a permanent place in your heart. Peter Ash has become one of mine.

If you've never met Peter before, he's a military veteran who returned home carrying invisible wounds. His PTSD manifests itself as severe claustrophobia, what he calls "white static", making it nearly impossible for him to stay indoors for any length of time. It's an unusual obstacle for an action hero, and it's one of the reasons Peter feels so real. He doesn't overcome his fears by pretending they don't exist. He works around them, one impossible situation at a time. And Burning Bright wastes no time throwing him into another impossible situation.

While hiking through a California redwood forest, Peter unexpectedly comes face-to-face with a hungry grizzly bear. His only escape is to climb the nearest tree. Near the top, he discovers a series of climbing ropes leading from tree to tree, eventually reaching a platform occupied by a woman named June Cassidy ... who greets him by pointing a gun at him. If that opening doesn't hook you, see your doctor.

June has escaped from kidnappers after her mother's mysterious hit-and-run death, and she has no idea why she's being hunted. Before long, Peter and June find themselves trapped high above the forest floor while heavily armed men close in beneath them. From that point forward, Nick Petrie grabbed my attention and refused to let go.

As exciting as the action is, though, the real strength of this novel is its characters. One of my favorite aspects of the Peter Ash series is the loyalty between Peter and the people he trusts. When Peter needs help, Lewis and Manny don't hesitate. They simply show up.

Lewis has become one of my favorite supporting characters. He's rough around the edges, has a  (very) questionable past, and makes me laugh. He is delightfully sarcastic, and he's exactly the kind of friend you want when everything goes sideways. Manny, one of Peter's brothers-in-arms, is equally dependable. Together they remind us that some bonds, especially those forged through military service, don't fade with time or distance.

I also appreciated the mystery. I suspected several different people as the story unfolded, but Nick Petrie stayed one step ahead of me the entire time. Just when I thought I had everything figured out, I realized I'd been looking exactly where Mr. Petrie wanted me to look.

What elevates Burning Bright above many thrillers, however, is Peter's personal journey. Peter has learned how to survive with his PTSD. In this book, he begins to realize that surviving isn't the same thing as healing. His growing relationship with June doesn't magically fix him, nor should it. Instead, it helps him recognize that seeking professional help isn't weakness. It's hope for a future. June simply wants a man who can come inside and build a life with her, and that's a perfectly reasonable thing to ask. Peter's decision at the end of the novel felt honest and earned. Lewis sums it up perfectly: "Jarhead gotta stop camping out someday."

As someone with veterans in my own family, stories like Peter's resonate with me. They remind me that freedom isn't free, and that some battles continue long after soldiers return home. Peter's military service is part of who he is, but it doesn't define him. What defines him is his unwavering commitment to doing the right thing, even when it's difficult, uncomfortable, or terrifying. And that's what makes him such a remarkable hero. Jack Reacher may be fearless. Peter Ash isn't. He carries his fear with him every day and still chooses to step forward when someone needs help.

To me, that's an even greater kind of courage.

Nick Petrie has officially become one of my favorite thriller authors, and Peter Ash has become one of my favorite fictional characters. I can't wait to see where their journey takes me next. Yes, I have already purchased the next book in the series. 

Scream City by Hannah Morrisey

"Imagine the scuttlebutt."

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Minotaur Books for providing me with an advance copy of Scream City in exchange for an honest review.

Imagine living your entire life in the shadow of a serial killer's legacy ... especially when that serial killer was your grandfather. That's the burden Alice carries as she runs a quirky bookstore housed in what was once his piano shop. Meanwhile, retired detective Rex is trying to rebuild his life after an unimaginable family tragedy. When women begin turning up dead in murders that echo the crimes of decades past, Alice and Rex find themselves searching for the truth while their beloved Cream City neighborhood fights to survive against an aggressive developer.

This is an atmospheric, character-driven crime novel with several twists that genuinely caught me by surprise. I thought I had things figured out more than once, only to discover I was completely wrong. The mystery is well constructed, and I enjoyed trying to untangle who was behind the copycat murders and why. Was someone trying to drive down property values? Seeking revenge? Chasing money? The possibilities kept changing as the story unfolded.

The characters were the heart of the novel for me. I felt especially sorry for Alice, whose entire identity has been shaped by crimes she had absolutely nothing to do with. Watching her navigate the assumptions people make about her because of her family history was heartbreaking and frustrating. At the same time, she has an endearing eccentricity, punctuating her conversations with the phrase, "Imagine the scuttlebutt," whenever she and Rex begin piecing together another possibility. It's a small character detail, but one that made her feel distinct and memorable. Rex was equally compelling. The tragedy involving his son is almost unimaginable, and I admired his determination to keep moving forward despite carrying that burden every day. I also loved the slow-building chemistry between Alice and Rex. It's clear the connection has been there for a long time, and I found myself rooting for them to finally make it work.

The reason this settled at four stars instead of five is that it never quite felt like a thriller to me. I was invested in the mystery and the characters, but I never experienced that overwhelming urgency to keep reading "just one more chapter." The pacing is more deliberate, allowing the atmosphere and relationships to take center stage rather than nonstop suspense.

Content warnings should include violence against women, serial murder, discussions of past murders, grief, trauma, and death of a child.

If you enjoy character-driven mysteries, police procedurals, and crime fiction with memorable protagonists, emotional depth, and surprising twists, Scream City is well worth picking up. Readers looking for relentless, edge-of-your-seat thriller pacing may find it slower than expected, but mystery fans will find plenty to enjoy.

The Drifter by Nick Petrie (Peter Ash #1)

Jack Reacher fans, meet Peter Ash. Justice is coming, and it's driving a 1968 Chevy C20.

Move over, Jack Reacher. I am making room on the shelf for another wandering trouble magnet.

Peter Ash comes home from war carrying an unusual burden. His PTSD manifests as "white static," making it almost impossible for him to stay indoors. After time spent climbing mountains and living outside, he learns that an old friend has died. Wanting to help the widow and children, he starts fixing up their house and discovers a suitcase hidden under the porch. It's full of money. A LOT of money. And explosives.

That discovery kicks off a thriller that never slows down. Who hid the suitcase? Who wants it back? Why is Peter being followed? Every answer leads to more danger.

What really made this book shine for me was Peter Ash himself. He's resourceful, loyal, and deeply affected by his experiences, but he refuses to let that stop him from doing what's right. His struggles feel authentic, and his determination makes him easy to root for.

And then there's the justice. If you love Jack Reacher's brand of "bad people made terrible decisions and now they have a problem," you'll appreciate Peter Ash. He doesn't go looking for trouble, but trouble keeps finding him, and the bad guys generally regret it.

The mystery is excellent, the pacing is fast, and the action scenes are outstanding. Best of all, I finished the book already looking forward to the next one.

Nick Petrie has earned a place on my list of favorite authors.

One Last Secret by Blake Pierce (The Governess #5)

A woman whose employment history includes five murder houses should probably come with a warning label.

One Last Secret, the fifth book in Blake Pierce's The Governess series, continues to prove why these books are perfect commute audiobooks. They're entertaining, fast-paced, and this one was just twisty enough to make me sit in the driveway after getting home because I needed to hear the end.

Mary has definitely grown on me over the course of the series. She still has a remarkable talent for finding employment in homes where murder has happened or is about to happen. At this point, five out of her last six jobs have involved homicide. That's not bad luck; that's practically a supernatural gift.

What I appreciated most about this installment was that the mystery surrounding Annie, Mary's sister who disappeared thirty years ago, finally received a satisfying resolution. That thread has been hanging over the series from the beginning, and I was pleased with how it was handled.

I also enjoyed the hopeful ending. Without spoiling anything, the book leaves the door open for Mary to have her own happily-ever-after, and after everything she's endured, I find myself rooting for her. I'm going to have to download the next few in the series. 

These books aren't deep literary masterpieces, but they don't pretend to be. They're quick, engaging mysteries with a likable heroine who somehow manages to stumble into danger with astonishing regularity. And when a book keeps me sitting in the car to finish the last chapter, that's always a good sign.

A Muslim Girl's World by Roha Rahman

Understanding begins when we listen to one another's stories.

I freely admit that I am biased. Roha Rahman is one of my seventh-grade students, and seeing her name on the cover of a book filled me with more than a little teacher pride. But pride aside, A Muslim Girl's World deserves every one of its five stars.

The book tells the story of a Muslim girl attending public school for the first time. What should be an exciting new chapter quickly becomes something much harder as she encounters bullying, ignorance, and harassment simply because she is different. Reading about her experiences was heartbreaking. I found myself asking the same question over and over: Why do people do that? Why is being different so often treated as something to be feared or mocked?

Sadly, this isn't just a story about being Muslim. It's a story about being human. Anyone who has ever felt like an outsider, or who has watched someone they care about struggle to fit in, will recognize those feelings. The details may be unique, but the emotions are universal.

What impressed me most was Roha's writing. She tells the story with honesty and sincerity, and she does so with remarkable maturity. Her words invite readers into her world and help them understand experiences they may never have had themselves. That's one of the greatest gifts books can give us: empathy.

As a teacher, I know middle school can be wonderful, awkward, exciting, and cruel, sometimes all before lunch. Kids are trying to figure out who they are while learning how to navigate friendships, expectations, and the opinions of others. Some succeed with kindness. Some don't. Stories like this remind us that our words and actions matter, and that kindness costs us nothing.

Writing a book is hard. Finishing one is harder. Publishing one while you're still in middle school is extraordinary. I couldn't be more proud of Roha for sharing her voice and telling a story that deserves to be heard.

If A Muslim Girl's World helps even one reader understand someone different from themselves a little better, then it has already accomplished something beautiful.

Paradise Valley by CJ Box (The Highway #4)

Backstabbing bureaucrats, a terrifying predator, and one stubborn investigator made this impossible to put down.

If there's one thing Cassie Dewell knows, it's that no good deed goes unpunished, especially when politicians and ambitious prosecutors are involved.

Paradise Valley, the fourth book in C.J. Box's Highway Quartet series, opens with a sting operation aimed at capturing the "Lizard King," a sadistic predator who targets prostitutes at truck stops. Everyone in authority is eager to claim the glory if the operation succeeds, but if it fails, they are more than happy to throw Cassie under the bus.

Naturally, things go sideways.

What follows is a tense cat-and-mouse hunt as Cassie pursues the killer while dealing with backstabbing colleagues, dishonest officials, and plenty of people who seem more interested in protecting their own behinds than protecting innocent lives. Four years after the Lizard King slipped through her fingers, Cassie still carries that failure with her. This time, the stakes become painfully personal.

One of my favorite characters in this series is Kyle. He has a severe speech impediment, and life hasn't exactly dealt him an easy hand. But he never gives up. Kyle's determination and courage make him impossible not to root for. When he is kidnapped, the case becomes much more than another investigation. Kyle is Cassie's son Ben's best friend, and Cassie is determined not to lose him. Suddenly, this isn't just unfinished business with a psychopath. It's personal.

That's one of the things I love about Cassie herself. She's smart, persistent, and not particularly interested in office politics. She keeps going even when the people who should have her back are busy protecting themselves. 

There is plenty of diabolical criminal behavior here, but also a healthy dose of bureaucratic nonsense, which sometimes feels just as dangerous. Watching Cassie refuse to quit while everyone around her is busy assigning blame made this another five-star read for me.

To The Nines by Janet Evanovich (Stephanie Plum #9)

Stephanie Plum may be chaos personified, but Lulu is the exponential multiplier of chaos itself.

If you've ever wondered what would happen if a bounty hunter possessed equal amounts of courage, bad luck, and questionable judgment, look no further than Stephanie Plum.

To the Nines is the ninth installment in Janet Evanovich's long-running Stephanie Plum series, and it reminded me exactly why these books are so much fun. The mystery itself is entertaining, but I'm here for Stephanie's endless ability to turn a routine assignment into a full-scale disaster.

This time around, Stephanie is searching for a missing man while trying to stay one step ahead of a psychopath trying to kill her. No worries... Evanovich knows exactly when to inject humor and keep things from becoming too heavy.

And then there's Lulu.

Oh, Lulu.

There were scenes involving Lulu that had me laughing so hard I had tears running down my face. The woman is a walking disaster wrapped in confidence and bright clothing, and every scene she's in is guaranteed entertainment. Stephanie may be chaos personified, but Lulu ... oh, Lulu.

What continues to make this series work is the cast. Stephanie, Morelli, Ranger, Lulu, and Grandma Mazur all feel like old friends at this point. Their interactions are funny, familiar, and endlessly entertaining. Let's face it. Grandma Mazur is one funeral away from an international incident all on her own.

The mystery was solid, the pacing was quick, and on this rainy day in June, the humor was exactly what I needed. Some books keep me reading because I need to know what happens next. Stephanie Plum books keep me reading because I can't wait to see what ridiculous thing happens next. Ridiculous, but in Stephanie and Lulu's world, absolutely believable. Hey, it's Jersey.

If you're looking for a serious crime novel, this probably isn't your series. But if you enjoy mysteries with plenty of laughs, memorable characters, and enough chaos to fill several police reports, To the Nines delivers.

Five stars. I laughed, I was entertained, and I want more.

Strange Bedfellows by Amanda Mortlock

 A girl who is also a cat, witches, familiars, missing memories, and murder. I'm in!

Strange Bedfellows was unlike anything I've read before, and that's saying something. I usually spend my reading time chasing murderers, serial killers, and psychological twists, so a story about familiars, witches, magical bonds, and a woman who is also a cat was well outside my comfort zone. I approached it with an open mind, and surprisingly, it worked!

Cleo is both herself and Cat, her feline counterpart, and the relationship between the two creates a fascinating mystery from the very beginning. When she finds her witch, Wes, under unusual circumstances, she becomes entangled in a world of magic, missing memories, hidden truths, and dangers that stretch back into the past. As Cleo struggles to understand who she is and what has been forgotten, the story builds a steady sense of urgency that kept me turning pages.

What I enjoyed most was the suspense. Beneath the fantasy and romance elements is a genuine mystery. I needed to know what had happened, why memories were missing, and how the past was influencing the present. That mystery kept me invested even when I was navigating unfamiliar fantasy concepts.

The characters were engaging, especially Cleo. Sometimes I didn't like her very much, but watching her piece together her identity and place in this magical world gave the story its emotional core. I also enjoyed the dynamics between the familiars and witches, particularly the unique relationships that developed throughout the story.

My biggest challenge was the worldbuilding. As someone who doesn't read much fantasy, I occasionally felt as though I had been dropped into the deep end without a life jacket. Terms, magical concepts, and lore were sometimes introduced with little explanation, leaving me feeling like I was trying to follow a gourmet recipe with only basic cooking skills. Fantasy readers will likely have no trouble with this, but I occasionally wished for a bit more guidance.

The romance wasn't always my favorite aspect of the story and had me rolling my eyes more than once, but it never overshadowed the stronger elements. The mystery, suspense, and originality kept me engaged from beginning to end.

If you enjoy fantasy romance with unusual magical systems, mysterious pasts, magical familiars, witches, and a healthy dose of suspense, I would absolutely recommend Strange Bedfellows. While it pushed me outside my usual reading preferences, it also reminded me how enjoyable it can be to explore something completely different.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for providing an advance review copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Hunting Time by Jeffery Deaver (Colton Shaw #4)

Jeffery Deaver doesn't just pull the rug out from under you. He keeps replacing the floor.

I finally made my way back to one of my favorite series and was reminded exactly why I enjoy Colter Shaw so much. Hunting Time is everything I want in a thriller: high stakes, constant tension, intelligent characters, and enough twists to keep me guessing until the very end.

One of Jeffery Deaver's greatest strengths is misdirection. Not the cheap kind where a random character suddenly turns out to be the villain in the final chapter. Deaver carefully constructs an entire reality for us, then gradually reveals that we've misunderstood it from the beginning. Throughout this book, I found myself questioning who the good guys were, who the bad guys were, and whether anyone was telling the truth. 

Even the title is a clever piece of misdirection. When I first started the book, I interpreted Hunting Time as "it's time to go hunting." By the end, I realized Colter Shaw was actually hunting for time itself, trying to stay alive long enough to uncover the truth. Every decision, every clue, and every narrow escape becomes a battle to gain a few more precious minutes.

Colter Shaw remains one of my favorite protagonists because he isn't simply charging through obstacles. He approaches every situation like a puzzle that needs solving. He's smart, resourceful, and persistent, but he doesn't have all the answers. Readers get to unravel the mystery alongside him, which makes the journey even more satisfying.

As much as I enjoy the Colter Shaw books, I have to admit I enjoy them far more than the television adaptation. My imagination creates a much richer experience than anything Hollywood has managed to put on screen. Deaver's intricate plotting and constant twists simply work better on the page.

This was a masterfully constructed thriller from start to finish. The pacing never let up, the surprises felt earned, and the ending was incredibly satisfying. If you're looking for a thriller that will keep you guessing while still playing fair with the clues, Hunting Time is an easy recommendation.

Five stars all the way.

One Last Goodbye by Blake Pierce (The Governess #4)

Mary's greatest mystery isn't the murder. It's her ongoing war with common sense.

I just finished listening to One Last Goodbye by Blake Pierce, and I have reached an interesting point with this series. I keep coming back. Not because I'm captivated. Not because I'm sitting in my driveway listening to "just one more chapter" before going inside. And certainly not because I'm losing sleep wondering who the killer is. I keep coming back because the books are mildly entertaining. They make my commute more enjoyable. Sometimes that's enough.

This time, Mary finds herself working for a wealthy family in Switzerland. She has also hired a private investigator back in Boston to continue searching for information about her sister, a storyline that has been simmering in the background throughout the series. Before long, the investigator is digging into Mary's new employers as well.

At first, there doesn't seem to be much to find. Naturally, that doesn't last. Within the first few weeks, the head of the household is murdered, and Mary once again decides it is her personal responsibility to bring the killer to justice.

We hear that phrase a lot.

At this point, the formula is pretty well established. Mary accepts a governess position. She discovers secrets. Somebody dies. Mary ignores all reasonable boundaries and proceeds to investigate. Eventually, she brings the killer to justice.

Wash. Rinse. Repeat.

The thing that continues to frustrate me is Mary's complete lack of common sense. She is obviously intelligent. She notices details. She connects clues. She solves mysteries. Yet she repeatedly makes decisions that leave me staring at my earbuds wondering what on earth she was thinking.

I've finally decided that Mary's greatest mystery isn't the murder. It's her ongoing war with common sense.

That said, I don't dislike these books. If I did, I would have abandoned the series several installments ago. The chapters are short, the pacing is brisk, and the stories move along quickly enough to keep me listening. They're easy audiobooks and make excellent commuting companions. 

What they are not, at least for me, is compelling. When I arrive at my destination, I hit pause and move on with my day. I don't find myself thinking about the characters later. I don't rush back to continue the story. I enjoy the ride while it lasts and then happily step off.

For that reason, I'm settling on three stars for One Last Goodbye. It entertained me for a few hours, advanced the ongoing storyline about Mary's sister, and delivered another serviceable mystery. It just never rose above that level.

And yet, despite all my complaints, I suspect I'll be picking up the next book. Because apparently Mary's ongoing war with common sense is difficult to quit.

Tourist Season by Brynne Weaver (Cape Carnage #1)

 Cape Carnage: Population is tourists, serial killers, and questionable life choices

I picked up Tourist Season by Brynne Weaver because it was the selection for one of my book clubs. The premise sounded delightfully unhinged: Harper Starling is a serial killer who disposes of bad people with a woodchipper. I'm not saying that's a healthy coping mechanism, but as thriller hooks go, it certainly grabbed my attention.

At first, I thought I was settling in for a darkly humorous thriller. Harper was interesting, the setting was quirky, and Cape Carnage seemed like the kind of place where everyone knows their neighbors and several of those neighbors probably have bodies buried in the backyard. Then Nolan Rhodes arrived.

Nolan is another serial killer who comes to town intending to kill Harper after mistaking her for someone else. Instead of a cat-and-mouse thriller, the story quickly became a dark romance centered on the attraction between two serial killers. If dark romance is your genre, you'll probably understand the appeal much better than I did. Unfortunately, that's where the book started to lose me.

I'm not much of a romance reader, and I'm definitely not the target audience for pages and pages of sweaty bondage sex. Once the clothes started coming off, I found myself skipping ahead. That's never a good sign. By about two-thirds of the way through the book, I realized I wasn't particularly invested in the story anymore.

The biggest issue wasn't that the book was bad. It was that it wasn't the book I expected. I came looking for a thriller and found a romance that happened to feature multiple serial killers. The murders, investigations, and vigilante justice all felt secondary to the relationship.

And speaking of serial killers ... there are a lot of them. Harper and Nolan are only the beginning. By the time additional killers started appearing, I found myself wondering whether Cape Carnage has a larger serial killer population than most major cities.

That said, I can see why this series has found an audience. The writing is engaging, the concept is memorable, and readers who enjoy dark romance will likely have a completely different experience than I did. Harper herself is a fun character, and the opening chapters genuinely hooked me.

In the end, though, this wasn't my kind of thriller because it really wasn't a thriller at all. It was a dark romance wearing a thriller costume.

If you're looking for morally questionable characters, over-the-top situations, and a romance between serial killers, you may have a great time. If you're hoping for a traditional thriller, you might find yourself staring at the final page asking the same question I did:

"What on earth did I just read?"

The Storm by Rachel Hawkins

Come for the mystery. Stay for the increasingly ridiculous list of people who had reasons to hate the victim.

I just finished The Storm by Rachel Hawkins, and I'm giving it four stars. It wasn't one of those books that kept me awake until 2 a.m. making terrible life choices, but it was entertaining enough that I kept thinking about pretzels every time a new twist landed.

The story follows a cast of characters trapped together with a murder, a mountain of secrets, and enough questionable life choices to keep a therapist employed for years. As the story unfolded, I found myself constantly reassessing who I trusted.

At first, Geneva felt like a narrator I could rely on. Then I realized she simply didn't know enough to be reliable. That's a very different thing from an unreliable narrator. She wasn't lying to me. She was just missing critical pieces of the puzzle, which meant I was missing them too.

Lo, on the other hand, drove me a little crazy. I never quite understood what motivated her until the very end. Every time I thought I had her figured out, she'd do something that sent me back to square one.

August gave me creepy vibes from the beginning, and those vibes never entirely went away.

The victim didn't earn much sympathy from me either. As more details emerged about his behavior, I found myself less interested in mourning him and more interested in figuring out which of the many people he'd wronged finally decided they'd had enough. The man left a trail of broken promises and damaged lives behind him. Posthumously, he became less likable with every revelation.

My one real complaint involves the multiple narrators. Several chapters began without making it immediately obvious whose perspective I was reading. More than once I spent a page or two getting oriented before realizing who was telling the story. It's a small issue, but it occasionally pulled me out of the narrative.

Overall, though, The Storm delivered exactly what I wanted: family drama, buried secrets, suspicious characters, and enough twists to keep me entertained from beginning to end. It may not have cost me any sleep, but it cost me a bag of pretzels.

One Last Breath by Blake Pierce (The Governess #3)

Will Mary survive Mary's decision-making?

Three books into the Governess series, I've come to accept a few things. First, Mary is going to involve herself in situations that are absolutely none of her business, much like every single one of my 7th graders. Second, she will continue making choices that would have most sensible people backing slowly toward the nearest exit. Her curiosity consistently outruns her common sense. Third, somehow she keeps surviving.

This time, Mary finds herself entangled with a wealthy family in Savannah. Naturally, there is a murder. Actually, there are two murders, one recent and one that happened more than fifty years ago. Because why solve one mystery when you can solve two?

The family itself is a collection of colorful characters. There's a grandmother struggling with dementia and a mother who spends her time talking to her geraniums. To be fair, if I lived in that house, I might start talking to plants too.

One thing I appreciated in this installment is that Mary seems to have learned at least one lesson. Fence climbing appears to be firmly in her past. After a couple of unfortunate encounters with gravity, she has apparently decided that scaling obstacles is best left to younger people. Character growth!

Even more impressive, Mary finally remembers that emergency services exist. This may be the biggest development in the series so far. There were moments when I wanted to cheer and say, "Yes, Mary! Let trained professionals handle it!" Of course, that doesn't stop her from conducting her own investigation, because then we wouldn't have much of a story.

As a mystery, One Last Breath kept me engaged throughout my commute. The plot moves along at a good pace, and there were enough twists and family secrets to hold my attention. That said, it never quite reached the point where I couldn't wait to get back to it. This series continues to occupy that sweet spot of being entertaining without becoming all-consuming.

At this point, I've realized that the real attraction of these books isn't necessarily the mystery itself. It's Mary. She's stubborn, curious, and possessed of an almost supernatural ability to insert herself into dangerous situations. Watching her navigate eccentric families, old secrets, and murder investigations is consistently enjoyable, even when I find myself shaking my head (repeatedly) at her decisions.

Overall, I'd give One Last Breath three stars. It's a solid audiobook, an easy listen, and perfect commuting material. It held my attention, made the drive go by faster, and never once tempted me to sit in the parking lot after arriving somewhere just to hear one more chapter.

And honestly, that's not a bad thing. After all, the goal is to get home safely. Mary can handle the danger for both of us.

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

Woman auditions infinite alternate lives. I wanted her to get a hobby.

First, let me say that this book is so far outside my usual reading habits that I had to create a book journal category called "Wild Card" just to shelve it somewhere. My comfort zone is thrillers, mysteries, serial killers, and people making terrible decisions while being chased by dangerous people. This book is about one woman making terrible decisions while being chased by her own regrets.

Close enough, I suppose.

The story follows Nora Seed, who has reached the point where she believes she has no purpose, no value, and no meaningful place in the world. Her job is gone. Relationships have fallen apart. Even the elderly gentleman she used to help no longer needs her assistance. Then her cat dies. Honestly, it reads like the opening verse of the saddest country song ever written.

After deciding she no longer wants to live, Nora finds herself in the Midnight Library, a strange place between life and death. There she encounters the Book of Regrets, a massive volume containing every choice she wishes she had made differently. It nearly suffocates her.

From there, Nora gets the opportunity to explore alternate versions of her life. What if she had stayed with the boyfriend? What if she had pursued competitive swimming? What if she had become a famous musician? Each life presents a different possibility, and if she finds one she truly loves, she can stay.

Now, this is where my reading experience may have differed from many other readers. A lot of people describe this book as inspiring. Hopeful. Life-affirming. Meanwhile, I spent a large portion of the novel wanting to grab Nora by the shoulders and say:

"Would you please stop doing this to yourself?"

I wasn't discovering the lesson alongside Nora. I felt like I had already figured it out and was waiting for her to catch up. 

The entire book is built around regret. Every road not taken. Every opportunity missed. Every alternate version of success she imagines she should have achieved. But I kept coming back to the same thought: Whose success are we talking about? Her father's? Her mother's? Her friend's? Society's? 

What about Nora's?

The more alternate lives she visited, the more I found myself thinking that she was searching for the wrong answer. She wasn't looking for her purpose. She was looking for proof that someone else's version of success would have made her happy.

Life doesn't work that way. Life is messy. And it's certainly not linear. Everyone has ups and downs. Sometimes those downs are devastating. Sometimes they knock us flat. Sometimes they last far longer than we'd like. But we keep going. That's not because every day is wonderful. It's because our lives matter whether we can see that fact clearly or not.

One of the things I did appreciate was Nora reconnecting with her old school librarian. That felt fitting. Out of all the fantastical elements in the novel, that relationship felt grounded and genuine. It reminded me that sometimes the people who influence our lives most aren't the loudest voices or the biggest successes. Sometimes they're simply the people who showed up when we needed them.

By the end of the book, Nora learns that her life has value and that no alternate existence is perfect. It's a good message. I just arrived there a few hundred pages before she did.

In the end, I didn't dislike The Midnight Library. I appreciated what it was trying to say. I understand why so many readers connect deeply with it. But while Nora spent the novel auditioning alternate universes, I kept wanting to hand her a cup of chamomile and say: "Your cat died. Your job fell apart. You're disappointed in yourself. Fair enough. Now stop shopping for different realities and figure out what you want to do tomorrow."

Maybe that's the thriller reader in me.

Or maybe it's just life experience talking.

Girl Number 8 by Janice Okoh

What happens when a missing-persons case is tangled up with politics, superstition, and secrets?

Freida is Girl Number 8, the eighth young girl to disappear from one of four villages. Detective Sola Adeyemi is investigating a troubling pattern: every four years, shortly before an election, four children vanish. The timing feels too deliberate to be coincidence, and as Sola digs deeper, the possibility of ritual killings and political corruption becomes impossible to ignore.

One of the things I appreciated most about this novel was how completely it immersed me in a setting that felt unfamiliar. This is the first book I've read set in Nigeria, and the setting wasn't just a backdrop. It was essential to the story. The dialogue reflects local speech patterns, which took me a chapter or two to adjust to, but once I did, I could practically hear the characters speaking. It added authenticity and helped bring the world to life.

I also found the social commentary fascinating. The casual acceptance of corruption among some of the police and political figures was eye-opening, as were the community beliefs surrounding Freida's green eyes. Seeing a child viewed with suspicion because of a genetic trait was both heartbreaking and thought-provoking. The book explores how fear, superstition, power, and tradition can shape people's lives in ways that are often unfair and devastating.

Detective Sola Adeyemi was my favorite character. She's determined, intelligent, and committed to finding the truth even when the obstacles seem overwhelming. I enjoyed following her investigation and watching her piece together the mystery.

The plot kept me engaged throughout, and I was invested in discovering what had happened to the missing girls. While the pacing occasionally slowed as the story explored broader social issues, those same elements are what made the novel stand out from many crime thrillers I've read recently. This isn't just a mystery; it's a story that raises questions about justice, power, and the stories communities tell themselves.

Content warnings should include violence against women and children, murder, ritual practices, child disappearances, and corruption.

Overall, Girl Number 8 is a compelling and thought-provoking crime novel that offers both an intriguing mystery and a vivid sense of place. It's the kind of book that lingers in your mind after you've finished the final page, and I suspect I'll be thinking about it for quite some time.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing an advance review copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Admit Nothing by Scott Urbach (Grant Hunter #1)

 Sometimes the bad guys need a different brand of justice.

Every now and then I pick up a thriller that reminds me why I enjoy this genre so much. Admit Nothing by Scott Urbach was one of those books.

The story begins in Bangkok when a CIA operative is found dead in a place he definitely should not have been. Before long, his wife is also dead, Russian operatives are involved, and what initially appears to be death by natural causes turns into a conspiracy involving traitors in high places.

In other words, nobody is having a good day.

What I enjoyed most about this book was the way Urbach balanced the plot with character development. As the mystery unfolded, Grant Hunter's character was taking shape. He quickly became the kind of protagonist I enjoy reading about: competent, determined, and guided by a strong sense of justice even when the official system isn't getting the job done.

My book journal has a trope called "Justice Outside the System," and Grant Hunter fits that category perfectly. He isn't reckless or looking for trouble. He simply refuses to let bad people hide behind power, influence, or bureaucracy. Or diplomatic immunity.

The plot itself kept me hooked. Every time I thought I had a handle on what was happening, another layer of the conspiracy appeared. The international setting added extra tension, and the involvement of intelligence agencies and Russian operatives gave the story a nice political-thriller feel without becoming overly complicated.

This was one of those books I read in a single day, although not in the "ignore all responsibilities and forget to eat" way. I still managed to get some housework done and even took a nap. That's usually my sign of a solid four-star thriller. I was invested, entertained, and eager to keep reading, but I wasn't desperately racing to the finish line.

The ending was especially satisfying. The story delivered on the promises it made early on, the conspiracy was unraveled, and Grant Hunter handled the bad guys in a way that felt earned. Nothing is more disappointing than a thriller that builds suspense for 300 pages and then stumbles at the finish. Fortunately, that wasn't the case here.

Overall, Admit Nothing was an enjoyable political thriller with an engaging protagonist, a fast-moving plot, and a satisfying conclusion. Most importantly, it convinced me that I want to spend more time with Grant Hunter.

And that's probably the best compliment I can give a first book in a series.