Campus Murder Club by Kristi Rose

"Let's start a murder club!" said no one ever.

 

Some audiobooks are background noise while you fold laundry. This was not one of them. I sat on the couch, crochet hook abandoned, absolutely glued to my Aftershokz. From the first chapter in which a mysterious letter inviting journalism major Elliot to join a secret murder club and help solve the death of a student she actually knew, I was hooked.

The story takes place on a college campus, which felt all too believable. Let’s be honest, campuses aren’t exactly bastions of safety, and the tension that built as these curious, inexperienced students dove into an unsolved murder was rivetingly suspenseful. They really had no idea what they were doing, and that made it even better. One wrong move, and they could’ve easily become the next victims. At one point, I was positive they would be.

I was sure I knew who the killer was. I had theories, suspects, and my smug “I’ve got this” reader face ready to go ... only to be completely blindsided at the end. Even after the confession, I was still questioning it. Kristi Rose kept me guessing right up to the final scene.

Character-wise, Trey was my favorite. His mama raised a gentleman, and I appreciated that. Seema, on the other hand, came in hot with all attitude and zero empathy, but I warmed up to her as the story unfolded. Rose did a great job developing the friendships naturally, without forcing connections.

The big theme here was obsession. Obsession with solving a murder. Obsession with love. Obsession with secrets, money, and truth. It gave the story an edge that kept it firmly in the crime thriller genre. There was nothing cozy about this one.

If Campus Murder Club ever becomes a TV show, I’d want it done Forensic Files style with college students tackling cold cases with no fancy tech, just curiosity and caffeine.

This novel was absolutely a 10 out of 10 listen for me. I loved everything about it, from the pacing, the characters, and the twists, to (surprisingly to me) even the narration. I’m officially a Kristi Rose fan.

Find His Grave by Kate Watterson

Every secret was buried just enough to keep you guessing. 

I just finished Find His Grave by Kate Watterson, and I’m still trying to decide how I feel about audiobooks. The story itself I thought was excellent, but regarding the format, the jury is still out.

This was one of those times when I really wished I had the physical book in my hands. I think each chapter started with an excerpt from a diary or a book that one of the characters received, but without being able to flip back and look, I can’t be entirely sure. Listening while driving or doing chores is great, but when the plot gets twisty (and this one does), I miss being able to check something or reread a section.

Still, Watterson hooked me, and I finished it. The mystery had layers, and the small-town setting added that feeling of “everyone knows something.” The characters were flawed but real, and the pacing kept me interested from start to finish, even though I occasionally forgot who characters were in relation to the story and each other. I really  needed the physical book.

All in all, Find His Grave was a solid story: Creepy, well-written, and satisfying. But next time, I think I’ll go old-school with the paperback so I can actually see what’s going on.

The Red Book by James Patterson

 Detective Billy Harney has more baggage than O’Hare Airport - 

and just as much turbulence.

This one has been on my TBR list for quite a while. I finally got to it! 

Detective Billy Harney is back, still hauling around enough emotional baggage to fill an airport carousel, and that’s before the new case drops. When a young woman turns up murdered on Chicago’s North Side, Billy dives in headfirst and quickly finds himself knee-deep in secrets. Some belong to the city. The rest belong to him.

The pace is classic Patterson: Short chapters, breakneck momentum, and just the right number of jaw-droppers to keep you saying “one more chapter” until suddenly it’s 2 a.m. Which is really tough on a school night. What really sets this one apart, though, is the heart underneath all the grit. Billy’s ghosts, his past trauma, and that messy family dynamic, especially with twin sister Patti and their police-chief dad, make the story feel more realistic than your average procedural.

Add in snappy dialogue, dry humor, and a splash of emotional chaos, and you’ve got a winner. Come for the crime, stay for the Harney family drama.

Kisscut by Karin Slaughter

When you know the meaning of Kisscut, you'll be chilled to your bones. 

Karin Slaughter didn’t ease into this one. Right away, we’ve got a dead baby, a teenager threatening a classmate with a gun, a shooting, and an autopsy that could give you nightmares. Buckle up, Buttercup. You’re in for a wild ride.

This isn’t my first Karin Slaughter novel, and I still don’t really like Lena. (I must have missed the book where she was injured, so maybe I should give her a break.) The subject matter here is deeply disturbing on several levels, but what horrified me the most was the self-mutilation aspect. I won’t say too much, but once you understand the meaning behind Kisscut, it chills you.

The violence and graphic details are uncomfortable, but they’re not gratuitous. Slaughter walks a fine line between shock and empathy, pushing readers to confront the horror while also feeling compassion for the characters trying to survive it. The story may be set in Small Town, USA, but the darkness here runs extraordinarily deep.

I think the realism is what makes this book unforgettable and why I’ll definitely keep reading the Grant County series. That said, I’m giving myself a little breather first. Maybe a nice, light James Patterson-style murder spree before diving back into Karin Slaughter’s brand of psychological devastation.

Because Kisscut isn’t a book you just read. It’s one that haunts you.

What Brings You Joy

Yes, I AM from the 1900s. And proud of it!

At various times throughout the school year, especially when teacher morale is low and kids’ mischief is high, we have a gift exchange called “What Brings You Joy?” Teachers who want to participate sign up on a spreadsheet and jot down a short list of things that make them smile. Flavored lip balms. Orange chocolate. Fine-point pens. Cheap holiday earrings. Hand lotion. You get the picture. We set a $20 limit, but honestly I don’t think any of us really stick to it. It’s all in good fun, and every penny is worth it.

This year, my school bestie Hannah was my joy giver. I laughed so hard, and I can’t help but grin every time I see this sign on my desk. This is totally my favorite gift ever! 

She also gave me FINE-point pens because, as she’ll tell you, I’m always complaining about pens. And she didn’t forget Ernie! He received a Halloween Advent Calendar full of kitty toys. Ernie gives it his full seal of approval. 

 Cold cases have nothing on this family.

The Ice Sisters by Rita Herron is one of those books that grabs you by the parka and refuses to let go. What starts as a haunting mystery buried in snow quickly turns into a tangled web of long-buried secrets, lies, and tension so thick you could skate on it.

Herron has this way of writing small-town settings that feel both cozy and claustrophobic. Every character felt suspicious, every memory suspect, and I loved how the emotional undercurrents ran just as cold as the setting. By the time the truth thawed out, I was fully invested and a little heartbroken.

If you like your thrillers dark, emotional, and layered with family drama, this one’s a must-read. Just don’t start it before bed unless you plan to stay up all night “just one more chapter”-ing yourself into the morning.

Think Fast!!!

Every once in a while, the Internet forgets to work. And suddenly, life becomes so much more… exciting. Yeah. Exciting. That’s the word.

Where’s my sarcasm font when I need it?

So there I am, teaching technology, 25 middle school students teetering on the edge of good behavior, when the Internet dies. Suddenly. Without warning.

Think fast!

I whipped up a spur-of-the-moment assignment, passed out paper and pencils, and declared: “Today, we’re going Old School.”

I'm definitely going to keep this one in my toolbox. 

Internet Troubles

 Yes. Kbps. Kilobytes per second. KILO. not MEGA. Try teaching a technology class with THAT internet speed.

That old commercial for Heinz Ketchup goes through my mind...

"It's keeping me waa-aaaa-aaai-ting..."

'Painting' by number

I recently discovered an app called Happy Color. Yes, it’s a total time-waster, but when I need a mental break, it’s pure gold. And yellow. And orange. You get the picture. You just tap a number in the palette, then tap the matching numbers in the picture, and voilà. It magically “colors” itself in.

I don’t even need to see the colors; I just follow the numbers and watch the picture come to life. Mindless? Absolutely. But since it involves technology, I like to think of it as practicing my tech skills.

The Inn by James Patterson

 Ordinary People, Extraordinary Courage

A quiet town, an ordinary inn, and a cast of perfectly quirky people, that is until the calm shatters. The Inn follows these seemingly everyday folks as they find themselves tangled with a ruthless drug ring trying to stake a claim in their town. Patterson keeps the tension high, the pacing brisk, and the twists satisfying. I loved every moment. Ordinary heroes, extraordinary courage. Simply excellent.

Persuader by Lee Child (Reacher #7)

With Reacher, there's no such thing as too relentless.

Persuader starts with a shoot-out in which Reacher shoots a cop. Hold the phone...Reacher shot a cop? We’re off and running! I expected the rest of the story to be just as surprising and action-packed, and it did not disappoint. Lee Child kept me fully engaged from start to finish in the 7th Reacher novel. I couldn’t put it down if I tried.

This Lee Child novel switches between timelines, not typical for a Reacher story, but it works. By learning about Reacher’s past with Quinn, we get why this mission is personal and why he refuses to quit, even when the odds look impossible. Quinn is both believable and menacing, and in my humble opinion, he earned every ounce of Reacher-style justice.

The story is told through Reacher’s eyes, so we only know what he knows and what he thinks. That narrow focus makes every twist hit harder. The flashbacks aren’t filler; they give us a deeper look at what drives him.

Persuader delivers the full Reacher experience: Grit, tension, justice served hot. And not a wasted page in sight.

Echo Burning by Lee Child (Reacher #5)

Somewhere between the lies, the heat, and the horse ranch, my attention wandered off for a nap.

I wanted to love Echo Burning. I really did. Reacher, Texas, and trouble should’ve been a winning combo, but this one dragged like a flat tire in the desert. Between the endless heat, the constant lying, and a story that never seemed to hit its stride, I found myself setting it down more than I picked it up. Still, Reacher stays true to form: calm, calculating, and delivering justice when it counts. It just took a lot of dust and detours to get there.

Without Fail by Lee Child (Reacher #6)

 He's the guy who always knows where the exits are.

Jack Reacher doesn’t need a badge, a title, or a chain of command. All he needs is a mission and the occasional partner who actually gets him. Enter Frances Neagley. Without Fail tosses Reacher into unfamiliar territory: the Secret Service wants him to find weaknesses in their protection detail for the Vice President–elect. Basically, they’ve asked the wolf to audit the fence.

Reacher is the perfect man for the job. He thinks first, acts second, and somehow gets lucky, but only because his version of “luck” comes from obsessive observation. He doesn’t miss a detail, and he never takes shortcuts.

I loved the setup. It’s Reacher doing what he does best: Solving problems no one else can see. It’s also fascinating to watch him drop into a hyper-political, bureaucratic system and still make it look like he owns the place. His brain doesn’t care about titles or protocols; it only cares about what works.

I will die on the hill that Neagley is his perfect partner. No flirting, no drama, no romance subplot that eats up half the story. Just mutual respect and total trust. She’s steady, smart, and every bit his equal. Together, they’re like a tactical version of Sherlock and Watson if Watson had zero tolerance for nonsense and a black belt in efficiency.

My favorite moments are when the bad guys wake up staring into the sun and end up buried in snow until spring. It’s darkly practical and exactly what you’d expect from Reacher: no speeches or glory, just let nature take its course. Problem solved.

This book leans more procedural than some of the others, but never loses the momentum. The pacing is classic Lee Child with each chapter building the tension until you realize you’ve been reading for hours and don’t care that it’s 2 a.m. I do that a lot, don't I? But sleep is for people not trying to prevent assassinations.

Reacher never comes off as overconfident to me. He’s deliberate. Every assumption he makes, he tests. Every risk he takes, he calculates. When he’s arrogant, he’s earned it. And when it comes to rules versus instinct, I’d take Reacher’s gut over the Secret Service handbook any day. Or any agency's handbook for that matter.

If I could’ve brought one more person into this story, it’d be his brother Joe. It's a shame he got killed off earlier in the series. The two of them working with Neagley would be unstoppable. Lone wolves with matching moral compasses. Justice would be swift, clean, and probably come with a side of buried villains.

Without Fail isn’t just another Reacher novel. It’s a reminder that the man’s skills fit anywhere: On a battlefield, a back road, or in the highest levels of government. And Neagley is proof that trust doesn’t need flowers and candlelight. Just competency and quiet loyalty.

Running Blind by Lee Child (Reacher #4)

Reacher is dragged into danger by reputation alone. He trades fists for forensics in this twisty mind game.

This novel takes place early in the Jack Reacher series, and you can tell. Reacher hasn’t yet developed the social filter he uses later in life. Here, he’s driven mostly by curiosity. Women are being murdered with no trace left behind, and in a world of modern forensics, that’s impossible. The killer’s need for control over every aspect of the crime immediately made me think it wasn’t about personal rage or revenge. There just wasn't enough ... mess. It was about precision. And that made the FBI’s profile feel off from the start.

Lee Child handles the gender dynamics perfectly. I especially like that Reacher treats women as intellectual equals. His “Reacher Method” is usually a mix of logic, intuition, and force, but in this story, logic and intuition take the lead, showing just how sharp he is. He’s not just brawn with a lucky brain; he’s brains and brawn in perfect balance.

The constant movement from city to city felt more like a backdrop than a plot driver. Even though the murders happen across the country, the atmosphere stays tight and claustrophobic, as if the whole story takes place in one small, tense town. That’s masterful storytelling.

And the solution to the murders? Didn’t see it coming. Just butter my biscuits and call me George. That twist floored me. I'm trying hard to not spoil it here.

Reacher’s relationship with Jodie didn’t add or take away from the main case, but it helped explain why he can’t settle down. You can already feel that relationship coming to its natural end, even if he doesn’t yet realize how much it’ll affect him.

I loved the ending and I loved that it fit Reacher’s world. You can’t have a traditional wrap-up with an untraditional character, and that’s exactly why it worked.

The Houseguest by L. H. Stacey

Enjoyable enough, but the secret tunnels deserved more screen time.

 

After finishing The Houseguest by L. H. Stacey, I had to do a little internet research to figure out exactly who the “house guest” was supposed to be. Honestly, it could apply to multiple people. The title wasn’t as obvious to me as it probably should’ve been.

From page one, I admit I was judging Madelaine’s decisions. She’s worried about moving into Liam’s house with her little girl, her gut is screaming don’t do it, and… she does it anyway. Predictably, it turns into an almost fatal mistake. Liam gave me psychopath vibes from the start, so even after Maddie finally left, I knew he’d be back.

One thing I really liked was the house itself. Secret tunnels, hidden doors, all the classic Gothic suspense décor. I kept waiting for Liam to start creeping through the walls like some deranged Scooby-Doo villain, but nope. Since this is book one in Stacey’s “House of Secrets” series, maybe she’s saving that for the sequel.

Where the book lost me a little was in its formula: bad guy shows up, girl lands in danger, girl runs for help, good guy swoops in, cue the happily-ever-after. It’s basically the skeleton of a Harlequin Intrigue novel, complete with unnecessary sex scenes. (Yes, I skipped them. Zero contribution to the plot.) The romance was flat-out predictable, but the suspense at least kept me turning the pages.

My final verdict is four out of five stars. It didn’t break the mold, but I still liked it. And I might even check out book two if only to see those secret tunnels finally get the screen time they deserve, ideally without Captain Obvious holding the flashlight.

The Pawn by Welz Bailey

Turns out the real villain in The Pawn isn’t the killer. 

It’s the editor.

Clara Strong had me in her corner from page one. She’s a mess, sure; alcohol is a freight train that keeps trying to derail her life. But she fights it with grit, stubbornness, and the occasional bad decision. That’s the kind of protagonist I like: Complicated, vulnerable, and brave.

However, we need to talk about "Alabama". I chose this book for my 50 states challenge, but this "Alabama" doesn’t exist. It could have been set in Any Northern Small Town, USA. The conversations weren’t Southern, the voices weren’t regional, and if it weren’t for an alligator or two, you’d have no clue you were south of the Mason-Dixon. I’d bet my next sweet tea that the author has never spent more than a weekend in the South, if that.

The good news is that the twists and turns worked. Bailey threw suspicion on everyone, including a deputy at one point, and kept me flipping pages. The story built slowly but steadily until I couldn't put it down. Clara’s personal baggage also kept things interesting, especially her history with the town and her brother’s disappearance, which stoked both her drinking battles and her investigative fire.

The not-so-good news in my humble opinion is the supporting cast leaned a little too cookie-cutter, and the dialogue didn’t ring true. Add in the grammar stumbles, punctuation slips, and the word “inevitable” showing up like a drinking game gone wrong, and, well… let’s just say Bailey’s editor should’ve been the first suspect arrested. I think it would have felt less cookie-cutter if the dialogue was right, but I'll have to wait for the next book to see.

The think is this is a debut novel, and for a debut, it’s very good. Clara Strong has the makings of a great series character, and I’m looking forward to her next case. But please, Ms. Bailey, fire your editor before book two. Clara deserves better.

The Reckoning by John Grisham

A "reckoning" of my patience. Grisham lost me somewhere between endless backstory and zero suspense.

 

I tried reading The Reckoning by John Grisham, and wow. What a slog. I used to enjoy his legal thrillers, back in the days of The Firm and The Pelican Brief, but this one was heavy on history and light on suspense. I kept waiting for the courtroom fireworks, the twists, the clever plotting…and instead, I got a meandering story that never grabbed me.

Some books you put down reluctantly. This one, I happily set aside. Sometimes the reckoning is knowing when to quit.