One Last Smile by Blake Pierce (The Governess #2)

 She is still charging in where angels fear to plonk their holy feet.

There must be something in the water around Mary because wherever this woman goes, trouble follows close behind. In One Last Smile by Blake Pierce, Mary has once again landed herself in a wealthy household. This time, she's supposed to be tutoring Lucas, helping him prepare for admission to a prestigious university. Sounds simple enough ... flashcards, essays, standardized tests, and perhaps the occasional reminder to put down the phone and study ... Naturally, that is not what happens.

Instead, Mary learns about a young woman connected to the family who disappeared and was never found. Most people would file that information under "interesting but none of my business" and continue helping Lucas with his studies. Mary is not most people. Despite repeatedly reminding herself that she is not a detective, Mary once again launches herself into an investigation with all the caution of a squirrel crossing a six-lane highway. 

To be fair, the mystery itself kept me listening. This was actually a great commute audiobook. The pacing moves along nicely, and the story gives you enough breadcrumbs to keep you interested during a drive to work without demanding your complete attention. I never found myself desperate to get back to it, but I also never dreaded pressing play.

The biggest hurdle for me was Mary herself. She has a remarkable talent for inserting herself into increasingly questionable situations while fully acknowledging that she has neither the training nor the authority to be doing any of it. Every time she thought, "I'm not a detective," I found myself agreeing enthusiastically.

The book isn't bad. In fact, it's entertaining enough that I happily listened through to the end. The mystery was interesting, the narration was easy to follow, and I wanted to know what had happened to the missing young woman. But there were enough eye-roll-inducing moments that I can't place it high on my recommendation list.

In the end, I'd call this a solid three-star audiobook. If you're looking for something engaging to fill your commute, it does the job. If you're looking for a psychological thriller that will keep you awake at night thinking about it, this probably isn't the one.

Just be prepared for Mary to charge directly into situations where angels fear to plonk their holy feet.

UNSUB by Meg Gardiner (UNSUB #1)

 Nothing like the 9 circles of hell to keep you awake at night...

Some books politely conclude their business, shake your hand, and send you on your way. UNSUB looked me in the eye and said, "See you in the next book." Fair enough.

The story follows Detective Caitlin Hendrix, whose father, Mack Hendrix, spent years chasing the infamous Mercury Killer. The case consumed him, nearly destroyed him, and was never fully solved. Now the killer appears to be back, and Caitlin finds herself walking down the same dark path her father traveled years before.

One thing I really appreciated was Caitlin herself. She's competent without being invincible, determined without being reckless to the point of making me want to throw the book across the room, and realistic enough to feel like an actual detective rather than a superhero with a badge. But let's be honest here. The Mercury Killer is the real star of the show.

Every time he appeared, I sat up a little straighter. He's the kind of villain who keeps you guessing because his actions don't fit neatly into a pattern you can solve halfway through the book. Just when I thought I understood what was happening, he found a new way to make things weird, creepy, or both.

Then came the twist I genuinely didn't see coming.

The murders are connected to Dante's Inferno.

As someone who has read plenty of thrillers featuring serial killers with grand plans, bizarre obsessions, and enough free time to create elaborate crime scenes, I thought I'd seen it all. Apparently not. The Dante connection added an interesting layer to the investigation and gave the murders a twisted sense of purpose.

The pacing was solid throughout. Not quite "cancel all your responsibilities and stay awake until three in the morning" territory, but definitely engaging enough that I wanted to keep reading.

And then there was that ending. You know the type. Not a cliffhanger exactly. More like the literary equivalent of someone opening a door, pointing into the darkness, and saying, "There's more." And now I need to know what happens next.

So congratulations, Meg Gardiner. I picked up one book and somehow ended up committing to a series. The Mercury Killer completely stole the show, and the ending practically guaranteed I'll be reading the next Caitlin Hendrix book.