Category Archives: Domestic Mystery

May 2, 2022 · 12:02 am

Review: The Patient by Jane Shemilt

Title: The Patient by Jane Shemilt
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
Genre: Contemporary, Domestic Mystery, Suspense
Length: 320 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss

Summary:

A shocking and twisty novel of psychological suspense about a boundary-breaking love affair between a doctor and her patient, by Jane Shemilt, Edgar-nominated, #1 international bestselling author of The Daughter.

What price would you pay for falling in love?

Rachel is a respected doctor who lives in a picturesque and affluent English village where her husband Nathan teaches at an elite private school. Competent, unflappable, and nearing 50, Rachel has everything in her life firmly in her control, even if some of its early luster has worn off. But one day a new patient arrives at her practice for emergency treatment. Luc is a French painter married to a wealthy American woman who’s just bought and restored a historic home on the edge of Rachel’s posh neighborhood. The couple has only recently arrived, but Luc is struggling with a mental disorder, and so he goes to the nearest clinic…to Rachel.

Their attraction is instant, and as Rachel’s sense of ethics wars with newly awakened passion, the affair blinds her to everything else happening around her. A longtime patient appears to be following her every movement, turning up unexpectedly wherever she goes. Her somewhat estranged adult daughter Lizzie is hiding a secret—or at least, hiding it from Rachel. Nathan has grown sour and cold as well—or is that merely Rachel’s guilty conscience weighing on her? But when one of her colleagues winds up murdered and Luc is arrested for the crime, everything Rachel didn’t know about her life explodes into the open—along with her affair with her patient—a disgrace and scandal that will have consequences no one could have predicted.

Review:

The Patient by Jane Shemilt is a riveting domestic mystery.

Local GP Rachel Goodchild is mostly content with her life until her path crosses with new patient Luc Lefevre. The cracks in her marriage become more obvious as she realizes how attracted she is to Luc, who is also married with a stepson. Rachel has always felt safe in her town but she cannot shake the feeling that someone is watching and following her. She becomes more fearful after she and Luc embark on a whirlwind affair and people close to her are murdered. With suspicion falling to Luc, can Rachel trust her instincts about the man she has fallen in love with?

The storyline weaves back in forth in time over the course of several months. From her sizzling first meeting with depressed Luc to their passionate affair, Rachel gradually emerges from her colorless life. As she faces increasingly hostile questions after Luc’s arrest, her mistaken suppositions become clear in hindsight. With this new self-awareness, can Rachel now trust her judgment as she learns new information?

The Patient is a clever mystery that is quite atmospheric. The characters are well-drawn but not all of them are likable. Rachel is a bit of an unreliable narrator as she begins questioning certain events. The storyline is engaging and the tension builds with every chapter. With one shocking plot twist after another, Jane Shemilt brings this suspense-laden domestic mystery to an unanticipated conclusion.

Comments Off on Review: The Patient by Jane Shemilt

Filed under Contemporary, Domestic Mystery, Jane Shemilt, Mystery, Rated B+, Review, Suspense, The Patient, William Morrow Paperbacks

April 22, 2022 · 12:01 am

Review: Wish You Were Gone by Kieran Scott

Title: Wish You Were Gone by Kieran Scott
Publisher: Gallery Books
Genre: Contemporary, Domestic Mystery
Length: 351 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

This “captivating thriller full of twists and surprises” (Megan Miranda, New York Times bestselling author)—about what happens when the death of a husband and father isn’t the tragedy everyone believes—is perfect for fans of the Netflix original series Dead to Me.

Emma Walsh has finally worked up the courage to confront her husband James about his drinking—his alcoholic rages, his blackouts, and the fear his behavior has created for her and their two kids. But James never shows up to meet her as planned, and all her righteous words go unsaid. And unsaid they remain, because the next time Emma sees James, his body lies crumpled amidst the wreckage of his flashy car, which has been smashed to its final resting place halfway through the back wall of their suburban house’s roomy garage.

In the aftermath of the fatal crash, Emma and her teenage children begin to embrace life without James’s looming, volcanic presence. Buoyed by the support of her two closest friends, she struggles to deal with her grief, complicated by the knowledge that her husband’s legacy as an upstanding business owner and family man shines only because so many people, for so long, were so willing to keep his secrets—secrets that twist into new and unexpected shapes as the mysterious details of his last day of life begin to come to light.

A sinister and suspenseful domestic thriller, lauded as “stylish” by Publishers Weekly and “delicious” by Booklist, Wish You Were Gone will keep you guessing “until not just the last page, but the last paragraph” (Chandler Baker, New York Times bestselling author)

Review:

Wish You Were Gone by Kieran Scott is an engrossing domestic mystery.

Emma Walsh is absolutely furious when her husband James does not show up to the restaurant for dinner. She is planning to hand over divorce papers to her alcoholic, abusive husband but after waiting for him, she returns home. She is a little surprised when he does not answer any of her texts but she is unconcerned enough to go to bed before he returns home. Emma is awakened in the middle of the night by what turns out to be her drunken husband crashing his car into their garage. Although the police are satisfied his death is just a tragic accident, Emma is not so sure after discovering some little things that do not add up. But that leaves her wondering who would have reason to kill James?

Emma can barely remember when her marriage was happy. James is drastically different from the kind-hearted man she married and she knows it is time to end the marriage. When Emma finds the first thing that is not consistent with James’ typical behavior, she turns to her best friends, Gray Garrison and Lizzie Larken. Gray’s husband Darnell is James’ business partner and Emma has been close to Lizzie for several years. In between attempting to uncover the truth about what happened to James, Emma tries to be there as much as possible for her teenagers, Hunter and Kelsey.

The deeper Emma digs into her husband’s life, the more the realizes she does not him as well as she thinks. She begins to suspect he was having an affair but trying to figure out who the “other woman” is turns out to be somewhat tricky. Emma also discovers shocking information about James’ future plans and she begins to harbor a few suspicions about someone close to their family. She is also becoming concerned about Hunter and Kelsey who turn out be keeping a few secrets of their own.

Wish You Were Gone is a fast-paced mystery with plenty of unexpected twists and turns. The characters are multi-faceted and easy to like. The storyline is well-developed with chapters that alternate between various points of view. With the suspense building with every chapter, Kieran Scott brings this clever domestic mystery to a jaw-dropping and thoroughly shocking conclusion.

2 Comments

Filed under Contemporary, Domestic Mystery, Gallery Books, Kieran Scott, Mystery, Rated B, Review, Wish You Were Gone

April 10, 2022 · 12:02 am

Review: The Younger Wife by Sally Hepworth

Title: The Younger Wife by Sally Hepworth
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Genre: Contemporary, Domestic Mystery
Length: 348 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

THE HUSBAND
A heart surgeon at the top of his field, Stephen Aston is getting married again. But first he must divorce his current wife, even though she can no longer speak for herself.

THE DAUGHTERS
Tully and Rachel Aston look upon their father’s fiancée, Heather, as nothing but an interloper. Heather is younger than both of them. Clearly, she’s after their father’s money.

THE FORMER WIFE
With their mother in a precarious position, Tully and Rachel are determined to get to the
truth about their family’s secrets, the new wife closing in, and who their father really is.

THE YOUNGER WIFE
Heather has secrets of her own. Will getting to the truth unleash the most dangerous impulses
in all of them?

Review:

The Younger Wife by Sally Hepworth is a fast-moving domestic mystery.

Heart surgeon Stephen Aston blindsides his adult daughters, Tully and Rachel, with his announcement he is engaged to much younger interior designer, Heather Wisher. Tully and Rachel are even more stunned when he also tells them he is divorcing their mother, Pamela. The sisters are not all happy to be gaining a stepmother nor are they pleased about Stephen’s divorce plans.

Tully and her husband Sonny are parents of two sons who are five and almost three. Tully’s stress levels are through the roof as she navigates upcoming changes for her family and the situation with her parents and Heather. She has always had severe anxiety and her coping mechanism is about to land her trouble. Will Sonny stand by her when the truth is revealed?

Rachel is a sought-after baker who devotes all her time to her business. She has not dated since she was a teenager and she too is keeping a secret from her loved ones. Her new delivery person is quite unexpected and she finally begins to emerge from her shell.

Heather has not been honest about her past but she certain Stephen will not learn the truth. She never intended to fall in love with a married man but she eagerly grabs hold of her chance for happiness. But after moving in with her husband to be, Heather begins to notice things about Stephen that leave her questioning her decision about her future. Can she trust her interpretations of unsettling events?

The Younger Wife is a compelling domestic mystery that is very suspenseful. Tully’s deep-seated issues are becoming impossible to control. Rachel’s fears have held her hostage for decades but will she finally be able to move past them? Heather is surprisingly easy to like but is marrying Stephen the right decision? Can Tully and Rachel trust their mother’s shocking declarations? With plenty of questions to answer, Sally Hepworth brings this suspenseful domestic mystery to an absolutely jaw-dropping conclusion.

Comments Off on Review: The Younger Wife by Sally Hepworth

Filed under Contemporary, Domestic Mystery, Mystery, Rated B+, Review, Sally Hepworth, St Martin's Press, Suspense, The Younger Wife

April 7, 2022 · 12:01 am

Review: The Night She Went Missing by Kristen Bird

Title: The Night She Went Missing by Kristen Bird
Publisher: MIRA
Genre: Contemporary, Domestic Mystery
Length: 336 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

An intriguing and twisty domestic suspense about loyalty and deceit in a tight-knit Texas community where parents are known to behave badly and people are not always who they appear to be.

Emily, a popular but bookish prep school senior, goes missing after a night out with friends. She was last seen leaving a party with Alex, a football player with a dubious reputation. But no one is talking.

Now three mothers, Catherine, Leslie and Morgan, friends turned frenemies, have their lives turned upside down as they are forced to look to their own children—and each other’s—for answers to questions they don’t want to ask.

Each mother is sure she knows who is responsible, but they all have their own secrets to keep and reputations to protect. And the lies they tell themselves and each other may just have the potential to be lethal in this riveting debut.

Review:

The Night She Went Missing by Kristen Bird is a clever debut mystery.

Catherine and her family have recently relocated from Oregon to her husband’s home town of Galveston. She left under a cloud and their oldest daughter Emily is fuming mad her parents made her move for her senior year of high school. As if dealing with her daughter’s anger is not enough, Catherine is also forced into contact with her wealthy, controlling mother-in-law Rosalyn Callahan who runs the family’s private school where Emily is now a student. When Emily goes missing from a party at a friend’s house, will the small community and the Callahan family come together to find her?

Catherine is not at all happy with the move but under the circumstances, she feels it is for the best. Her husband Carter is now home more with the family, which also includes their twins Olivia and Lucy. Catherine becomes friends with divorcee Morgan Frasier who son Alex, becomes the prime suspect in Emily’s disappearance.

Leslie Steele is a widow who works hard as a volunteer at Rosalyn’s school. Her daughter Anna is present at the party where Emily was last seen. Leslie also has two older sons, Asher, who is in medical school. She is estranged from her other son Sawyer who has little to do with his family since leaving the island. Leslie depends heavily on her brother-in-law Robert, who, much to her dismay is now dating her former best friend, Morgan. Each of these three mothers believe they know their children best, but do they really?

The Night She Went Missing is a riveting domestic mystery with a claustrophobic island setting. The characters are well-developed although some of them are less appealing than others. The storyline is well-developed with plausible plot twists that are quite tantalizing. Wealth, privilege and social connections play significant roles in how the various characters react to Emily’s disappearance. With a shocking denouement, Kristen Bird brings this suspenseful, secret-filled domestic mystery to a very unexpected conclusion.

Comments Off on Review: The Night She Went Missing by Kristen Bird

Filed under Domestic Mystery, Kristen Bird, Mira, Mystery, Rated B+, Review, The Night She Went Missing

March 10, 2022 · 12:01 am

Review: The Golden Couple by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen

Title: The Golden Couple by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Genre: Contemporary, Domestic Mystery, Suspense
Length: 329 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

The next electrifying novel from the #1 New York Times bestselling author duo behind The Wife Between Us.

Wealthy Washington suburbanites Marissa and Matthew Bishop seem to have it all—until Marissa is unfaithful. Beneath their veneer of perfection is a relationship riven by work and a lack of intimacy. She wants to repair things for the sake of their eight-year-old son and because she loves her husband. Enter Avery Chambers.

Avery is a therapist who lost her professional license. Still, it doesn’t stop her from counseling those in crisis, though they have to adhere to her unorthodox methods. And the Bishops are desperate.

When they glide through Avery’s door and Marissa reveals her infidelity, all three are set on a collision course. Because the biggest secrets in the room are still hidden, and it’s no longer simply a marriage that’s in danger.

Review:

In The Golden Couple, Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen absolutely shine in their latest twist-filled domestic mystery.

Marissa Bishop has lured her husband, Matthew, to unlicensed therapist Avery Chambers under false pretenses. He believes they are seeing Avery to get advice for their eight-year-old son Bennett who has been bullied in the past. Instead, Marissa blindsides Matthew with the stunning announcement she had a one-night stand.  Despite her transgression, she would like to save their marriage. Matthew is furious over the news, but in the end, he agrees to try to move past her troubling news. Will Avery’s unconventional therapy help them repair their strained marriage?

Marissa and Matthew have known each other since they were teenagers. Marissa’s family are small business owners who barely scrape by whereas Matthew is from a wealthy family. Their teenage friendship and romance provide a firm foundation for their marriage, but Matthew’s long hours as a lawyer are taking their toll. Marissa owns an upscale business but she tailors her working hours around Bennett’s school hours and extracurricular activities. Although Marissa genuinely regrets sleeping with another man, she finds it very difficult to forget him or their evening together. Is her marriage strong enough to overcome her indiscretion?

Avery’s unconventional approach to therapy cost her license but her success garners plenty of business. Her methods are a little controversial but her success speaks for itself.  She assigns Marissa and Matthew “assignments” to accomplish before their next session. In between seeing them, Avery finds out everything she can about her clients. She follows them, snoops through their social media, and keeps them off balance during their sessions. Although Avery cannot quite figure out Marissa or Matthew, she remains certain she can help them save their marriage.

The Golden Couple is a suspenseful domestic mystery with interesting characters. Marissa knows she made a mistake but she wants to save and strengthen her marriage. Matthew is seething mad at his wife, but he is not ready to give up on what they have together. Avery is an intriguing woman who is comfortable in her own skin and content with her life. The storyline is exceptionally well-developed and very fast-paced. With plenty of tension and shocking plot twists, Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen bring this clever mystery to an edge of the seat conclusion.

Comments Off on Review: The Golden Couple by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen

Filed under Contemporary, Domestic Mystery, Greer Hendricks, Mystery, Rated B+, Review, Sarah Pekkanen, St Martin's Press, Suspense, The Golden Couple

February 28, 2022 · 12:01 am

Review: Greenwich Park by Katherine Faulkner

Title: Greenwich Park by Katherine Faulkner
Publisher: Gallery Books
Genre: Contemporary, Domestic Mystery
Length: 384 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

“A twisty, fast-paced” (The Sunday Times, London) debut thriller, as electrifying as the #1 New York Times bestseller The Girl on the Train, about impending motherhood, unreliable friendship, and the high price of keeping secrets.

In this “gloriously tangled game of cat and mouse that kept the twists coming until the very last moment” (Ruth Ware, #1 New York Times bestselling author), Helen’s idyllic life—handsome architect husband, gorgeous Victorian house, and cherished baby on the way—begins to change the day she attends her first prenatal class.

There, she meets Rachel, an unpredictable single mother-to-be who doesn’t seem very maternal: she smokes, drinks, and professes little interest in parenthood. Still, Helen is drawn to her. Maybe Rachel just needs a friend. And to be honest, Helen’s a bit lonely herself. At least Rachel is fun to be with. She makes Helen laugh, invites her confidences, and distracts her from her fears.

But her increasingly erratic behavior is unsettling. And Helen’s not the only one who’s noticed. Her friends and family begin to suspect that her strange new friend may be linked to their shared history in unexpected ways. When Rachel threatens to expose a past crime that could destroy all of their lives, it becomes clear that there are more than a few secrets laying beneath the broad-leaved trees and warm lamplight of Greenwich Park.

Review:

Greenwich Park by Katherine Faulkner is an exceptionally compelling domestic mystery.

Helen Thorpe is on maternity leave for a high-risk pregnancy when she meets Rachel in pre-natal class. Helen is following all of the pregnancy advice so she is a little shocked that Rachel drinks and smokes during her pregnancy. But Helen is  lonely since her husband Daniel is working long hours and she overlooks her new friend’s flaws. At loose ends with little to occupy her, Helen runs into Rachel frequently. Growing a little weary of the young woman’s irritating behavior, Helen would like to distance herself from her. Instead, Rachel becomes even further enmeshed into her family’s life.

Helen is bit awkward and finds it difficult to make friends. She and Daniel met during college and their best friends are her brother Rory and his wife Serena. Helen is a little irritated that Daniel is not home very much so she puts up with Rachel’s exasperating behavior. Even when she is ready to break off their friendship, she finds it impossible to refuse Rachel during her time of need.

Helen is a bit nosy and she is perplexed by an unexpected discovery. As she tries to parse the meaning, she is easily distracted. Helen also easily experiences self-doubt that sometimes clouds her thinking. As her due date grows nearer, she tries to ignore her feeling that things feel off. Will Helen trust her instincts when everything begins to spiral out of control?

Greenwich Park is a captivating domestic mystery with an ingenious storyline. The characters are well-drawn with intriguing backstories. The settings are well-detailed and spring vividly to life. The plot is well-executed with chapters that alternate between three distinct points of view. With the tension ratcheting up with each chapter, Katherine Faulkner brings this thrilling mystery to a jaw-dropping, twist-filled conclusion.

Comments Off on Review: Greenwich Park by Katherine Faulkner

Filed under Contemporary, Domestic Mystery, Gallery Books, Greenwich Park, Katherine Faulkner, Rated B+, Review