Category Archives: GP Putnams Sons

July 10, 2019 · 11:58 pm

Review: The Shameless by Ace Atkins

Title: The Shameless by Ace Atkins
Quinn Colson Series Book Nine
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 458 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss

Summary:

Buried secrets, dirty lies, and unbridled greed and ambition raise the stakes down South in the lauded crime series from New York Times bestselling author Ace Atkins.

Twenty years ago, Brandon Taylor was thought to be just another teen boy who ended his life too soon. That’s what almost everyone in Tibbehah County, Mississippi, said after his body and hunting rifle were found in the Big Woods. Now two New York-based reporters show up asking Sheriff Quinn Colson questions about the Taylor case. What happened to the evidence? Where are the missing files? Who really killed Brandon?

Quinn wants to help. After all, his wife Maggie was a close friend of Brandon Taylor. But Quinn was just a kid himself in 1997, and these days he’s got more on his plate than twenty-year-old suspicious death. He’s trying to shut down the criminal syndicate that’s had a stranglehold on Tibbehah for years, trafficking drugs, stolen goods, and young women through the MidSouth. Truck stop madam Fannie Hathcock runs most of that action, and has her eyes on taking over the whole show. And then there’s Senator Jimmy Vardaman, who’s cut out the old political establishment riding the Syndicate’s money and power–plus a hefty helping of racism and ignorance–straight to the governor’s office. If he manages to get elected, the Syndicate will be untouchable. Tibbehah will be lawless.

Quinn’s been fighting evil and corruption since he was a kid, at home or as a U.S. Army Ranger in Afghanistan and Iraq. This time, evil may win out.

Review:

The Shameless by Ace Atkins is an action-packed mystery set in a small Mississippi town.  Although this latest release is the ninth installment in the Quinn Colson series,  it can be read as a standalone. However, I highly recommend the previous novels as well.

Tibbehah County Sheriff Quinn Colson has been busy ferreting out crime and corruption in his small part of Mississippi for close to a decade.   A few slippery criminals disguised as upstanding citizens remain elusively out of reach despite Colson’s best efforts. With U.S. Marshall (and former Deputy Sheriff) Lillie Virgil’s arrest of Wes Taggart, Quinn hopes he will finally have the information he needs to arrest some of the worst criminals who have cleverly evaded arrest. With Wes ready to co-operate in order to reduce his sentence, will Colson finally bring down Senator Jimmy Vardaman (who is campaigning for Governor) and ultra-religious Supervisor Skinner?

Just as Quinn is in the midst of his present day investigation, the twenty-year old suicide of Brandon Taylor is now the focus of a podcast. The Taylor family has always believed Brandon was murdered but the case was quickly closed by Quinn’s uncle Hamp Beckett who was the sheriff at the time of the investigation. At the request of Brandon’s sister Shaina, Thin Air reporter Tashi Coleman and her producer Jessica Torres are in town trying to uncover the truth about Brandon’s death. The pair begin to believe that Sheriff Beckett did not investigate the case as thoroughly as he should have.  When Hamp’s former deputy  points the finger in Quinn’s direction, Tashi and Jessica begin digging into the Sheriff’s background.  Will they find any evidence to support their burgeoning theory that Beckett covered up his nephew’s involvement in Brandon’s death?

Meanwhile, the Syndicate continues its behind the scenes machinations in  Tibbehah County.  Strip club owner Fannie Hathcock fights to keep her establishment open in the face of Vardaman’s “Make Mississippi Great Again” campaign.  It is an unfair match because much plotting and scheming is going on in order to ensure Vardaman wins the Governor election.  As the truth begins to emerge about what happened to Brandon, past and present collide as Quinn uncovers stunning details surrounding the teenager’s death.

The Shameless is a spellbinding mystery that features a topical plot and intriguing investigations. Quinn remains dedicated to ridding Tibbehah County of its insidious corruption. The regular cast of characters continue to grow and evolve as they feature prominently in the various storylines. Quinn’s investigations move along at fairly fast pace until the various pieces fall into place.  Ace Atkins brings this outstanding novel to a satisfying conclusion that will leave readers breathlessly anticipating the next installment in the fantastic Quinn Colson series.

Comments Off on Review: The Shameless by Ace Atkins

Filed under Ace Atkins, Contemporary, GP Putnams Sons, Mystery, Quinn Colson Series, Rated B+, Review, Suspense, The Shameless

June 30, 2019 · 11:56 pm

Review: Girls Like Us by Cristina Alger

Title: Girls Like Us by Cristina Alger
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 288 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss

Summary:

From the celebrated and bestselling author of The Banker’s Wife, worlds collide when an FBI agent investigates a string of grisly murders on Long Island that raises the impossible question: What happens when the primary suspect is your father?

FBI Agent Nell Flynn hasn’t been home in ten years. Nell and her father, Homicide Detective Martin Flynn, have never had much of a relationship. And Suffolk County will always be awash in memories of her mother, Marisol, who was brutally murdered when Nell was just seven.

When Martin Flynn dies in a motorcycle accident, Nell returns to the house she grew up in so that she can spread her father’s ashes and close his estate. At the behest of her father’s partner, Detective Lee Davis, Nell becomes involved in an investigation into the murders of two young women in Suffolk County. The further Nell digs, the more likely it seems to her that her father should be the prime suspect–and that his friends on the police force are covering his tracks. Plagued by doubts about her mother’s murder–and her own role in exonerating her father in that case–Nell can’t help but ask questions about who killed Ria Ruiz and Adriana Marques and why. But she may not like the answers she finds–not just about those she loves, but about herself.

Review:

Girls Like Us by Cristina Alger is a gripping, suspenseful mystery that shines a much needed light on human trafficking.

FBI Agent Nell Flynn has returned home after a ten year absence to deal with the aftermath of her father’s death.  Homicide Detective Martin Flynn died in a motorcycle accident and after scattering his ashes with his close friends, Chief of Detectives Glenn Dorsey,  Detective Ron Anastas, and his first partner Vince DeSilva, Nell plans to settle his estate then leave. However, she readily acquiesces when Martin’s current partner, Detective Lee Davis, requests her help with the investigation into the murder of Adriana Marques.  Adriana’s death bears an uncanny resemblance to the still unsolved murder of another young woman from a year earlier.  As she and Lee investigate Adriana’s case, Nell becomes uncomfortably aware the evidence is pointing to her father. Could Martin have murdered these two young women? And if he is not the killer, who is?

Nell is not on the best terms with Martin at the time of his death and she is eager to wrap up his estate and return to her regular life.  Currently recovering from an injury from her previous case, she is uncertain what will come next for her with her career in the BAU. Her boss is pushing her to comply with the FBI ordered counseling but Nell is not at all eager to talk about herself or her past.  Helping Lee with the murder investigation is a welcome distraction, but could her suspicions about her father be true?

Nell is shocked and dismayed at the discovery the young women appear to be victims of human trafficking. Even more stunning is the information she receives from Martin’s lawyer. Despite her strained relationship with her father, Nell is having trouble believing he could have been involved in such heinous acts. She soon realizes other members of the police force might be involved and she does not know whom she can trust.  As the pieces of the puzzle begin to fall into place, Nell begins to wonder how far the people involved in the case will go to keep their secrets hidden.

Girls Like Us is a fast-paced and absorbing mystery with a bit of a dark storyline. Nell is a likable lead protagonist who fully believes in justice for the victims. She will do anything to protect the witnesses she encounters no matter the cost to herself or her career. Cristina Alger cleverly builds the tension to a fever pitch as this phenomenal mystery hurtles to a twist-filled conclusion. An absolutely brilliant mystery that I highly recommend to fans of the genre.

Comments Off on Review: Girls Like Us by Cristina Alger

Filed under Contemporary, Cristina Alger, Girls Like Us, GP Putnams Sons, Mystery, Rated B+, Review, Suspense

June 24, 2019 · 11:58 pm

Review: After the End by Clare Mackintosh

Title: After the End by Clare Mackintosh
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons
Genre: Contemporary, Literary Fiction
Length: 400 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss

Summary:

Max and Pip are the strongest couple you know. They’re best friends, lovers—unshakable. But then their son gets sick and the doctors put the question of his survival into their hands. For the first time, Max and Pip can’t agree. They each want a different future for their son.

What if they could have both?

A gripping and propulsive exploration of love, marriage, parenthood, and the road not taken, After the End brings one unforgettable family from unimaginable loss to a surprising, satisfying, and redemptive ending and the life they are fated to find. With the emotional power of Jodi Picoult’s My Sister’s Keeper, Mackintosh helps us to see that sometimes the end is just another beginning.

Review:

After the End by Clare Mackintosh is a captivating, poignant novel.

Pip and Max Adams have been happily married for several years when an unimaginable diagnosis turns their world upside side. Their 2 year old son Dylan has a brain tumor and he has recently undergone surgery and chemotherapy. Unfortunately an unexpected side effect of chemo lands him pediatric intensive care and his doctor Leila Khalili presents them with a grim prognosis for recovery.

At first both Pip and Max are in agreement that they will do anything to prolong Dylan’s life. Max feverishly researches treatments for his son while Pip is more concerned with Dylan’s quality of life. While informing Leila of their decision, no one is more stunned than Pip when she disagrees with Max’s choice to seek further treatment. Max then embarks on a public campaign to raise money for his legal expenses and to help offset medical costs if he wins the case. Pip is quietly shattered as she spends as much time as possible with Dylan. With their son’s future in a judge’s hands, what will happen to their family in the aftermath?

Pip is a flight attendant who re-adjusted her career in order to be at home with Dylan as much as possible. She suffers a fair amount of guilt that she did not seek medical attention for her son sooner. Never imagining the outcome of Dylan’s treatment, she has been given compassionate leave from work  so she can be with him as much as possible now he is in hospital. Pip never wavers from her heartbreaking decision to not prolong Dylan’s life and she is stunned by her husband’s vitriol.

Max relocated to the UK from the US after marrying Pip. His job requires quite a bit of travel and when home, he works long hours so he has not spent as much time with Dylan as he would like. Despite the family’s dire situation, he has no choice but to return to work after his son is transferred to intensive care. Never once thinking  that he and Pip would be on opposite sides of Dylan’s care, Max thrusts the family into the spotlight as he pursues his case to get his son further treatment.

After the End is an emotionally compelling novel with a clever storyline and sympathetic characters who must make an heartrending choice about their young son. After the courtroom scene,  Clare Mackintosh  chooses an innovative storytelling device that is initially disconcerting.  However, it does not take long to become completely absorbed in the gripping story that is unfolding. Despite the somber subject matter, this deeply affecting novel comes to a hopeful and bittersweet conclusion.  A very unique novel that is utterly fascinating and impossible to put down. Highly recommend.

Comments Off on Review: After the End by Clare Mackintosh

Filed under After the End, Clare Mackintosh, Contemporary, GP Putnams Sons, Literary Fiction, Rated B+, Review

June 19, 2019 · 11:57 pm

Review: Her Daughter’s Mother by Daniela Petrova

Title: Her Daughter’s Mother by Daniela Petrova
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 320 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss

Summary:

She befriended the one woman she was never supposed to meet. Now she’s the key suspect in her disappearance. For fans of The Perfect Mother and The Wife Between Us comes a gripping psychological suspense debut about two strangers, one incredible connection, and the steep price of obsession.

Lana Stone has never considered herself a stalker–until the night she impulsively follows a familiar face through the streets of New York’s Upper West Side. Her target? The “anonymous” egg donor she’d selected through an agency, the one who’s making motherhood possible for her. Hungry to learn more about her, Lana plans only to watch her from a distance. But when circumstances bring them face-to-face, an unexpected friendship is born.

Katya, a student at Columbia, is the yin to Lana’s yang, an impulsive free spirit who lives life at the edge. And for pragmatic Lana, she’s a breath of fresh air and a welcome distraction from her painful breakup with her baby’s father. Then, just as suddenly as Katya entered Lana’s life, she disappears–and Lana might have been the last person to see her before she went missing. Determined to find out what became of the woman to whom she owes so much, Lana digs into Katya’s past, even as the police grow suspicious of her motives. But she’s unprepared for the secrets she unearths, and their power to change everything she thought she knew about those she loves best…

Review:

Her Daughter’s Mother by Daniela Petrova is a mesmerizing domestic mystery.

Lana Stone is a successful career woman who has been in a relationship with her partner, Professor Tyler Jones for eight years. For the past several years, they have been engulfed by infertility treatments and heartbreaking miscarriages. Having finally made the decision to use a donor egg, Lana is days away from her upcoming embryo transfer when Tyler leaves her.  Despite a few qualms about going through with the procedure, Lana seizes this last chance at pregnancy.

Soon after learning she is pregnant, Lana recognizes their egg donor and decides to get to know her.  Katya Dimitrova is a vivacious twenty-one year old college student from Bulgaria and Lana is dazzled by her refreshing honesty and  effervescent personality.  Needing a distraction from her personal life, Lana joins Katya for an evening of dining and dancing but later in the evening, she goes home early.  Dismayed when she does not hear from Katya again, Lana is soon consumed by guilt when she discovers her new friend has gone missing. Determined to find out what happened to Katya,  Lana is shocked by the information that soon comes to light. Unable to let go of her suspicions that someone harmed Katya, will Lana uncover the truth?

Anyone who has ever experienced infertility will emphasize with Lana’s decision to go through with the embryo transfer. She does go through short-lived bouts of  guilt over her choice, but ultimately, she easily pushes aside these momentary misgivings.  Lana also knows she should not be hanging out with Katya, but her curiosity about her egg donor is insatiable. She is determined to learn more information about Katya’s disappearance and Lana is unable to stop herself even when she knows she is endangering her future.

Chapters from Tyler’s and Katya’s perspectives fill in some the blanks about the months preceding the events unfolding in the present. Tyler is frustrated by Lana’s inability to give up the infertility treatments.  Instead of confronting her with his feelings, he begins making questionable decisions that eventually put him in a very difficult situation. Katya’s chapters are very illuminating and provide valuable insight into her motivation for becoming an egg donor. They also reveal a very different picture of the happy go lucky young woman.

Her Daughter’s Mother is an absolutely riveting mystery that is impossible to put down. The main characters are immensely flawed yet they are also easy to sympathize with as they blunder their way through life.  The storyline is engrossing and each chapter builds the suspense and tension to a fever pitch. Daniela Petrova masterfully conceals the truth about what happened to Katya until the nerve-wracking but somewhat low-key conclusion. A very clever debut that fans of the genre are sure to love.

Comments Off on Review: Her Daughter’s Mother by Daniela Petrova

Filed under Contemporary, Daniela Petrova, GP Putnams Sons, Her Daughter's Mother, Mystery, Rated B+, Review, Suspense

June 10, 2019 · 11:57 pm

Review: The Good Sister by Gillian McAllister

Title: The Good Sister by Gillian McAllister
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 400 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss

Summary:

An electrifying novel about the unyielding bond between two sisters, which is severely tested when one of them is accused of the worst imaginable crime.

Martha and Becky Blackwater are more than sisters–they’re each other’s lifelines. When Martha finds herself struggling to balance early motherhood and her growing business, Becky steps in to babysit her niece, Layla, without a second thought, bringing the two women closer than ever. But then the unthinkable happens, and Becky is charged with murder.

Nine months later, Becky is on trial and maintains her innocence–and so does Martha. Unable to shake the feeling that her sister couldn’t possibly be guilty, Martha sets out to uncover exactly what happened that night, and how things could have gone so wrong. As the trial progresses, fault lines between the sisters begin to show–revealing cracks deep in their relationship and threatening the family each has worked so hard to build. With incredible empathy and resounding emotional heft, The Good Sister is a powerhouse of a novel that will lead readers to question everything they know about motherhood, family, and the price of forgiveness.

Review:

The Good Sister by Gillian McAllister is a poignant yet suspense-laden courtroom mystery.

Sisters Becky and Martha Blackwater are exceptionally close despite their different personalities and lives. Becky is separated from her husband Marc which leaves her a single mum to their nine year old son Xander.  She also hates her job which is why she is receptive to Martha’s suggestion to become a nanny for her newborn daughter, Layla. What seems like a good idea in theory quickly turns to misery for Becky since Layla cries virtually non-stop day in and day out.  When both Martha and her husband Scott are out of town on business, Layla dies whilst in Becky’s care.  Everyone initially believes the cause of death is sudden infant death syndrome, but the autopsy reveals the truth-Layla died of asphyxiation. Becky is arrested for murder and with the court case now underway, Martha still finds herself unable to believe her sister murdered her daughter. But if Becky did not kill Layla, who did?

Becky’s experience with motherhood is quite different than being nanny to her niece. Xander was a calm baby who slept for long stretches of time so she is ill-prepared for Layla’s non-stop crying.  Barely able to handle the stress of caring for her niece while Martha is in town, she is pushed to the breaking point when Scott extends his business trip by another day. Becky has always maintained her innocence but the courtroom testimony from friends, neighbors and the medical community is damning.

Martha vacillates back and forth between believing her sister is guilty of killing Layla.  She is hard-pressed to fully accept Becky murdered her daughter but some of the witness testimony leaves her second-guessing her sister. Throughout the weeklong court case, Martha attempts to figure out an alternate suspect for her daughter’s death. But by Becky’s own admission, she is the only person who was at home when Layla died. Is it possible her sister is lying to protect someone else?

With chapters alternating between various points of view, The Good Sister is an absolutely enthralling mystery. The family dynamic is fascinating to watch as the sisters’ parents and brother deftly balance their support for both women. Becky’s and Martha’s lives are tightly intertwined which makes Martha’s struggle to believe in her sister’s guilt believable. Gillian McAllister brilliantly leaves Becky’s fate hanging in the balance until a very shocking courtroom scene. An outstanding mystery that fans of the genre are going to positively love.

Comments Off on Review: The Good Sister by Gillian McAllister

Filed under Contemporary, Gillian McAllister, GP Putnams Sons, Mystery, Rated B+, Review, Suspense, The Good Sister

April 8, 2019 · 11:58 pm

Review: The Bookshop of the Broken Hearted by Robert Hillman

Title: The Bookshop of the Broken Hearted by Robert Hillman
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons
Genre: Historical (60s & 70s), Fiction
Length: 303 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss

Summary:

In this tender and wise novel about love and forgiveness in 1960s Australia, a lonely farmer finds his life turned upside down by the arrival of a vibrant bookseller.

Can one unlikely bookshop heal two broken souls?

It is 1968 in rural Australia and lonely Tom Hope can’t make heads or tails of Hannah Babel. Newly arrived from Hungary, Hannah is unlike anyone he’s ever met–she’s passionate, brilliant, and fiercely determined to open sleepy Hometown’s first bookshop.

Despite the fact that Tom has only read only one book in his life, when Hannah hires him to install shelving for the shop, the two discover an astonishing spark. Recently abandoned by an unfaithful wife–and still missing her sweet son, Peter–Tom dares to believe that he might make Hannah happy. But Hannah is a haunted woman. Twenty-four years earlier, she had been marched to the gates of Auschwitz.

Perfect for fans of The Little Paris Bookshop and The Light Between Oceans, The Bookshop of the Broken Hearted cherishes the power of love, literature, and forgiveness to transform our lives, and–if we dare allow them–to mend our broken hearts.

Review:

The Bookshop of the Broken Hearted by Robert Hillman is a bittersweet novel of healing and love. Interspersed with flashbacks to World II, this riveting story is set in rural Australia during the 1960s and 1970s.

Tom Hope is a sheep farmer and orchard grower whose wife Trudy has just left him after less than two years of marriage. When she returns as abruptly as she left, he welcomes her back despite her pregnancy by another man. Following the birth of her son, Peter, she is a disinterested mother whereas Tom is a delighted father. Deciding to join her mother and sister at a religious cult, Trudy once again leaves Tom  and abandons Peter. Life on a farm with a young boy is difficult, but Tom handily manages to make the situation work. He adores Peter but after a few years, Trudy claims her son leaving Tom heartsick and lonely.  He finds unexpected solace with Hannah Babel, an Auschwitz survivor who is opening a bookstore.  Despite having nothing in common, Tom and Hannah set the town on its ear when they decide to marry. Tom’s patience and compassion are just what his new bride needs as she continues to struggle with the pain of her wartime losses.  Hannah’s bookstore is an unexpected success  but what will she do when Trudy again upends Tom’s life with her decision to grant him custody of Peter?

Tom is a gentle and dependable man who fell into farming. He is well-respected but he does not much care what people think about the decisions he makes. He makes the best of any situation he finds himself in, but Tom has a difficult time coping when Trudy takes Peter away from him. Despite the differences between him and Hannah, Tom would not imagine living without her.

Strong-willed with a forceful personality, Hannah’s past is full of sorrow and heartache. Having endured unimaginable losses and unthinkable hardship, she has forged a new life for herself in Australia. Although most of the time,  Hannah is able to keep her heartbreaking memories at bay, there are times when she is emotionally distant and inaccessible. She is grateful for Tom’s unending patience and while she would do anything for him, Hannah does not plan on having children in her life.  Will her love for Tom allow her to accept Peter into their lives?

The Bookshop of the Broken Hearted is a marvelous novel that is emotional and uplifting. The characters are beautifully developed with heartrending back stories. The storyline is absolutely compelling and the flashbacks to Hannah’s experiences in World War II are deeply affecting. Tom’s farm is a serene setting that will charm readers. This riveting story by Robert Hillman is captivating, touching and ultimately, quite heartening.

Comments Off on Review: The Bookshop of the Broken Hearted by Robert Hillman

Filed under Fiction, GP Putnams Sons, Historical, Historical (60s), Historical (70s), Rated B+, Review, Robert Hillman, The Bookshop of the Broken Hearted