Category Archives: Harper

July 8, 2021 · 12:02 am

Review: The Stranger in the Mirror by Liv Constantine

Title: The Stranger in the Mirror by Liv Constantine
Publisher: Harper
Genre: Contemporary, Domestic Mystery
Length. 336 pages:
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss

Summary:

A diabolically twisty, psychologically unsettling novel about a woman with no recollection of her past from the authors of the Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick The Last Mrs. Parrish and The Wife Stalker.

Addison’s about to get married, but she’s not looking forward to the big day. It’s not her fiancé; he’s a wonderful man. It’s because Addison doesn’t know who she really is. A few years ago, a kind driver found her bleeding next to a New Jersey highway and rescued her. While her physical wounds healed, Addison’s memory never returned. She doesn’t know her real name. Or how she ended up injured on the side of a road. Or why she can’t shake the notion that she may have done something very, very bad . . .

In a posh home in the Boston suburbs, Julian tries to figure out what happened to his loving, caring wife, Cassandra, who disappeared without a trace two years ago. She would never have left him and their seven-year-old daughter Valentina of her own free will—or would she?

As these two lives intersect, The Stranger in the Mirror hooks readers with riveting drama, told with Liv Constantine’s hallmark blend of glamour, tense psychological thrills, and jaw-dropping twists.

Review:

The Stranger in the Mirror by Liv Constantine is a mesmerizing domestic mystery.

Addison Hope is engaged to Gabriel Oliver who works in his family-owned art gallery. Between her upcoming marriage and photography show, she should be on top of the world. Instead, Addison is anxious about her future because she has no memories of her past. Her life began two years ago when a helpful trucker picks her up when she was hitchhiking. Ed and his wife, Gigi, have become surrogate parents who help her as she navigates her new life. Outside of a few disturbing flashes, Addison has absolutely no recollections from before Ed found her. With the assistance of her future mother- and sister-in-law, Addison and Gabriel’s wedding planning is underway. She loves Gabriel, but Addison’s continued memory loss remains deeply troubling.

Dr. Julian Hunter has been raising his seven-year-old daughter Valentina on his own because his beloved wife Cassandra vanished two years ago. Although the detective he hired turn up no trace of her, he remains hopeful she will one day return. What could have happened Cassandra? Is she still alive? If so, where could she be? And more important, will Julian find her?

The Stranger in the Mirror is a clever domestic mystery with an intriguing storyline and interesting characters. Addison remains uneasy about her upcoming nuptials and the few glimpses of memory leave her questioning what type of person she used to be. Gabriel’s love for her is steadfast and he is unconcerned about her past. Julian mourns the disappearance of his wife but without any leads, will he ever locate her? The plot is quite well-executed but some of the late in the story twists require a suspension of disbelief. With a few shocking turns, Liv Constantine brings this fast-paced domestic mystery to a very unanticipated conclusion.

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Filed under Contemporary, Domestic Mystery, Harper, Liv Constantine, Mystery, Rated B, Review, The Stranger in the Mirror

April 19, 2021 · 12:01 am

Review: Stargazer by Anne Hillerman

Title: Stargazer by Anne Hillerman
Leaphorn, Chee & Manuelito Series Book Twenty-Four
Publisher: Harper
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 336 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss

Summary:

Murder, deception, Navajo tradition, and the stars collide in this enthralling entry in New York Times bestselling author Anne Hillerman’s Leaphorn, Chee & Manuelito series, set amid the beautiful landscape of the American Southwest.

What begins as a typical day for Officer Bernadette Manuelito—serving a bench warrant, dealing with a herd of cattle obstructing traffic, and stumbling across a crime scene—takes an unexpected twist when she’s called to help find an old friend. Years ago, Bernie and Maya were roommates, but time and Maya’s struggles with addiction drove them apart. Now Maya’s brother asks Bernie to find out what happened to his sister.

Tracing Maya’s whereabouts, Bernie learns that her old friend had confessed to the murder of her estranged husband, a prominent astronomer. But the details don’t align. Suspicious, Bernie takes a closer look at the case only to find that nothing is as it seems. Uncovering new information about the astronomer’s work leads Bernie to a remote spot on the Navajo Nation and a calculating killer.

The investigation causes an unexpected rift with her husband and new acting boss, Jim Chee, who’s sure Bernie’s headed for trouble. While she’s caught between present and past, Chee is at a crossroads of his own. Burdened with new responsibilities he didn’t ask for and doesn’t want, he must decide what the future holds for him and act accordingly.

Can their mentor Joe Leaphorn—a man also looking at the past for answers to the future—provide the guidance both Bernie and Chee need? And will the Navajo heroes that stud the starry sky help them find justice—and the truth they seek?

Review:

Stargazer by Anne Hillerman is a truly spellbinding mystery. This twenty-fourth addition to the Leaphorn, Chee & Manuelito series can be read as a standalone, but I highly recommend the previous installments as well.

Officer Bernadette “Bernie” Manuelito makes a horrifying discovery when she tries to find the owners of wandering livestock. After knocking on the door of the house, she begins hearing noises that she is compelled to investigate. Once inside, Bernie finds a woman who has been tied up and beaten and  tragically, a deceased baby. The FBI soon take over the case but Bernie’s husband Sergeant Jim Chee enlists retired Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn to try to identify the baby’s parents.

In New Mexico, Socorro County Detective Tara Williams begins investigating astrophysicist Steve Jones’ death. He has been found in his car with a gunshot wound to the head. Despite a few puzzling details at the scene, Tara believes he died by suicide. But just as she is preparing to close the case, his estranged wife Maya Kelsey walks into the Navajo Tribal police station and confesses to killing him. Maya is Bernie’s former college roommate and she is convinced her friend is lying. But Bernie cannot fathom why Maya would confess to a murder she did not commit.

Bernie assists Tara with the investigation since the tribal police officer closest to the scene is currently unable to work due an injury.  Tara and Bernie are frustrated by Maya’s refusal to reveal her motive for killing her husband. Bernie heads to the lab where Steve has been working and she learns interesting information from Dr. Kathy Mwangi and his project collaborator Dr. Joy Peterson. She is surprised to hear they believe Steve had been depressed over problems with a former co-worker.

Since Bernie still disbelieves Maya’s confession, she ignores everyone’s advice for her to drop the case. She continues tracking down leads and with just one more day to investigate, Bernie turns to Joe Leaphorn for guidance.  Armed with his advice and a couple of new pieces of information, Bernie believes she knows who killed Steve.

Stargazer is a brisk moving mystery with a clever plot and beautiful setting. Bernie is an intelligent woman with well-honed instincts and a keen eye for details. Jim is under extreme stress as he fills in as the police chief. Under pressure and bored with bureaucracy, Jim and Bernie’s interactions are occasionally rather tense. Bernie and Tara make a good team but it is Bernie’s experience in the field that prove to be invaluable during the murder investigation. Despite his retirement, Joe is a valuable source of information and advice for both Jim and Bernie. With some well-placed red herrings and ingenious misdirects, Anne Hillerman brings this intriguing mystery to an exciting conclusion. This newest installment in the Leaphorn, Chee & Manuelito series is a fresh and innovative mystery that old and new fans are sure to enjoy.

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Filed under Anne Hillerman, Blog Tour, Contemporary, Harper, Leaphorn Chee & Manuelito Series, Mystery, Rated B+, Review, Stargazer, Suspense

April 1, 2021 · 12:02 am

Review: The Night Always Comes by Willy Vlaudin

Title: The Night Always Comes by Willy Vlaudin
Publisher: Harper
Genre: Contemporary, Fiction
Length: 224 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss

Summary:

Award-winning author Willy Vlautin explores the impact of trickle-down greed and opportunism of gentrification on ordinary lives in this scorching novel that captures the plight of a young woman pushed to the edge as she fights to secure a stable future for herself and her family.

Barely thirty, Lynette is exhausted. Saddled with bad credit and juggling multiple jobs, some illegally, she’s been diligently working to buy the house she lives in with her mother and developmentally disabled brother Kenny. Portland’s housing prices have nearly quadrupled in fifteen years, and the owner is giving them a good deal. Lynette knows it’s their last best chance to own their own home—and obtain the security they’ve never had. While she has enough for the down payment, she needs her mother to cover the rest of the asking price. But a week before they’re set to sign the loan papers, her mother gets cold feet and reneges on her promise, pushing Lynette to her limits to find the money they need.

Set over two days and two nights, The Night Always Comes follows Lynette’s frantic search—an odyssey of hope and anguish that will bring her face to face with greedy rich men and ambitious hustlers, those benefiting and those left behind by a city in the throes of a transformative boom. As her desperation builds and her pleas for help go unanswered, Lynette makes a dangerous choice that sets her on a precarious, frenzied spiral. In trying to save her family’s future, she is plunged into the darkness of her past, and forced to confront the reality of her life.

A heart wrenching portrait of a woman hungry for security and a home in a rapidly changing city, The Night Always Comes raises the difficult questions we are often too afraid to ask ourselves: What is the price of gentrification, and how far are we really prepared to go to achieve the American Dream? Is the American dream even attainable for those living at the edges? Or for too many of us, is it only a hollow promise?

Review:

The Night Always Comes by Willy Vlaudin is a somewhat bleak yet captivating novel set in Portland, OR.

Lynette lives with her mentally disabled brother Kenny and her mother in a run-down house in a neighborhood that is going through gentrification. She is thirty-years-old and desperately wants to own their home. With her credit shot, she is relying on her mother’s three-year-old promise to take care of the mortgage.  Their landlord is giving them a good deal on the price and Lynette finally has the down payment. Angry when her mom buys a new car, Lynette is shocked by her refusal to go through with their plan. Desperate to keep hold of her dream of home ownership, will Lynette change her mother’s mind?

Lynette, Kenny and their mother have been on their own with little help from her deadbeat dad. Having always lived in poverty, Lynette has had a difficult life but she has worked hard to turn it around. In between taking classes at the community college, she works two jobs and takes care of Kenny.  In the aftermath of her mother’s refusal to go through with buying the house, Lynette urgently seeks to find more cash to add to the down payment.

Over the course of one night, Lynette turns to someone she has limited contact with for advice and help. She then attempts to collect old debts to add to her nest egg.  This unpleasant journey through her past brings up painful memories she would rather forget. Her desperation leads to dubious decisions that put her in dangerous situations. Undeterred, Lynette refuses to give up on her home ownership dream.

The Night Always Comes is an absolutely riveting novel. Lynette is a flawed but easy character is root for as she tries to keep her dream alive. The various people she meets as she collects her debts are quite memorable. The storyline is engaging and the setting springs vibrantly to life.  Willy Vlaudin brings this gritty novel to a surprisingly hopeful conclusion. I great enjoyed and highly recommend this incredible novel.

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Filed under Contemporary, Fiction, Harper, Rated B+, Review, The Night Always Comes, Willy Vlaudin

February 12, 2021 · 12:01 am

Review: Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason

Title: Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason
Publisher: Harper
Genre: Contemporary, Women’s Fiction
Length: 347 pages
Book Rating: C

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss

Summary:

A compulsively readable debut novel—spiky, sharp, intriguingly dark, and tender—about a woman on the edge that combines the psychological insight of Sally Rooney with the sharp humor of Nina Stibbe and the emotional resonance of Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine.

Martha Friel just turned forty. Once, she worked at Vogue and planned to write a novel. Now, she creates internet content. She used to live in a pied-à-terre in Paris. Now she lives in a gated community in Oxford, the only person she knows without a PhD, a baby or both, in a house she hates but cannot bear to leave. But she must leave, now that her husband Patrick—the kind who cooks, throws her birthday parties, who loves her and has only ever wanted her to be happy—has just moved out.

Because there’s something wrong with Martha, and has been for a long time. When she was seventeen, a little bomb went off in her brain and she was never the same. But countless doctors, endless therapy, every kind of drug later, she still doesn’t know what’s wrong, why she spends days unable to get out of bed or alienates both strangers and her loved ones with casually cruel remarks.

And she has nowhere to go except her childhood home: a bohemian (dilapidated) townhouse in a romantic (rundown) part of London—to live with her mother, a minorly important sculptor (and major drinker) and her father, a famous poet (though unpublished) and try to survive without the devoted, potty-mouthed sister who made all the chaos bearable back then, and is now too busy or too fed up to deal with her.

But maybe, by starting over, Martha will get to write a better ending for herself—and she’ll find out that she’s not quite finished after all.

Review:

Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason is a melancholy novel about a woman’s struggles with mental illness.

Martha Friel’s battle with mental illness begins in her late teens. Her family life is chaotic and dysfunctional due to her mother’s temperamental moods and excessive drinking. Her dad is her rock as is her sister Ingrid. Martha’s career choices are more accidental than planned and she is not exactly fulfilled. Her relationships suffer as she veers between deep depression, mood swings, and fits of rage. Ingrid is always there to pick up the pieces when her life spirals out of control. Martha reconnects with family friend Patrick Friel and he becomes her long-suffering husband who patiently stands by her side during all of their ups and downs.

Martha’s mental illness is not adequately diagnosed or treated until later in life. She is very angry with Patrick and the future of their marriage hangs in the balance. By this point, Ingrid is also losing patience with her sister. As Martha reflects back on her life, she tries to pinpoint the main source of her unhappiness. She also has regrets about the state of her marriage but will she be able move past her anger? And if she does, is it too late for her and Patrick?

Sorrow and Bliss is a well-written novel that provides a realistic and insightful portrait of living with mental illness. The storyline is interesting but the pacing is slow. Martha is a frustrating woman and her self-absorption and casual cruelty to her loved ones is difficult to watch. Ingrid is a wonderful person with a marvelous sense of humor. Patrick is likable but a bit underdeveloped until very near the story’s end. Both Martha and her mother undergo significant growth which is quite uplifting. Meg Mason  brings the novel to a slightly unsatisfactory but true to life conclusion.

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Filed under Contemporary, Harper, Meg Mason, Rated C, Review, Sorrow and Bliss, Women's Fiction

December 23, 2020 · 11:58 pm

Review: Twenty by James Grippando

Title: Twenty by James Grippando
Jack Swytek Series Book 17
Publisher: Harper
Genre: Contemporary, Legal Thriller, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 384 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss

Summary:

Jack Swyteck and his family are caught in the crossfire after a deadly school shooting claims twenty casualties—Florida’s fifth mass shooting in as many years—in this provocative and timely thriller from Harper Lee Prize–winner James Grippando that touches on some of the most contentious issues roiling America today.

It is the message every parent of a school-age child fears: “Active Shooter on Campus.” 

Jack Swyteck is at his office when he receives the emergency text from Riverside Day School. Both his daughter, Righley, and his wife, FBI agent Andie Henning, are in danger. Andie is in the school’s rec center when she hears the fire alarms, then loud popping noises and screams coming from the hallway. A trained law-enforcement officer, Andie knows she’s supposed to stay locked down inside the room. But Righley is in her kindergarten classroom and Andie must get her to safety.

The tragedy prompts mass hysteria—and dangerous speculation. The police haven’t identified the shooter, but they find a handgun on the school grounds registered to a parent, a Muslim man named Amir Khoury. News of the gun and its owner leaks and quickly goes viral. Within minutes Al Qaeda claims responsibility. Andie is shocked—Amir is married to her friend, Lilly, a WASP whose bloodline goes back to the American Revolution.

When Xavier, Amir and Lilly’s oldest child and an eighteen-year-old senior at Riverside confesses to the crime, the local community’s anti-Muslim fervor explodes to levels unseen since 9/11. Terrified for her son’s life, Lilly asks Jack to step in. A seasoned defense attorney with a passion to see justice done, he’s taken on plenty of complicated cases. Xavier’s, however, is not one he’s inclined to take—until an old friend who lost his daughter in the shooting tells him that he must.

With the public calling for blood and prosecutors confident their case is air tight, Jack must unearth the Khourys’ family secrets in order to expose the shocking truth and save his client from certain death. But he may not be able to save everyone—including himself.

Review:

Twenty by James Grippando is a riveting legal thriller with a socially relevant storyline. Although this latest release is the seventeenth mystery in the Jack Swytek series, it can be read as a standalone.

Before attorney Jack Swytek drops wife Andie Henning and their daughter, Righley, there is nothing different about their day. He walks to work while Andie accompanies Righley to her classroom. Andie then decides to join the other parents for a cup of coffee in the rec room where she chats with her friend Lilly. However, shots soon ring out and while everyone else follows protocol and exits the building, Andie runs to Righley’s classroom. Jack receives an active shooter text and he rushes back to the school. Frantically searching for his wife and daughter, he is relieved to find them unharmed. However, other parents are not as lucky including Jack’s friend Nate Abrams.

Lilly is relieved none of her children are injured but the gun used in the shooting is registered to her husband Amir Khoury. She is shocked when her oldest son Xavier confesses to the horrific crime and he is soon arrested. Jack has no plans to represent the shooter, but he cannot resist Lilly’s pleas for him to become Xavier’s defense attorney. With plenty of evidence, Chief Prosecutor Abe Beckham plans to ask for the death penalty.  Determined to keep Xavier off death row becomes Jack’s main objective but with anti-Muslim sentiment running high, can he convince Beckham to take a deal?

With Xavier refusing to talk to him, Jack turns to his best friend and investigator Theo Knight to help him look into the events leading up the school shooting. They unearth some intriguing information that leads Jack to believe his client might be innocent.  But when his chief witness disappears, Jack becomes more determined than ever to uncover the truth about who besides Xavier might have been the shooter.

Twenty is a captivating mystery with a clever plot and interesting characters.  Not only is Jack fighting for his client’s life, things are tense between him and Andie.  When his case goes in an unexpected direction, Jack is more determined than ever to unearth the truth about the school shooting. With stunning plot twists, James Grippando brings this suspenseful legal thriller to a tension-filled conclusion. Old and new fans of the Jack Swytek series are sure to enjoy this  newest addition to this outstanding series.

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Filed under Contemporary, Harper, Jack Swyteck Series, James Grippando, Legal Thriller, Mystery, Rated B+, Review, Suspense, Twenty

November 30, 2020 · 11:56 pm

Review: Shed No Tears by Caz Frear

Title: Shed No Tears by Caz Frear
Cat Kinsella Series Book Three
Publisher: Harper
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 368 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss

Summary:

Acclaimed and internationally bestselling crime novelist Caz Frear returns with her third superb novel featuring Cat Kinsella, a cop “on par with Susie Steiner’s and Tana French’s female detectives” (Kirkus Reviews).

Four victims. Killer caught. Case closed . . .  or is it?

Growing up in a London family with ties to organized crime, Detective Constable Cat Kinsella knows the criminal world better than most cops do. As a member of the city’s Metropolitan Police, she’s made efforts to distinguish herself from her relatives. But leading an upstanding life isn’t always easy, and Cat has come close to crossing the line, a fact she keeps well hidden from her superiors.

Working their latest case, Cat and her partner Luigi Parnell discover a connection to a notorious criminal: serial killer Christopher Masters, who abducted and killed several women in 2012. Though the cops eventually apprehended him, his final victim, Holly Kemp, was never found and he never confessed to her murder, despite the solid eyewitness testimony against him. Now, six years later, the discovery of Holly’s remains near Cambridge seems to be the definitive proof needed to close the case.

Still, a few key items of evidence don’t quite line up. As Cat and Parnell look closer, they find discrepancies that raise troubling questions. But someone will do anything to keep past secrets hidden—and as they inch closer to the truth, they may be putting themselves in jeopardy . . .

Review:

Shed No Tears by Caz Frear is a multi-layered mystery.  Although this newest release is the third installment in the Cat Kinsella series, it can be read as a standalone.

Detective Constable Cat Kinsella and her partner Detective Sergeant Luigi “Lu” Parnell are investigating the death of Holly Kemp. Holly went missing six years earlier and has long been presumed to be serial killer Christopher Masters’ last victim. The recent discovery of Holly’s remains raises questions about whether or not Masters murdered her. Cat and Lu are soon revisiting the previous investigation and they make very troubling discoveries that raise more questions than answers.  Did Masters kill Holly? And if he did not, will Cat and Lu find out who did?

Cat and Lu notice the differences between Holly’s murder and Masters’ victims right away. This brings up the intriguing possibility that Masters changed his MO with Holly but Cat does not believe this theory. When re-questioning  previous witnesses, Cat is left wondering whether or they are being truthful.  Lu is not quite as convinced as his partner but their boss DCI Kate Steele wants the truth about Holly’s killer. The investigation is a bit frustrating since they make little progress initially, but an absolutely stunning discovery takes the case in a shocking direction.

Cat is also dealing with a bit of family drama with her father. She keeps her professional and personal lives completely separate but it is getting harder for her to justify some of her past choices. She is in a long term relationship with Aiden Doyle but she has a decision to make that might affect their future together.

Shed No Tears is a clever mystery with a great cast of characters and a puzzling murder. Cat is a tenacious  detective with great instincts and a complicated personal life. The investigation is interesting and moves a slow but steady pace. With the disparate pieces of puzzle swiftly falling into place, Caz Frear brings this engrossing mystery to a very unanticipated conclusion. A brilliant addition to the Cat Kinsella series that old and new fans will enjoy.

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Filed under Cat Kinsella Series, Caz Frear, Contemporary, Harper, Mystery, Rated B+, Review, Shed No Tears, Suspense