Category Archives: William Morrow

Review: Inside Threat by Matthew Quirk

Title: Inside Threat by Matthew Quirk
Publisher: William Morrow
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Political Thriller
Length: 428 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher

Summary:

An electrifying thriller from the author of The Night Agent now on Netflix, an attack on the White House sends the President and his top aides to take shelter in a top secret government facility buried deep underground—but they soon discover the threat is locked inside with them.

Assume the worst. Code Black.

The day that every secret service agent trains for has arrived. The White House has been breached; the President forced to flee to a massive doomsday bunker outside DC to defend against whatever comes next. Only the most trusted agents and officials are allowed in with him—those dedicated to keeping the government intact at all costs.

Among these is Erik Hill, who has given his life to the Secret Service. They are his purpose and his family, and his impressive record has made him a hero among them. Despite his growing disillusionment from seeing Washington corruption up close, Erik can’t ignore years of instincts honed on the job. The government is under attack, and no one is better equipped to face down the threat than he is.

The evidence leads him to a conspiracy at the highest levels of power, with the attack orchestrated by some of the very individuals now locked in with him. As the killers strike inside the bunker, it will take everything Erik Hill has to save his people, himself, and his country.

Review:

Inside Threat by Matthew Quirk is an adrenaline-fueled political thriller.

A security breach at the While House leads to moving President James Kline and the First Lady Dr. Sarah Kline to a secure, underground bunker. Secret Service Agents Eric Hill and Amber Cody are among the agents who accompany them along with a handful aides. They are met by Lt. Col. Bruce Drumm whose insider information about the facility prove to be invaluable after a murder reveals the stunning truth: the killer is one of them.

Eric (and readers) do not know who to trust before or after the murder. This includes the President and his closest inner circle. Eric is incredibly jaded but he never forgets the only lives that matter are the President and First Lady. Despite his doubts, he and Cody do everything possible to protect them from an unknown enemy.

The underground bunker is from the Cold War era and is impenetrable. The numerous nooks and crannies provide perfect hiding places for the unknown assailant. One shocking turn after another lead to unanticipated conclusions that thoroughly shake up Eric, Amber, and their allies.

Inside Threat is full of non-stop action that keeps the pages turning at a blistering pace. The characters are well-developed and the inability to tell friend from foe keeps everyone off balance. The storyline is well-executed and never delves into politics. With plenty of suspense and devilishly clever plot twists, Matthew Quirk brings this pulse-pounding thriller to a highly satisfying conclusion.

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Filed under Contemporary, Inside Threat, Matthew Quirk, Mystery, Political Thriller, Rated B+, Review, William Morrow

Review: Sugar and Salt by Susan Wiggs

Title: Sugar and Salt by Susan Wiggs
Bella Vista Chronicles Book Four
Publisher: William Morrow
Genre: Contemporary, Women’s Fiction, Romance
Length: 384 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss

Summary:

The New York Times bestselling author of The Lost and Found Bookstore returns to Perdita Street with a can’t-miss tale of friendship, hardship, redemption, and love between a San Francisco baker and a barbecue master from Texas.

Jerome “Sugar” Barnes learned the art of baking in his grandma’s bakery, also called Sugar, on historic Perdita Street in San Francisco. He supplies baked goods to the Lost and Found Bookshop across the street.

When the restaurant that shares his commercial kitchen loses its longtime tenant, a newcomer moves in: Margot Salton, a barbecue master from Texas.

Margot isn’t exactly on the run, but she needs a fresh start. She’s taken care of herself her whole life, pulling herself up by her fingernails to recover from trauma, and her dream has been to open a restaurant somewhere far, far from Texas. The shared kitchen with Jerome Sugar’s bakery is the perfect setup: a state-of-the-art kitchen and a vibrant neighborhood popular with tourists and locals.

Margot instantly takes to Jerome’s grandmother, the lively, opinionated Ida, and the older woman proves to be a good mentor. Margot thinks Jerome is gorgeous, and despite their different backgrounds their attraction is powerful–even though Jerome worries that Margot will simply move on from him once she’s found some peace and stability. But just as she starts to relax into a happy new future, Margot’s past in Texas comes back to haunt her…

Review:

Sugar and Salt by Susan Wiggs is a thought-provoking novel that is quite heartwarming.

Margot Salton is a Texas transplant whose move to San Francisco follows a traumatic event that still haunts her. Her dream of opening a BBQ restaurant has just come true and she cannot wait to open her doors. Margot shares a kitchen with Sugar, the bakery next door, which is a family-owned business run by the owner’s son, Jerome. Their blossoming friendship soon turns much deeper, but Margot has valid concerns about how Jerome will react once she reveals the secrets of her past.

Margot is young but her life has been anything but easy. After her mother’s untimely death while Margot is still a teenager, she is on her own as she plans her future. After meeting the town’s golden boy, her life is turned upside down. While already facing an uphill battle against corruption, Margot is soon facing an incredibly difficult decision that is heart-wrenching.

Jerome is divorced with two young sons. He is drawn to Margot right from the beginning but he has reservations about getting involved with a younger woman.  As they decide to explore their burgeoning feelings, will unexpected complications destroy their chance for a future together?

Sugar and Salt is a captivating novel that is heartfelt and engaging. Margot is an admirable young woman who has overcome incredible odds in her young life. Jerome has nothing but respect for Margot as she builds her business. Their friendship is sweet and provides a solid foundation for their burgeoning romance. The storyline is well-executed and touches on relevant social issues such as inequities in the justice system.  Susan Wiggs deftly handles sensitive subject matter with sensitivity and brings this fourth installment in the Bella Vista Chronicles series to a deeply affecting conclusion.

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Filed under Bella Vista Chronicles, Contemporary, Rated B+, Review, Romance, Salt and Sugar, Susan Wiggs, William Morrow, Women's Fiction

Review: The Murder Rule by Dervla McTiernan

Title: The Murder Rule by Dervla McTiernan
Publisher: William Morrow
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery
Length: 304 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss

Summary:

For fans of the compulsive psychological suspense of Ruth Ware and Tana French, a mother daughter story—one running from a horrible truth, and the other fighting to reveal it—that twists and turns in shocking ways, from the internationally bestselling author of The Scholar and The Ruin.

First Rule: Make them like you.

Second Rule: Make them need you.

Third Rule: Make them pay.

They think I’m a young, idealistic law student, that I’m passionate about reforming a corrupt and brutal system.

They think I’m working hard to impress them.

They think I’m here to save an innocent man on death row.

They’re wrong. I’m going to bury him.

Review:

The Murder Rule by Dervla McTiernan is a captivating mystery.

Law student Hannah Rokeby is willing to go to great lengths to become part of a Virginia college’s Innocence Project. Once she is accepted, she is willing to take extreme measures to be assigned to work on the death row case of Michael Dandridge. Which leads to an intriguing question: exactly why does Hannah so desperately want to work on this particular case?

Hannah has long taken care of her alcoholic mother Laura who is quite fragile without her daughter by her side. Hannah is smart and offers a bit of a different viewpoint than the other students she is working with on the Dandridge case. She is also willing to take risks that put not only herself, but others, in danger. They uncover shocking information but will they learn enough details in time for an upcoming motion trial?

The Murder Rule is an engrossing mystery that moves at a fast pace. Hannah is an interesting character who believes she is doing the right thing, but can anything justify the actions she is taking? The secondary cast of characters is well-drawn and appealing. Diary entries written in the past alternate with the chapters in the present and prove to be quite fascinating. The storyline is completely enthralling and Dervla McTiernan brings this suspenseful mystery to a twist-filled conclusion.

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Filed under Contemporary, Dervla McTiernan, Mystery, Rated B+, Review, Suspense, The Murder Rule, William Morrow

Review: The Long Weekend by Gilly Macmillan

Title: The Long Weekend by Gilly Macmillan
Publisher: William Morrow
Genre: Contemporary, Thriller
Length: 350 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss

Summary:

In this pulse-pounding thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of The Nanny, a group of women travel to the most remote place in England for a weekend escape, only to discover a startling note that one of their husbands will be killed before they return home—perfect for fans of Ruth Ware and Lucy Foley.

Three couples

Two bodies

One secret

Dark Fell Barn is a “perfectly isolated” retreat, or so says its website when Jayne books a reservation for her friends. A quiet place, far removed from the rest of the world, is exactly what they need.

The women arrive for a girls’ night ahead of their husbands. There’s ex-Army Jayne, hardened and serious, but also damaged. Ruth, the driven doctor and new mother who is battling demons of her own. Young Emily, just wed and insecure, the newest addition of this tight-knit band. Missing this year is Edie, who was the glue holding them together, until her husband died suddenly.

But what they hoped would be a relaxing break soon turns to horror. Upon arrival at Dark Fell Barn, the women find a devastating note claiming one of their husbands will be murdered. There are no phones, no cell service to check on their men. Friendships fracture as the situation spins wildly out of control. Betrayal can come in many forms.

This group has kept each other’s secrets for far too long.

Review:

The Long Weekend by Gilly Macmillan is a riveting thriller.

For this year’s couple’s weekend, Jayne, Ruth and Emily arrive at Dark Fell Barn just ahead of a ferocious storm. Their husbands, Mark, Toby and Paul, will be arriving the next day when they are detained at the last minute.  Also missing this year is Edie, whose husband Rob died six months earlier.  The women are spooked by a shocking note they are uncertain whether or not should be taken seriously. Jayne tries to quell each other’s fears but Emily is determined to phone her husband, Paul. With the storm still raging outside, Jayne agrees to accompany Emily as she attempts to find a cell signal. As the night wears on, Jayne, Emily and Ruth become increasingly suspicious of each other.  After only one of their husbands arrive in the morning, the other two women are desperate to learn if their worst fears will come true.

Jayne is a former Army intelligence officer so she puts her rusty skills to use at various points throughout the evening. She suffers from PTSD but it is much better controlled than it used to be. Ruth is a new mother juggling her career as a doctor with taking care of her six-month-old son. It soon becomes apparent to Jayne and Emily that their friend has a problem with alcohol. Emily is much younger than her husband Paul and she has nothing in common with the other two women. She will not be deterred from trying to reach her husband and she takes an unnecessary risk that takes a troubling turn.

The Long Weekend is a compelling thriller that is incredibly atmospheric. The characters are well-drawn and their fear permeates the unfolding story. Dark Fell Barn is very isolated and the brutal weather adds another layer of tension to the women’s growing anxiety. Chapters detailing the chilling events back in town alternate with the events taking place at the Dark Fell Barn. With absolutely shocking twists and turns, Gilly Macmillan brings this fast-paced thriller to a suspense-laden conclusion.

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Filed under Contemporary, Gilly Macmillan, Rated B+, Review, The Long Weekend, Thriller, William Morrow

Review: Notes on an Execution by Danya Kukafka

Title: Notes on an Execution by Danya Kukafka
Publisher: William Morrow
Genre: Contemporary, Fiction
Length: 316 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss

Summary:

In the tradition of Long Bright River and The Mars Room, a gripping and atmospheric work of literary suspense that deconstructs the story of a serial killer on death row, told primarily through the eyes of the women in his life—from the bestselling author of Girl in Snow.

Ansel Packer is scheduled to die in twelve hours. He knows what he’s done, and now awaits execution, the same chilling fate he forced on those girls, years ago. But Ansel doesn’t want to die; he wants to be celebrated, understood.

Through a kaleidoscope of women—a mother, a sister, a homicide detective—we learn the story of Ansel’s life. We meet his mother, Lavender, a seventeen-year-old girl pushed to desperation; Hazel, twin sister to Ansel’s wife, inseparable since birth, forced to watch helplessly as her sister’s relationship threatens to devour them all; and finally, Saffy, the detective hot on his trail, who has devoted herself to bringing bad men to justice but struggles to see her own life clearly. As the clock ticks down, these three women sift through the choices that culminate in tragedy, exploring the rippling fissures that such destruction inevitably leaves in its wake.

Blending breathtaking suspense with astonishing empathy, Notes on an Execution presents a chilling portrait of womanhood as it simultaneously unravels the familiar narrative of the American serial killer, interrogating our system of justice and our cultural obsession with crime stories, asking readers to consider the false promise of looking for meaning in the psyches of violent men.

Review:

Notes on an Execution by Danya Kukafka is a bleak yet incredibly fascinating novel.

Ansel Packer is a serial killer whose execution is twelve hours away. As time ticks down, he has plans to thwart his fate. He is good-looking and charming but there is a darkness underneath the façade he presents to the world. Ansel knows he is different and he has carefully studied other people and he knows how he is supposed to react in most situations. But has Ansel managed to fool everyone whose path he has crossed?

Lavender is Ansel’s mother whose decisions as a teenager turned out very differently than expected. Moving in with her boyfriend, she is isolated and frightened by the man she lives with. Ansel is their first child and Lavender tries her best to protect him from his father’s violence. When she gives birth to their second child, Lavender makes the best decision she can for herself and her children.

Hazel is Ansel’s sister-in-law and she does not understand what her intelligent, beautiful twin sister, Jenny, sees in him. Ansel’s grand gesture at the family’s first meeting sets Jenny’s future with him. Hazel and Jenny are very different yet growing up, they are very close. As their lives diverge in adulthood, Hazel witnesses her vibrant sister slip away after her marriage. Is there any chance she can save her sister from Ansel?

Homicide Detective Saffron “Saffy” Singh is obsessed with the three murders committed by Packer. Over the course of several years, she revisits the still unsolved case although she is certain she knows that Ansel is their killer. Saffy has unique insight into Packer but she is unable to find evidence to link him to the killings. She refuses to give up on finding justice for his victims but a decision Saffy makes will eventually come to haunt her.

Notes on an Execution is a reflective novel with a unique storyline. The characters are well-drawn but not all of them are relatable or easy to like. The narration rotates between four distinct perspectives that add depth to the storyline.  Danya Kukafka brings this atmospheric novel to a satisfying conclusion.

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Filed under Contemporary, Danya Kukafka, Fiction, Notes on an Execution, Rated B, Review, William Morrow

Review: The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley

Title: The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley
Publisher: William Morrow
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 363 pages
Book Rating: 363 pages

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss

Summary:

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Guest List comes a new locked room mystery, set in a Paris apartment building in which every resident has something to hide… 

Jess needs a fresh start. She’s broke and alone, and she’s just left her job under less than ideal circumstances. Her half-brother Ben didn’t sound thrilled when she asked if she could crash with him for a bit, but he didn’t say no, and surely everything will look better from Paris. Only when she shows up – to find a very nice apartment, could Ben really have afforded this? – he’s not there.

The longer Ben stays missing, the more Jess starts to dig into her brother’s situation, and the more questions she has. Ben’s neighbors are an eclectic bunch, and not particularly friendly. Jess may have come to Paris to escape her past, but it’s starting to look like it’s Ben’s future that’s in question.

The socialite – The nice guy – The alcoholic – The girl on the verge – The concierge

Everyone’s a neighbor. Everyone’s a suspect. And everyone knows something they’re not telling.

Review:

The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley is a diabolically clever mystery.

Ben Daniels and his half-sister Jess Hadley are not close. But when Jess calls asking to stay with him, he reluctantly says yes. Ben is charming and more successful than rough around the edges Jess. He has been staying in a lovely apartment in Paris but Jess wonders how he can afford his posh accommodations. But the more pressing question turns out to be, where is Ben?

Jess is running from trouble but she does not allow her problems to stop her from finding Ben. She does not know much about what is currently going on in his life. However, Jess knows something is very wrong since her brother is not waiting for her as promised. Her propensity for acting without thinking might aid her in her search for Ben. Or will it land her in the middle of danger?

Jess begins trying to find answers from the other people in the building. Her first encounter with Antoine when he is drunk and fighting with a woman leaves her with less than favorable impression. Jess is in luck when she meets Nick, a fellow Brit who personally knows Ben. The men are university friends but is he telling her everything he knows about Ben? She does not learn much when she runs into another tenant, Mimi. Jess is put off by the cold and intimidating occupant of the penthouse, Sophie Meunier. And then there is the ever lurking, always silent concierge.

Jess’s investigation into Ben’s disappearance turns up few details about him. Her one possible lead is newspaper editor Theo Mendelson. Jess is growingly increasingly frustrated and frightened for Ben as she fails to turn up any new information. She is also uncertain about whom she can trust but in order to find Ben, Jess knows she will have to put her faith in someone in Ben’s orbit. But is she choosing the right person?

The Paris Apartment is an incredibly intriguing mystery that is full of suspense. Jess is surprisingly easy to like but she does not always make the best decisions. The chapters alternate between the various characters’ perspectives which provides interesting details about their lives. The apartment building is atmospheric which adds another layer of tension to the storyline. The plot is exceptionally well-developed and moves at a very brisk pace. With sly twists and stunning turns, Lucy Foley brings this deviously compelling mystery to an extremely unexpected but highly satisfying conclusion.

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Filed under Contemporary, Lucy Foley, Mystery, Rated B+, Review, Suspense, The Paris Apartment, William Morrow