ARC Review: The Invisible Woman

 I received a copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself. 

Elinor is (according to the book) “invisible” because she is normal looking and middle aged. So she is sent undercover as a nanny, and promised a chance at getting her super spy job back if she finds out the wanted information. 

If you can’t tell from my sarcasm in the description, this was not my favorite Patterson book. This story pretty much lost me in the beginning when the decision was made to shove the “invisible woman” into what they referred to as a fat suit to make her more invisible. The thriller/suspense worked, but it didn’t make up for the premise and how slowly the book moved. 

I love Patterson’s books normally, they are normally 4 star reads for me, but not this time. I would not recommend this book. 

ARC Review: Definitely Maybe Not a Detective

 I received a copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself. 

Emersyn is struggling. She’s been fired, and hasn’t found a new job yet. Her ex-boyfriend stole all her life savings. The only thing she doesn’t struggle with is the decision to raise her young niece after her brother dies.

Then her best friend suggests a plan. She makes fake business cards for a fake detective agency in an attempt to scare Emersyn’s ex into returning the money he stole. But instead Emersyn runs into Wyatt, a gorgeous and mysterious man whose name just happens to be the same as the one on those business cards. 

When her landlord is murdered, Emersyn and Wyatt are drawn to the mystery. Along with a couple of unexpected friends, they race to solve the crime to help the neighbors-and stop anyone else from being killed. 

This was a fun, cozy read. The part I liked the most was Wyatt and Emersyn’s relationship. I’m invested enough to want to read the next book in the series to see where they go. The mystery was also intriguing, with enough red herrings to keep me guessing. I did figure out who the murderer was before the reveal, but that was only because I figured out what (or who) was needed to advance the plot. 

I would recommend this book. 

ARC Review: The Murder at World’s End

 I received a copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself. 

Halley’s Comet is approaching, and the Viscount of Tithe Hall has concerns-concerns that center around the apocalypse he is sure is coming. Instead, he is found dead in a sealed room the next morning, everyone else having been sealed in to their rooms as well. 

This is such a great, fun mystery. The characters are all so unique, especially the under-butler Stephen Pike, and his partner-in-crime-solving, the eighty year old tough as nails Miss Decima Stockingham. They are both extremely compelling characters. The world building is excellent as well. 

The mystery being a locked room mystery means it’s already one of my favorite types of mysteries, but than in Ross Montgomery’s more than capable hands, it becomes a really great read. The ending completely shocked me. 

I would absolutely recommend this book. 

ARC Review: The Storm

 I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself. 

Lo Bailey was known as the murderous mistress, a nineteen year old who killed her wealthy boyfriend from a legacy family during a hurricane. But did she really do it? Now she’s suddenly back in the small town she grew up in, author in tow, staying in the Rosalie Inn. 

Geneva is the owner of the Rosalie Inn, which has survived many generations of her family and many hurricanes. As she gets tangled in Lo’s story, Geneva learns Lo may be hiding more than anyone ever knew. 

There’s a lot going on in this book, but Hawkins manages to make it all work. These are really complex characters, each with their own emotional backstory, that all weave together in a way that both surprises and makes sense. The storms feel like characters themselves, monstrous and ever looming. The ending packs a punch. I would recommend this book. 

ARC Review: The Locked Ward

 I received an ARC of this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

Amanda has just found out she has a twin sister-and that her twin sister Georgia may be a murderer.

Georgia, accused of murdering her adoptive parents’ biological daughter, is now locked away in a psychiatric ward (hence the title). When Amanda comes to visit her, Georgia insists that she is innocent. Amanda must balance her twin’s wealthy family and the uncertainty she feels regarding Georgia’s innocence in an attempt to discover the truth. 

I always like Pekkanen’s books, and this was an enjoyable read. Mix in wealth, power, a previously unknown twin, uncertainty about innocence, and compelling characters, plus Pekkanen’s writing style, and it’s going to be a good book. It’s not my favorite of Pekkanen’s, but I would recommend it. 

ARC Review: The Wasp Trap

 I received an ARC of this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

The death of their professor/former boss brings a group of friends back together for a dinner party. But they realize that they have really been brought back together by someone living, someone who has it out for them due to the program they were working on-a dating site that was also useful for identifying psychopaths. The group must reveal their deepest, darkest secrets to everyone present, or else they will have to vote on which one of them dies next.

The tension in this book, as one can imagine from the premise, is almost unbearable. I love the secrets being revealed from the past trope, and this book certainly delivers. The flashbacks flesh out the characters and secrets, and the ending packs a twisted punch. I would recommend this book. 

ARC Review: Smile for the Camera

 I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

Ella was the Final Girl in a slasher movie that has become beloved by fans. But something happened on set, something that caused Ella to quit acting and retreat from the spotlight. Now Ella has returned for a documentary about the movie, back on the set with her castmates. But people are suddenly dying in real life like they died in the movie, and no one knows what is truly going on. 

This was a good read with a lot of suspense and scares. I’ve watched a lot of slasher movies, and this book felt like one, with the same dramatic deaths and horror-filled moments. I absolutely did not see the multiple twists near the end coming, and the twists were highly satisfying and creepy. I would recommend this book.