One morning a sickness spreads across the globe that causes any woman who falls asleep to become wrapped in a cocoon, unable to be woken up. In the USOne morning a sickness spreads across the globe that causes any woman who falls asleep to become wrapped in a cocoon, unable to be woken up. In the US its nicknamed Aurora after Sleeping Beauty. In the small town of Dooling that same morning a woman called Eve is arrested after a string of violent crimes. She is taken to the women's prison where Clint Norcross works as the resident psychologist. As women in Dooling begin to fall asleep, Eve seems unaffected by Aurora. The number of women awake begins to dwindle and the remaining men begin to lean in to their violent tendencies. As the days go on Clint and Eve are drawn into a game that may decide the fate of everyone.
This graphic novel was a great distillation of the long Stephen and Owen King book. The deluxe edition also has a cool selection of in progress pages with commentary that provides fun insight into the process of creating the book. Rio Youers balances the numerous characters across the ten pages and is able to give the story time to breathe. The world building of a society suddenly without almost any women is not always the front of the story but gives interesting color to the good versus evil story that develops. I wasn't the biggest fan of the art, but that may have to do with the fact that the review copies have a lower quality than the actual book, so take that for what you will. After looking at the published book I liked a lot of the choices more and the style is definitely dynamic and colorful. I would recommend this to fans of the book or people who want the story in a new format.
Thank you to NetGalley and IDW Publishing for a copy of Sleeping Beauties in exchange for an honest review....more
Despite the government spending billions of dollars of tax payer money a year on programs to help poor Americans, poverty still exists and deepens itsDespite the government spending billions of dollars of tax payer money a year on programs to help poor Americans, poverty still exists and deepens its impact across the country. The corporate poverty complex has sprung up as a vast apparatus of private sector organizations that ostensibly aid the government in the fight against poverty but in reality pocket large chunks of money meant to aid the poor. Anne Kim details the history and impacts of this complex across multiple industries. How the complexity of the tax code ensures that low income Americans need to rely on profiteering tax filing groups. How the growth of government contractors siphons off money from welfare recipients. How federally funded job training programs are largely unsuccessful. How Medicaid has allowed ineffective and harmful medicine to be the primary forms of treatment for people needing dental work or dialysis treatment. How the criminal legal system keeps poor Americans in its grasp through fines, bail, and horrendous prison conditions. And how rental assistance has failed to provide sufficient or safe housing to those who need it. Despite these issues existing in multiple disparate industries, there are so many commonalities from the failures of legislation to intervene and make change to even some of the same actors appearing in multiple industries.
Anne Kim does an excellent job pulling apart different industries and how they all find different ways to take money from the poor or the government. It is a scathing examination of the failures of regulation over the past few decades and how the federal government can now only help the poor through high costs and little impact. Through a combination of her own original investigations and existing sources, Kim makes an extremely convincing case for reform. The creation and growth of these middlemen taking profits from those who need the money to survive has dealt untold damage to this country and while Anne Kim has done a wonderful job detailing a lot of it, action needs to be taken to start to allow for help.
Thank you to The New Press and NetGalley for a copy of Poverty for Profit in exchange for an honest review....more
Gela Nathaniel has launched a new master's program in multimedia art. Its a year long course encouraging its students to explore different forms of arGela Nathaniel has launched a new master's program in multimedia art. Its a year long course encouraging its students to explore different forms of art and learn how to use art to support a business. Gela's course is a test drive that she needs to succeed to have it run again. The course has six students: a sculptor desperate for the top grade, a marketing executive wanting a new career, a gallery owner wanting to improve his art skills, a single mother balancing art and her kids, an older man wanting new education, and a successful artist who doesn't seem to need the course. As the class goes on, the students face challenges from the coursework and from each other. At the end of the year, a group of examiners have to review the course to make sure the student's final grades make sense. But reading through the exchanges of these students, the examiner starts to uncover that these students may be hiding something and nothing in this course is what it seems.
Janice Hallett once again proves she has mastered her found documents genre. The Examiner is told primarily through the messages exchanged between the students and their professor, mixed in with their coursework and the examiner's thoughts. The Examiner is a great ride once you get into the format and then the book keeps moving with a fun look into a graduate art class and a murder mystery on top of it. There are some fantastic twists in the book and I was very impressed in the final sections with how Hallett pulled it all off to create a satisfying mystery. The early sections just focusing on the class move a little slower than the second half, but are still enjoyable due to the distinct characters and interesting art assignments. Highly recommend this to fans of Hallett's other works or people wanting a uniquely told mystery novel.
Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for a copy of The Examiner in exchange for an honest review....more
Francesca Meadows has taken her old family home in the woods and turned it into a luxury wellness resort for rich clientele, The Manor. These same wooFrancesca Meadows has taken her old family home in the woods and turned it into a luxury wellness resort for rich clientele, The Manor. These same woods also allegedly contain The Birds, a group told of through folklore that will try to serve justice on wrongdoers. The Manor is now ready to open, but by the time the weekend is over someone is dead and many of the attendees are suspects.
The book flips between multiple POVs, there's Francesca trying to open her resort, her husband Owen who helped build it, a waiter who is secretly a local Eddie, a guest invited to the opening weekend Bella, and DI Walker investigating the crime after opening weekend. Since its a Lucy Foley mystery all of these characters have hidden secrets and connections that the reader will uncover. I have loved Lucy Foley's past mysteries, but I just couldn't get as invested in this one. By the time I finished it, I was impressed by the twists and enjoyed the book as a whole, but just struggled to get there. The folklore angle and woodsy setting were enjoyable and definitely increased my enjoyment. For those who have read Foley or other multiple POV stories they know what they are getting into, but this book just didn't work as well as her others for me.
Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for a copy of The Midnight Feast in exchange for an honest review....more
A widowmaker heart attack and bad circumstances causes a passenger plane to crash into a small town north of Minneapolis. Once the wreckage settles, tA widowmaker heart attack and bad circumstances causes a passenger plane to crash into a small town north of Minneapolis. Once the wreckage settles, the town is faced with a crisis that will have national implications. Because pieces of the plane have damaged the town's nuclear power plant, setting it on a course for a nuclear disaster if the trapped residents cannot find a way to save the plant.
Worst Case Scenario is the exact kind of big cast disaster story that I wanted after Eruption left me incredibly disappointed. The story is just constantly moving and everytime I think there will be a rest, Newman throws a new wrench at the characters that keeps everyone in danger. Newman does a great job moving to a novel not primarily set in the confines of a plane. The story flips back and forth between various workers and townspeople at the nuclear power plant, a group of firefighters attempting a rescue on a bridge, and the President of the United States trying to manage his first major crisis. Newman does a wonderful job building out all of the plotlines and characters that you root for them to succeed and feel very emotional when things go wrong. Anyone who enjoyed Newman's prior works will love this one as well. Her prior two books still had large casts of characters and breakneck paces and this book is no different.
A note for the audiobook: Joe Morton is an excellent narrator who helps a lot to bring the story to life, but be warned that the book is constantly shifting perspectives, which is not always as apparent in the audiobook.
Thank you to Little, Brown and NetGalley for a copy of Worst Case Scenario in exchange for an honest review....more
Yuri Kozlov is a legend in the spy community for his years of exploits on missions. Except now he is defecting to the United States. The CIA needs to Yuri Kozlov is a legend in the spy community for his years of exploits on missions. Except now he is defecting to the United States. The CIA needs to work to figure out his true motivations and whether he can be trusted. Yuri has to examine the legacy of his career. What follows over the subsequent days is a game of cat and mouse between Yuri, his handlers, and his former country.
The Spy Who Vanished is a fun spy story in three parts from Alma Katsu, who once again uses her career to create a realistic feeling spy story. The story moves rapidly across the three sections and it was easy to push through and finish the whole thing. I loved the connections between the characters (wanting more than the short story provided) and it built to a very thrilling climax. Daniel Henning also did a great job with the audiobook and the various accents involved in the story.
Thank you to Brilliance Publishing and NetGalley for a copy of The Spy Who Vanished in return for an honest review....more
In the 1980s, Natalie Burns and her camp-mates accused counselors of satanic ritual abuse, earning them the title of the Satanic Six, destroying theirIn the 1980s, Natalie Burns and her camp-mates accused counselors of satanic ritual abuse, earning them the title of the Satanic Six, destroying their lives, except none of it was true. In the present day Natalie works on saving children from cults, but when a job goes wrong, she is drawn into a new case by an FBI agent. Other members of the Satanic Six are dying and Natalie might be next. Natalie needs to work with the agent to solve the case.
Once against Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips have delivered a great graphic novel. As someone who has listened to all of the You're Wrong About episodes about the Satanic Panic, the backdrop to this story got me very excited, and Brubaker and Phillips did a great job using the elements of that era as a backdrop to this present day story (I got unreasonably excited at the appearance of the book Michelle Remembers). Natalie was an exciting protagonist that I really rooted for, and the story builds to a thrilling conclusion. This was a great graphic novel combining a crime thriller and a satanic horror story that fans of Brubaker and Phillips will enjoy.
Thank you to Image Comics and NetGalley for a copy of Houses of the Unholy in exchange for an honest review. ...more
Ryan Richardson's life was ruined when he was attacked in the middle of the night and watched as his girlfriend Ali was taken, never to be seen again.Ryan Richardson's life was ruined when he was attacked in the middle of the night and watched as his girlfriend Ali was taken, never to be seen again. Five years later, he thinks he has moved on: he has a new life, is working his way through law school, and is on a summer trip to Italy with his classmates. But back in his hometown, his girlfriend's car is found, reopening the case. A young sheriff's deputy, Poppy, is investigating the case and hunting down leads that brings the case a lot closer to her family than she expects. And Michael is an accountant working for a mob boss. Their three stories all connect back to the night Ali disappeared through plenty of twists and turns.
I have adored Alex Finlay's past books but this one just did not connect for me. The book moves extremely quickly, bopping back and forth between the various characters and making you want to keep turning the pages. The plot was not always the most surprising but had plenty of exciting moments and suspense to keep me entertained. My issue was just that the story and characters did not have enough time to bleed, all of their stories were just put into this blender and you move so quickly between all of these plots that by the time you settle into one character, you are onto another trying to situate yourself again. But Finlay is a great thriller author and despite these issues made a fast and fun read that will entertain those who have enjoyed his past great thrillers.
Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for a copy of If Something Happens to Me in exchange for an honest review....more
Detective Adam McAnnis heads to an elite country club in the woods, hired by an unknown person to examine the suspects at the club for some potential Detective Adam McAnnis heads to an elite country club in the woods, hired by an unknown person to examine the suspects at the club for some potential crime. Everyone has secrets and as the holiday weekend progresses multiple members of the group end up dead. Its all of the elements of a classic whodunit mystery: a remote location, rich angry old friends, an outside detective, and a storm keeping them all trapped there. Only this mystery is a little different, because the narrator only wants to talk to you the reader, while the events of this murder mystery takes place.
West Heart Kill was a fascinating read. A whodunit that interrogates the entire genre of whodunits. The book confronts the reader with their own fascination for the genre and the narration I found to be very unique in how it switches between an omnicient narrator, the lead detective, and the rest of the residents of West Heart. My issue with the book is that for me it was mostly just a very neat experience. The book shifts in styles of writing as well, presenting interview transcripts and having the third act confrontation presented as a play, which was a fun change of pace. I learned a lot about the genre from the little non-fiction interstitials inserted into the narrative, but I did not find the central mystery or characters to be particularly engaging. I think that was partly the point of the book itself but made it more of a struggle to get through. This book is absolutely a unique murder mystery, one that draws from so many influences in the genre and I can really understand loving this book, but it did not work for me personally.
Thank you to Knopf and NetGalley for a copy of West Heart Kill in exchange for an honest review....more
Marshall Miller is sixteen and living in Bloomington Indiana with his single mother. He finally gets his driver's license and is pulled over by the poMarshall Miller is sixteen and living in Bloomington Indiana with his single mother. He finally gets his driver's license and is pulled over by the police. Only the officer is a bit too threatening, the girl in the backseat of the police car looking a bit too scared. Later, Marshall finds out the girl is missing. He begins working with a local private investigator to try to solve a crime he finds himself at the center of. While trying to manage his growing and changing friendships and relationships, Marshall has to face one of Bloomington's darkest years.
The book is primarily a coming of age novel, with elements of a small town mystery and horror sprinkled in to propel the plot forward. Besides the central mystery, Marshall is dealing with going to parties, issues with his friend's family, rock climbing, and all of the classic issues of a teenager nearing adulthood. The 1999 setting leads to a lot of era-specific details in terms of the music and news of the day that surrounds Marshall throughout his journey. The book reminded me a lot of Richard Chizmar's Chasing the Boogeyman in the best ways, where both books involve the narrator as the author reflecting back on this time in their childhood when their towns were changed by the evil of a killer (though Chizmar's narrator was himself, this book has Marshall). The book slowly builds dread as Marshall can no longer ignore what he saw on the road that day he was pulled over, and it all led to a thrilling and emotional climax. However, for a 500 page book, it moves quickly because of the detailed and relatable scenes. I loved the main characters in the book and appreciated the level of detail the author put into fleshing out the town. The finale really worked for me because of the investment the book put into the characters surrounding Marshall. I highly recommend this to people who might be a little more horror averse because those spooky and supernatural aspects are mostly not at the forefront of the book, but are effective when they appear and all build towards the big finale.
Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for a copy of Lost Man's Lane in exchange for an honest review....more
Stella Hudson works as a best interest attorney, where her job is to recommend custody in divorce cases. Her new case is the Barclay family, where theStella Hudson works as a best interest attorney, where her job is to recommend custody in divorce cases. Her new case is the Barclay family, where their 9 year old daughter Rose stopped speaking after her nanny died falling from the attic. Rose reminds Stella of her own traumatic past, making her want to help determine what is best for Rose. As Stella begins to dig into the relationships and past of the Barclay family, she discovers many secrets it seems the Barclays may kill to cover up. Stella has to solve the mystery of the nanny's death at the Barclay home while finally facing the secrets of her own past.
House of Glass is another stand-out thriller from Sarah Pekkanen. The book slowly peels bank new mysteries and confusing facts that Stella uncovers in her investigation. As Stella believes more and more that Rose or another member of the Barclay family had something to do with the death of their nanny, the book ramps up in intensity. Pekkanen balances this story with Stella's own investigation into her parents death and draws nice parallels that keep Stella and the narrative motivated. I enjoyed this book a lot and its unique perspective of a best interest attorney (taking up a role that is normally a detective). Rose Barclay was a complex character for Stella to examine and the book keeps tossing new twists at the reader throughout the book. Highly recommend this to thriller fans and anyone who has enjoyed Pekkanen's past works.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for a copy of House of Glass in exchange for an honest review....more
Mal is a Silico-American, a sentient AI who exists above the human world, currently embroiled in a battle between the Federals, modified by new technoMal is a Silico-American, a sentient AI who exists above the human world, currently embroiled in a battle between the Federals, modified by new technology, and the Humanists, who reject human alteration. When Mal decides to go exploring on the ground, he ends up trapped and cut off from infospace. Mal is stuck in the body of a dead woman, and now has to accompany a child, Kayleigh, to safety out of the warzone. Mal is forced to confront the human battles head on as he hops between safe spaces for him to upload to. Mal and Kayleigh encounter more fighters on both sides and those caught in the crossfire trying to escape a war-torn Bethesda.
Mal Goes To War is another darkly comedic science fiction thriller from Edward Ashton. I enjoyed both Mickey7 books so I was looking forward to Mal and was not disappointed. Ashton creates an exciting band of weirdos to follow through his invented warzone. The characters all have unique backgrounds and conflicts over their views of the world that makes the book easy to follow and enjoyable when they continually bicker. Mal and his new friends have to make their way through a series of tense and increasingly complex encounters. The world expands more and more with each chapter as Mal learns alongside the reader about the intricacies of the Federalist-Humanist war. Ashton wrote a book that examines our relationship with technology and how we can use technology to help and harm each other. It fits very well in the genre of "robots learning what it means to be human." I recommend this to those who want a fun sci-fi read and anyone who enjoyed Mickey7.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a copy of Mal Goes to War in exchange for an honest review. ...more
Deadhart is a small town in Alaska where the townsfolk work together to survive the harsh conditions. But they also have to contend with a vampyr coloDeadhart is a small town in Alaska where the townsfolk work together to survive the harsh conditions. But they also have to contend with a vampyr colony that lives just outside the town. A child is found with his throat ripped out without his blood, leading to Detective Barbara Atkins to be sent in to investigate. She needs to figure out who is responsible, and if it is the vampyrs, whether to authorize a culling of their community. She faces a town that has made up its mind before she starts investigating and townsfolk trying to cover up the truth of what may have happened now and decades ago in the town's history. Atkins has to work quickly to solve the case before tensions escalate past a breaking point and lead to the death of others.
The Gathering was an excellent small town mystery with the addition of a classic literary monster. I loved the world building of this book, with a setting reminiscent of 30 Days of Night but with vampire-human relations as a cold war where both sides have agreed separation is best. The early chapters balance out introducing the central mystery with explaining the rules of the world and Atkins' role within it. The book played with expectations very well, with a strong protagonist who's past informs her investigation of the case. I think was trying to balance a little too many mysteries and it made it so that some were not as satisfying in their resolution. The ending had some big twists that I wish were given more time to breath, but the ending also leaves open room for more story that I hope C.J. Tudor tells. This book will be great for those who want a different kind of murder mystery or even a different kind of vampire story.
Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for a copy of The Gathering in exhchange for an honest review....more
Mark used to be the most dangerous hired gun in the world, until he had to leave that life behind. Since then, he joined a group for reformed killers Mark used to be the most dangerous hired gun in the world, until he had to leave that life behind. Since then, he joined a group for reformed killers that works to help their members make amends and move on from their former lives. But one night after a meeting and nearly a year since he left murder behind, Mark is attacked and he needs to go on a globe-trotting journey to figure out who wants him dead and how he can put his past behind him.
Rob Hart crafted a gorgeous action-packed thriller that balances an intense action story with a story of an assassin trying to determine if he is deserving of forgiveness for his past actions. The world Mark operates in is familiar to anyone who has seen a John Wick-type action movie, but Hart makes sure to imbue it with a lot of realistic implications of what it means to be an assassin, and the challenges of trying to leave that life (and also makes sure that the characters remind the reader that they are nothing like John Wick or Jason Statham). The book gets a lot of tension out of Mark's desire to never kill again despite the deadly situations he is now placed in. Assassins Anonymous is full of fun action, comedy, and heart and its a wonderful new work from Rob Hart and I can't wait to see what he does with the sequel.
Thank you to Putnam and NetGalley for a copy of Assassins Anonymous in exchange for an honest review....more
ade Daniels is back for maybe the last time. Its been four years since the events of Don't Fear the Reaper. Jade has returned to Proofrock and the towade Daniels is back for maybe the last time. Its been four years since the events of Don't Fear the Reaper. Jade has returned to Proofrock and the town has tried to move on from the bloodshed of its past. But its Halloween and the curse of the Lake Witch is ready to return and no one is safe. Jade has to race around the town to keep the people she cares about alive and understand who or what is causing the bloodshed this time around.
Stephen Graham Jones has written an amazing ending to the Indian Lake Trilogy. Once the book resets the world of Proofrock and gives Jade some time to grow her relationships and meet some new faces, the story doesn't stop until the end. You really need to read the prior two books in the trilogy to appreciate how character have grown and changed and give their appearances in this book more impact. In a welcome change, Jade is now the reader's POV full time, not just in interludes and the reader gets a great understanding of how the past years have impacted her. Jones' knowledge of slashers remains all over the book and its a delight as a horror fan to read so many deep cut references in the book. The story balances its violence and gore with a masterful character study of someone forced to be a final girl afterso much time believing she is only worth sitting on the sidelines. This time around the connections to Indian Lake elevate the story to create a tragic indictment of the history of America. I highly recommend this book and the entire trilogy to horror fans and the beauty of this book caps of a phenomenal series.
Thank you to Saga Press and NetGalley for a copy of The Angel of Indian Lake in exchange for an honest review....more
In present day Dubai, at a presentation after the discovery of a work of art once thought lost, a man is arrested for murder. Back in 1991, two art hiIn present day Dubai, at a presentation after the discovery of a work of art once thought lost, a man is arrested for murder. Back in 1991, two art history students, Caroline and Patrick, at Cambridge are trying to figure out what their theses will be. Caroline decides on writing about Juliette Willoughby an artist whose work was destroyed in a fire in 1938 that took the life of her and her romantic partner Oskar Erlich. Caroline's investigation brings her and Patrick into the history and struggles of the Willoughby family. Caroline's discoveries start a chain of events filled with hidden secrets and murder.
This book was a wonderful balancing act, with a historical fiction story about art, an academia investigation, and a murder mystery all mixed together. Ellery Lloyd switch between the stories of Caroline and Patrick in the 1990s and present day and then Juliette Willoughby's story back in the 1930s. There were so many threads and mysteries that the book neatly tied up and the central characters were very easy to root for as they face the difficulties of uncovering history, putting art up for auction, or facing the legal system of Dubai. This will be a great book for fans of historical fiction, for those who want to learn more about the art world, or those who just want a twisty mystery.
Thank you to Harper and NetGalley for a copy of The Final Act of Juliette Willoughby in exchange for an honest review. ...more
Tessa Ensler is an outsider to the criminal system, but is working her way up the ladder through her intelligent defenses of her clients. But her cowoTessa Ensler is an outsider to the criminal system, but is working her way up the ladder through her intelligent defenses of her clients. But her coworkers notice how often she wins cases for her clients who are accused of rape and sexual assault. Tessa views herself as just a part of the legal system, doing no more than playing her role in the process. However, after a long night where she is raped by her coworker, her view of the legal system and her role in it changes forever.
Prima Facie is a complex, intense look at the role the criminal-legal system plays in sexual assault and rape cases and its failures towards the women it is supposed to protect. Suzie Miller is able to expand on the character of Tessa Ensler from her widely acclaimed play. Flashbacks in the first half of the novel detail Tessa's past and challenges in her upbringing that shaped the barrister she would become. The courtroom sections of the novel are well constructed and easy to read, even if the content itself is disheartening. Some of the early half of the novel does drag somewhat, but it does a good job of detailing what the work of a barrister is and the people who surround Tessa in order to make the changes in Tessa's world more apparent in the second half. Miller details how every step of the process challenges victims of sexual violence and makes the choice to testify the final hard decision after years of re-traumatization. Multiple portions of the book are challenging to read, this is a book about rape and trying to use the legal system to remedy it. But I found the book a rewarding story of how the law's requirement for neat and clean evidence can fail victims of sexual violence.
The audiobook was also well-done, and incredibly acted. Jodie Comer returns to her Olivier and Tony Award winning role as Tessa and her performance in the audiobook elevates Miller's already strong material. I would revisit portions I read to her her impassioned delivery of some of the book's key moments. ...more
Back in the 90s, a group of young and hungry filmmakers created an indie horror film that they wanted to change the genre. Except, the film never cameBack in the 90s, a group of young and hungry filmmakers created an indie horror film that they wanted to change the genre. Except, the film never came out. Years later a few scenes and the screenplay were released to the world, and the fan base grew with them. Now a new group of people are trying to remake the original, and the sole survivor of the original production is here for his insight and perspective. Except as more is revealed, the urban legends around the original production seem less and less like just "stories."
As a huge horror movie fan and fan of Tremblay's other works, I wanted to love this more. The book flips back and forth in time between the original production and various pre-production elements of the new movie, allowing the reader to slowly put the pieces together of what may have happened in the 90s until it is finally shown. Tremblay did an excellent job placing the reader in the various meetings, fan conventions, and film sets that make up the story. The book also includes the screenplay of the original movie, which was a fun break from the other chapters. The issue for me is that it didn't come all the way together for me. Some of the scares in the screenplay or tension in the past and present scenes was well done in isolation but the ending made me realize that my expectations for the book and its potential insights on horror and cult films were not really what Tremblay was going for. I would recommend this to fans of his other works and it was a fun ride (especially if you can swing the audiobook for the screenplay sections), but it did not work for me.
Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley who provided me with a copy in exchange for an honest review....more
Seven contestants are gathered in the Welsh countryside to compete in what they think is a survival competition series. But as cameras begin rolling lSeven contestants are gathered in the Welsh countryside to compete in what they think is a survival competition series. But as cameras begin rolling live, they learn, alongside the rest of the country, that the competitors will be working against the others to keep their secrets hidden from the rest of the country. One of the contestants goes missing and the police have to investigate, led by DC Ffion Morgan. While working the missing person case, the other contestants begin to be eliminated, their secrets exposed to the nation. Resentments grow among the contestants and the crew until someone ends up dead.
A Game of Lies is a great sequel to The Last Party, with DC Ffion Morgan back on the case. This book absolutely works as a standalone with the new case surrounding Exposure, but will be a lot more satisfying when read together with The Last Party in order to better follow the personal issues Ffion is dealing with. The book shifts between perspectives well, sticking with Ffion and DS Leo Brady, with insights into the other characters surrounding the exposure show. I'm looking forward to seeking Ffion and Leo's next case. The small town setting continues to be well-explored, even if the majority of the book takes place in the outskirts of town. The book moves quickly and has an intriguing central mystery with plenty of suspects and I really liked the solution and final confrontation with the killer. Clare Mackintosh explores the hidden dangers of reality television well in the book.
Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for a copy of A Game of Lies in exchange for an honest review....more
The Shadow of War chronicles the tense period in world history where the Soviet Union and America were on the brink of nuclear war. Jeff Shaara takes The Shadow of War chronicles the tense period in world history where the Soviet Union and America were on the brink of nuclear war. Jeff Shaara takes on the perspective of Robert F. Kennedy to detail what was happening on the American side and Nikita Krushchev to cover the Soviet Union. Shaara also adds the perspective of a person on the ground in Florida, Joseph Russo, who watches as the high stakes politics impact the ordinary person on the ground living close to Florida. The book begins with the failed Bay of Pigs invasion through the slowly escalating tensions as military operations are moved to Cuba, through the end of the crisis. Shaara's research is great and he effectively uses a lot of the major speeches and public statements of the period to ground the interior actions of his narrators. The book crafts an easy to follow narrative about the events of the Cuban Missile Crisis, walking through the events and motivations of the people who started and eventually ended the crisis. I was not as familiar with the details of the time period, so the book was a great insight into how close we got to the nuclear buttons being pushed.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a copy of The Shadow of War in exchange for an honest review. ...more
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