Merry Christmas!

I know its a bit early, but I'm going to take a break and just enjoy family and friends for the next couple of weeks. (Okay, okay, there are a few books I might get started....)

Merry Christmas and Seasons Greetings however you celebrate!

I wish you peace, happiness and good health for you and your family for the coming New Year.

And...good books! 

Good Bad Girl - Alice Feeney

Alice Feeney's latest book is Good Bad Girl. 

What's it about? From Flatiron Books and Macmillan Audio:

"Twenty years after a baby is stolen from a stroller, a woman is murdered in a care home. The two crimes are somehow linked, and a good bad girl may be the key to discovering the truth.

Edith may have been tricked into a nursing home, but at eighty-years-young, she’s planning her escape. Patience works there, cleaning messes and bonding with Edith, a kindred spirit. But Patience is lying to Edith about almost everything.

Edith’s own daughter, Clio, won’t speak to her. And someone new is about to knock on Clio’s door…and their intentions aren’t good.

With every reason to distrust each other, the women must solve a mystery with three suspects, two murders, and one victim. If they do, they might just find out what happened to the baby who disappeared, the mother who lost her, and the connections that bind them."

My Thoughts:

This is an author I really like. Her writing is so addictive. She's a master of diversion, directing the listener one way without us even aware that's there another path to take. The storyline is wonderfully fresh with no way to guess what's next. I love twists and turns in a book - and there are many in Good Bad Girl (I like that title too). But the last few chapters - I couldn't believe what the last twist was. I went back and listened again to make sure I had heard right. I had. Bravo Alice Feeney!

I chose to listen to Good Bad Girl. There were two narrators - Katherine Press and Stephanie Racine. Their presentations were excellent. The dialogue is easy to understand and is spoken at a good pace. The voices for the various characters are wonderful - matching the mental images I had envisioned. The actions and emotions are believable. Hear for yourself - listen to an excerpt. 

The Curse of Penryth Hall - Jess Armstrong

It was the beautiful cover of The Curse of Penryth Hall that first caught my eye. As well as that little sticker letting me know that Jess Armstrong's debut has earned the 'First Crime Novel Award from Mystery Writers of America'. I was hooked before I turned a page.

The Great War has ended and Ruby Vaughan has found her niche, working in a rare books store and trying to just enjoy life. When the owner of the shop asks her to deliver a box of books to a small hamlet in Cornwall, she readily agrees, as it will give her a chance to visit her old friend Tamsyn.

Oh, all the bits of a gothic mystery are starting to fall into place - secluded village, a great hall that houses Tamsyn and her husband, old traditions and ways that are adhered to, a death and a search for the who, what and why of a demise. A curse! Delicious! Now, that's what I had expected (it's a favorite genre of mine) but... there was so much more added to the plot. A dash of a possible romance, a serving of other unseen happenings and so much more. Armstrong keeps the reader on their toes. And I quite liked the 1902 time frame. Murder must be investigated with foot leather, interviews, intuition and supposition. 

Ruby is a wonderfully drawn lead character. She speaks her mind - and that mind is very quick and sharp. And she does what she wants to, despite what others might think. She's got a sassy air to her that I quite  like. The supporting cast play their roles very well. But there's one player named Ruan Kivell, who is definitely more than a supporting player. He's a Pellar - a term I had not come across before. Ruan's addition to the main line of the book opens up so many avenues and possibilities. 

I was caught up in the tale, guessing who the culprit was until the last pages. And I quite liked the last bit where everything is accounted for, and what might be next for all of the players. I'd be happy to see Ruby again! See for yourself - read an excerpt of The Curse of Penryth Hall.

The Curse of Penryth Hall - Jess Armstrong

It was the beautiful cover of The Curse of Penryth Hall that first caught my eye. As well as that little sticker letting me know that Jess Armstrong's debut has earned the 'First Crime Novel Award from Mystery Writers of America'. I was hooked before I turned a page.

The Great War has ended and Ruby Vaughan has found her niche, working in a rare books store and trying to just enjoy life. When the owner of the shop asks her to deliver a box of books to a small hamlet in Cornwall, she readily agrees, as it will give her a chance to visit her old friend Tamsyn.

Oh, all the bits of a gothic mystery are starting to fall into place - secluded village, a great hall that houses Tamsyn and her husband, old traditions and ways that are adhered to, a death and a search for the who, what and why of a demise. A curse! Delicious! Now, that's what I had expected (it's a favorite genre of mine) but... there was so much more added to the plot. A dash of a possible romance, a serving of other unseen happenings and so much more. Armstrong keeps the reader on their toes. And I quite liked the 1902 time frame. Murder must be investigated with foot leather, interviews, intuition and supposition. 

Ruby is a wonderfully drawn lead character. She speaks her mind - and that mind is very quick and sharp. And she does what she wants to, despite what others might think. She's got a sassy air to her that I quite  like. The supporting cast play their roles very well. But there's one player named Ruan Kivell, who is definitely more than a supporting player. He's a Pellar - a term I had not come across before. Ruan's addition to the main line of the book opens up so many avenues and possibilities. 

I was caught up in the tale, guessing who the culprit was until the last pages. And I quite liked the last bit where everything is accounted for, and what might be next for all of the players. I'd be happy to see Ruby again! 

The narrator was Emma Love and she was a great choice. She has a very versatile voice. She created voices that were perfect for the characters. The sassy, sure of herself voice for Ruby was just right for the character. The voice for Ruan was low and measured. Supporting characters like the townsfolk, the long time housekeeper of Penryth Hall, and friend Tamsyn all are identifiable by their voice. Love speaks clearly and is easy to understand. The pace is perfect. Love has captured and presented Armstrong's wonderfully. Hear for yourself - listen to an audio sample.

#CrimeTime - Jeneva Rose and Drew Pyne

Jeneva Rose and her husband Drew Pyne have cowritten #CrimeTime. And that's perfect, as this tale is based on actual events that happened in their apartment building.

And what happened you ask? Well, three armed men broken into the apartment above and took a great deal of drugs, guns and money. Jeneva called the police, who didn't arrive until a second call was made. Worrying about the resident, they went upstairs after the thieves had left. He wasn't there. 

So, that's what the audiobook uses as a starting point, but Rose and Pyne have taken their tale to unexpected places. And people. And more...

#CrimeTime is presented as audiobook - which it is. But I was really thinking radio shows of past days that have sound effects for steps, doors, traffic and more. I think this style immerses the listener deeper into the presentation. 

Now, with such a serious opening, you would expect a serious tale right? Wrong. Nadiya writes crime novels and her half brother Chase is a wanna be social media star. The interactions and dialogue between these two lead characters is laughable throughout the presentation. Chase steals the show IMO. Rose and Pyne come up with a completely unexpected road for Nadiya and Chase to travel on. Other characters (good and bad) are added to that road. And how things finish up is impossible to guess. So, my advice is just go with the flow and enjoy!

Kudos to the two leads, Abelardo Campuzano and Jennifer Damiano. They played off each other really, really well. Campuzano's voice and attitude for over the top character Chase is perfect. Damiano is the voice of Nadiya. Her controlled, lower key voice really works for her character. She's more logical and reasonable, but still has a sharp tongue. The supporting cast all brought their characters to life. It was easy to understand the dialogue and the pace of the reading was just right. Hear for yourself - listen to an audio excerpt.   3 hours and 36 minutes. 

Tour stop! Their Lost Souls - Roger Stelljes

I'm a stop on today's tour for Roger Stelljes's brand new book - Their Lost Souls!

This is a first read of Stelljes for me. There are a large number of characters in this series, but the author provides lots of history and detail as to who is who and what has taken place in the past. I easily caught up.

Stelljes has created a great lead with Agent Tori Hunter. She's smart and driven - and has a bit of a dark side when it comes to justice. Braddock - her partner in life - is also her work partner. Stelljes gives his characters (including the supporting players) rich personal lives.

His plotting for Their Lost Souls is unique. A young couple are brutally killed outside their cabin. Who could have done such a thing? The pressure is on from a number of higher ups - they need a result now. A single clue at the cabin catches Tori's interest - and takes her to answers she couldn't have imagined.

I liked it all - the characters, the search for the perpetrators, the quick dialogue, the setting and the continuity! 

"Roger Stelljes is the acclaimed New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of pulse-pounding murder mystery and suspense novels, including the Tori Hunter and McRyan Mystery Series. Roger’s crime thrillers are noted for their fast-paced, yet intricate plots filled with layered and complex characters.

Roger started his first novel in July 2002 while on vacation in Minnesota’s Brainerd Lakes area and has been writing ever since. His debut book, The St. Paul Conspiracy, was nominated in genre fiction for the Minnesota Book Awards along with finalists Brian Freeman and William Kent Krueger. With his follow-up, Deadly Stillwater, where Vince Flynn hailed Roger as a “powerful new thriller voice”, he won the Midwest Independent Book Publishers award for commercial fiction.

Born and raised in Minnesota, Roger still lives there with his family. In addition to his work as an author, Roger is a partner in his law firm. Roger is an avid sports enthusiast and enjoys spending time outdoors boating, attending hockey games, and honing his golf game."

You can connect with Roger on his website, find him on Facebook, also on Instagram as well as on X (Twitter).

The Fourth Rule - Jeff Lindsay

Jeff Lindsay has created some great lead characters in his books. I devoured the Dexter series, but somehow missed the Riley Wolfe series. I've since caught up with the latest entry - The Fourth Rule. This is a series, but can absolutely be read as a stand alone. 

Like Dexter, our lead character Riley lives on the other side of the law - as a thief. But not any old thief. Sometimes its just to see if he can steal the unstealable. And sometimes it's a paid job. The word heist comes to mind and I truly adore heist books and films.

The Fourth Rule is told in first person. The reader feels like Riley is recounting a tale to us and we're privy to all the details.

One of those details are the self made rules that Riley operates under. Number four? "Even if you're the best there is, watch your back. Because somebody better is coming." Riley has an ego, but it's been earned. But - for how much longer? 

Lindsay has a great (and devious) imagination when it comes the heists. I love the details that surround the thefts and the sheer audacity of the attempts. Oh, his disguises as well. Improbable? That's the fun of heist tales - to do what they say can't be done.

I'm going to leave things there as I don't want to provide spoilers. The Fourth Rule was inventive, lots of fun and made for easy, addictive reading. And a great last chapter that hints at the future. Maybe...

See for yourself - read an excerpt of The Fourth Rule. 

Five Bad Deeds - Caz Frear

I love psychological suspense books! If you do as well, you're going to want to pick up Caz Frear's new book - Five Bad Deeds. That cover drew me in before I even turned a page. A house burning down? Hmm...

The residents of Ellen's neighborhood are a friendly bunch, helping each other out with childcare, a friendly face, meals and so much more. 

Or so Ellen thought. She's confused when she receives a note telling her that "People have to learn there are consequences, Ellen. And I’m going to teach you that lesson. Right under your nose." Is it a joke? Who would do something like this?

And that's where things get going. We meet Ellen, her sister, her neighbors, her daughter and a few more - all through their own chapters. So, as readers we have access to that information and we're able to start putting the pieces together ahead of Ellen. But are we really putting them in the right places? 

Frear plays with the reader, providing clues, twists and turns along the garden path to the final whodunit it. One minute I thought I had the who, how and why, only to be proven wrong again the next minute. I love not being able to figure out the answers before the final pages.

Now, the characters. I admit it - although I thought I should like Ellen, I couldn't. Or most of the cast of characters for that matter. I'll let you find out why - but suffice to say - everyone has secrets. Even in the nicest neighborhoods. 

Frear has penned an excellent suspense book. If you too like this genre, Five Bad Deeds is a great choice. See for yourself - read an excerpt of Five Bad Deeds.