Granite Harbor - Peter Nichols

Peter Nichols' latest book is Granite Harbor.

The cover appealed to me - the lone figure on the somewhat iffy jetty. For me that man is Alex. This is his first murder case as both a parent and detective. This is also frightening to Isabel - a single mother to Ethan.

 

I liked how Nichols unfolded his plotting. Each character has a voice, their thoughts explored, and the possibility of what they might know, hold back or/and more. This includes the killer. Definitely unsettling...

The social fabric of Granite Harbor is also explored from all ages. Don't be overwhelmed by the wealth of details. Around the halfway point things get grisly. I quite liked the slow burn of this one. See for yourself - read an excerpt of Granite Harbor.

The Writing Retreat - Julia Bartz

The Writing Retreat is Julia Bartz's debut novel. 

Alex works in the publishing industry, but what she really wants is to be an author. She jumps at the chance to attend a month long retreat at the secluded estate of writer Roza Vallo. There will be five attendees, including Alex's former best friend, but she'll deal with that.

From the first night, things feel a little off. Roza's behaviour is mercurial, challenging the five with somewhat uncomfortable discussions - and as things progress - actions. The five acolytes continue to rationalize what's going, until it can no longer can be ignored. There's something very wrong at this retreat...

The book is told through Alex's eyes. And if it was me, I'd be on the next bus home. But there's a snow storm that cuts off their communication, so we're now in a locked room situation. Add in some odd staff and a mansion with a history in addition to the peculiar host. The other attendees are a mixed bunch - almost like you would expect to find in a horror film. There's always one who chooses to go in the basement. 

What's happening in reality is somewhat mirrored in the novel Alex is writing. I do enjoy the plot device of having a book within a book. 

Bartz is a practicing therapist and I can see how her  background has added to the plot. Roza plays a lot of mind games with the five. She's cruel and then kind, keeping the would be authors on edge. Bartz has added a sexual component to her plot line as well as horror elements. (Gentle readers, there are many triggers in this book) 

I'm on the fence with this one. I liked the idea, but I didn't overly enjoy the delivery. Things got into the over the top territory for me. The epilogue tied up many loose ends, but went a bit too long for me.

See for yourself - read an excerpt of The Writing Retreat.

The Drift - C.J. Tudor

Oh, I have been waiting for C.J. Tudor's new book - The Drift! 

Tudor has a very dark imagination - and I absolutely love it. Her books always keep me on the edge of my chair, rapidly turning pages.

The Drift is told through three different protagonists. 

Hannah wakes up in the school bus that was taking students to a retreat. But it's not on the road any longer. In the middle of a snowstorm, the bus has crashed and hurtled down a hill. They're trapped inside. Oh, and some of the passengers are sick...

Meg wakes up in a cable car that's not moving - in a snow storm. She has no idea how she got there and who the other riders are. Except for one - a cop from her past. At one time they both worked on the Infection Control and Public Unrest squad. (Gotcha wondering, right?) One thing they all agree on is that they were headed for a retreat. Oh, and some of the passengers are sick....

Carter, and a handful of others, live at The Retreat. Their generator dies when a snow storm hits. And puts their lives - and others - in jeopardy.

The Drift is told in rotation, from one location and protagonist to the next and the next. I adore this style of storytelling and literally can't put down a book told in this fashion. Tudor changes tack at critical moments, surprise revelations and dangerous situations, closing out the chapter and moving on to the next. I have to know what's going on so I just keep turning the page.

The plotting is brilliant. I had so many questions! What, if anything, will tie these three scenarios together? Apart from the snowstorm that is. Tudor is delightfully devious in presenting her tale. There was more that once where I went back and re-read a sentence and started to piece things together. And then I got tripped up with the twists Tudor lays out before the reader.

Tudor write such suspense filled books with a side of horror and mystery. The Drift was very, very good for this reader! See for yourself - read an excerpt of The Drift.  

(The title is clever as well, with many ways it can be used and interpreted.)  

The Widowmaker - Hannah Morrissey

Hannah Morrissey's debut novel (Hello, Transcriber) last year was a fantastic read and put Morrissey on my must read list. Her second novel, The Widowmaker, has just released. 

While The Widowmaker is listed as a 'Black Harbor book', it can absolutely be read as a stand alone. 

The setting is indeed the town of Black Harbor, a dark, dirty, unsettling, foreboding place to live and work. Getting out seems to be the prevailing thought of many of the residents. Morgan Mori is one of the few who have come back to Black Harbor. When Morgan, a photographer, is asked to document the Christmas celebrations of the wealthy Reynolds family, she really has no choice but to take the job. She's desperate for money. But there's something just 'off' with them.

Investigator Ryan Hudson is trying to make a difference in Black Harbor. He ends up with not one, but two cases - one current day and another from the past. Those of you who have read that first book will be interested to know that Investigator Nikolai Kole returns in this second entry. 

Each and every character is the book is flawed, damaged or dangerous.

Morrissey's writing is unsettling most of the time, but addicting all the time. There's no way to predict where the plot is going to. I thought I had solved the cases, only to be proven wrong. (I love being proved wrong) Who is lying? Covering up? Keeping a secret? Who's the killer? Killers?

A gritty, dark tale that's another five star read for me from Morrissey. See for yourself - read an excerpt of The Widowmaker. 

Gentle readers - this may not be the book for you as there are many triggers in The Widowmaker.

This Might Hurt - Stephanie Wrobel

This Might Hurt is Stephanie Wrobel's new novel.

Sisters Natalie and Kit have always had a fractious relationship, but they've always stayed in touch. Natalie is worried when Kit decides to get her life together by going to Wisewood. Six month mandatory stay and no communication with the outside world. And Nat doesn't hear from her - until she receives a cryptic email from someone threatening to tell Kit the secret Natalie has kept for years. "Would you like to come tell your sister what you did - or shall we?" She decides she needs to see her sister no matter what, so she heads to Wisewood...

Okay, the creepy feeling started when I read the Charles Manson quote that the book opens with. Uh huh - I had a feeling I knew what Westwood might entail. It might look idyllic, but it's anything but.

This Might Hurt is told from three points of view - a performance artist, Natalie and Kit. The artist scared the socks off me. I had to put the book down after reading her visceral chapters. Relationships of many types are found in the pages of This Might Hurt - most of them dysfunctional and disturbing. Timelines changes as well from past to present. 

The reader can't help but hope Natalie and Kit come to no harm, but I couldn't like either of them despite knowing their backstories. And there wasn't a one on the island that I liked either. 

Wrobel has penned a dark, disturbing plot. At times I didn't want to read any more, but I needed to know what happened. Wrobel throws in some twists that I didn't see coming. The ending is good as well - you know what's going to happen, yet its not spelled out. 

Wrobel made my skin crawl! See for yourself - read an excerpt of This Might Hurt. (Gentle readers - this may not be the book for you.)

Hello, Transcriber - Hannah Morrissey

The cover of Hannah Morrissey's debut novel caught my eye - and the description of Hello, Transcriber sealed the deal.

"Every night, while the street lamps shed the only light on Wisconsin's most crime-ridden city, police transcriber Hazel Greenlee listens as detectives divulge Black Harbor's gruesome secrets."

We meet lead character Hazel as she stands on a bridge in the city of Black Harbor...where the river is whispering to her to jump.

That dark, unsettling, foreboding tone and atmosphere continues on, living on every page. I was totally drawn into the story from those first pages. And the best bit of all was that I had no idea what was going to happen. The plot of Hello, Transcriber was different, unexpected and appreciated. I was caught off guard many times. Hazel was not what I expected at all. Her choices lead her into questionable relationships and dangerous situations. Definitely some 'don't go into the basement' moments.

The idea of a transcriber getting personally involved with a case was such a great premise. Fellow mystery lovers - can you imagine transcribing the details of a crime and following the investigation - let alone inserting yourself in it? 

The supporting players are also unpredictable and dangerous, each with their own secrets and agendas, keeping their own secrets. The city itself is a character as well, especially that bridge. Morrissey's description are visceral.

Hello, Transcriber was an atmospheric, gritty, addictive read for me. Kudos to Morrissey for a great debut - I'll be watching for her next book. See for yourself - read an excerpt. 

Where the Truth Lies - Anna Bailey

Anna Bailey's debut novel Where the Truth Lies has just released.

From Atria Books: "When seventeen-year-old Abigail goes missing, her best friend Emma, compelled by the guilt of leaving her alone at a party in the woods, sets out to discover the truth about what happened. The police initially believe Abi ran away, but Emma doesn’t believe that her friend would leave without her, and when officers find disturbing evidence in the nearby woods, the festering secrets and longstanding resentment of both Abigail’s family and the people of Whistling Ridge, Colorado begin to surface with devastating consequences."

Where the Truth Lies is a simmering cesspool of a tale. Bailey gives us multiple points of view through a number of characters. Within those points of view, the time frame moves from past to present, allowing the reader access to the background of the players as well as the how and why of what's happening now. While the mystery of Abigail's disappearance or murder is always there, it isn't the driving force of the plot. Instead it serves as a catalyst for an inevitable final reckoning amongst townsfolk and within families.

 I found I had to pick up and put down the book numerous times. I can only take so much ugliness, cruelty, bigotry, abuse of power, brutality and intolerance in one sitting. Gentle readers, this is most def not a book for you.

There are 'good' characters and others that are downright despicable. Those who still have goodness in them struggle mightily to exist in this town. I shouted out loud more than once for them to run, leave, get away and leave this godforsaken place behind.

My visceral reaction to Bailey's novel speaks to the strength of her prose, character development and descriptions of time and place. That being said, I did find overall that while well written, it was also overwrought in terms of the depravity in this town and it's inhabitants.

Bailey was born in England and raised in England but moved to Colorado after university. In 2018, she returned to the UK Where the Truth Lies, Tall Bones, inspired by her time in the US. Which is a little scary.... 

See for yourself - read an excerpt of Where the Truth Lies.

Hard Cash Valley - Brian Panowich

Brian's Panowich's novel, Hard Cash Valley, has just been released in trade format. Described as one of 2020's ten best crime novels by The New York Time Book Review, I knew it was one I wanted to read.

The book opens with a bang - and a murder that leaves the reader wanting more - who, why and more. Dane Kirby is a former arson investigator and now works for the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. He's surprised and more than a little reluctant when he is called in to consult on the murder scene in Florida. And his new partner FBI Special Agent Roselita Velasquez doesn't want him there any more than he wants to be there. But there's an eleven year old boy with Aspergers out there all alone - and everyone has their own reasons for wanting to find him. So Kirby signs on.

Okay, where to start? I really liked Kirby as a lead. He's fighting his own demons - and ghosts - even as he tries to move forward with life. He's street smart and book smart, and as a born and bred McFalls County, Georgia resident he knows all the players. And there are some really dark, ruthless and downright frightening characters in this book. (Gentle readers this one's not for you!) The supporting characters are just as strongly written. The reader will have immediate reactions to each and every character. You'll be behind those you would think should be behind bars and question those with badges. 

The setting and atmosphere is just as much of a character in the books. Panowich makes his home in Georgia and the setting greatly benefits from that personal knowledge. Panowich's plotting is intricate and will keep the reader on their toes as another layer and direction is added to the narrative. And truly, there was no predicting what I was going to find in the final pages.

But, it comes back to the characters for me. Each and every one of them is chasing something - money, redemption, love, the past or maybe the future. And who finds what in the end sits just right for me. 

Southern grit-lit at it's finest. See for yourself - here's an excerpt of Hard Cash Valley.

This is actually the third book in Panowich's 'Bull Mountain' series. I had no problem reading this as a stand alone, but I'll be putting those first two books, Bull Mountain and Like Lions on my ever growing TBR list. And I'll be watching for his fourth book.

The Poison Garden - Alex Marwood

I stumbled across Alex Marwood's writing back in 2013 with her debut and Edgar Award winning novel, The Wicked Girls. (my review) I've been hooked ever since. Each of her novels has been completely different, unexpected and addicting. Her latest is The Poison Garden - and it too was a story I couldn't predict.

Romy was a toddler when her mother moved them to The Ark, a cult who is waiting and prepping for the end of the world. (Marwood does a great job of world-building with the cult.) They know they will be saved. As we find out from the first chapter, the end of the world comes - for The Ark. Romy is thrust back into the 'world of the dead' as The Ark referred to the outside world. She has to learn how to adapt to this world - and the family her mother left behind.

Marwood tells Romy's story in a past and present timeline. We learn about the cult/commune before the downfall - the pracitces and beliefs, the members and what led up to the the demise of The Ark. But how did Romy survive? We're with Romy from her first day back in the 'real world'. Those time lines progress until they ultimately meet. I love this method of storytelling. The back and forth had me up late, needing to know what is happening on each side of that final resolution and reading 'just one more' chapter.

Marwood kept me on my toes - there was no way to predict where this story was going to go. I so appreciate being surprised by a plot. Marwood's prose flow easily. And as before, I didn't see the ending coming. It finished the book, but left some nice little what-ifs to keep the reader wondering.

Alex Marwood is a pseudonym for a London journalist and her books have a gritty, authentic feel to them. The Poison Garden was another dark and delicious read. Here's an excerpt of The Poison Garden.

The Beloveds - Maureen Lindley

I love the cover of Maureen Lindley's new novel, The Beloveds. Those overgrown vines covering the door hint at a tangled tale within.

And it is. Sisters Betty and Gloria have never really got along. Everything seems to come easy to the sunny-natured Gloria, but not so for Betty. Betty is not one of the "Beloveds". In her own words..."I am not one of the Beloveds. You know those people with a star above their heads: loved and admired, lucky in love, lucky in everything."

Betty yearns for the day when Pipits, the family home will be hers by birthright as the oldest child. The house speaks to Betty and she loves it and the gardens surrounding it. But when the girls' mother dies, she leaves the estate to Gloria - and that does not sit well with Betty. Not at all.

What follows is a dark and twisted tale of Betty's attempts to regain what she sees as her birthright. Initially I could understand Betty's anger and resentment. But Lindley takes Betty further down the path of animosity and obsession than I could have imagined. Her schemes to take back Pipits grow darker and more dangerous. As does Betty's mindset. The reader is along for the ride as she descends into what can only be termed madness. And yet.....I still felt sorry for her.

"It's true that I have learned how to appear calm when I am angry. But that doesn't mean I don't feel things. To have my way, I practice charm, keep my true nature hidden. People find it hard to deal with a person who doesn't emote in the way they expect. The want you to empathize with their trivial problems. They shy away from superior intellects, so I find it easier to act the part of loving sister, forgiving sister-in-law, accepting friend. I'm a good actress."

The Beloveds is told through Betty's point of view, with Gloria's actions and dialogue as seen by her. I wondered about Gloria - is she really the 'Beloved' she appears to be? Or is she aware of what losing the house has done to Betty?

I quite enjoyed the descriptions of Pipits and the grounds. The house is also a character in the book, not just a setting.

Deliciously dark and disturbing. The publisher has described The Beloveds as "An exploration of domestic derangement, as sinister as Daphne Du Maurier’s classic Rebecca, that plumbs the depths of sibling rivalry with wit and menace." Quite apt I would say. Read an excerpt of The Beloveds.

Ragdoll - Daniel Cole

Ragdoll is Daniel Cole's first novel - and what a heck of a lead off book!

Our introduction to Detective William 'Wolf' Fawkes is through a shocking courtroom prologue. Well, with my interest definitely piqued,  I quickly turned to the first chapter - and that was even more shocking. Wolf is called out to a murder - and here's the thing - it's not one body. It's six body parts - sewn together. And the killer seems to be sending a message to Wolf......

Many times a book can be deemed character or plot driven. Ragdoll is definitely plot driven with lots and lots of action. But the characters were just as well developed and important. This is the first book in a series, so the groundwork is being laid. Honestly, I really enjoyed each character - from the rash, unpredictable, unstable Wolf to the supporting cast. That cast includes Emily - a detective with anger and hostility issues. Wolf's ex wife Andrea - a television news reporter who believes the story is everything and she'll do anything to get it. Finlay is the old man on the team with only two years left 'til retirement. But I have to say my favourite was Edmunds - the newbie on the team. He's overlooked, undervalued, but tenacious.

Cole's plotting kept me completely off balance throughout the book. There was no way to imagine where the story was going to go. There were so many possibilities presented for whodunit.I cannot tell you how much I appreciate being surprised by an author. There may be a few instances that I thought things were a wee bit far-fetched. But in no way did this detract from my rapid turning of pages. You'll also find some great gallows humour sprinkled throughout the book.

Fair warning to gentle readers - this book is probably not for you. Crime fans like myself - an excellent read! See for yourself  - read an excerpt of Ragdoll.

Entertaining, page turning and addictive? Check. Looking forward to the next in the Detective William Fawkes series? Absolutely. Ragdoll has been translated into over 30 languages and production rights have been snapped. Crime fans, put this on your must read list.

I loved this bit from Cole's bio: "At 33 years old, Daniel Cole has worked as a paramedic, an Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals officer and most recently for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, driven by an intrinsic need to save people or perhaps just a guilty conscience about the number of characters he kills off in his writing." You can follow Daniel Cole on Twitter.

I received this book from HarperCollins Canada for review.

One Kick - Chelsea Cain

After turning the final page of the sixth Gretchen Lowell/Archie Sheridan thriller (Let Me Go), I wondered if there could be anything in the future for these characters. For me, this series seemed to have run its course.

Well, Chelsea Cain has unleashed a new character on readers. Her new book, One Kick is the first in a new series featuring Kick Lannigan. What a great character name eh?

Kick was kidnapped as a six year old and famously rescued when she was eleven. The years spent in captivity shaped her path - and her personality. She's tough as nails, but vulnerable, fearsome, yet fearful. And she has a goal - to prey on those that prey on children. A wealthy man named John Bishop, approaches Kick to help him find two local missing kids. There's a chance they could still be alive - and Bishop believes Kick has the key to finding them locked in her past. But who is Bishop really? And what is his agenda?

Cain writes great kick *** characters. Lannigan is definitely one of those, but with a wounded side that makes us fear for her as she wades into danger. One Kick introduces us to Lannigan, lets us get to know her and sets the tone and the background for the next in the series. One Kick has a resolution, but the last few pages are a kicker (sorry, couldn't resist) that will leave readers with the same questions Lannigan has. I 'll be watching for the next book.

Cain's books are not for the faint of heart. There are disturbing themes, descriptions and language. Those looking for a dark thriller will absolutely find it in One Kick. Read an excerpt of One Kick. You can find Chelsea Cain on Facebook and on Twitter.