Serial Killer - Kate Posey - Spotlight

It's time to start creating your summer reading list! Here's one that sounds intriguing...  Serial Killer by Kate Posey  Just released!

What's it about? From Berkely Books:

"What would you do if you thought your coworker was getting away with murder—literally?

Dolores dela Cruz has been dying to spot one in the wild, and he fits the mold perfectly: strangler gloves, calculated charm, dashing good looks that give a leg up in any field . . . including fields of unmarked graves.

The new office temp is definitely a serial killer.

Jake Ripper finds a welcome distraction in his combative and enigmatic new coworker. He hasn’t come across anyone as interesting as Dolores in a long time. But when mere curiosity evolves into a darkly romantic flirtation, Jake can’t help but wonder if, finally, he’s found someone who really sees him, skeletons in the closet and all.

Until Dolores asks Jake’s help to dispose of a body . . .

A morbidly funny and emotionally resonant novel about the ways life—and love—can sneak up on us (no matter how much pepper spray we carry)."

Author Bio: Kate Posey is an up-and-coming voice in contemporary suspense and romance, known for her ability to balance tension and humor in delightfully twisted ways. Her background in film writing and a love for darkly funny characters has shaped her unique storytelling style.

The Business Trip - Jessie Garcia

The Business Trip is Jessie Garcia's debut fiction novel.

Garcia introduces us to the lead character - Jasmine. She's in a really bad domestic situation and has been planning for a year to get away. When her moment appears, she doesn't look back. And then she meets Stephanie. And an opportunity presents itself...

Garcia has penned a great suspense tale. There's no lack of twists and turns to be had. Those twists will take you right down to the last pages. Garcia has crafted a 'can't put it down" tale. You might have to suspend belief with some bits, especially the ending, but just go with it. The book is very entertaining.

  

I liked how the book was presented from many viewpoints and supporting characters. And - a full cast of narrators! I always feel more immersed in a book when I listen it. That was definitely the case with The Business Trip. Each reader was easy to understand and their 'voices' matched the characters they were presenting. A great listen!

Breakout - Paul Herron

Breakout is Paul Herron's debut thriller. 

Jack Constantine is an ex-cop, currently serving time at Ravenhill Prison for murder. Its Kiera Sawyer's first day on the job as a guard at the prison. And it's also the day a massive hurricane hits the coast - with Ravenhill right in it's path. What to do? Well the warden makes a decision - gather the employees and leave - and hope the National Guard shows up to evacuate the 800 prisoners. He leaves the cells locked, but an underling opens the doors - and now each and every prisoner is free, including Jack. And one lone guard who missed the bus.

What a great premise eh? I immediately thought of Bruce Willis and his Die Hard movies. Breakout reads like a movie - and that's no surprise as Herron has worked on over twenty seven television shows. 

Jack is a complicated lead character - part criminal, part cop. The reader isn't ever quite sure which path he'll take. And Sawyer is too darn innocent -she want to save everyone. She did surprise me though. But things are down to save yourself. The prison isn't going to stand up to the hurricane. Their only option is get over to an adjacent old lock up that has tunnels to hide out in 'til the storm passes. But first they're going to have to get past every killer, every gang and the downright crazy on the way there. Oh and a few of the guys that Jack put away.

Herron has come up with some terrifying obstacles for Jack, his cellmate Felix and Kiara. His descriptions of time and place were really good. I could easily picture the prison and where they were and where they were trying to go. The storm's increasing power is mentioned at the beginning of every chapter, ramping up the tension. The action is pretty much non stop, keeping the reader on the edge of their seat.  Gentle readers, this is definitely not the book for you. Visceral violence abounds. But seriously, this one screams movie. Read an excerpt of Breakout. 

Thanks to Grand Central Publishing for the review copy.

The Woman in the Window - A.J. Finn

Okay, this is one of the best twisty, turny psychological thrillers I've read in a long, long time. You have got to read The Woman in the Window, the debut novel from A.J. Finn.

Anna Fox is agoraphobic, unable to leave her home. She mixes alcohol with her medication and spends her days looking out her windows at her neighbourhood. Well, no that's not quite right......she spies on them, taking pictures with her camera. A new family moves in and Anna starts watching them as well. And then she sees something she shouldn't have. Or did she?

Finn has created a fantastically unreliable narrator in Anna. Can we believe what she is seeing? Saying? Her reasoning is flawed and her take on things is skewed. Or is it? The supporting cast is just as unreliable. It seems everyone has their own agenda, secrets and lies. Finn deliciously unspools his story, letting us see a little more with each new chapter.

Anna has a fondness for old black and white films, especially those by Alfred Hitchcock. Those familiar with his work (and especially Rear Window) will appreciate the references and the homage.

I am being deliberately obtuse. I don't want to reveal too much - this is a tale you need to experience. To wonder how and why, to 'ah hahing' at each new reveal and revelation, to trying to puzzle out the final whodunit. Which will be impossible as Finn has written a labyrinth of a novel. And one that is very, very hard to put down. I absolutely loved it!

Read an excerpt of The Woman in the Window. You can connect with A.J. Finn on Twitter as well as on Instagram. The Woman in the Window is to be published in thirty-six languages around the world and is already in development as a major film from Fox.

Everything, Everything - Nicola Yoon

Every so often, I take a break from my usual murder and mayhem reading and tuck into a 'teen' read. But honestly, I hate labelling a book - 'teen' reads aren't just for teens. So let's say I enjoy a change of reading style.

Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon was a great choice.

Seventeen year old Madeline Whittier has Severe Combined Immunodeficiency Disease. "Basically I'm allergic to the world. I don't leave my house, have not left my house in seventeen years."

And then Olly moves in across the street....."Maybe we can’t predict the future, but we can predict some things. For example, I am certainly going to fall in love with Olly. It’s almost certainly going to be a disaster."

Oh, but it's a wonderful book!  It's clever in so many ways - the dialogue, the plotting and the actual presentation of the book. The story of Maddie and Olly is told in texts, post-its, messages, emails, blog posts, drawings, diary entries and charts. (and yes, actual writing!)

Maddie's voice was so engaging - her outlook on life and her sense of humour. Olly is well, swoon-worthy - kind, thoughtful, clever and oh, yeah good-looking. I enjoyed watching their relationship bloom in such an unusual setting and manner. But not all is sweet and light - Olly too has his own set of problems. Yoon tackles love, loss, grief, mental illness, friendship, relationships and more. And all of it done in a wonderfully entertaining format.

But, just when I thought I knew where the book was headed (there's a lot of 'dying/sick teenage girl' books out there), Yoon surprised me with a nice little twist.

I love book covers - and I have to say this one is beautiful and is absolutely perfect for the story. The stark white Everything and the contrasting busy, blossoming Everything mirrors and depicts the novel perfectly. (And there's many little images hidden in the colour that also tell their own story)

Everything, Everything offers up some nice quotes."…Life Is a Gift. Don’t Forget to Live It …" And the title? Maddie..."To want everything, everything the world has to offer."

Read an excerpt of Everything, Everything. Fans of The Fault in Our Stars will love this book. Kudos to Yoon for such a great debut novel.

You can connect with Nicola Yoon on her website, as well as on Twitter.  Watch for the movie - MGM has bought the movie rights to Everything, Everything.

Little Black Lies - Sandra Block

I love looking at the 'coming soon' lists for fiction. Sandra Block's debut novel, Little Black Lies, releases on February 17/15 and is on my TBR list. BUT you can read the first five chapters today!

What's it about? From Grand Central Publishing:

"She helps people conquer their demons.

 But she has a few of her own... In the halls of the psychiatric ward, Dr. Zoe Goldman is a resident in training, dedicated to helping troubled patients. However, she has plenty of baggage of her own. When her newest patient arrives - a beautiful sociopath who murdered her mother - Zoe becomes obsessed with questions about her own mother's death. But the truth remains tauntingly out of reach, locked away within her nightmares of an uncontrollable fire. And as her adoptive mother loses her memory to dementia, the time to find the answers is running out.

 As Zoe digs deeper, she realizes that the danger is not just in her dreams but is now close at hand. And she has no choice but to face what terrifies her the most. Because what she can't remember just might kill her.

Little Black Lies is about madness and memory - and the dangerous, little lies we tell ourselves just to survive."

Read the first five chapters of Little Black Lies here.  You can find Sandra Block on her website, on Facebook and on Twitter.