Review: The Search Party by Simon Lelic

"A missing girl. Five friends. Not everyone will make it home alive."

This mystery centers around Sadie Saunders, a popular teenager who has gone missing. Everyone in town believes she has to be dead after being gone for more than a few days. As the cops are searching the nearby woods and using dive teams to explore the bottom of the powerful river that winds around the sleepy town hidden in the middle of nowhere, everyone knows it's a body they're really searching for. Enter Fleet, the typical damaged detective with a heart of gold. This is the first time he's returned to his hometown since he lost someone he loved here a long time ago. The locals aren't shy about voicing their doubts about Fleet's ability as an investigator. They put pressure on the police force to solve the mystery of Sadie's disappearance and Fleet's boss is ready to lock someone up just to appease them, justice be damned. Obviously our detective's moral compass cannot allow this and so Fleet sets out to uncover the truth and apprehend the real party or parties responsible for Sadie's disappearance. 

Meanwhile, rumors swirl around the town and seem to settle around Sadie's closest friends. There's Abi and Cora, who are constantly competing to be Sadie's BFF. Mason has been the subject of most of the rumors as he's Sadie's boyfriend and is known to have quite a bad temper. There's also Fash, a kind kid from a strict household, and Luke, Sadie's twin brother. These five teens take it upon themselves to conduct their own search party in the woods after coming to the conclusion that the cops are planning to have Mason take the fall. Poorly prepared, they set out into the wilderness to find their missing friend and quickly realize that they all have their own motives for wanting Sadie gone. Their distrust of one another erupts into violence and one member doesn't make it back from the search party alive.

The tagline for Simon Lelic's The Search Party immediately grabbed my attention. It was oozing with suspense, so I decided to give it a try. I'd previously read another of Lelic's works earlier this year, The New Neighbors, and while I liked it, it didn't blow me away.  So I thought it only fair to give the author another shot. There were plenty of good things about this book. Mysteries involving crimes among a close-knit group of friends are a dime-a-dozen it seems, but Lelic's smooth writing and genuine characters made the familiar premise feel fresh and exciting. Each of the teens was presented authentically with his or her own realistically flawed personality. The dialogue seemed natural and kept the story moving quickly. On the other hand, Fleet's character was far too stereotypical to capture my interest. Throw him in the mix with a bunch of other mystery novel detectives and you'd never be able to pick him out. Besides the characters, the overall narrative was just one note for me. The climax never reached the level of intensity I was hoping for, partially because the final "twist" wasn't as unexpected as I think the author intended it to be. The Search Party was entertaining enough, but it's not a book that is going to stay with you long after you've put it down.

My Rating: ★★★☆☆

*Thanks to the author, Berkley Publishing Group and Netgalley for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Review: The Heatwave by Katerina Diamond

After a few disappointing reads, I was in desperate need of a great thriller. You know the ones; the kind where you don't even realize you've spent hours reading because the plot is so compelling. I picked up The Heatwave by Katerina Diamond because I saw a friend with similar tastes had recently left a promising review about it. It absolutely did not disappoint! Books like this make me happy and remind me why I love to read in the first place.

The storyline alternates between the past and the present through the use of two narrators. Felicity is a wife and mother of two who drops everything to return to her hometown when she sees on the television that a teenage girl has mysteriously disappeared there. This strikes a nerve with her because when she was growing up, another teenage girl went missing under similar circumstances. For reasons that aren't immediately revealed to the reader, Felicity feels like she is the missing link that connects these two disappearances. She sets out to do some investigating on her own, hoping to get answers to questions that have plagued her for years and save the latest missing girl. This is the first time she's returned home since she left as a teenager after having done something terrible. Jasmine is the narrator for back "then" when the first girl went missing. She is best friends with Felicity and lives a privileged life, spending her summers with her parents traveling the world as they do charity work. This particular summer, however, plans have fallen through and Jasmine is excited by the prospect of actually getting to experience a normal summer vacation. Jasmine's family has recently relocated and taken on a renter, Tim, who lives in a small garden house in the backyard. Jasmine can tell immediately that Tim is not the picture-perfect man her parents believe him to be. She embarks on a dangerous journey when she decides to find out what Tim might be hiding. Felicity and Jasmine's stories interweave seamlessly to tell a thrilling tale full of deception and depravity.

This book was just what I was hoping it would be! I have never read anything by Katerina Diamond before, but she is definitely an author I will be following from now on. I don't typically think too much when I read mysteries. I'm not a reader who is constantly trying to figure out the twists before they come. I simply read it and let the plot unfold as it may, but I wouldn't have been able to figure out the ending of this book no matter how hard I tried. There were several twists and reveals that I never saw coming. This book was just so...effortless. It was so easy to get sucked in and before I knew it, I had finished it! This would definitely make a great summer beach read and has been one of my favorites of 2020 so far.

My Rating: ★★★★★
At the time of this post, this title is set to be released on June 25, 2020.

Thanks to Avon Books and Netgalley for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Review: Those Who Hunger by Owen Banner

I do not often read supernatural novels, but I make an exception when I find a title that seems especially original. I am drawn to stories that attempt to weave supernatural elements into well-established settings because it seems like such a difficult feat. I was blown away by the credibility of Seth Grahame-Smith's Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. Being a fan of Amish-based mysteries (like the wonderful Kate Burkholder series), I've also been curious to see how authors integrate the supernatural with the rigid social confines of an Amish community. So I didn't hesitate to snatch up Those Who Hunger: An Amish Vampire Thriller by Owen Banner as soon as it became available.

This "horror" story surrounds a series of vicious murders within an Amish community that hides a terrible secret-many of its members are vampires, cursed to hide their hunger for human blood or risk losing everything that matters to them. The Zook family knows this curse all too well. There are more vampires in their family than non-vampires. Haddie Zook is an Amish teenager who realizes she has the mark when a terrifying encounter with a predator initiates her transformation. She struggles with her new identity as she learns to keep her hunger in check. Meanwhile, Jacobo, a detective assigned to the violent murders in the community, is keeping a close eye on the Zook family, suspecting one of them is responsible for the heinous deaths of several innocent people.

It's difficult to go into much more detail than this without risking spoiling parts of the story for potential readers, so I'll jump into my review. This book was WAY TOO LONG. I've read plenty of 500+ page novels and I never shy away from a big book, but there's nothing more annoying than wasting precious reading time on something that could have easily been condensed into 300 pages. I felt like I was slogging through this and was horribly dismayed when I saw I was only 32% of the way through the story. The suspense and excitement did pick up once I got to about 80%, but I read for hours and felt like I was getting nowhere because the author spent so much time detailing random tangents that ended up having nothing to do with the main plot. (If someone else reads this, please come back and tell me what the purpose of the drug dealer scene was because I'm still annoyed by that.)

This story could have been easily streamlined if the author cut down on the number of narrators. I counted no less than a dozen different POVs within the first third of the book, some of which we only heard from the one time. This made things confusing for the reader and just added information that could have been more efficiently shared in other ways. In my opinion, the only people we needed to hear from would have mainly been the Zook family members: Haddie, Esther, Nehemiah, and maybe Roy for an outsider's perspective. Jacobo's random detective excursions were pointless and Mel's experiences, while tragic, really didn't need to be included. 

While this novel is listed as part of the "horror" genre, I would argue that it's more of a coming-of-age supernatural mystery with some gratuitous gore thrown in every now and then. Even the violent vampire attacks felt like they were over-the-top and more for shock and awe than anything else. Potential readers should also note that there are sex scenes and a few instances of animal abuse in the novel as well.

I struggled with how to rate this book. At times, I was thinking about one-star and others, I got up to a 3.5, so I'm settling on 2 because of pacing issues and how far-fetched I felt the ending was. There were too many questions left unanswered for me to be comfortable with the culprit(s) that were finally revealed. On the other hand, the writing was good and the story was detailed, even if excessively so. Fans of Amish characters and vampires will enjoy the mash-up of the two very different subjects. However, if you'd like to read about the worlds of vampires and the Amish colliding and don't want to devote your time wading through so many unnecessary pages, I'd recommend you try The Hallowed Ones series by Laura Bickle. I read these back in 2014 and remember liking them quite a bit more than Those Who Hunger.

My Rating: ★★☆☆☆

*Thanks to the author and Netgalley for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Review: The Guest List by Lucy Foley

I chose this title for my April Book of the Month selection and it was a fantastic read! I was worried when I saw that the chapters were written from the viewpoints of so many different people because I sometimes can have a difficult time remembering who's who, but that was not an issue this time around. Foley is adept at weaving through multiple POVs in a way that is not overwhelming for the reader. I actually enjoyed the constant change between characters and the unique insights each one was able to add to the plot. The characters include:

• Aoife, the Wedding Planner: Along with her husband, she has rented out her remote Irish island for an extravagant wedding at a deep discount in the hopes that the publicity will spur future business. She is cool-headed and no-nonsense and knows how to handle any issues that threaten to ruin a couple's big day.
• Jules, the Bride: She knows what she wants and heaven help anyone who tries to stand between her and her desires. She's the visionary behind a wildly successful online magazine. Her confidence comes across as arrogance most of the time. She strives to maintain a perfect image in all regards.
• Olivia, the Bridesmaid: She's Jules's younger, gorgeous half-sister. She's really struggling to come to terms with something that happened in her recent past and resorts to self-harm as a way of dealing with her trauma. Overall, she's an emotional wreck and Jules sees her as a potential wedding liability.
• Hannah, the Plus-One: Married to Jules's best man and the MC of the wedding, Hannah is in her mid-30s and reveling at the thought of a weekend getaway with her husband away from the kids. She's hoping they can rekindle their former passion, but her husband's relationship with the bride is a constant source of conflict for the couple.
• Johnno, the Best Man: He's the groom's childhood friend from boarding school. Time hasn't been as kind to him as it has been to the groom however, and Johnno is regarded by everyone as a pathetic screw-up who reflects poorly on those who know him.

The reader knows from the off-set that something terrible has happened on the wedding night that results in murder. The who and the why are not answered until the very end, which provides constant suspense and keeps the reader invested. The short chapters that alternate POVs also helps the pacing of the novel. I found myself sitting down with the book, only intending to read for a few minutes before noticing that an hour or more had passed. Even though, as some discontented reviewers pointed out, the backstories of the main characters are very slowly revealed, the constant change of time between the wedding night and events prior kept me interested. I personally never felt bored as I learned each character's past. The characters were very three-dimensional and the way their stories intertwined so seamlessly was fascinating to me.

Overall, I think fans of the suspense and thriller genre will enjoy this book, although there's not much "thrill" per se until the final few chapters. It's very reminiscent of a few Agatha Christie classics, but with original twists that will keep you guessing until the end. This really is a perfect summer read and I think I'll check out Foley's previous novel The Hunting Party since I enjoyed The Guest List so much.

My Rating: ★★★★★
At the time of this post, this title is set to be released on June 2, 2020.

Review: Secrets of a Serial Killer by Rosie Walker

My go-to books are edge-of-your-seat thrillers. There are so many books published every day that promise to scare me, keep me up at night, etc. They very rarely live up to their hype, so I was skeptical when the tagline for my latest read promised to "make your skin crawl." My obsession with the thriller genre began by reading R.L. Stine's Fear Street books way back in middle school. Even then I could tell the writing was subpar, but they were quick reads and I loved trying to figure out the bad guy. Later on, I graduated to reading adult thrillers and I can still remember Dean Koontz's Intensity in vivid detail all these years later. I enjoyed that story so much and it's been quite awhile since I've found a book that scared me in such an effortless way. And then I read Secrets of a Serial Killer by Rosie Walker.

Holy cow! This book is phenomenal! I could not put it down. The writing is superb and the plot is creepy and full of suspense. There is some violence and gore, but none of it feels like it's there for shock and awe. It serves a purpose in creating suspense and fear, but it doesn't get out of control. This could be easily turned into a terrifying horror movie. I know it may be hard to believe, but I don't have a single complaint about this book. Not one!

When I began reading, I was worried that I would have difficulty keeping track of all of the narrators. There is Zoe, a 17 year-old girl dating an older man, much to her parents' chagrin. She thinks she has all the answers and is fiercely independent, as you'd expect of a teenager. Helen is Zoe's mother and she works as an architect, specializing in repurposing historical buildings into modern living spaces. Her current project involves an old insane asylum. She is divorced from Zoe's father and tends to put all her energy into micromanaging her daughter's life. We also have Thomas, a prepubescent boy who lives next door with his journalist mother. He's consumed with finding out what happened to his father who left suddenly without explanation. He spends his time with his cousin, Maggie, who loves to explore and pretend she's a detective. And then we have HIM, the elusive serial killer the police claim doesn't exist. He's determined to make Zoe his next victim and has twisted things in store for her. Despite the numerous narrators, I needn't have worried. The points of view are masterfully woven together into a seamless story line that had my heart pounding from start to finish. The characters feel very real and authentic in their roles.

Great characters aside, the setting of this novel is also spot on. The time is set in the present in Lancaster, UK, but there's a lot of talk about the history of the lunatic asylum Helen is developing. A famed serial killer was kept there for some time in the 1980s and there seems to be quite a few coincidences between his crimes and several girls who have recently gone missing. The cops chalk it up to a bunch of runaways, but Thomas's mother causes problems for the authorities when she claims there's a serial killer on the loose in her articles. The abandoned asylum and its surrounding woods create the perfect ambiance for such a terrifying story. I could actually smell the mildew from the old caravan in the woods. The writing was that descriptive. I was able to visualize every single scene in this book without any problems and it really was a total creep fest. There's no way this story would have been half as engrossing as it was without such a dynamic setting.

After doing some research on the author, it appears this is her debut novel, but I will definitely be reading whatever Rosie Walker comes up with next. If you're a fan of thrillers and are looking for a truly scary reading experience, you've really got to check this one out. You won't be disappointed!

My Rating: ★★★★★
At the time of this post, this title is set to be released on July 17, 2020.

*Thanks to HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter, and Netgalley for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Review: Invisible Girl by Lisa Jewell

I have read a few of Lisa Jewell's books before and she always does a great job with her mystery/suspense novels. This one is no different.

In Invisible Girl, three narrators masterfully guide readers through an intriguing plot with memorable characters. We have Saffyre, a teenage girl who has not had it easy. She's been abused and orphaned, causing her to self-harm. This behavior gets her sent to see Roan Fours, a child psychologist. Her relationship with this therapist is the catalyst for a lot of the events that take place in the story. Then we have Cate, a naive, hardworking mother of two and the wife of Roan Fours. She spends her days taking care of the house and making sure dinner is ready for her husband when he gets home, whenever that might be. Every part of her identity seems to be wrapped up in her role as doting wife and mother. Finally, there's Owen. (Oh, Owen!) He's a 33 year-old bachelor who lives in his aunt's spare bedroom which is situated across the street from the Fours family's apartment. He teaches coding to teenagers at a local school and is unique in that he is a virgin. Owen's life is upended when students at his school accuse him of sexually inappropriate behavior. He is pretty sure he is innocent, but he doesn't exactly remember the night in question, so that's a problem. The accusations light a fire in Owen and kick off a series of cringe-worthy attempts to reinvent himself.

When Saffyre suddenly goes missing after last being seen talking to Owen outside of the Fours family home, an investigation ensues. At the same time, a series of sexual assaults are being committed throughout the neighborhood. Everyone is on high alert, especially Cate, who fears for her teenage daughter's safety. She sees Owen as the creepy, lurking predator across the street and sends the police his way. Owen has had a lot of time on his hands since being out of work and has not used that time productively. In fact, a lot of his choices end up making him look quite guilty when it comes to new accusations being made against him. Owen claims to be innocent, but (yet again) cannot completely remember what happened the night that Saffyre disappeared. Even though Owen seems to fit the requirements of a sexual predator, Cate isn't quite sure if he actually is the culprit behind these crimes. After all, there's a lot of unanswered questions she has, such as why was Saffyre, her husband's former patient, standing outside of their home the night she went missing? Where was her husband when the girl disappeared?

While I enjoyed this book, I did have a few critiques that kept this from being 5 stars. First of all, Cate's naivety was really quite annoying. She had every right to question her husband about her concerns, but she was worried that would make her seem too "crazy." I sympathized with her for the first half of the novel and then after that, I was just mad that she wouldn't stand up for herself. Secondly, the ending felt too rushed. After spending so much time building up to the climax, it felt like everything was wrapped up in a neat little bow in just a few pages. I wanted some more explanation regarding the resolution to the sexual assaults especially because without it, I'm just not fully buying into the last twist. It just seems really unlikely as it was presented.

Overall, the plot of Invisible Girl is really engrossing. I read the book in just a few sittings. The story is fast paced and suspenseful. There are twists that will keep you guessing. Some of the characters, Owen especially, are very original, which is refreshing when you read a lot of mysteries that all seem to recycle the same kinds of characters over and over again. This book will surely not disappoint and makes a great summer read. If you've enjoyed any of Lisa Jewell's previous works, the chances are you'll enjoy this one as well.

My Rating: ★★★★☆
At the time of this post, this title is set to be released on October 13, 2020.

*Thanks to Atria Books and Netgalley for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Review: Outsider by Linda Castillo

Kate Burkholder, everyone's favorite ex-Amish Chief of Police, is back in Linda Castillo's latest novel, Outsider. This is the 12th novel in the series that follows the life and cases of the aforementioned cop in the small town of Painter's Mill, Ohio.

This time around, Kate comes face to face with her past in the form of Gina Colorosa, an old friend from her police academy days. Gina is discovered by Adam, a young Amish widower, after crashing her truck during a snow storm and almost freezing to death in the elements. His Amish nature compels him to bring the strange woman home despite his gut telling him that there is more to this story than an innocent accident in a blizzard. Gina, having barely escaped with her life, is on the run from some supposedly crooked cops who see her as a threat to their illegal activities. Despite the falling out that resulted in the former friends not seeing or speaking to each other in over a decade, Gina asks to see Kate because she has nowhere else to go. The two women get snowed in while at Adam's house and are forced to spend the next few days with him and his young children. Kate listens to Gina's story about being framed for heinous crimes by angry colleagues, but she has her doubts about Gina's culpability and sincerity. She wants to believe that her old friend isn't capable of the things she's been accused of doing, but how well did she ever really know Gina? With the help of John Tomasetti, Kate must put her old feelings to rest in order to find the truth and make the tough decision of protecting Gina or turning her in to the proper authorities.

This was a great addition to the Kate Burkholder series. The storyline is solid and suspenseful. It kept me reading late into the night. The twists made the story entertaining, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't see them coming. While the main plot doesn't focus on the Amish this time around, the reader still gets a lot of insight into the Amish way of life through Kate and Gina's time with Adam and his family. I enjoyed learning about some of the family's winter customs, such as ice skating on a frozen pond and going on sleigh rides. I was also happy to get more of a glimpse into Kate's past after she decided to leave the Amish way of life. Castillo sheds some light on Kate's struggles as she learns to navigate the English world alone and how she ultimately ended up pursuing a career in law enforcement. The reader can also look forward to seeing how Kate and Tomasetti's relationship continues to develop. One thing that is missing from the story is the other members of Kate's team. Because of the blizzard, Kate is stuck at Adam's farm and has almost no interaction with the rest of the characters I've grown to love throughout the series. Other than that small complaint, this is an enjoyable read that lives up to the rest of the series. While all the novels can stand alone, I highly recommend starting from the very first book in order to fully understand and appreciate the complicated protagonist that is Kate Burkholder, Chief of Police.

My Rating: ★★★★☆
At the time of this post, this title is set to be released on July 7, 2020.

*Thanks to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review!