Tag: Netgalley Reviews

THE LIES WE TELL BY DEBRA WEBB

The Lies We Tell (The Undertaker's Daughter #2)

THE UNDERTAKER’S DAUGHTER #2  Sometimes the truth will get you killed.

The first book in this series is a novella titled ” The Undertaker’s Daughter”, followed by ” The Secrets We Bury”. Both books are important to the third.

Dr. Rowan Dupont knows death. Living above her family funeral home she shared her home with it. She knew how to embalm a body before most of us had kissed a boy.

Her story begins as she is working with the Nashville police as a psychiatric consultant. She has a nose for killers and in return, they are very interested in her. But when she fails to recognize that someone very close to her is one, she runs home to Winchester, Tennessee. She is still haunted by dreams of her twin sister’s death, her mother’s suicide and the serial killer who followed her home.

Along with her life long pal Chief Billy, who I love, she is trying her best to stay out of the crosshairs of Julian Addington, a prolific serial killer who wants her more than anything. But why? When a body comes into the funeral home with a tattoo of her mother’s name on his back, Rowan knows this means something, she just isn’t sure what. Then the body disappears and the Feds are back to following her around.

This is the main story. Rowan’s fight to find the truth about her sister’s death and her mother’s suicide. Her mothers’ journals are cryptic and full of death. Was she obsessed with serial killers or was she one herself?  As the bodies continue to stack up, nothing makes any sense. And of course, it doesn’t because there is another story inside of the main one.

I would suggest you read the first two books first. Just so you know who all of the players are.  I absolutely love this series and Rowan and Billy need to quit dancing around each other and get together. IMHO.

Very Well Done!

NetGalley/Expected publication: September 17th, 2019 by MIRA

Met Her Match by Jude Deveraux

Met Her Match

In small towns, no one lets the facts get in the way of juicy gossip…

In the small town of Summer Hill, Virginia, Terri Rayburn has a reputation that hangs over her like a black cloud. 

Summer Hill is a town divided. The lake people and the town people. The lake property is mainly Terri’s fathers and she lives on the lake in her family home. She works hard at everything from repairing a boat motor to dragging tourists out of the water. She knows her place and it is the lake.

When she returns home to find a man in her house, she smells a rat. Are her father and uncle trying to fix her up with a man? A man who is engaged to the Mayor’s daughter?

Nate is a good man. He gets along with everyone and is very good at what he does. But now he’s out of that business and looking to settle down. But with who? As Terri and Nate settle into a friendship that sizzles, Nate is hearing some nasty rumors about Terri and her mother, who disappeared long ago. Nasty rumors have always circulated about what happened.

With the help of a lot of good people, Nate discovers the truth about Terri’s mother and it will change everything. But will he find out who he is and who he wants?

A great summer read with a strong female lead. The characters were great and I hope we hear more from them all!

NetGalley/ September 17th, 2019 by MIRA

 

 

WHAT ROSE FORGOT BY NEVADA BARR

What Rose Forgot

In the New York Times, bestselling author Nevada Barr’s gripping standalone, a grandmother in her sixties emerges from a mental fog to find she’s trapped in her worst nightmare 

Rose Dennis has always been quirky if that is what you call a woman who takes astral journeys and paints wild paintings that sell for big money. She married Harley later in life and when he died she was all of a sudden crazy.

But it takes Rose the entire book to figure out why. She wakes up from a drug-induced fog after suffering a severe case of the flu only to find out she is in some kind of mental institution. It’s really a Memory Care Unit for people with early-onset dementia or full Alzheimers. But why is she here? Now that the drugs keeping her compliant are out of her system and she has no intention of taking any more. Especially after hearing voices in the hall outside of her room saying she won’t last out the week.

Rose is a very self-sufficient woman. It doesn’t take long for her to sneak out and disappear into the woods. Unfortunately, she is found rather quickly and returned.

This only makes her more determined to get out and find out who put her here. So she’s faking taking her meds and stockpiling them. After a daring escape, she ends up back at her house. Just as she is doubting her own sanity, a man breaks into her house trying to kill her.  Okay, so not crazy. But how is she going to prove that? And what about all of the other people left behind. Are they just drugged too?

Along with her 13-year-old granddaughter, Mel and her reclusive, cat-obsessed sister, Marion, who by the way is NOT a hacker (right) and Mel’s friend Royal they are determined to find out the truth. Is someone killing people for profit? And could Mel and Rose be next? Who is willing to kill to get their hands on Rose’s millions?

I thought this was a really good read. The characters were interesting and fun. I’ve seen some reviews talking about Rose and an elderly woman climbing a roof. First, 68 is not elderly. 88 may be elderly but the lady I box with is 68 and she can get on her roof and install new shingles!

Well Done!

NetGalley/September 17th, 2019 by Minotaur Books

 

 

 

 

 

 

CHRISTMAS FROM THE HEART by SHEILA ROBERTS

Christmas from the Heart

Christmas from the Heart has helped so many people in the small town of Pine River, Washington, and Olivia Berg is carrying on the tradition of her mother and her grandmother and great-grandmother. Running a non-profit is difficult at the best of times, but Christmas seems to be the time they all are asking for donations.

This year they are falling short. Times are tough everywhere and this year their major donor must say no.

Guy Hightower is at his wits end with his two older brothers lack of planning and control of their company. Being the youngest makes it hard to get your voice heard over your older brothers. Cuts must be made if this company is to succeed. They’ve all gotten used to living the high life and driving expensive cars. And this year their donations went to more high profile charities. It’s just business.

But Olivia has no intention of taking no for an answer as she hounds the man and his poor secretary. What’s a girl to do?

Much like a Hallmark Movie, the poor guy winds up in Pine River, stranded by his Masarati in the snow and guess who is driving by and offers him a ride? Yep. He uses a fake name once he realizes who she is and then they proceed to bring joy and happiness to the town. Until she finds out who he is.

I have to say this was very predictable and Olivia was rather a bully about asking for money from everyone! She was rather unlikeable as a character. Basically, it’s the old Cinderella story. Poor woman, a Rich man who saves the day and just like that! Happy Christmas.

This is the reason I don’t watch those movies.

September 24th, 2019 by Mira Books NetGalley Reads

 

 

Buried in the Stacks by Allison Brook

Buried in the Stacks (The Haunted Library Mysteries, #3)

A Haunted Library Mystery #3

Carrie and Smokey Joe are back for another adventure in the Haunted Library. And their resident ghost, Evelyn, isn’t the only one taking refuge in the library. The homeless population has grown in their small town and many are using the library to stay warm during the day. Good people who through no fault of their own are now homeless.

Carrie gets involved with a group trying to establish a daytime place for the homeless. Haven House sounds like a wonderful place with help in all areas of their lives. But from the beginning, there is gossip that the place will be used as a gambling house at night. That the buyers are shady and the entire deal sketchy.

When Dorothy has a slip on some black ice, Carrie, as the newly appointed Sunshine Delegate for the library, goes to visit her in the hospital where a drugged up Dorothy tells her that her own husband is trying to kill her and may have killed her Aunt Evelyn.

Dorothy is not a well-liked person. If you have read the first two books, you already know that. And while Carrie doesn’t want to get involved, she can’t say no to Evelyn.

Carrie has really grown as a character and I am quite impressed by this cast of interesting people. And what is better than a library? A haunted library!

Well Done!

NetGalley/ September 10th, 2019 by Crooked Lane Books

 

 

 

 

 

 

29 SECONDS by T.M.Logan

 

29 Seconds

Give me one name. One person. And I will make them disappear . . . 

Dr. Sarah Haywood has a lot on her plate. A teaching job concentrating on Christoper Marlowe, 2 young children, a husband who has shacked up with another woman, and a boss who can’t seem to keep his hands to himself. Professor Hawthorne is a nightmare of a boss. Always one step ahead of any accusations of impropriety and not afraid to blackmail his female staff into sex for your job scenario.

Sarah is at a loss to figure out a way to keep her job and not have to sleep with her boss. Which is getting more difficult as he is sabotaging her work and reputation. Sarah is at her wit’s end.

A seemingly unrelated incident happens to her early on. She is witness to an attempted kidnapping of a little girl. She never thought that the little girl belonged to a very powerful man who is very grateful to Sarah. In a very secretive meeting, Sarah meets a man with a lot of money and a lot of power, who doesn’t like to owe people. In his mind, Sarah has saved his daughter and now he is in her debt. So he offers her a one time deal.

Will she take it? Would you? One name. Gone Forever. Would you? No chance of blowback. No chance of anyone finding out. Would you?

This was definitely a thriller!  At first, I was a bit upset with Sarah. She was rather all over the place, but I looked at what she was. An educated woman being jerked around by not one but two men. While holding down a full-time job and with 2 children under 10. Being passed over for promotion for not trading sex for favors.

Very Well Done!

NetGalley/ September 10th, 2019 by St. Martin’s Press

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE GOOD COP by PETER STEINER

The Good Cop

In a world of growing nationalism, a quiet few are determined to resist. This gripping historical mystery explores the darkest days of the early 20th century. 

Peter Steiner has given us a work of Historical Fiction with a lot of truth in the mix.

WWI has been lost. Germany is in chaos and the new government isn’t anything to brag about. Everyone is in some way corrupted. Detective Willi Geismeier has a front-row seat to the rise of Adolph Hitler.

You have Fascism and Communism and violence everywhere. This is a country that needs a leader desperately. Unfortunately, that leader comes in the shape of Adolph Hitler. Everything is politicized and investigations of crimes become impossible.

We also have the viewpoints of Maximillian and his wife, Sophie, a reporter. Together they will fight to stay alive, knowing that things are not going to end well for many.

This was a historical fiction story with a whole lot of truth behind it. It moved fast and I really enjoyed seeing Munich in the 1920s through the eyes of those who were there. Good plot, good characters, and a fast pace. Well Done!

NetGalley Reviews/ Severn House  September 3rd, 2019