Posted in Mystery & Thriller

Don’t Miss: Find Me

Would you be willing to start over?

Thank you to Harper Audio and Libro.fm for the complimentary digital edition for review.

Hope Miller has rebuilt her life from the moment that she had an accident and lost her memory fifteen years ago. So one night when she sees someone following her, she wonders if her past is catching up with her. Instead of being excited, she’s afraid. 

Lindsay Kelly, Hope’s rescuer and best friend, can’t get in touch with Hope and after investigating discovers blood in the last place Hope was seen. The DNA matches with a notorious Kansas murder. 

Ellie Hatcher is an NYPD homicide detective with a unique connection to the Kansas murder case. Her father was the investigating detective and he died before it could be solved. Ellie always suspected there was more to her father’s death and the case. 

These three women collide on a quest to find out what happened to Hope, how she is connected to the Kansas murder, and how the death of Ellie’s dad may have related to the recent events. 

My thoughts: Like always, Alafiar Burke delivers an interesting plot with twists and surprises. Although this is the 6th book featuring Ellie Hatcher, it really can be read as a standalone, as Ellie has at most a supporting role. Knowing Burke’s writing style, the number of characters did not surprise me, but I can understand how they could all be confusing at first. I love how past and present in Ellie’s story wove together and tied in with the current mystery. The ending shocked me enough that I had to listen to it twice to fully grasp what happened. This was a great listen and I look forward to the next Alafair Burke book!

Posted in Historical Fiction, Mystery & Thriller

Don’t Miss: The Last House on the Street

House in the woods, House in a bustling suburb, Loft in a big city?

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for a complimentary digital copy.

In 1965, Ellie Hockley is determined to make her life stand for something. As the daughter of a popular town pharmacist, she herself is going to school for pharmacy and is dating a bank manager. She puts all that aside to spend her summer helping Black people register to vote. In the process, she finds out the true nature of the town she grew up in.

In 2010, Kayla Carter and her young daughter are moving to a house they built in Shadow Ridge Estates, down the street from the Hockley homestead. Right before she moves in, she receives a visit from a mysterious woman cautioning her about the property and the haunted reputation of the woods behind her house. Her neighbor, Ellie Hockley, also seems to have some long held secrets.

💭 Once again, Diane Chamberlain weaves the perfect tale with a clashing of past and present. One of the things I most love about this book was that it was an easy transition between the timelines. I loved them both equally and was always sad for a page or two when switching, until I became re-immersed in the other timeline.

This is almost two distinct genres wrapped in one. Historical fiction in a time of civil unrest and contemporary thriller. The characters, especially those in the 1965 timeline are so powerful. This book wrecked me when the stories finally came together. Such an impressive work. It’s definitely a must read!