Good Reads & Views

Joe Victim: A Thriller by Paul Cleave
Fiction

What it’s about: Joe Middleton, serial killer, whom we previously met in The Cleaner, is now in jail, awaiting trial. Because of him, politicians running in the upcoming elections are looking to bring back the death penalty in time for his sentencing. And Joe still thinks he can just pretend to not remember committing all his murders and the jury will find him innocent by reason of insanity. References from the previous book are woven into the narrative so this can be read as a standalone.

Other characters of note: Melissa, Joe’s “girlfriend” who has reasons for wanting Joe out of jail; Carl Schroeder, fired ex-cop; Rafael, father of one of Joe’s victims; “The Sally” who was instrumental in Joe being caught; and Joe’s mum, oblivious to his plight and focused on her upcoming nuptials. 

Some observations: This is NOT for the faint of heart. Best enjoyed on audio because the narrator does such a fantastic job. You’ll never eat another sandwich before checking what’s inside… And, as the previous book, very dark humor.

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The Last Anniversary by Liane Moriarty
Fiction

What it's about:  Sophie Honeywell inherits the house of her ex-boyfriend’s Aunt Connie, located on the fictional Scribbly Gum Island. The island is famous for an unsolved mystery, the disappearance of Alice and Jack Munro, known as the Munro baby mystery. Sophie moves onto the island and begins a new life as part of an unconventional family, where it seems everyone has a secret.

Reviewers say: “A stunner…[Moriarty’s] prose turns from funny through poignant to frightening in an artful snap” (Publishers Weekly).

You might also like: Starting Now by Debbie Macomber or Sunrise on Half Moon Bay by Robyn Carr

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We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker
Fiction

Read this if you like:  Vengeful teenage girls, genre blending, and long-buried secrets.

What happens? This combination thriller, western, and literary coming-of-age story begins at the end, thirty years after Walk, a small-town chief of police, turned in his childhood best friend Vincent for causing the death of a child. Time hasn’t healed Walk’s pain, or that of Star Radley, the child’s dazzling but troubled older sister, now the single mother of two—Duchess and Robin. Duchess, a fierce13-year-old who introduces herself as “the outlaw Duchess Day Radley,” considers herself the protector of both her little brother and her mother, whose addictions and penchant for tough men have often gotten her into trouble. Soon after Vincent returns home from prison, there is another murder and Walk and Duchess each set out to unmask the killer and avenge the death. A dark and moving page-turner.

Want more like this? Try True Grit by Charles Portis, for another suspenseful western about a feisty teen girl pairing up with a lawman to exact revenge. Duchess’s unusual cadence of speech is reminiscent of that of Mattie, the True Grit heroine. The Round House by Louise Erdrich is also about a young teen seeking justice for a crime against their mother and is equally heartbreaking.

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Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty
Fiction

Book Buz: #1 New York Times Bestseller & Amazon Best Book of September 2021

Reviewers say: “Liane Moriarty devotees, rejoice!” (CNN).

You might also like: Sometimes I Lie by Alice Feeney or All We Ever Wanted by Emily Giffin

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Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley
Fiction

Read this if you like: Stories that take you on a wild ride, Ojibwe/Anishinaabe culture, traditions, and language with a sprinkling of French American culture, ice hockey, and fake relationships.

What it’s about: Family tragedies—her uncle’s death by overdose, and her grandmother’s stroke—cause Daunis to halt her plans to go away to college so she can remain at home and care for her fragile mother. After she witnesses a drug-related murder, she is recruited as a confidential informant to the FBI to help investigate the influx of a new drug that is destroying her community. Her undercover work introduces her to the new guy on her brother’s hockey team, who may be hiding something. This multilayered gripping thriller will leave you looking for Boulley’s next book.

Tell me more: Daunis is biracial and uses her knowledge of her Ojibwe heritage to guide her actions and decisions throughout the story. Her special interests in chemistry and traditional plants and their medicinal uses help with the investigation, but also put her in danger as she follows her own leads. The tribal Elders who support and advise Daunis are wonderfully charming and play a key role in the book. Daunis herself is likeable, brave, and resourceful—it’s easy to cheer her on as she takes one risk after another.

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Borrowed Time by David Mark
Fiction

What it’s about: After finding out that he was adopted, Adam Nunn hires a private eye  to help him search for his birth parents. The PI promptly turns up dead in an area that had been used in the 1970s as a dumping ground for mob killings, and Adam becomes the prime suspect. Works as both a police procedural and a work of psychological suspense.

Reviewers say: “Gripping from start to finish” (Booklist); “A wild, brutal, fascinating tale of death, betrayal, and love” (Kirkus Reviews).

You might also like: Try the author’s Aector McAvoy series, starting with The Dark Winter, or read one of his stand-alone novels like The Mausoleum or A Rush of Blood.

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The Spies of Shilling Lane by Jennifer Ryan
Fiction

What it’s about: Mrs. Braithwaite was raised to believe herself superior to others and emotions are a sign of weakness. When she is divorced by her philandering husband and toppled from her position as head of the Women’s Voluntary Service, she heads to London to find her estranged daughter at the height of the Blitz. With her on the search is Mr. Norris, Betty’s timid landlord, and together they uncover black marketeers, Nazi sympathizers, double agents and – most importantly – truths about themselves.

Why you might like it: If you enjoy novels about World War II or ordinary people doing extraordinary things, this surprisingly cozy story of suspense is for you.

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The Survivors by Jane Harper
Fiction

What it’s about: Years ago Kieran made a foolish and reckless mistake, the consequences of which still haunt him. Recently returned to his hometown to help his struggling parents, long-held secrets threaten to bubble up when the body of a young woman is found on the beach.

Here’s a taste: “Are they supposed to be happy or sad? I mean, is it a celebration of the people who made it, or a memorial to the ones who didn't?”

Also recommended: Jane Harper’s other novels are The Dry, Force of Nature, and The Lost Man.

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Deception Point by Dan Brown
Fiction

What is it? I listened to the audio version of this book. The book was gripping and difficult to pause. There were SO MANY twists and turns in the plot until it was impossible to distinguish who could be trusted. At the end, Brown wraps everything up in a well-ordered, satisfying way.

Is it for you? If you enjoy a thrilling plot that keeps you on the edge of your seat until the very end, you need to read this book! Even though there are many different characters, Brown does a brilliant job of making sure we know each one and eventually their surprising motives.

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Something in the Water by Catherine Steadman
Fiction

About the author: Catherine Steadman is an actress and writer. She is best known in the United States for her role as Mabel Lane Fox in Downton Abbey. Something in the Water is her first novel.

For fans of: Motive by Jonathan Kellerman and Heartsick by Chelsea Cain.

Reviewers say: “With unreliable characters, wry voices, exquisite pacing, and a twisting plot, Steadman potently draws upon her acting chops. . . . A darkly glittering gem of a thriller from a new writer to watch.”— Kirkus Reviews (starred review).

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