NASH FALLS

5 stars out of 5 

It’s the creation of a human killing machine – albeit an unwilling one – and the start of what I expect will be another highly successful series from one of my favorite authors. For sure I’m already chomping at the bit to read the next installment – it was, after all, hard to put this one down. My concern, though – and I’ll be honest - is that this regenerated guy, Dillon Hope (nee Walter Nash) won’t turn out to be a carbon copy of former-nice-guys-now-seeking redemption characters from other series I’ve read. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, mind you, but I personally am not looking for another one.

That aside, it’s all systems go. Walter Nash is a top executive at Sybaritic Investments, where his direct boss is Rhett Temple, son of the company founder (neither of whom I’d call a “people” person). Walter, though, is happy enough – he’s got his wife, Judith, and their almost-20 daughter Maggie - both nice to come home to. Then one day, he gets a call from a high-level FBI agent, asking for his help in bringing down the investment company and its suspected illegal activities. Certain officials are, the agent claims, in cahoots with an international criminal named Victoria Steers.

Walter, of course, is less than thrilled with becoming a spy and whistleblower, especially knowing the end result almost certainly will be the witness protection program for him and his family – no more fancy home or cars, no huge nest egg nor other perks of his job or Judith’s – plus the kibosh on all of his daughter’s dreams for the future. But when he protests, the FBI agent makes him an offer he can’t refuse – accept the deal or go down with the ship and get nothing except possibly jail time.

Reluctantly, Walter agrees, and it soon becomes clear the FBI isn’t wrong; something is terribly amiss at the company. But who is behind it? And more to the point, can he find out before someone at the company finds out he’s a snitch? When things begin to look as if it’s all a downhill slide, Walter is contacted by his late and long-estranged father’s former military buddy, nicknamed Shock – a man Walter was certain hated him even more than his own father had. Truths emerge, but more important, Shock points out the only direction that will lead to the company’s downfall but at the same time save Walter’s skin - and he follows that up with a promise to lead the way.

Problem is, it means Walter will have to be transformed into the kind of person he never in a thousand years wanted to be.  Worse, there’s no guarantee he’ll survive the journey. But it’s the only choice he has, so he goes along for the wildest ride of his life. Put another way, Walter Nash falls, rising again as Dillon Hope (leading to the next book, appropriately titled Hope Rises, tentatively set for release in early April 2026).

You can bet your last dollar I’ll be snagging that one too. Meantime, I heartily thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to get in at the beginning. You should, too!

Nash Falls by David Baldacci (Grand Central Publishing, November 2025); 448 pp.

 

THE PERFECT HOSTS

4 stars out of 5

What a mash-up of nasty characters – all of them, including even the “hero” - have some kind of agenda that’s not totally revealed till the end. And speaking of the ending, we’re left with a bit of a cliffhanger – making me think there’ll be another installment (at least) to come. If that includes the aforementioned hero, a guy I really, really liked, I’m ready and waiting.

That hero is Jamie Saldano, an agent with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). He’s been called to the scene of a death by explosion at the home of wealthy and pregnant Madeline Drake and her husband Wes, where a gender-reveal party was taking place. The “reveal” was to be made by an explosion triggered by a rifle shot to a staged container that would release the properly colored smoke. That happened as planned, but the shot was followed by another explosion that destroyed a nearby building – killing Madeline’s midwife and good friend Johanna. The question Jamie must answer is whether it was an accident or intentional. If it’s the latter, of course, it likely means someone at the party is a murderer.

But who might that be? And for that matter, was Johanna the actual target, or did she just happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time? As the investigation progresses, evidence points in more than one direction – from guests to the people who threw the party. Also not to be discounted are Wes’s older brother Dix and a party server named Millie, who narrowly escaped the burning barn with her life, and Madeline’s estranged sister, Lucy, who suddenly appears out of nowhere.

For his part, Jamie is haunted by his past years here – highlighted by the fact that Wes Drake once saved his life back when he was a teenager and his sister disappeared, never to be found again. But his ongoing quest to find out what really happened to her is overshadowed by doing the job he came here to do, so for the most part his memories get put on the back burner.

Of course, the rest of the book focuses on the investigation, muddled in large part because everyone – including Jamie – has some kind of an axe to grind. Except for Jamie, most of the characters to me weren’t very likable, but that simply made me more curious as to which one would end up being the worst of the lot. Overall, it’s a thoroughly engaging adventure (with a bit of a surprise ending), and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy.

The Perfect Hosts by Heather Gudenkauf (Park Row, November 2025); 320 pp.

THE GRACEVIEW PATIENT

4 stars out of 5

Honestly, I'm not sure how to review this one. All the way through it was gripping - mesmerizing, even - but in the end I don't know how much that matters because it felt as it I were back at the beginning of a loop that will just keep going...and going...and going. Yeah, I know that doesn't make much sense, but that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

It begins innocently enough, though a bit out of my mental wheelhouse, as Margaret Culpepper enters Graceview Hospital as part of a treatment research trial. It seems she has an incurable condition - one that renders her nearly helpless and has resulted in alienation of all her famiily members and friends. Enter the trial, her medical consultants say, and there's a chance that you'll be cured once and for all. The process, which is long, involved and often painful, requires that her entire immune system be destroyed and a new one to be "rebuilt" from the inside out.

It certainly doesn't sound appealing to me, nor did it to Margaret; but given the prognosis, if she does nothing, she'll never get better. And after all, how many ways can it go wrong? Well, I lost count of that number in the first half-dozen chapters - and it shot higher from then on, as outlined in gory detail throughout the rest of the book. Suffice it to say Margaret alternates between being happy that she's getting a chance at a cure and trying desperately to escape from what is fast becoming a prison from which she - like other trial subjects who have gone before her - will never escape alive.

All told, it's creepy, unnerving and on occasion downright terrifying - and perhaps a little too often for my liking, off-the-charts unbelievable. Then came the ending, which as I alluded to earlier, isn't exactly an ending - reminding me of an old song by the late, great Peggy Lee, "Is that all there is?"

Do not misunderstand, though; I certainly recommend it to others who like this kind of thing. Thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for giving me some by-the-minute thrills by way of a pre-release copy.

The Graceview Patient by Caitlin Starling (St. Martin's Press, October 2025); 297 pp.

DYING CRY

4.5 stars out of 5

Okay, I'm a sucker for books that have lovable dogs in them. Robo, the K-9 partner of Timber Creek (Colorado) Sheriff's Department Deputy Mattie Walker, is among my favorites (this is the 10th in the series). Here, Mattie and her relatively new husband, Cole (a veterinarian and member of the Sheriff's Posse), are taking a few days off at a high country resort to teach Cole's daughters Sophie and Angela - Mattie's new family -  to snowshoe. As they make their way with Robo along a canyon, they hear what appears to be a human scream. Knowing that's not a common thing and sensing danger, Mattie and Robo send the girls back to the resort with their father and head on to investigate.

What they find is anything but pleasant; an apparent body at the bottom of a cliff. Just as they get closer, though, more danger comes in the form of a landslide that, well, lands right on top of the body. When they can safely approach, Mattie - with help from Robo - uncovers the body of a man who was attending a bankers' retreat at the resort lodge. That's bad enough; but it turns personal when the body turns out to be Tom Murphy, the husband of Cole's very competent veterinary tech assistant, Tess. 

Needless to say, that puts Tess in the crosshairs of Mattie's investigation (the spouse is always a suspect, don't you know) and Cole in the middle. Then other possibilities begin to surface, especially when they learn Tom was concerned about something amiss at the bank. Could it be he was murdered to keep him silent? As the investigation progresses, both Mattie and Cole have their hands full trying to find the killer as well as soothe the agitation and concern of young Sophie and Angie and the demands of their mother, Cole's ex-wife Olivia.

The star of the show (well, to me, at least) is Robo, whose sensitive nose and protective nature get a good workout in this fast-paced adventure. The outcome of the investigation came as a surprise (and perhaps a little contrived), but it made sense and certainly kept my Kindle thumb busy turning the pages right to the end. Oh, and if you haven't read any others in the series, don't worry; this one stands alone quite well (the last one I read was in 2019, and I had no problem at all). I'm ready for the next one, and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to catch up by way of a pre-release copy. Well done!

Dying Cry by Margaret Mizushima (Crooked Lane Books, October 2025); 282 pp.

COYOTE HILLS

5 stars out of 5

If you're looking for a good mystery series, this father-son team has come up with one I've thoroughly enjoyed (this is the sixth installment). And IMHO, it's the best of the lot so far. For those who don't want to start at the beginning (always my recommendation with any series), this book easily stands on its own.

Private-eye friend Regina Klein calls Clay Edison, a former coroner turned private investigator, to ask for help with a case. Adam Valois, who earlier went missing, has turned up dead in a park in Coyote Hills, California. Apparently, he hit his head and drowned, but especially since he had drugs in his system, the question of accident or murder comes into play. 

Adam's wealthy parents are sure it's not an accident, so Clay goes to work - in between spending time with his wife, Amy, and kids Charlotte and Myles (it was not lost on me that Clay's children have the same names as two of my four grandkitties, not that it matters much on the book review side of things). Digging around turns suspicion on Adam's former girlfriend, Olivia, as well as a sketchy childhood friend, Trevor Vogel, who's a known druggie. But then Clay recalls an old case of his in which the victim died in a similar manner and, more importantly, with the same drug combination in his system at the time of his death. Followed by another, and another. Coincidence? Possibly, but Clay isn't so sure.

The rest of the book follows the investigation, and I while it gets a bit convaluted in spots, the generous heaping of humor sprinkled throughout more than makes up for it (hint: Regina is positively a hoot). Bottom line? Easy to read, easy to love and I'm ready for the next one. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to get in on the action once again by way of a pre-release copy.

Coyote Hills by Jonathan Kellerman and Jesse Kellerman (Ballantine Books, October 2025); 352 pp.

THE WIDOW

5 stars out of 5

It's been a while since I read a book I really, really didn't want to put down. When I find one, it's likely to be by one of my favorite authors like the prolific Mr. Grisham - but even he outdid himself on this one. It's a titch off center from his usual fare, but viva la difference.

Simon Latch has a decent but boring life as an attorney in backwoods Virginia, struggling to keep his office open and his long-time secretary Matilda paid after 18 years. To keep his sanity, he's also a sort of under-the-table gambler whose losses typically outweigh his wins. Then one day, in walks elderly Eleanor Barnett, who claims to need a new will. So what, Simon says (to himself, which is a good thing since the old bag also claims to be loaded). Her late husband, it seems, racked up a fortune in corporate stock before he died - and also told her he didn't want either of his two grown sons to inherit a cent. She's got a will drawn up by an attorney across the street, but she's not happy with it and wants Simon to write a new one that will make the previous one - even though it also excludes her stepsons - null and void.

Simon's nose does twitch a bit at her story, but that's soon overwhelmed by the smell of financial opportunity. He can, he decides, draw up a better will - one that gives the bulk of her money to the charities she wants, but also provide a more than comfortable future for him (make that way more). First, though, he needs to gain her full confidence (not to mention rack up fees and expenses) as well as details she's reluctant to reveal about her financial situation. So for a time, he becomes a frequent companion, making sure she gets where she wants to go and eating what she wants to eat - while his nose twitches with every dollar spent.

Then comes a major roadblock; she's hospitalized as a result of an auto accident. And from that point on, Simon's life takes on a life of its own - ending with his realization that in many ways he's been had and his arrest for a murder he didn't commit.

At that point, my job as a reviewer is done - just as Simon's terror that his life outside jail will be over unless he can somehow prove his innocence begins. How he tries that - and whether or not he's successful, makes up the rest of the book and is for readers to learn (as well, of course, as the juicy and intriguing details of everything I spoke of in previous paragraphs). In the end, it's an engrossing tale told by a master of engrossing tales. My advice? Don't miss it. And while I'm still writing, I'll say many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the pre-release copy. Loved it!

The Widow by John Grisham (Doubleday, October 2025); 416 pp.