THE SHADOW HOUSE

4 stars out of 5

My overall impression? This is a perfect read while lounging at a sandy beach sipping an umbrella-topped margarita. Or in a recliner in front of a roaring fire sipping an Irish coffee while snowflakes tickle the windows. My personal scenario was nothing so dramatic, alas, but I made the best of my circumstances and enjoyed it just the same.

Living in Australia, Alex has run away from an abusive husband, taking her kids Ollie, age 14, and Kara, 8 months (by two different fathers). They've landed in what's called an ecovillage - a commune of sorts that's under development outside of Sydney. There, she hopes to find peace, love and safety but not divorce - at least that wasn't mentioned at the outset nor anywhere else in the book that I noticed. Love (or the potential thereof) comes early in the form of project developer Kit - a handsome hunk who's single and immediately wants to strike up a relationship with the beautiful Alex. She's interested, but she's got issues to deal with first - not the least of which is that her son - hardly an angel in his own right - is just plain angry about being dragged away from his home and friends - not for the first time, apparently.

The situation goes from bad to worse; amid rumors of supernatural occurrences experienced by other residents, Alex herself becomes a target. Meanwhile, readers (and Alex) learn about similar incidents half a dozen years ago involving a nearby family that led to the rumors. Alex is understandably upset, but she's also curious - and sets out to get to the truth before someone or something gets to her family. In between, she interacts with some of the locals, mostly with skepticism as to whether they really want her to join the community. Between her suspicions about them, the Twilight Zone goings-on and misgivings about Kit, she waffles over whether she should just pack up her kids and meager belongings and run once again.

With a little help from her friends (she's not sure they're really friends, but at least she trusts them enough to let them babysit), everything comes together in the end. And thankfully, most of that Voodoo-type stuff fell by the wayside fairly early on - for me, a little of that goes a long way unless Stephen King wrote it. What bothered me most, I guess, is that none of the characters is especially likable, and a couple of them seemed to be red herrings - thrown in the mix as nothing more than a diversion. Overall, though, this is an engaging story that held my attention (really!) throughout. And I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for providing me with a pre-release copy to read and review.

The Shadow House by Anna Downes (Minotaur Books, April 2022); 314 pp.

WATCH HER DISAPPEAR

5 stars out of 5

This is the 14th installment in the series featuring Pennsylvania Detective Josie Quinn, and I've read several. All have been quite good, but for some reason this one stands out among the others. Maybe it's because the focus seems a little less on Josie's troubled background and more on that of her chief, Robert Chitwood - a man who, prior to this, has been a bit of a thorn in Josie's side. Or maybe it's because a serial killer is on the loose - perhaps one with ties to a long-ago murder that hits too close to home for comfort. Whatever the reason, it gets five stars from me.

That's even though I was left scratching my head over how a relatively small (20,000) town can support "several different" high schools and reels in "hundreds and hundreds" of students at a single prom (especially when the latter typically is limited to juniors and seniors). I live close to a handful of towns of this size - a few stones' throws from the Keystone state, in fact - where just two high schools struggle with low enrollment figures. Oh well, except that the unrealistic numbers helped complicate corpse identification, I suppose it really wasn't all that important to the overall scheme of things.

And the scheme is intriguing; out behind one of those several schools on systemwide prom night, a young girl's body is found. The victim of a single stab wound, she's wearing what appears to be a prom dress, complete with wrist corsage. Problem is, no one has a clue as to who she is. Finally, a lightbulb goes off in Josie's head; she's a girl who went missing a few months earlier for whom an Amber alert was issued. There are zero clues on the body that could lead to a suspect, but five small cuts on the inside of her arm raise alarm bells. When another missing girl is found in her bed a few days later - with a similar cause of death and a different number of small cuts - it's enough to make Jesse and her team, husband Lt. Noah Fraley and detectives Gretchen Palmer and Finn Mettner, lean toward the serial killer angle.

Strangely, their chief suddenly becomes animated and insistent that they pursue the case. When he finally reveals the reason, it opens up a whole new line of investigation into what will become a race to find a killer before another young girl falls victim. It's nonstop action and a slam-bang finish - good reasons for not wanting to turn off my Kindle at bedtime. Many thanks once again to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy. Good job!

Watch Her Disappear by Lisa Regan (Bookouture, April 2022); 389 pp.

ROBERT LUDLUM'S THE TREADSTONE TRANSGRESSION

4 stars out of 5

If you love nonstop action, blood-and-guts topped by more blood-and-guts and superhuman heroes who can mow down 24 men with AK-47s and machetes with 24 more lurking right around the building he just blew up with a grenade, trust me, you won't be disappointed with this book. Quite honestly, it was a little too much for me (make that way too much), but the fact remains that there's a well-written story in here for those with the stomach for finding it. And in the interests of full disclosure, I'm pretty sure I'd have had an easier time keeping all the characters straight had this not been my first book in the Treadstone series (this is the third).

Actually, I developed a fondness of sorts for that hero, Treadstone agent Adam Hayes, who at this stage of his much-battered life wants to plan his son's upcoming birthday party far more than how he'll survive his latest mission. His superiors, of course, visualize a different scenario; just one more mission, claims his boss, Treadstone director Levi Shaw - who promises that Adam will be back at home in time to watch his kid smack the pinata.

If any readers believe that, I've got a great deal on a bridge in Arizona for you. In reality, Hayes isn't dumb enough to fully believe it either, but his boss's offer isn't really an offer, so off he goes. The mission? To set up a safe house in Haiti for a man who is in possession of an incriminating flash drive and get the heck out. Simple, yes?

Don't be silly. Immediately, the entire plan is blown to shreds - nearly taking Hayes along for the ride. Worse, the fact that he's still alive seems to be a bug in the bonnet of nasty characters who want to change that - and who go all out to make sure it happens. But hats off to Hayes, who not only has to figure out who to trust (and who not to trust) but also how to rise to all the physical and mental challenges he encounters in large part because, well, what kind of dad makes a promise to his son and doesn't keep it?

Since this is a series, I certainly didn't expect Hayes to be bumped off, but I will say it was touch and go for a while. As for the details, you'll just have to read it for yourself. I'll just be content to say thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy.

Robert Ludlum's The Treadstone Transgression by Joshua Hood (G.P. Putnam's Sons, April 2022); 383 pp.

SHADOWS REEL

4 stars out of 5

Dark and heavy on politics, this - the 22nd in the series featuring Wyoming game warden Joe Pickett, his family and longtime friend and falconer Nate Romanowski - is a noticeable departure from the usual fare. Don't misunderstand - I enjoyed it immensely, as I did all that came before it. That said, I'm hoping it's not setting a trend for future installments.

Theme One: It's almost Thanksgiving, and Joe's wife Marybeth, director of the town library, is looking forward to having their three daughters at their relatively new home for the holiday. As she's clearing the decks to leave, she sees an unkempt man leave a package on the library steps. When she opens it, she finds a worn photo album that apparently belonged to a high-ranking Nazi officer. Another thing soon becomes apparent: a couple of nasty guys named Viktor and Laslo are determined to get it back.

Theme Two: Joe fields a call about moose-poaching - an out-of-season no-no that makes his blood boil. It turns chilling, though, when he discovers that the dead moose is human - clearly tortured, burned and tossed over a fence on a remote property. Turns out he's a local fishing guide with not much money and no known enemies, so why on earth would anyone want to kill him?

Theme Three: In a previous book, Nate's wife Liv and young daughter Kestral were seriously roughed up, after which the attacker killed a couple of Nate's falcons and stole the rest. The time and expertise it took to train them notwithstanding, the loss of the birds threatens Nate's hard-won livelihood and now he's off not only to get payback for hurting his wife and daughter, but to bring his prized falcons back to their mews.

As might be expected, chapters follow the progress of each scenario to let readers know what's really going on as well as how or if they're all somehow connected. I won't reveal details, but I will say that Nate's adventures evolve into a scenario ripped from the headlines complete with politically-laced explanations that border on diatribes. That Nate dragged Joe into the mix was even more disheartening, even more so since I'm still not sure why that was necessary. 

Still, everything came together well, and I very much enjoyed the historical information that accompanied the photo album scenario (it was, the author says in the acknowledgements, based on facts). And just for my own amusement, I'll also mention something that gave me a guffaw many years ago and again here: At one point, the dialog reads, "Shut up!" Viktor explained. Flash back to the mention of a book in a long-ago issue of Writer's Digest; written by William Noble and subtitled "A Guide to the Uses and Misuses of Dialogue." The title was Shut UP!" He Explained. As a professional writer and editor who often dealt with such idiocies, I thought at the time it was the funniest, yet most appropriate, book titles I'd ever heard of. I have no idea whether the author of this book used the comment intentionally, but it was a hoot to see it again.

Shadows Reel by C.J. Box (G.P. Putnam's Sons, March 2022); 366 pp.

THE INVESTIGATOR

5 stars out of 5

As a longtime reader of this author's series featuring U.S. Marshals Service officer Lucas Davenport, I'm familiar with his adopted daughter Letty, who comes from a troubled background (to say the least) but has thrived under the care of Lucas and his physician wife, Weather. Now, she's 24, a college graduate and off on her own working in a ho-hum job for a U.S. Senator. When he learns of her unrest, he gives her an assignment of looking into the theft of oil from several Texas companies. The amount of oil missing and how much money the thefts amount to - chickenfeed in the overall scheme of oil industry profits - aren't of serious interest, but the senator is curious about where the profits are going and wants to make sure it's not to a right-wing militia group.

In part because Letty is still green around the ears when it comes to investigative skills, she's teamed with John Kaiser, a Department of Homeland Security investigator. At first, she's not delighted with that and neither is he, but they manage to put those feelings aside and, ultimately, develop real respect for each other (if it matters, he won me over as well). The thinking is that a woman who runs a far-right website and a male accomplice may be behind the thefts; when Letty and John head for Texas and find a couple of dead bodies clearly related to the two suspects, it moves into the sure-thing department and the chase is on. 

But exactly who they're chasing and what they're planning to do isn't quite so clear; all Letty and John know for sure is that many lives could be in the balance if they can't figure it out in time. Readers, of course, come along for the ride as chapters shift from the perspectives of the heroes and villains before reaching an explosive conclusion. From this reader's perspective, it was a heck of a journey - during which Letty earned her investigator stripes and made a believer out of me. Already, I'm looking forward to her next adventure. Meantime, thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy of this one. Well done!

The Investigator by John Sandford (G.P. Putnam's Sons, April 2022); 400 pp.

STANDING ALONE

4 stars out of 5

As a big fan of this author's Dan "Spider" Shepherd series, I was eager to get my hands on this book (while lamenting the fact that I somehow missed the first one in the series). My conclusion? No shortage of action and I'm looking forward to the next installment, but Spider - who's a friend of SAS trooper Matt Standing, the hero of this series - remains my favorite of the two.

Another character from the Shepherd books plays a big role in Matt's life as well; Charlotte Button, who at least at one time was Spider's controller and now works for The Pool, a nefarious sort of organization that apparently ignores legal boundaries. Setting the rest of the story in motion, she contacts Matt with an offer he literally can't refuse even though he wants to: Chase down and eliminate an old acquaintance - a former Navy SEAL who's now out of the service and gone rogue.

Once in a remote and somewhat lawless section of the country that's a potbed for illegal production and sale of cannabis - where his target is believed to be hiding out - Matt meets up with a crusty but likable self-sufficient guy named Brett (and bonds with him so much so that he feels guilty for not being able to reveal his true mission). But while Matt spends a little time looking for the man he's supposed to kill, he spends far more dealing with the realities of a robust - and  cartel-controlled - marijuana industry that tromps on human rights and fiercely protects its territories.

And that is, I think, the biggest turn-off for me; the vast majority of the book centers on all these experiences (some of which nearly get Matt killed) and almost totally sidesteps his original quest to find Charlotte's man. Besides that, there are too many words spent on hot-button political issues like Big Pharma, legalization of marijuana and hemp, what's taught in public schools and such to suit me. That has nothing to do with whether or not I agree - to each his or her own, after all - but rather that I hear enough of that "stuff" in my daily life that I really don't want to read about it as well.

Since this is a series, it's no spoiler to say that Matt somehow makes it through to the end, although it's touch-and-go in a few spots. For the details, you'll just have to read it for yourself; if you love to see action heroes who don't back away from a good fight no matter what the odds, you'll love this character. As for me, I'll just say I enjoyed it very much and thank you to the publisher (via NetGalley) for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy.

Standing Alone by Stephen Leather (Hodder & Stoughton, January 2022); 324 pp.

THE PARTY AT NO. 12

4 stars out of 5

Sometimes when a roadblock threatens to derail your journey, you've just got to suck it up, walk around it and keep going till you reach your destination. Such was the case here for me early on, when a bunch of adult women made a decision so egregious and off-putting that I nearly shut off my Kindle and called it quits. But this is an author whose work I've always enjoyed - and I'd agreed to provide an honest review of the book in exchange for getting access prior to release - so I shoved my real feelings to the other side of my brain and kept plugging away. And in doing so, I found a story that kept me entertained the rest of the way.

Hannah Ford, you see, is having a party - a last hurrah of sorts before she takes off for some post-divorce traveling, with no set date to return. Her mother Alison and her friend Janet Hannah's sisters Charlotte and Beth are there, as are her old friend Sophie, Sophie's mother Dawn and another old friend, Katherine. They're staying at an old home that's been renovated for renting out. Truth is, the party-goers haven't exactly been friends (or close relatives) for some time now - and it's clear they all are trying to hide some kind of secret from the others.

That's why, or so readers are to believe, seven of the guests decide it wouldn't serve them well to bring in the police when the eighth turns up dead. After all, she'd been drinking (or worse) and was injured - perhaps more seriously than the others had thought at the time. No doubt an accident, they rationalize - but calling in the cops would call too much attention to the women and those aforementioned secrets. Instead, they agree to take matters into their own hands - literally - and if anyone asks, pretend the dead woman never existed. 

At that point, my focus turned to hoping they'd all get their comeuppance - the sooner the better. The chapters ignored my opinion, though, shifting from character to character to let readers in on events and interactions of the past that shaped who they are today - all leading up to who's responsible for what happened at the party (with a twist at which some readers will be surprised). The loose ends finally get tied up, and while I can't say all's well that ends well, that's partly because I wouldn't have been happy unless each and every one got her fair share of the blame and that doesn't happen. But overall, it's a fun, easy-to-read book - and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy.

The Party at No. 12 by Kerry Wilkinson (Bookouture, March 2022); 349 pp.

THE GOLDEN COUPLE

5 stars out of 5

It's been awhile since I read a book I really, really didn't want to put down. Granted, that makes it tough to get on with life - even if I'm willing to skip a meal, my husband would prefer to not. Even then, I managed to polish it off in about a day and a half. What makes it so enthralling? Much of it, I think, it the psychology angle (my favorite subject and my college major). The story centers around Avery Chambers, a onetime therapist whose outside-the-box techniques landed her in so much trouble that she lost her license. But that hasn't stopped her; she's built a very successful practice built on an unorthodox 10-session approach that allows her to pick and choose her clients.

Among the wannabes is Marissa Bishop, who learned of Avery through a friend. Marissa's marriage to Matthew is in danger because she cheated on him - a one-night stand she's regretted ever since. She still loves her husband and their 8-year-old son, though, and will try just about anything to salvage their marriage. In the hope that Avery can save the day, she convinces her husband to go with her to the initial session that will determine whether or not Avery will take the case of the "golden couple."

Of course, she does (if she hadn't, this book wouldn't exist). Chapters outline their sessions, and in-between chapters focus on the individual characters, giving readers clues to what's really going on in their lives and minds (not the least of which is that all concerned have secrets they either haven't revealed or are outright lying about). In between, Avery tries to ferret out what isn't being said so she can get to the truth that will, supposedly, free Marissa and Matthew to live [together] and love again. 

To be sure, Avery's keen powers of deduction exceed those of any character I've ever read about in any book including the esteemed Sherlock Holmes, thus making it a little hard to believe in spots. But I was so caught up in the story that it bothered me only a tiny bit. Twists and turns popped up in almost every chapter, leading up to a biggie at the end (which, if I'm honest, I'll admit wasn't entirely unexpected). Beyond that I won't comment lest I ruin things for other readers. But I will repeat that I really loved this book - and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy. Outstanding!

The Golden Couple by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen (St. Martin's Press, March 2022); 329 pp.

THE GIRLS IN THE FIRE

4 stars out of 5

When I read the first book in this series last year, I noted that the star of the show, the very flawed Detective Harlow Durant, was carrying way too much baggage for my liking - even though I very much enjoyed the book. Well, it's ditto for this one; I'm still not a big Harlow fan, but despite that it's another good story well worth reading. That's due in no small part to the fact that I love her partner Lucas, who pretty much has her number (and takes "supportive" to a whole 'nother level). Happily, they make quite a few joint appearances here.

The dynamic duo get sent to Saranac Lake in upstate New York (not far from their home base), where a woman's body has been found; it's so badly burned that it's impossible to tell whether the victim is male or female. Not far away in a wilderness area, efforts are under way to find a presumed serial killer of several people, with those efforts being led by a nemesis of Harlow. Of course, the two bump heads, but Harlow insists she has no interest in sticking her nose in his case (and means it, although she has no reservations about digging in her heels should the two cases be related in any way).

Finally, the crispy dead woman is identified, but a motive remains elusive. Not long thereafter, another body turns up with the same M.O. Could it be that a serial killer is on the loose here as well? Could all the murders be somehow connected, and is it possible they're looking for the same serial killer?

Amid all this, Harlow's past comes out of hiding; as the daughter of an imprisoned serial killer and a nasty woman who's a mother only because she gave birth, Harlow has been forced to pull up stakes when the media and local folks get wind of her background. Worse, if that's possible, she's been dogged by her estranged mother, who tends to find her at the worst possible moment.

As a result of the serial killer angle, Harlow's current case triggers all sorts of childhood nightmares, many of which are laid out in interspersed chapters that let readers know what's going on in her head. I know I should be more sympathetic, but honestly, I grew a bit weary of those background checks (i.e., you're a stellar detective, Harlow, so get on with your life already). In reality, though, that may prove difficult - Harlow herself, it appears, has become a target.

The rest you'll just have to read for yourself, and series fans should know there's a twist at the end that no doubt will carry over into the next book. I'll be waiting, but for now I'll thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy of this one.

The Girls in the Fire by Dea Poirier (Bookouture, March 2022); 313 pp.