IT HAD TO BE YOU

4 stars out of 5

All the books in this series have been entertaining, and this one - the eighth - is no exception. Laurie Moran, producer of the "Under Suspicion" true crime TV show, is trying to work her magic despite ongoing squabbles with boss Brett Young and the show host, attorney Ryan Nichols. 

Laurie gets an opportunity to revisit the unsolved case of a wealthy couple who, while celebrating the college graduation of twin sons Ethan and Simon, were brutally murdered in their home a decade ago. Thanks in part to an eyewitness, the police - and just about everyone else - are convinced that one of the twins did the dirty deed, but there's insufficient evidence to bring charges (and besides, the twins are identical, so who's to say which one it was)? The twins themselves, once very close, have become estranged - mostly because each thinks the other one is guilty.

An intriguing case for sure; but convincing everyone involved back then to revisit unhappy memories isn't an easy task. But it's one Laurie has taken on many times in the past, and she manages to corral most of the still-living people to be interviewed for the show in the hopes that new evidence will turn up to make the cold case (and her TV show) hot.

As the investigation continues, with help from Laurie's former-cop father Leo Farley, secrets from the past are revealed - some dead ends, others not. The end is a bit of a mess, actually - and a little hard for me to swallow. The characters, though, seemed to have little problem with the outcome, so I guess that's what counts most. Laurie's family gets a boost or two as well, but that's a secret other readers will have to learn for themselves. So until next time, I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review a pre-release copy of this one. 

It Had to Be You by Mary Higgins Clark and Alafair Burke (Simon & Schuster, April 2024); 268 pp.

YOU DON'T OWN ME

5 stars out of 5

Sometimes, you just want to sit back and be entertained - and this series, one of my favorites, never fails to satisfy. This one I finished in the equivalent of one day not long before the Thanksgiving holiday, providing a much-needed respite before my anxiety over whether the turkey and mashed potatoes will be done at the same time kicks in.

Five years earlier, a prominent physician is murdered - shot just as he returned home from work. His emotionally distressed wife, Kendra, was upstairs sleeping; no one saw the shooting take place, and the killer was never found. Now, the doctor's hoity-toity parents, who are convinced their daughter-in-law somehow masterminded the murder, are demanding that Laurie Moran, producer of the popular TV show "Under Suspicion," feature the case on the show. Years ago, Laurie turned down their offer, largely because Kendra refused to cooperate.

For whatever reason, she's on board this time around; so while Laurie is still a bit reluctant, she agrees that the show must go on. In the middle of trying to gather background information and people to interview, she's making plans to marry her fiance Alex, a district attorney who's about to be sworn in as a federal court judge, and find a new place where she, Alex, and her young son can live.

Quickly, she learns that what appears on the surface isn't necessarily true. Kendra has some serious issues, and her dead husband had some secrets of his own. Digging deeper, Laurie finds herself in danger as well, but is it related to the doctor's murder or something else? Good question, but one for me to know and you to find out by reading it for yourself. Another good one!

You Don't Own Me by Mary Higgins Clark and Alafair Burke (Simon and Schuster, November 2018); 288 pp.