Suspense – One Chapter

Three-Inch Teeth by CJ Box

3.5 Stars Mystery

Ha! Three-inch teeth….that was just part of the problem. I have to give it to him, he was smart, almost too smart. He had a gift, and he used it to his advantage. Clever guy, oh yes he was. This was one of those books where things were falling together and I didn’t realize it until the gloves were off and bodies were falling.

He got out of prison, and he wants revenge. He’s not doing it alone which added some excitement to this book. The bodies start piling up, but something is just not adding up, the authorities are baffled. Who can connect the dots and figure this one out?

I liked Dallas’ idea as it was creative and innovative. Realistic? I’m not so sure but perhaps someday we’ll get there. As they were unraveling the mystery, I felt that it was done quickly, and swiftly. Listening to this book, I did feel that there were a lot of individuals to keep track of, and it was hard sometimes to keep everyone separate. 3.5 stars

One Big Happy Family by Jamie Day

4 stars Fiction Suspense

Yeah, happy. Let’s get that definition of happy. Charley, is the happiest character is this story, and she wasn’t even related to the Bishop’s. Charley did her job, played her part, but inside she was walking on eggshells. She was the maid of the Precipice, and she needed that job as much as the Precipice needed her.

Charley was financing the rising cost of her grandmother’s nursing home care with her earnings and the money she “picked” from guest’s pockets. While working, Charley is confronted by Bree. Bree’s heartbreaking story of abuse has Charley hiding Bree is one of the hotel’s room as a hurricane is pounding outside. This is a huge gamble for everyone involved. Her job, her grandmother, and Bree are all on the line. I liked Charley the most as she had the most at stake and she seemed liked the one who was looking in on things. There were times that I questioned her position as she did know quite a bit about the hotel and she tried to act innocent as they each pointed fingers at one another.

In walks the sisters. The competition begins as they each want a piece of what is left of their father’s life. I had to laugh as they each started to give advice as if someone would actually jump at their mere suggestion. All three of them were different, each of them adding something unique to this story. When the murder takes place, weird messages began to arrive. Who was writing these messages? It had to be one of them but which one. A storm is raging outside, the players are stuck inside and the tension is building. 4 stars.

Top 10 Spooky Mysteries: You Wouldn’t Want to Know About! by Fiona MacDonald

3 stars Children’s Nonfiction

I do like a good mystery, and spooky, yes that would make it extra special. This children’s nonfiction caught my attention at the library. This is a slim book consisting of only 32 pages. Those pages include 3 pages of introductions, two pages for the index and table of contents, and two pages for the glossary. In between all of that you have 10 pages of what the author believes are the Top 10 Worse Spooky Mysteries You Wouldn’t Want To Know About!

A mystery is a problem that hasn’t been solved yet inside this book each of the mysteries the author explains, they contain a “probable explanation printed upside down” on the pages of that mystery. As a reader, you’re supposed to try to solve the mystery before reading the upside “probable explanation.”

So let the countdown begin! Each of the two-page spread mysteries feature some vital statistics on the mystery: the name, place, date, the mystery, why you don’t want to know about it, and it’s “probable explanation.” The rest of the two pages are filled with information and illustrations. There are numerous paragraphs with separate titles describing the mysteries accompanying illustrations which are cartoon in nature. The illustrations take up about a third of the space on these pages.

From aliens to Curse of Tutankhamum to Mary Celeste to Dyatlov Pass incident, these mysteries cover ones that everyone should be familiar with and some that are not. I was surprised at the ones that made the list, and I welcomed reading something that I was not that familiar with.

After reading a short paragraph on the spooky mystery, I would read the vital statistics as that is how the book flowed for each of the mysteries. The supporting information followed as I read, and I was not a fan of how that additional information was presented on the pages. I tried different ways to read this information, but this information just felt disjointed, like some of the FYI Facts that someone had just plastered on the pages. I thought they did a great job with the various sizes and font types that were used on the pages, as they set the different sections of the information off from one another. I have mixed feelings about the illustrations that were used. They did a great job in creating the cartoon art for each of the mysteries but I’m not sure if humorous cartoon art was appropriate for this book. Again, this is just my own thoughts and preference. I give this book 3 stars as I was expecting to love this book but I didn’t.

Escape From Chernobyl by Andy Marino

4 stars YA/ Middle School

It was cover love that brought this book to me. I didn’t know that this was book one of a series and after reading this one, I don’t think I will continue with the series as the ending was disappointing to me. For me, there was no ending. As I listened to this book, I was hooked, I felt a deep connection to the characters and their fate and then, the book ended. I had been cheated. There had to be more! Was there book #2 to finish this story? No, it was over, and I felt cheated.

It’s April 26, 1986, the place Pripyat, Ukraine. This city was built for the individuals who would work at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. I liked the variety of characters as it gave a great view of what was happening around this event as it was unfolding,

It was Yuri who I fell for in this book. He was the one who had less at stake but gave the most. While those with higher titles, rattled off commands or walked among the clouds, Yuri was on the ground with his eyes open, watching and risking everything. Alina, Yuri’s relative, was just like him, but at times, her emotions got the best of her. Who could blame her, considering what was transpiring right in front of her. Yuri knows Chernobyl like the back of his hand. Yuri is a janitor at Chernobyl. They treat him better than a janitor but that’s still what they consider him to be. Yuri hopes that one day, yes one day, they’ll realize the potential that Yuri has and move him up into a more suitable title. While at work on April 26, Yuri notices something isn’t right. His eyes have been on the ground since day one but today, today is different. Today, there is no going back.

What was happening inside Chernobyl? Sofiya dad is an engineer at the power plant and getting his perspective as the day’s events spiraled downhill added an intensity to the drama unfolding. Despite everything, Sofiya tries to help the residents of Pripyat. Sofiya had a different emotional burning within her than Alina but together they show the confusion and turmoil that the residents faced as this event changed their world.

This book covers April 26, 1986. One day. I felt cheated as I wanted and needed to know what happened after this day. I felt a deep connection to the characters and as I closed the book, I was sad and disappointed that there wasn’t something to help bring me closure.

The Tenant by Freida McFadden

5 stars Thriller

Ha! That was definitely a great read for me! Talk about some twists and turns. I’ve enjoyed Freida’s books in the past but the way that she’s able to spring her twists and turns in her stories are grabbing me in awe. I knew something had to be coming my way as I was reading but I was not ready for the deer-in-the-headlight stop I got. Unscrambling everything that I knew at that point was a process, a process that thanks to Freida was just the beginning of this rollercoaster of a book.

Blake was living the dream. He had a nice job, a girl on his shoulder, and he was trying to get his cards all aligned for the life that he wanted to lead. He could see his future unfolding in front of him, a prosperous future, one that could lead to many possibilities. It happened suddenly. Doors started slamming and Blake’s prosperous land of opportunity was now being taken away from him. Why? Blake didn’t know but he was trying desperately to hold onto every last bit of what was left. It was a downhill spiral and Blake is tumbling hard. To help financially, Blake and his fiancé decide to open their home to a tenant, someone who could help take part of the burden off temporarily. Whitney seemed to be the perfect fit for their household, sweet young Whitney.

I could feel the tension and stress as they all adjusted to this new living arrangement. Blake thought he had problems before, but now with Whitney in the mix, they’ve just complicated things. Whitney arrives with her own stories and history, and boy, does she shake things up! Don’t start thinking that you can put this book aside or concentrate on your own issues once Whitney joins the household. The escapades and finger-pointing intensify, and I could think of nothing less than the characters inside this book and the who and why associated with that.

I liked how I started to question my own thought process and how I began to wonder where the holes in this story lived. Were the characters’ actions and words matching up? Had I overlooked something? Was I rooting for someone I shouldn’t be? This was a fun, twisted book which I really enjoyed. Wowza – a 5 star read for me, for sure.

The Crash by Freida McFadden

5 stars Thriller

The scene: you’ve had enough and you’re ready to start over, you jump in your car planning to visit your sibling until you can figure out what to “do next.” Sounds like a good plan until you’re on the road and then, it hits you. It’s winter and you’re in a rural country; Maine to be exact. Your car, not the most reliable and rugged vehicle to be driving in these conditions. But it’s too late now, she’s committed and there’s no going back.

Yes, “The Crash.” Tegan suffers a crash while out on the rural roads while driving to her brother’s house in Maine. Tegan was not aware that she was driving into a winter storm. That’s not the worst of it, she’s also 8 months pregnant and now, she’s hurt. I love how Tegan is on high alert when someone finally approaches her as she is pinned inside her car, this girl knows her thrillers and knows from a distance that this shadowy figure could be hiding some secrets. Helping Tegan from the car, Tegan discovers this shadowy figure is a large man who is very friendly and offers to bring her home until the storm passes. With a wife at home, the couple seem very friendly and try to make Tegan comfortable but Tegan senses something else.

Tegan begins to question the friendliness and hospitality of the couple while the couple begin their own assessment of Tegan. Is the couple keeping secrets, did Tegan notice something while staying in their basement? Tegan seems to be giving all the correct answers, but the couple senses that Tegan is keeping something from them. What is she hiding from them? As each character gives voice to the predicament playing out, the situation changes, making me wonder what exactly the outcome might be.

Tegan wants to go to the hospital for her injuries and to make sure her unborn child is okay. The wife sees Tegan as a gift, an opportunity, something to fulfill a need that she has. Her husband, he seems to be caught in the middle. See, he loves his wife, and he wants to make her happy but he’s wondering about her need, and he’s concerned about the welfare of Tegan. It’s a balancing act and the clock is ticking.

I really enjoy these thrillers. They get my blood pumping and get my mind off of my everyday life because isn’t that what reading is supposed to do- give us an escape. Sure, some of the characters are predictable but so are some of the people in our life but then again, some of the characters throw something into the mix and I’m off. I’m off into another world, a world where you just don’t know where you’re going to land. 5 stars.

The Housemaid is Watching by Freida McFadden

4 stars Mystery

That was a complicated, twisted story. Having read the first book in this series and wanting more, I somehow just jumped into the third book. Not realizing that I had missed the second book in this series until I was completely absorbed in the depths of this book, I didn’t feel lost. I liked the continuation of some of the characters from the first book and the introduction of new individuals into the mix and the storyline felt the same, yet I felt like it was trying to get me off track.

Millie’s family has finally moved into a new home, and she couldn’t be happier. No longer a maid to a family living in such a home, this is hers. She’s bursting with high expectations and dreams which slowly start to fade as the family begins unpacking and settling into their new neighborhood. Nothing was perfect but I started wondering if anything was right with this move. Sure, you have the neighbors peeking out of the curtains at the new arrivals on the block but what if they never stop or how “friendly” can these neighbors be? This small family unit soon encompasses those around them and the show begins.

I enjoyed the relationships among the characters and how the neighborhood operated. Reading the characters’ thoughts and feelings, suspicion was the theme. This theme, I thought, took quite a while to address. I enjoyed how the book ended and now, I must read book two. 4 stars

The Unsub by Meg Gardiner

4.5 stars Thriller

She still has it. I used to be a big Meg reader many years ago and when I saw this book on vacation a few years ago, I had to pick it up. Meg kept me entertained, never letting me go as Caitlin takes over in her father’s shoes tracking down The Zodiac killer.

After a lengthy absence, The Zodiac killer has returned. Caitlin is assigned to the case with the hope that her history with the case, they’ll be able to catch The Prophet this time. He’s predictable, yet there’s something different this time with the killings. Caitlin is drawn in, The Prophet knows exactly what he’s doing and he’s pulling Caitlin along with him. Her father Mack knows that feeling all too well. Mack had worked on this same case years ago when The Prophet first emerged and now Mack is playing the price. Caitlin asks her father for advice, his expertise on The Prophet and Mack’s warns his daughter about the emotional impact this case can have on her but Caitlin is determined to bring The Zodiac killer down.

It’s a dark thriller where it’s a race against time. The Zodiac killer takes and takes as he has a goal in mind and nothing will stop him. Caitlin and her team must discover the motivation behind such a corrupt mind and find a way to stop him. The clock is ticking ……go!

After reading the last few pages of this book, I realized that this was a series. Now, that was a shock to me, as I hate to read series until I know a few of the books in the series are already published. Knowing this, I checked and found that yes, there are four books in this series. I immediately put book #2 and #3 of this series on hold at the library because I need to know what happens next. 4.5 stars

The Vicious Circle by Katherine St. John

4 stars Fiction Mystery

I was hoping that something fantastic would happen to Sveta after what her fiancé put her through. When I read that they decided to take a break from one another, I was so relieved as I thought that Chase was still too much of a mama’s boy to get married. Finding out that her uncle Paul left her an unexpected inheritance, I was so excited for her and just hoped that it was enough that she could get rid of Chase permanently.

I knew Sveta still cared for Chase, but I really wished she would not have told him how much the inheritance was worth or who died. That information put him over the edge. She was now worth more than his family and there was no way that he would let her go now. Urg! Sveta must now make her way to her uncle’s funeral which is in the remote jungles of Mexico. Arriving, she meets her uncle’s attorney, Lucas, and they make their way to Xanadu, the wellness compound that Paul created. It has been many years since Sveta has seen her uncle, but she knows of his work. A famous spiritual leader, Paul had many followers and was known for his teachings. His estate, valued at 180 million dollars, is more than Sveta ever dreamed of.

Xanadu takes them both by surprise as they are both greeted warmly by Kali, Paul’s wife. I feel that there has to be some resentment for not getting Paul’s estate since she was his wife. There is some hesitation, as both Lucas and Sveta take in their surroundings. All electronic devices are stripped from them and a communal computer is made available to them and the other members of the compound. All individuals wear special clothing including Sveta and Lucas and this spiritual retreat compound is becoming more eerie by the minute. Lucas and Sveta start to ask questions about Xanadu and Paul yet the answers they receive aren’t what they expected. They’re learning and it becomes clearer what is actually happening here.

I really enjoyed the language in the book as the author drew me in. The whole picture was slowly being presented as the story unfolded. I was drawn in with the relationship of Sveta and Chase and I couldn’t wait for Sveta to venture to Mexico where I thought things would turn around for her but actually, things clicked into high gear as they realized what they had walked into. 4 stars

This book was part of the Scene of the Crime Early Read Program. Thank you for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

The Chamber by Will Dean

4.5 stars Mystery Fiction

What kept me up at night? It was this interesting story line that had great characters who were trapped inside a small vessel. I’m not claustrophobic but I could be under their circumstances since now, their 30-day mission is now terminated. Tea Bag is dead. They all knew, and they all executed the strictest rules of cleanliness and hygiene since boarding, so what went wrong? Living in such tight quarters, the fear of contamination and illness would spread rapidly amongst the six of them, so what happened?

The remaining five individuals barely get Tea Bag’s body and samples ready for transport outside the vessel when another one of the team members is found without a pulse.

“valve mask, pulse, compressions, IV, more adrenaline.”

Unfortunately, another team is now dead. What is happening! Holy Mogoly folks! The remaining team members are on high alert as there are only four members of the team left. The outside team requires them to follow the same protocol on this body as they did with Tea Bag’s, as they provide them with the necessary supplies. I felt on high alert myself as these individuals were friends. This team knew each other, they respected each other and their work and now, they’re dying.

Each team member was now having second thoughts on everything and everyone. There’s no room for them to stretch out and get away from each other. They’re stuck with each other and their thoughts while the outside team works to safely bring them back home. The stories they told and how they dealt with each minute and hour as they waited helped to pass the time, yet in the back of their minds, they were searching for the truth.

I was caught up inside the heads of these individuals as they were confided inside this vessel and their own thoughts. Their stories were interesting and gives everyone a look into who they. A storm makes the situation more pressing as the team tries to do their own investigating. Is the outside team part of their “team” or are they just “players” in a game? Being stuck inside the vessel, they are given limited information and the windows to the outside world can only provide a narrow view. They were frustrated and I understood why. Was information being held back?

I enjoyed this book, much more than I thought I would, going into it. I’m not one who likes technical books and when they started talking about valves and pressure, I was nervous. I thought this book might be too technical and detailed for me. It wasn’t a scary book (horror) but more of a mysterious, intense drama read that’ll pull you through until you discover the answer. 4.5 stars.