I Will Find You – A Book Review

The latest suspense thriller by Harlan Coben

Storyline

As the story begins, David Burroughs is in his fifth year of a life sentence for murdering his three-year-old son, Matthew. Only one problem; he didn't do it. 

David was alone with his child that night, as his physician wife was working a night shift.  He knew he got drunk the night it happened and apparently slept through the whole thing. He woke up to discover that Matthew had been murdered. Since there was no evidence pointing to anyone else, and since David had no real alibi, he was convicted and sent to prison. 

Half a decade later, his wife Cheryl has divorced him and remarried. David has had no visitors all this time. Then, Cheryl's younger sister, Rachel, comes to see David to show him a strange photograph taken by friends of Rachel's on vacation at an amusement park. In the background is a boy who bears an eerie resemblence to David's son. It doesn't seem possible; it just can't be, yet David just knows.  Matthew is still alive. 

Somehow David has to get out of prison, search for his son and discover what really happened. To do so, he plans and successfully accomplishes a daring prison escape. 

Now David's life is on the line and the FBI is following his every move. Can David evade capture long enough to discover what really happened, save his son and clear his name? The shocking truth will be revealed in the final moments of the story. 

Summary

Another thriller by this master of suspense. I Will Find You is Harlan Coben's most recent (March 2023) novel. 

Quick Links to more reviews of Harlan Coben:

• Book Review of CAUGHT by Wednesday Elf
• TV Series Review of THE STRANGER by Lou16 aka Louanne Cox
• Book Review of WIN by Wednesday Elf
• Review of the Mickey Bolitar Series of Young Adult Books by Wednesday Elf
• The Boy from the Woods – review by Wednesday Elf
• The Woods Book Review by Wednesday Elf
• The Match – A Novel by Harlan Coben – Book Review by Wednesday Elf

*Book Review written by Wednesday Elf

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Book Review of 'Ashley Bell' by Dean Koontz

 

Plot Synopsis

Bibi Blair, a funny, clever and fierce young woman – a writer by trade – is a girl who said 'no' to death.  When her doctor told her she had one year to live, Bibi replied “We'll see!”

And, suddenly, she is completely free of the rare, and fatal, brain cancer she has been diagnosed with. Bibi astounds medical science.

After returning home from the hospital, Bibi meets a mysterious woman who convinces her that she escaped death so she can save someone else; someone named Ashley Bell. 

Who is Ashley Bell, where is she, and why does Bibi Blair have to find ~ and save ~ her?

Bibi now finds herself on the run from threats that are both mystical and ordinary. It all appears to stem from a rich and very strange cult leader who has terrifying ambitions. One of his aims is to kill Ashley Bell. 

Summary

Bibi Blair is a delightful character whose story is told in sections. There is the present time when she is 22, on the verge of becoming a successful writer, and engaged to Pax, a Navy Seal, plus her friendship with her childhood surfing friend, Pogo. And there is the past when she is first 6-years-old, and we learn all about her special friendship with The Captain, who rents the garage apartment at her parent's home. And later at age 10 when 'Olaf' the Golden Retriever suddenly appears one afternoon and becomes Bibi's faithful companion. 

Bibi also has been writing stories since she was a child and this fact becomes very important as the plot unfolds. The story flips back and forth between 'young' Bibi and present-day Bibi. 

This is a fast-paced story with a fascinating heroine who has a good heart and a troubling gift we learn about in a twisting plot filled with many surprises. A suspenseful thriller with a mystery to solve.

Ashley Bell was published in 2015 (and somehow missed by me until now). It is listed by Amazon as Book 1 of 1 in the Ashley Bell series. I just discovered that Koontz also wrote a Trilogy entitled Darkest Desires: The Makani Trilogy, which leads into the Ashley Bell series. Darkest Desires is available in Audible Book form. 

For more Book Reviews on ReviewThisReviews
Check out ReviewThisBooks.com 

Links to other Reviews of books by Dean Koontz:

• Elsewhere
• Devoted
• Quicksilver
• The Big Dark Sky

*Book Review of Ashley Bell by Dean Koontz written by Wednesday Elf.

 

Available on Amazon
in four different formats

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Book Review of 'Love You More'

Who do you love and how far would you go to save her?

A D.D. Warren novel by Lisa Gardner

Synopsis

The Massachusetts State Police are called to the residence of Tessa Leoni, a young State Trooper from their barracks. Her husband lies dead on their kitchen floor and Tessa claims she has shot him in self-defense. Her bruises and injuries appear to back up her tale. But the worst part is that her six-year-old daughter, Sophie, is missing.

Because the state police cannot investigate one of their own, Detective D.D. Warren of the Boston Police Department is called in to handle the homicide investigation. Bobby Dodge, investigator for the State Police (and D.D.'s former lover) is assigned as liaison to work with Detective Warren. Bobby's input is helpful in seeking to understand the inner workings of a trooper's mind.  Would a trained police officer shoot her own husband and would a mother harm her own child?  

Tessa is hospitalized for her injuries and is represented by her Union Rep and a lawyer and is not immediately available for questioning. The investigation into how and why Tessa's husband, Brian Darby, was shot three times mid-torso with Tessa's own police revolver is nearly stalled while they wait for Tessa to be able to answer their questions.

An Amber Alert is put out state-wide for Sophie while D.D. And Bobby try to sort out the crime scene.

Meanwhile, for Tessa Leoni, the worst has yet to happen. She has nowhere to turn and trusts no one even as the clock ticks down to a terrifying deadline. Tessa has one goal in sight and uses her training  to do what must be done. Because ~ a mother knows who she loves!

Summary

Love You More is Book 5 of 11 in Lisa Gardner's D.D. Warren suspense novels series. 

This story features two very believable female protagonists. Trooper Leoni tells us her own story in the first person while Warren's investigation is narrated in the third-person. Tessa Leoni's motives are discovered as the story continues, but her passion and conviction draw us in even before we know whether she is guilty or innocent. The reader roots for Warren and Dodge to make sure justice is done, but we cannot argue with Tessa's absolute drive to find her daughter.

Fans of Gardner's D.D. Warren series will definitely enjoy reading Love You More.

*Love You More Book Review is written by Wednesday Elf.

Available on Amazon

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The Lies I Tell - Book Review

Can a wrong ever be made right with another wrong? Where is the fine line between justice and revenge? In The Lies I Tell, by Julie Clark, two brilliant, strong, previously wronged women take matters into their own hands, resulting in fascinating twists and turns you won't see coming. 

Meg Williams, aka Maggie Littleton and Melody Wilde, is supremely gifted in becoming who you need, or want her to be. She is a master of psychology and Internet research. By the time you meet her, she knows you better than you know yourself. 

Meg/Maggie/Melody, the three-in-one, shape-shifts between personas. Some know her as a college student, others as a life coach, and now a Senate candidate has hired her as his exclusive real estate agent. Ron Ashton is going to wish he had never met Meg Williams. You'll see.

Kat Roberts, a victimized journalist, has waited ten excruciating years to take Meg down. Kat is desperate to expose the grifter for who she really is, and at the same time, to right the wrong that wrecked her own life and career. Kat believes she can go head-to-head with Meg because she knows the games she plays. In this cat-and-mouse chase, could it be that the mouse has underestimated the cat?

How will it all end? Will Meg get the justice she seeks? Does Kat get the revenge she has longed for (and the publishing deal of her dreams)? 

And you: Will you be cheering at the end, or shaking your head? How will you feel about the choices that are made? What would you have done? I hope you read The Lies I Tell and return here to respond to these questions.

I love a book with a surprise ending. This read kept me highly engaged the entire way. And, I have to tell you, it makes me want to lock down my social media accounts. Repelling a couple of scammers online this week really brought home the message of how very real and present are the Meg, Maggie, and Melody's of the world. This is just barely a work of fiction. 

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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The Match – A Novel by Harlan Coben – Book Review

 

We first met Wilde in The Boy From the Woods, reviewed earlier here on ReviewThisReviews!

In The Match, Wilde returns in a new thriller by that 'Master of Suspense', Harlan Coben.

Synopsis

Available on Amazon

Readers of The Boy From the Woods may remember that more than thirty years ago Wilde was found as a boy living feral in the woods, with no memory of his past, not even his name. He was eventually rescued and raised in a wonderful foster home, but his past remained a mystery. The policeman who first found him named him Wilde because of the way he had been living alone in the woods. He then grew up in a normal household, going to school and making friends, and later serving in the military.  But, despite all this, he still feels he belongs on his own, living in the woods away from the comforts and constraints of modern life. His simplistic life style is lived in the Ramapo Mountains, part of the Appalachian Mountains located in New Jersey and New York.  He is not completely isolated, as he keeps in touch with friends and the world via computer and cell phone.

But suddenly a DNA match on an online ancestry database brings his lost past closer than he ever dreamed when he finds a match to his father. Wilde tracks his father down only to find the man extremely hesitant to establish a relationship. So then Wilde reaches out to his last lead ~ a second cousin. Before they can connect, he discovers that the cousin has disappeared after experiencing a fall from grace that can only be described as a waking nightmare. This is connected to a Reality Show where the cousin was very famous and popular, only to have lies told about him and his wife that brought about his downfall. 

Summary

How Wilde discovers the circumstances surrounding his cousin's life and exposes a family's darkest secret, while also discovering the shocking truth of his own past, is a thrilling story that will keep you reading deep into the night. 

Another outstanding novel by Harlan Coben.

The Match - Wilde, Book 2

The Boy From the Woods, Wilde, Book 1

*Book review of The Match written by Wednesday Elf

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Review of Harrison Investigations

 Book Series by Heather Graham

“Harrison Investigations specializes in the bizarre ~ the unexplained ~ the things that go bump in the night.:

There are those who walk among us who are no longer alive, but not yet crossed over.  They stay to seek retribution or to help or watch over and protect those they love.

Among the living, few sense their presence ~ but some can!

The Harrison Investigations Series

Adam Harrison began Harrison Investigations after his son, Josh, died. Adam started putting together a team of people to look into cases with a paranormal angle because, although he didn't have the ability, Josh did, and Adam is able to recognizes it in others who can see and talk to ghosts. 

Available on Amazon

Throughout this series of ten books, we meet many people, all trained as Private Investigators, who are able to see what exists in a slightly different dimension.

This series fits into several genres – mystery & thriller, suspense, fantasy, paranormal, Historical Romance and romantic suspense. Each story takes place in a different place and, quite often, we are given a history lesson from earlier times. You learn a bit about the history of the place going back to Civil War times and other events that occurred in the 1700s and 1800s. The current story is taking place in modern times, but the ghost(s) will be from the past. The ghost has stayed around to help or have a wrong righted.

Books in the Series 

Haunted - Book 1

The series begins with Haunted, which takes place in an historic Virginia estate that dates back to the Revolutionary War. Suspecting that the house is haunted, owner Matt Stone finally allows Harrison Investigations in the form of paranormal investigator Darcy Tremayne to try and discover the truth about some strange happenings at the house.

Book #3 (Ghost Walk) finds us in New Orleans where Nikki DuMonde manages a successful haunted-tour company. Nikki doesn't scare easily until she wakes up at 4 a.m. to see her newest employee standing at the end of her bed begging for help. The next day she discovers that the employee had been killed. Nikki doesn't believe in ghosts, and no one believes her until Brent Blackhawk, a paranormal investigator able to communicate with the dead, arrives to help. 

Unhallowed Ground (Harrison Investigations Book #7) takes place in Florida where Sarah McKinley has bought an historic mansion that she has always loved.  While the house is being renovated, remains of dozens of bodies – some dating back over a century – are discovered in a wall.

Meanwhile Caleb Anderson, a P.I. With Harrison Investigations, is in town investigating several missing-person cases. He soon comes to believe that his cases are linked to Sarah's house and its dark past. Sarah and Caleb are compelled to research the history of the house to discover the truth.

For all ten books in the Harrison Investigation series, click here.

Summary

The characters in each book are always interesting and the ghosts are delightful.  There is usually a romantic interest between the main male & female characters, of course. And the historic background of each area and place is fascinating.

An interesting fact is that the Harrison Investigation Series pre-dates the Krewe of Hunters series reviewed earlier here on ReviewThisReviews. From being private investigators for Adam Harrison, the group's crime solve-rate is so good that eventually the FBI becomes interested and the Krewe of Hunters become a group of unusual FBI agents who are called upon when something complex (and usually paranormal) is going on.

I have now read my way through both series and really enjoyed them. Therefore, I recommend them to anyone interested in this type of genre. Classic paranormal romantic suspense by Heather Graham.

*Harrison Investigations Book Series reviewed by Wednesday Elf

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Book Review of VORTEX by Catherine Coulter

 

An FBI Thriller

Vortex is the latest book in best-selling author Catherine Coulter's FBI series. Her favorite characters, husband & wife FBI team Savich & Sherlock, once again embark on solving a case. Usually, they work together on a case, but this time there are two cases demanding their attention in two different cities.

Synopsis of Vortex

Case #1

Dillon Savich deals with one case in Washington DC. A CIA Operative, Olivia Hildebrandt, is nearly killed while on a mission in Iran to exfiltrate a betrayed undercover operative.  But by the time she is released from Walter Reed Hospital, her team member, Mike Kingman, who saved her life, has disappeared, along with a critical flash drive the undercover operative was carrying.  While Olivia worries about her teammate, she is convinced he has a very good reason for not bringing the flash drive directly to CIA Headquarters. 

When Olivia is attacked on her first night home, the FBI becomes involved.  Savich suspects that the strike is a direct result of the compromised mission and the missing team member and flash drive. The question is ~ who betrayed them?

Case #2

Meanwhile, Sherlock is in New York City, first helping to deal with a triple homicide, then working with an investigative journalist covering the political scene in NYC. The journalist, Mia Briscoe, has discovered old photos taken the night seven years ago at a frat party where a fire broke out and her best friend Serena disappeared.  Serena was never seen nor heard from again. Mia recognizes someone in those photos and begins to uncover a sinister string of events going back to that disastrous party. As the secrets begin to unravel, some very powerful and dangerous people will do anything to keep Mia and Sherlock from learning the truth. 

Summary

Available on Amazon

Catherine Coulter is known for her contemporary suspense stories and her popular characters FBI Agents Sherlock and Savich.  This brilliant new novel is her latest (#25) in her FBI thriller series. 

For more book reviews, check out ReviewThisBooks.com

More Catherine Coulter Book Reviews:

• The Final Cut
• Bomb Shell

Book Review of Vortex by Catherine Coulter, written by

~Wednesday Elf

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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The Boy From The Woods by Harlan Coben – Book Review

 

A man with a mysterious past must find a missing teenage girl in this shocking thriller by Harlan Coben

The Plot

A high school girl who was relentlessly bullied, disappears. No one seems to take it seriously, but a classmate is worried. When Matthew asks his grandmother (the well-known television criminal attorney, Hester Crimstein) for help in finding her, Hester asks Wilde to use his unique skills to help find Naomi.

Thirty years ago, Wilde was found as a boy living feral in the woods, with no memory of his past, not even that of his name. But his unique tracking abilities and knowledge of the woods give him an advantage in looking for Naomi.

To do this, Wilde must also go back into the community where he has never fit in and confront the powerful whose wealth and fame protect them even when they harbor secrets that could destroy the lives of millions.  Wilde must uncover these secrets before it is too late.

A Few of the Many Outstanding Reviews of The Boy From the Woods

"The Boy from the Woods  is as much an action as a psychological thriller, as much a riveting read as a superb character study in which Coben challenges himself by taking his story outside his suburban comfort zone. A must-read for any mystery or thriller fan."―Providence Journal

"The crafty Coben knows how to weave a compelling story with intriguing characters, and Wilde is one of his best . . . The narrative veers into such unexpected directions that even a true thriller aficionado will not see the multiple surprises the ending delivers."  ―Associated Press 

"There may be no other thriller writer alive today who has mastered that fundamental trick of the genre. When you start a new Coben novel, or just pick one up and read the jacket copy, you know that nothing will unfold as it seems. You can be assured that surprises will keep appearing until the final page."―BookTrib

My Opinion

Available on Amazon

The character study is one of the most fascinating Coben has ever come up with. And the ending was a complete surprise. I recommend The Boy From The Woods to all who love suspense, thrillers and mystery. 

More Book Reviews by Harlan Coben:

• Caught 
• Win

Read more Mystery book reviews on

ReviewThisBooks.com

*Book Review of The Boy From the Woods written by 

Wednesday Elf

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Ocean Prey by John Sandford – A Book Review

Mystery Writer John Sandford has written 30 books in the Lucas Davenport 'Prey' Series and 12 books in the Virgil Flowers Series. With Prey Series Book #31, Sandford combines these two entertaining characters into one story and has them working together to solve a crime. 

Ocean Prey is a Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers Novel.

Main Characters in John Sandford's two well-known suspense/mystery series.

The Virgil Flowers Series

The  main character of the series, Virgil Flowers, is described as tall, lean, late thirties, three times divorced, with long hair. He often wears t-shirts featuring rock bands. Virgil works at the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA). He is good friends with Lucas Davenport and is frequently mentioned in various 'Prey' novels.

The Lucas Davenport 'Prey' Series

Davenport has been a police officer, a Minneapolis detective and Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension investigator.  In later books, including Ocean Prey, he now works for the U.S. Marshall's Office.  Lucas is tall with black hair, gray at the temples, blue eyes, and dark complexion.

Although each character has been mentioned occasionally in each other's series (as they are friends), this is the first book where they are featured working together on the same case.

Synopsis of Ocean Prey

Fan-favorite heroes Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers join forces on a deadly maritime case   

An off-duty Coast Guardsman, fishing with his family, spots a snazzy craft with extra horsepower picking up a surfaced diver who was apparently alone without a boat in the middle of the ocean. This doesn't make sense. The Coast Guardsman calls in this suspicious behavior.  The three Guardsmen who come out to investigate are shot and killed.

Since they are federal officers killed on the job, the FBI investigates. When the case stalls out, the FBI calls in the U.S. Marshall's office in the form of Lucas Davenport and his team. 

When the case turns lethal, Davenport brings in a detective whose biggest asset is having a fundamentally criminal mind: Virgil Flowers. 

Working undercover posing as a deep sea diver, with Davenport and the FBI supporting him in the background, Virgil infiltrates the group of notorious drug runners operating off the coast of Miami. They want the men responsible for the deaths of the Coast Guardsmen, but also the head of the organization which has been bringing in tons of illegal drugs in an unusual way. The main goal is to shut down the entire operation once and for all. 

Summary

Ocean Prey brings us an outstanding and exciting story starring Sandford's two favorite characters, Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers. This may be a suspenseful mystery story, but it is also filled with humor of the type frequently used by police personnel to lesson the tension.  The jokes and wisecracks among the characters made me smile often, and actually laugh out loud in two places. A very enjoyable read. 

Quick Links:

• Neon Prey
• Mystery Book Reviews on ReviewThisReviews

Ocean Prey Book Review written by

Wednesday Elf

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Book Review of WIN by Harlan Coben

Best-selling author Harlan Coben has written 18 Non-series stand-alone suspense books, the latest of which is WIN. Coben is also well-known for his Myron Bolitar series. Throughout the Bolitar series, we follow the interaction between Myron and his best friend and 'side kick' in solving crimes, Windsor Horne Lockwood III - or Win. It wasn't until I began reading Coben's newest book WIN that I realized the story was about Myron's friend.

For the first time, we get the true inside story of Win. Myron Bolitar is not featured in this book, except for a few references about the two of them together.  Instead, for the first time, this book gives us the background on the Win we have known and loved throughout the Bolitar series.

Windsor Horne Lockwood III (Win) is an extremely wealthy man with impeccable taste and a personal approach to justice that too often lands him on the wrong side of the law.

Synopsis

When the FBI takes Win to a murder scene in the upper West Side apartment of a recluse, Win doesn't know why. Then he sees two objects there, a stolen Vermeer painting and a suitcase bearing the initials WHL3 - his initials. 

Win is baffled how his family heirlooms came to be in a dead man's apartment. All he knows is that they were stolen from Lockwood Manor over twenty years ago when his Uncle was murdered and his cousin Patricia was kidnapped. Even though Patricia escaped her captors, they were never apprehended, the murder of her father was never solved, and the stolen items were never recovered. 

Now the FBI reveals that the murder victim in the apartment was also the mastermind behind a notorious act of domestic terrorism. Win must figure out the connection between the two cases. 

Summary

WIN by Harlan Coben

A dead man's secrets lead our hero down a dangerous road in this thriller from the author of the Myron Bolitar series – where we first meet Win. Harlan Coben writes with wit and irony in each of his suspenseful outings . A master storyteller ~ always a delightful read.

Quick Links to more reviews of Harlan Coben:

• Book Review of CAUGHT by Wednesday Elf
• TV Series Review of THE STRANGER by Lou16 aka Louanne Cox
• Book Review of WIN by Wednesday Elf

*Book Review of WIN by Harlan Coben written by 

~Wednesday Elf

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Reviewing Her Last Breath by Hilary Davidson

Today I'm going to review a book that is set for release on 1st July 2021 which I was able to read prior to release as part of the First Reads for Amazon Prime Readers. 

One of the things that made me choose this book to read was in the blurb about it, "On the day of her sister Caroline’s funeral, Deirdre Crawley receives a message her sister wrote before she died: If you’re reading this, I’m already dead." That hook was irresistible for me so I downloaded the book and settled down for what I hoped would be a great read, I have to say I have very mixed feelings about this book. 

I have never heard of the author before so I had no expectations. I actually read the book in one sitting and two of the things I loved about the book were the plot and the way that the pandemic was handled. I mention the pandemic because the book was based in NY and it's the first book I've read where it's even mentioned - it has been done so in a way that is easy to miss, but to me added another dimension and makes me surprised at the biggest failing this book has. 

As I said the plot was great and I would recommend reading it just because I did enjoy the plot, but the characters were another story. They seemed very one-dimensional. Even with a character that wasn't very fleshed out, there were a few things that Diedre said that just didn't seem in line with other things. 

I, personally, think one of the best characters in the book was Theo, the person who Diedre's sister claimed had killed her. If this book was a first draft I would have given it really high marks, but as a completed book it's disappointing. 

I don't usually like to write book reviews that I have mixed feelings about, but this author shows amazing talent. I see so many glimpses in this book that tell me she can write and I truly believe that she could have made these characters more real to me. 

If you like suspenseful thrillers do I still think you'd enjoy the plot lines of this book, but if you are more into sinking your teeth into the characters then you may want to pass. I will definitely be happy to read this author again though as I did see a lot of promise in the pages. 

I should clarify it's not that I disliked the characters, I reviewed a book called Girls Night Out where I really didn't like the characters, but they definitely seemed real to me. In this particular book it's that I couldn't envisage these characters as being real. When I read a book I can almost see things happening in my mind like I'm watching a movie - this time the characters wouldn't appear clearly for me.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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The Moonlight Child - Book Review

 

Things just aren't adding up.  Late one night, while out on her patio watching a lunar eclipse, Sharon spies what appears to be a very small child washing dishes in the kitchen of the house across her back yard fence.  How can that be?  The neighbors don't have a child that young.  And even if they did, why would she be doing dishes hours past her bedtime?  

Perhaps it is nothing, but what if it isn't?  Sharon Lemke finds herself wondering if her imagination is merely running wild.  Soon, though, when Niki, an eighteen-year-old who has recently aged out of the foster care system comes to live with her, Sharon's concerns become shared.  

As it has been said, it takes one to know one, and Niki knows plenty about what it means to be endangered.  The clues are pinging Niki's internal radar system.  She isn't willing to leave things to chance if there is a child who may be at risk.  

Though Sharon has followed proper channels (notifying the appropriate social services authorities about the unusual circumstance next door), bureaucratic wheels often turn much too slowly for those fearing the worst.

Niki and Sharon decide to take matters into their own hands.  Can they pull off a clandestine investigation without endangering themselves or others?  Is there something sinister at play here? What will happen if they are caught in the act of spying on neighbors who may not be what they outwardly appear to be?  

For me, an exceptional book is one that makes me care.  I was all in shortly after being introduced to Sharon, Niki, Mia, Jacob, and Griswold.  There was so much to love about the redemptive moments.  Of course, there are individuals you will likely despise.  Every powerful story needs that counterbalance.  

I came away from this read thinking about the people who pay attention when they feel something isn't right.  Not only that, I reflected on the difference between those who act on their intuition and those who do not.  This story drove home for me the necessity of being a noticer who actually does something for the lost and the unseen individuals of the world.

I highly recommend The Moonlight Child by Karen McQuestion.  

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Six Weeks To Live - Book Review

Imagine going into a routine doctor's appointment and learning you have six weeks to live.  For most of us, that would be the worst news ever.  Though it is an unexpected and terrible diagnosis for forty-eight-year-old Jennifer Barnes, the real shock is yet to come.  

To cope with an anonymous, random killer like brain cancer is hard enough.  To suspect that the real killer is someone she once loved, makes everything that much more devastating.  With the end so near, will there be time to discover the truth?  

Catherine McKenzie's upcoming release, Six Weeks To Live, is stunning suspense that explores how family secrets, deception, and revenge is a cancer far more potent than glioblastoma.

Jennifer's family members doubt her sanity.  Surely, the brain cancer is warping her mind.  One would have to be losing it to believe her husband, the father of her children, could do something as diabolical as poisoning her.  It's crazy.  Or is it?

There is plenty of motive.  Jennifer's estranged husband has been relentlessly hammering her for a divorce, which she refuses to give him.  He and his new girlfriend are harboring a secret, which is more than reason enough to want to knock off the wife standing in the way of their happily ever after.  

Dare we hope Jennifer's grown girls, a complex set of triplets, might come on board to help her track down an explanation for mysterious lab results predating her terminal diagnosis?  Isn't it the least a mother can expect when things turn dire?  If only family dynamics and relationships were that easy.  

Time is very quickly running out.  Who, or what, will win in the end?  Can there even be a win in this situation?  

Six Weeks To Live is the best novel I have read all year.  You will want to pre-order your copy now.  It releases on May 4, 2021.  I received a digital galley from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  My sincere thanks to the publisher, Atria Books, and the author, Catherine McKenzie, for this deeply satisfying reading experience.  

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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The Widow Series Reviewed

Interesting Drama Series

The Widow searches in the Jungle
(image courtesy of pixabay.com)

My husband and I just finished watching The Widow, a drama series that we streamed from Amazon. I thought you might be interested in a review of the series.

We thought that this eight episode series was fascinating to watch. The episodes are each around 45 minutes so it didn't take too awfully long to watch. 

The story begins with Georgia Mason (played by Kate Beckinsale) suspecting that her husband Will might actually be alive after a plane crash three years before in the DRC (Democratic Republic of the Congo). The reports of the crash stated that there were no survivors of that crash and Georgia has spent three years in mourning her loss. A broadcast of a riot in the DRC shows a man that looks very much like her husband that begins her search to find him. She can't see the man's face but he is wearing an orange baseball cap just like the one her Will wore. 

As you can imagine, Georgia decides to go to the DRC hoping to find her husband. She had been there before just after the crash and had befriended a man who had lost his wife in the same crash. Georgia meets Emmanuel again on this second trip; asking for his help to find out if her husband somehow survived that crash. 

The series is filled with suspense and action as Georgia encounters people who knew Will. As viewers we see corrupt people taking advantage of the poverty stricken people of the region. We find out about smugglers and the recruitment of children for rebel militias. While watching each episode we are given a hint of what it might be like to live in the Congo as a person with some means and as a person who is barely surviving. 

My husband and I liked the several twists in the plot as the story unfolds. There were some flashbacks offered to explain some of what drove the different characters in their choices and those were interesting, also. Overall, each episode kept us interested and wanting to see more. We have found that we very much enjoy the original series that Amazon has produced.

If you like suspense and action that occurs in a place you might never be ever to see, I think you will enjoy this series, too.

The Widow (Video Series)

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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