february roundup

Ah February…the shortest month. Luckily this year we all gained an extra day for reading, and I took advantage with some great selections. Stay tuned for my reviews!

As always, thank you to NetGalley for providing me with these ARCs.

Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder

Author: Kerryn Mayne
Publication Date: 7/9/2024

Lenny lives a predictable life - right down to her weekly Thai order - and she prefers it that way. She would much rather play Scrabble alone than put herself out there, as relationships are hard for her. However, when Lenny receives a letter from the parole board regarding someone from her past, she is forced to examine the circumstances that led to her closing herself off from the world. Will she be able to work through her traumatic past and enjoy her life?

This book is slow-paced and a bit melancholy, but still manages to be compelling. The plot has a fair amount of twists and the reader is forced to examine their own notions of right and wrong.

Lenny as the main character is intriguing. She is socially awkward and unable to pick up on social cues; your heart can’t help but hurt for her with each interaction. She is also intelligent and well-intentioned, so there is a feeling of hopefulness in the book as Lenny is forced to remember what happened in her childhood so she can heal.

Overall, this is a heartwarming story about both vengeance and forgiveness. It would make an excellent choice for a book group.

The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco

Author: Michelle Chouinard
Publication Date: 9/24/2024

Using San Francisco the backdrop, Michelle Chouinard tells the story of tour company owner - and daughter of accused serial killer Overkill Bill - Capri Sanzio.

Capri has always doubted her grandfather’s guilt, partially motivating her to create her San Francisco-based true crime tour company. Her hope is she can uncover missing clues to prove his innocence. When a copycat starts terrorizing the city, she finds her chance, especially as she and her daughter are the key persons of interest. Can Capri clear all of their names before it's too late?

The plot itself is clever and fun and the inclusion of neighborhood descriptions helps to set the atmosphere. The author does a nice job of making San Francisco another character.

While it’s a fun read, the connection between the current murders and the ones in the past feels a bit tenuous. This is especially true in the last section of the book, where everything ends up feeling a bit rushed and disjointed. Capri ultimately is a frustrating protagonist, as we are to believe she’s organized and structured enough to start and research her own tour company, yet she immediately jumps to conclusions. It can be hard to root for someone exhibiting such rash behavior.

Overall, this is a fun book and would make for a good beach read. Fans of lighter mysteries will enjoy this one.

Long Time Gone

Author: Charlie Donlea
Publication Date: 5/21/2024

When Sloan Hastings, an ME resident focusing on forensic genealogy, submits her DNA for a project, she has no idea the repercussions soon to follow.

After receiving the results of her DNA, Sloan, who has always known she was adopted, learns she is actually Baby Charlotte, a baby who went missing thirty years earlier. Now Sloan finds herself embroiled in a search to find out what happened to her missing birth parents. The more she delves into her past, the more she puts herself at risk. Can she solve the mystery before it’s too late?

Charlie Donlea can always be counted on for a fast-paced thriller. The time jumps help take the reader on several twists and turns as the secrets of the past unravel in the present day.

Sloan as a protagonist is a bit too perfect (her biggest flaws are her cross-fit addiction and love of diet soda.) and, as a result, she reads a bit boring, but the plot is solid enough to make up for it.

Some of the characters from Donlea’s other books make cameo appearances, which is pretty common for the author, but his books all read as standalone so this is more of a wink to his fans. It seems more than highly likely readers will be seeing more of Sloan in future books.

Overall this is another good read from Donlea and is sure to please his fans.

If You Tell a Lie

Author: Lucinda Berry
Publication Date: 7/23/2024

Four friends who met at summer camp reunite twenty years later when a secret they would prefer stay buried resurfaces. Will the finally be forced to repent for their sins from that final summer?

Blakely, Meg, Thera, and Grace loved their summers at Camp Pendleton; misfits in their normal lives, camp was a place where they could feel accepted. Of course, that all changed the summer when their tennis coach ended up brutally murdered by his wife. The foursome has always been able to downplay their role in his death, but now the past is catching up and newer secrets are coming to the surface.

Told mostly from the viewpoints of all four main characters, the plot has promise. It is interesting to see the way each character grows (or fails to), and how quickly they revert back to their adolescent selves. There are also some intriguing twists and turns throughout, keeping the reader guessing.

While the book has potential, the characters are profoundly unlikable (even the nice one isn’t actually very nice) and it is hard to root for any of them. They also blend together, which could be due to their voices being written in the same style. Every single chapter contains excessive amounts of fragments. This is probably intended to convey something like rushed thoughts or anxiety, but it makes for choppy reading.

With a solid premise, this could be a fun beach read for fans of mysteries with unreliable narrators.

No Road Home

Author: John Fram
Publication Date: 7/23/2024

Single father Toby has always tried to protect his son Luca from the cruelty of others, but now that he’s married Alyssa he’s finding it harder. Can he shield his son from her family?

Alyssa Wright is the granddaughter of a famous televangelist known for his staunch Old Testament teachings. When Alyssa brings Toby and Luca to her family’s home for the first time, it becomes clear to Toby they have plans for his son. Now it’s up to Toby to reveal the family’s darkest secrets in order to protect his son.

Told mostly from Toby’s point of view, this locked room mystery has a solid premise and starts off strong. There is the hint that Toby isn’t the most reliable narrator, which adds to the tension, and the first part of the book is a quick read.

While the book initially holds interest, it loses momentum by the middle when the plot starts to veer toward the convoluted side. During the last 15% of the book, multiple viewpoints are introduced to explain the plot and it makes for a rushed feeling. By the time the twist is revealed, things feel muddled and it takes away from the initial buildup.

With the many social and religious issues explored, this could make for a good book club pick, as it would lend itself to lively discussions. This book will have an audience.

I Need You to Read This

Author: Jessa Maxwell
Publication Date: 2/27/2024

Alex cannot believe her luck when she is given the opportunity to take over the Dear Constance advice column in the New York Daily Herald. Is it a bit of a red flag that the last Constance, Alex's idol Francis Keen, was murdered? Yes, but surely that won't impact Alex…or the dark history she herself escaped.

As Alex finds herself more ensconced at the Daily Herald, she starts to realize not everything was what it seemed with Francis, and figuring out who murdered her predecessor is of the utmost importance before she herself meets the same fate.

Alex makes for a fun protagonist, as it becomes clearly early on she is harboring a big (albeit somewhat predictable secret). Add in some quirky supporting characters and the result is an entertaining, borderline cozy mystery.

Fans of the author's earlier work The Golden Spoon should enjoy this book as well, since the author stays relatively true to her voice. This would make a nice beach read.

The Lake of Lost Girls

Author: Katherine Greene
Publication Date: 11/5/2024

Lindsey’s older sister Jessica was one of four female college students to go missing 24 years ago. Ever since Jessica's disappearance, Lindsey has felt the weight of all the unanswered questions. Now two podcasters are focusing on the missing girls, which leads to the discovery of one of their bodies. Will Lindsey's family finally get the answers they've always craved?

Told in alternating timelines and perspectives, the reader is given insight into present-day Lindsey's world as she searches for answers, and Jessica's life leading up to her disappearance. The reader is taken through various twists and turns as secrets are unearthed.

While a couple of parts of the plot are a little predictable, the author does a great job of building suspense and keeping the reader invested in the story. Jess starts off as a seemingly perfect daughter, but soon her self-destructive behavior sends her down a bad path, whereas Lindsey is stuck in a somewhat adolescent state due to not having a true childhood. They are equal parts likable and frustrating, and how their stories are woven together for the big reveal is ultimately satisfying.

This is an incredibly fast read, so it would make a great choice for a vacation read. Any mystery/thriller book group should consider it for a selection, as it is sure to engage and encourage lively discussions.

Come back next month for my March roundup. Until then - cheers and happy reading!