january roundup: part two
Welcome back to part two of my January roundup! There were a few titles in this mix I was really excited to read and I enjoyed a lot of these books. Read on for my reviews.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with these ARCs to review.
january roundup: part two
The Orphanage by the Lake
Author: Daniel G. Miller
Publication Date: 2/26/2024
Hazel is a struggling PI in New York City. Her clientele is less than ideal, her bank account is dwindling, and her diet consists of entirely too many sugar-free Red Bulls. She’s ready to throw in the towel, but when Madeline Hemsley shows up at her office in search of her missing goddaughter, Hazel decides to give one more case (and the promise of a lot of money) a go.
The premise of this book is solid. Who doesn’t love a down-on-her-luck protagonist working to solve a mystery at a creepy orphanage? It has the makings to be a page-turner, but Hazel as a main character is, in a word, frustrating. It is easy to see why her PI business is failing, as she reveals all her cards immediately upon meeting someone she likes, and she usually chooses arbitrary reasons for finding someone favorable. Hazel constantly blurs the lines of professionalism, befriending one suspect and dating another. She pushes fast forward on the relationships, declaring herself loyal to people regardless of any red flags on fire. Hazel needs to solve this case to save her practice, but the reader can’t help but wonder if its closure would perhaps be for the best.
Another challenging aspect of this book is the reveal at the end; it takes the reader to a dark place with a contrived reveal and an overly tidy conclusion. While this book possesses some good twists and turns, it is ultimately hard to move past Hazel’s failings.
The Princess of Las Vegas
Author: Chris Bohjalian
Publication Date: 3/19/2024
Chris Bohjalian’s The Princess of Las Vegas has a lot going on: a Princess Diana impersonator, the mafia, a corrupter senator, cryptocurrency, and a foster child wise beyond her years, just to name some. With so many elements, it would be easy for this book to be a mess, but Bohjalian pulls it off.
Crissy, the main protagonist, has been impersonating Princess Diana for so long, it’s hard for her to know where her own personality begins. She’s built a life around this and is fine with it, content to be living in her drug-addled bubble off the Vegas strip. Unfortunately, things are starting to fall apart. Her bosses are dead, and she knows neither due to suicide as reported. Now her life is in danger, and all roads seem to lead back to her sister Betsy.
Told from the alternating perspectives of Crissy and Betsy, the book takes many twists and turns. While a lot is going on, the pacing is slow, likely because of how detailed the chapters are. The reader is given a lot of imagery highlighting the grittiness of Vegas and the fantasy of Diana in this realm.
The slow pace also allows for character development. Crissy, Betsy, and Betsy’s daughter Marisa are all flawed in their own ways, and the author does a good job avoiding making them come across as one note. Some details regarding their backgrounds could be triggering, so this is something to be mindful of while reading.
This book is an enjoyable read with a cinematic feel; it would make a great pick to bring on vacation.
A Talent for Murder
Author: Peter Swanson
Publication Date: 6/11/2024
Martha is okay with her uneventful life; she is content with her work as a librarian and her husband offers companionship while also giving her space due to his job. Her predictable life is flipped upside down, though, when her husband returns home from a conference with a bloodstain on his shirt. Soon Martha finds herself questioning who she really married and wondering if her life is as safe as she thought. Will her old friend Lily be able to help her piece everything together in time to save herself?
Fans of Swanson will be happy with this book, as he remains true to form. The story starts off a bit slow and then gains momentum as the reader learns more about how each character is connected. There is a fairly unexpected twist in the first half of the book and it adds a lot to the plot.
This is book three in a series but could mostly be read as a standalone; there are certain elements regarding Lily's background a first-time reader will be missing, but nothing too detrimental to the plot.
This book is a bit dark and none of the characters are 100% good, but the gray areas help keep it interesting. Fans of Hitchcock-esque plots will enjoy this one.
One Big Happy Family
Author: Jamie Day
Publication Date: 7/16/2024
The Precipice Hotel is the family-owned hotel where Charley is a chambermaid, working hard to support her grandmother. With the death of the hotel’s owner George Bishop, Charley’s job now depends on whether or not George’s daughters will keep her employed.
The Bishop family’s visit to the hotel is of extreme importance, but when someone in the hotel ends up murdered, Charley finds everything in her world spinning out of control. Add in a hurricane and you have the makings of a solid mystery.
While some parts of the book deliver, the plot is a bit clunky. There are several twists and turns, but they are often over-explained. This takes the reader out of the story, and one twist at the very end left this reader scratching her head.
The setting of the book is perfect for classic mystery fans, with the old hotel and a hurricane brewing outside. With a decent plot, this would make a solid beach read, but nothing sets this book apart to make it special.
The Last Line
Author: Scott Lyerly
Publication Date: 7/23/2024
A local theater’s production takes an unexpected turn when its leading man dies during the final act. Was his sudden demise due to natural causes or is something darker at play? It’s up to theater owner Ellie Marlowe and her childhood friend (and local chief of police) Bill Stalin to uncover the truth.
The book primarily alternates viewpoints between Ellie and Bill. Both are decent characters, though the background of their relationship feels like an unnecessary addition. It is also hard to buy how much Bill includes Ellie in his investigations without facing repercussions, especially given she is a civilian.
Regarding the other characters, had there been more viewpoints from them throughout the book, it would have added more depth to the mystery. It was a bit challenging to keep track of why certain characters were relevant because they simply were not featured enough.
As far as the plot, it was a good premise overall. However, there were a few odd choices for the style of the book. With how closed-door some of the romance in the book is, having porn and prostitution play into it so heavily felt like a disconnect; it ended up reading like a cozy mystery wanting to be a darker thriller.
While some elements could have been better explored and characters more developed, this was ultimately a fun read. It will make a good selection for those wanting a lighter mystery to pass the time.
Listen for the Lie
Author: Amy Tintera
Publication Date: 3/5/2024
It’s been several years since Savvy was murdered and her best friend Lucy still cannot remember what happened that night. What is certain is everyone thinks she had something to do with it, and now that the podcast Listen for the Lie is covering the mystery, Lucy finds she finally has to return home and challenge herself to remember that night. Will she finally clear her name or will she confirm what everyone else suspects?
This is a great page turner. The chapters of Lucy piecing things together regularly alternate with the podcast episodes, providing new clues while simultaneously raising new questions. It builds tension and takes the reader on several twists and turns.
Author Amy Tintera does a really good job developing Lucy as a character. Instead of reading only as cold, sarcastic, and possibly unstable, the main character comes across as witty and even slightly sympathetic. This doesn’t mean she isn’t a huge mess (she is), but she’s a funny mess, and her relationship with her grandmother manages to be oddly charming.
This book is a solid choice for fans of the genre and would allow for a lot of conversation if selected for a book club. At the very least, it’s definitely one to bring along as a vacation read.
Come back next month for my February roundup. Until then - cheers and happy reading! Follow me on Instagram for more updates.
