The Wife, the Maid, and the Mistress by Ariel Lawhorn

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State Supreme Court Judge, Joe Crater, has gone missing. His wife, Stella, has her suspicions about what might have happened to him, based on his shady dealings with even shadier men, but she is staggered by the absence of any true investigation into his whereabouts. Meanwhile, his mistress, Ritzi, fears she may be in danger, as she was with him on the night of his untimely disappearance. The one cop who is investigating the mysterious circumstances of the judge is actually married to Maria, the maid of the Crater family who has been in on some of their secrets. How they become connected and how they survive is the substance of this suspenseful narrative.

Loosely based on the actual notorious missing person, Joseph Carter, whose whereabouts have never truly been found, this suspenseful and atmospheric novel gives a colorful picture of NYC in the 1920’s and 1930’s. With Joe Crater’s connection to organized crime, in the persona of Ownie Madden, we are sucked into the world of speakeasies and Broadway and the corruption surrounding the judicial system as well as the police department at that time.

The story is also told via three very strong leading female characters, each of whom is connected to Joe, but also who become connected to and in some ways, dependent on each other. We see each of their vulnerabilities, each of their complex situations, and each of their motivations to carry on and stay true to their values.

Another great historical fiction novel from Ariel Lawhorn!

When You Loved Me by Beatriz Williams

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Current day: Recently widowed Lucy has just returned to Winthrop Island from Paris with her daughter, Elise (Punkin), after learning about the disappearance of her father. She has had a strained relationship with her father because of his persistent belief that there is buried treasure on his property and has given up most of his life – even sacrificing his family relationships – in pursuit of this theory. But as she begins to explore what has become of him, she also learns that her first love, Ben Ressler was the last person to see him alive.

1717: Hephzibah has been living on Winthrop Island since she and her sister lost their parents and her sister was married off to her much older husband. Just prior to an historic snowstorm, their house is invaded by a wounded pirate and his doctor friend, and Hephzibah does her best to help all of them survive.

If you’ve read any of my prior reviews of Beatriz Williams’ books, you’ll know how much I love her writing. She is an incredibly talented author with a sharp wit and creative imagination. We see this to some extent in this novel as well, but while there are beautiful and complex characters who engage the reader in their exploits (particularly in the character of Punkin, whom I as the reader came to adore), there is none of the usual snarky banter in the dialogue here, none of her sardonic wit (which I most admire).

On the other hand, I do love how Williams weaves into her novels characters from her prior novels. We have been on Winthrop Island in a number of her novels, and have met the Peabody family in those as well. It’s fun to see how she expands and develops these characters, creating, for example, an entirely new story from minor characters in the novel before. It’s not exactly a series, and no one novel is dependent on reading the other (except for her one trilogy), but it is fun to identify characters from the older stories.

So even while this may not be my favorite of hers, it is still an excellent read, still holds your attention, and the suspense builds late in the story to the point where it is hard to put down. Always a great sign, right?

The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton

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2011: When Laurel was only 16 years old (more years ago than she’d like to admit), she witnessed a traumatic scene involving her mother, Dorothy, and baby brother. None of her 3 sisters were around, but she knows what she saw. She also knows her mother, with all her loving spirit and her tender ways, would have had a very good reason for doing what she did. And now that her mother is elderly and dying, Laurel feels this is her only chance to find out what exactly transpired on that terrible day.

1941: Dorothy has suffered a great loss. After she’d left home, her entire family was killed in a bomb blast during the London Blitz. Dorothy has managed to forge ahead, pick up the pieces, and make a new life for herself and for her boyfriend, Jimmy. In fact, when she lands a position working for a wealthy elderly woman, she finds herself living a new life the likes of which she could never have imagined. Better yet, she has made a posh new friend, Vivien, who she feels will be able to teach her how to continue to improve her lot in life. After an altercation with Vivien, however, she has come up with a plan to truly achieve what she aspires to in life.

This dual timeline brings to life the rough and unpredictable existence of those living in London during WWII. Few were able to continue much as they’d always done, such as the privileged woman Dorothy found herself working for. But for most, it was a much more bare existence, most being recruited to work for the war cause in whatever way that was. Jimmy, for example, was a photographer who captured the moments of pain, moments of violence of the war for the media. The story also highlights that good people will still be good and evil folks will remain evil, no matter what is going on in the world. But most are just trying to survive the best they can.

The writing here is solid. There were times when the story might have moved a bit more quickly – I did find myself becoming restless at moments. But overall, the characters are lovely, the plot thickens, and the twist at the end is something I, for one, did not see coming.

Definitely one to look out for!

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

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Alicia Berenson has been found with her murdered husband, Gabriel, a gun with her fingerprints, and her wrists slashed and bloodied. Since that moment, she has not uttered a single word: not in protestation when she was carried off to be interrogated, not in her own defense during her trial, and not since she’s been committed to a psychiatric facility six years ago. Although Theo Faber, a forensic psychologist, has been employed by another institution, he is so captivated by Alicia’s well-publicized story that he feels compelled to transfer to hers and attempt to help her himself. While Theo seems to make unusual progress with Alicia, he also finds his personal life begins to encroach upon this professional pursuit.

I listened to this audio book and I have to say it was engrossing, suspenseful, and at times, shocking. Just when I thought I might guess where the plot was heading, I found how wrong I could be. And just when I thought I had come to know the characters, I found I knew nothing at all. It was so well plotted, so well-depicted that it kept the suspense until the very last chapter.

I love that we come to know the “silent” character, Alicia, through her writing, in a diary she keeps hidden in order to tell her story. We learn of her unique artistic talents, those who have sought to take advantage of her, and those she fears without others believing her. She’s left unsupported by everyone who has claimed to love her.

This is a clever, twisty novel that compels you to keep reading (or listening) long past your bedtime! Great for summer, but great, really for any time of year…

Into the Water by Paula Hawkins

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Jules is shocked. Called back to her hometown because of her sister, Nel’s death by drowning, she immediately becomes enveloped in her own haunted memories. Even seeing her niece, Lena, now a teenager who is resentful of Jules’ estrangement from Nel, isn’t fully bringing her back to herself. But when she discovers a haunting pattern of women falling (being pushed?) over the cliff into what has been named the “Drowning Pool,” and sees that Lena may be a potential target, she is shaken into action. But who can she trust to help?

This is a totally suspenseful novel that will keep you biting your nails and turning pages late into the night. Full of twists and turns, the plot becomes thicker and thicker with each chapter, and even as we read the story from the varied perspectives of the many characters here, we still are kept guessing until the very final paragraph. As the story unfolds, we also learn, bit by bit, where the sisters fell out, what misunderstanding from a tragic act of violence has separated them over all these years. It is horrible and heartbreaking.

There are a few characters here who delve into the mystical, which is usually not my thing. I did love this one particular character, Nickie, however. She is older, thought of as a fraud, and constantly being ignored. But of course, she is the one who holds the town’s secrets and is truly the one not to miss. We know that older women are often dismissed, and here is an example of why that could not only be foolish, but dangerous.

This is a fantastic beach read – just in time for summer!

The Cuban Heiress by Chanel Cleeton

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Upon boarding the ship, the SS Morro Castle, Catherine must act as if this is just another luxury cruise to Cuba that she is taking, something she’s completely used to; that is, if she’s to continue to convince her fiance, Raymond, that she is the heiress she has implied she is. Meanwhile, Elena is determined to hide out as much as possible on this same cruise, if she is to accomplish the revenge plot that she’s been scheming for months now. As the cruise progresses and the two women become more immersed in their ruses, we gradually learn how their stories are intertwined and how the success of one is heavily dependent upon the other.

Another gripping story of historical fiction from this author, Chanel Cleeton! We are treated to her creation of beautiful women characters who are both vulnerable and strong, irate and determined. They have both been wronged and are yet resilient and ready to move forward. They are also enmeshed in a plot that is complicated and intriguing, with unforeseen adversity that rushes up suddenly and overtakes them by storm.

My only complaint is one you’ve heard before from me: that the story is wrapped up too tightly into a pretty bow and delivers a happily-ever-after that is just too perfect. This is not how life generally works, and it is not how I like to see a novel end. But that may just be me…

Otherwise, this is an engaging work of historical significance, from both the Cuban history perspective as well as the story of the ship itself.

In the Woods by Tana French

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Rob and Cassie may be relatively new to the Murder Squad of their Ireland town, but no one would react impassively to the murder of a 12-year old girl. Alerted by the team of archeologists who’d stumbled upon the body that morning, they are brought to the scene and immediately get to work trying to figure out what monster may have committed this heinous crime. Throughout the investigation, however, Rob is plagued by one nagging detail: he is also a survivor of sorts. When he was about the age of this victim, he lived in this area and had survived the disappearance of his two best friends. Since that time, he has never been able to recover the memory of what happened to them. But in order to stay on this case, because the two might be linked, he must keep his history a secret – one that plagues him perhaps even more than this murder itself.

This is a well-woven crime novel, narrated through the voice of Rob. With each new slice of evidence, we are engaged more and more, and the intrigue continues to mount. French also writes these characters not just as “detectives” drawing out the facts of the case, but as humans, with deeply complicated pasts, fighting demons of their own. We come to know Rob, in particular, whose struggles and conflicting feelings both help and hinder the investigation.

This story is certainly not a light, uplifting read, nor is it for the feint of heart. There are a few gruesome scenes, ugly characters, grisly twists. But it is suspenseful and fun, perhaps in a twisted, dark fashion. Perhaps read it with the lights on?

The Silent Sister by Diane Chamberlain

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Riley feels so alone. She has just lost her father and has to clean out his home and she cannot count on her brother, Danny, to help. He has been through so much, having been wounded as a soldier in Iraq, and is still suffering the consequences. But as she begins to sift through her father’s papers, she uncovers evidence that her sister, who she understood to have died by suicide when she was 2 years old, may actually be alive. Needing to uncover the truth, she pursues this possibility, in spite of all the pressure she is experiencing from those around her to just get the job done.

Here is another quite suspenseful book, with unexpected twists and emotionally charged characters. As we feel the pressure Riley is under to get the house in order and ready to sell, we also feel for her as she digs up so much of her family’s past. Because she was so young when she lost her sister, she was relatively untouched by the loss, with the exception of the impact it had on the family who remained. Her mother was distant, her brother was deeply angry, and her father was kind but distracted as well. We thoroughly understand how Riley came to be a counselor for middle school students, trying to prevent for them what happened to her own sister.

We also question, along with Riley, whom she can trust. Can she trust the real estate agent who has been pressuring her to get through her father’s things so they can put the house up for sale? Or her father’s old friend, who lives in her father’s trailer park and whose wife keeps dropping hints about her family’s secrets? We even doubt, along with Riley, whether she can trust her own brother, whom she adores but worries about his volatile personality.

While mostly plot-driven, with all the family secrets being at its heart, I feel the characters are also deeply sympathetic. Jade, in particular, is one we feel for; forced to live a lie, looking over her shoulder for so many years. We feel her terror, her unease with anything suggesting publicity. But we also feel her yearning, her love for her music that brings her the only joy she thinks she’ll ever experience.

I definitely recommend this book as a suspenseful, twisty page-turner!

My Husband’s Wife by Carla Kovac

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Eva has been through quite a lot over the past 5 years. She has lost her first husband, Hugo, who died by suicide 5 years prior, and she never imagined she’d find love again. Surprisingly she has, and she’s thrilled that her 10-year old son loves her new husband, Zach, as well. Now that they’ve all moved in together, she is starting her new job as a wedding planner for a venue nearby. She’s nervous but excited, as she’s loved her job, loves being there for people on their most special day. As she is about to meet her second couple on her first day, she has the shock of her life: the man in front of her, “Theo,” inquiring about a wedding plan, is her dead husband! She tries to maintain her poise, but her curiosity is overwhelming. As she digs in further to figure out this puzzle, her very life becomes endangered.

This is an absolutely “un-put-downable” suspense thriller, with a complicated and twisty story about identities and lies. Eva does her best to try to warn the woman who is engaged to Theo, but it becomes a quite challenging to do so without appearing as if she herself is not crazy. This repeats again and again, with Eva coming to doubt herself, her judgement because of her own stormy past. A friend she has made in her new town is someone she thinks she can trust, but she comes to doubt this as well, when suspicions surface about this friend and her current husband. There is also a friend she has made, someone she thinks she can trust, but she becomes suspicious that she is having an affair with Zach (her current husband). It may sound as if the story is too convoluted, but it is quite brilliantly laid out, such that even when we think we know what is going on, there are additional twists that keep it just beyond our ken.

If you’re looking for a story that will grab you from the first page and keep you up reading late into the night – here’s your pick! It’s fun, a bit creepy, and utterly suspenseful and will absolutely hold you till the bitter end.

Keep Quiet by Lisa Scottoline

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All Jake wants is to reconnect with his son, Ryan. Given all his absences because of having to build his business from scratch, he feels now is the time, before Ryan leaves for college. So when he agrees to pick up Ryan after a movie and Ryan begs to drive home even though it is beyond the legal time for him to be doing so, all Jake can do is agree to it. Little does he suspect that this decision will be the worst he’s ever made. What happens next leads to the need for both to lie, and of course one lie begets the next and the next…

This is every parent’s nightmare scenario, one in which we are responsible for a horrific outcome and all we want to do is protect our child, no matter the consequences to us. We see the tragic outcome of Jake trying to be a friend instead of a parent, a mistake we all make at one time or another. Most of us have been fortunate that the consequences were not fatal, but not everyone is as lucky.

On the whole, this novel was taut, suspenseful, and completely unnerving. As a parent reading this, it was difficult, to say the least.

Getting more into the weeds of the writing, however, I have to say that I found it somewhat repetitive, almost perseverative (which might have been intentional, as the circumstances would warrant a repeated self-flagellation). The plot was intricate and twisting and certainly kept one’s attention – it was literally an accident that one could not look away from – but the entire book was plot-driven. The characters were flat, superficial. We learned some insight into Jake’s character, but his son and his wife were merely cardboard figures created to facilitate the plot.

That said, if you’re looking for suspense, twists and a riveting page-turner, this fits the bill. And perhaps many of us could benefit from reading this – it is truly a cautionary tale!