I recently posted about The Arrangement by Robyn Harding but wanted to include it again since I loved it so much. What a page turner! While you wait for this one, read Her Pretty Face, another gripping, thrilling novel.
Here is what you need to know about this book, coming out in August:
Natalie, a young art student in New York City, is struggling to pay her bills when a friend makes a suggestion: Why not go online and find a sugar daddy—a wealthy, older man who will pay her for dates, and even give her a monthly allowance? Lots of girls do it, Nat learns. All that’s required is to look pretty and hang on his every word. Sexual favors are optional.
Though more than thirty years her senior, Gabe, a handsome corporate finance attorney, seems like the perfect candidate, and within a month, they are madly in love. At least, Nat is…Gabe already has a family, whom he has no intention of leaving.
So when he abruptly ends things, Nat can’t let go. She begins drinking heavily and stalking him: watching him at work, spying on his wife, even befriending his daughter, who is not much younger than she is. But Gabe’s not about to let his sugar baby destroy his perfect life. What was supposed to be a mutually beneficial arrangement devolves into a nightmare of deception, obsession, and, when a body is found near Gabe’s posh Upper East Side apartment, murder.
Coming out in August.
The phrase ‘hell hath no fury like a woman scorned’ is perfect for Mine by Courtney Cole.
As a fierce hurricane rages, Tessa readies the house for the storm. But there is another storm coming. After she innocently picks up her husbands Ethan’s ipad, she discovers he has been having an affair with a young woman named Lindsay. Anger simmers away as she quickly plots how she’s going to get answers. Pretending to be Ethan, she texts Lindsay and invites her to come over. But when Lindsay gets there, Tessa launches a surprise attack on her. The surprise is on her however because Lindsay is not going to take Tessa’s confrontation quietly.
This book was a quick read thanks to the tension on the pages. The reader wants to know how this is going to play out, but the whole time I was thinking if I were in Tessa’s shoes, I wouldn’t even want Ethan anymore! Would you?
Summary:
When Tessa Taylor unlocked her husband Ethan’s iPad to discover nude photos from a twenty-six-year-old bombshell named Lindsey, her seemingly perfect life came to a screeching halt.
With a hurricane barreling toward Florida and Ethan stuck on a business trip, Tessa finds herself imprisoned in her own home with a choice to make: Does she ride out the storm until she can confront Ethan in person, or does she take matters into her own hands? Increasingly restless and desperate for revenge, Tessa resolves to act. And when she lures Lindsey over a few hours later, there’s no turning back.
What ensues is a battle of wills between two well-matched opponents, blinded by love for the same man but driven by demons of their own. Like storm-ravaged Florida, neither woman will be the same when the skies clear.
May 2019
Prior to reading Lock Every Door by Riley Sager, I went through one of those spells where every single book I tried to read did not resonate with me. I don’t know if it was my mood or the writing or the plot, but I think I went through about seven novels that I just couldn’t get into. And then I started this one and it reaffirmed my love for a good book!
I always appreciate a fresh plot that I haven’t seen before and this book delivers.
Jules Larsen has nothing. No one. She’s down on her luck and needs a place to stay. So when she comes across an opportunity to stay at the famous apartment building, the Barthelemew, she jumps at the chance despite the strangely strict rules that are enforced for residents.
Staying at this glamorous apartment and being paid to live there as an apartment sitter is better than what Jules could have ever imagined. But all is not what it seems as Jules begins to discover. The fast pace of this book kept me reading into the late hours of the night.
I didn’t hesitate to give this book five big stars over on Goodreads.
Here’s the synopsis:
No visitors. No nights spent away from the apartment. No disturbing the other residents, all of whom are rich or famous or both. These are the only rules for Jules Larsen’s new job as an apartment sitter at the Bartholomew, one of Manhattan’s most high-profile and mysterious buildings. Recently heartbroken and just plain broke, Jules is taken in by the splendor of her surroundings and accepts the terms, ready to leave her past life behind.
As she gets to know the residents and staff of the Bartholomew, Jules finds herself drawn to fellow apartment sitter Ingrid, who comfortingly, disturbingly reminds her of the sister she lost eight years ago. When Ingrid confides that the Bartholomew is not what it seems and the dark history hidden beneath its gleaming facade is starting to frighten her, Jules brushes it off as a harmless ghost story . . . until the next day, when Ingrid disappears.
Searching for the truth about Ingrid’s disappearance, Jules digs deeper into the Bartholomew’s dark past and into the secrets kept within its walls. Her discovery that Ingrid is not the first apartment sitter to go missing at the Bartholomew pits Jules against the clock as she races to unmask a killer, expose the building’s hidden past, and escape the Bartholomew before her temporary status becomes permanent.
I especially liked how the story never sags in the middle or towards the end. Sometimes authors are eager to wrap up the story and things fall flat but this one is heart pounding all the way until the very last page.
Lock Every Door is going to be an instant best seller!
Due out July 2 2019.
I was driving myself crazy waiting for this book to come out. Once I saw that Sandie Jones had a new book on the way, I began stalking my favorite sites looking for more information. I loved her writing in The Other Woman and had a good feeling about The First Mistake. My intuition was spot on, this novel was excellent!
Though Alice’s first husband died tragically, she now has everything from a wonderful second husband to two perfect children and a lovely home. Her best friend Beth is always there for her, Alice couldn’t ask for a better friend. And when Alice begins to suspect something is going on with her husband, its Beth who she turns to. As her suspicions about Nathan grow, she starts to wonder, can she trust Beth?
Here is what I wrote on GoodReads:
I really enjoyed the first novel Sandie Jones wrote so I knew I’d like this one too. It did not disappoint! A fantastic story told from the perspectives of two women. The first half was good but the second part had me turning pages quickly and staying up way past my bedtime to finish. Twists and turns galore. A heart-pounding ending! This is everything you want in a suspenseful novel.
Another fantastic book!
Due out in June.
I know I mention this a lot, but it’s refreshing to see a plot/setting/characters that I have never seen before. There are so many stories- good ones- that have similar storylines or settings I have seen a million times. So I especially liked the unusual setting of I’ll Never Tell by Catherine McKenzie.
The book takes place at a summer camp that’s been run by the MacAllister family for years. When their parents pass away, at the reading of the will, there is a vote the kids must participate in- a vote that will render one of them guilty for an unsolved crime that was committed when they were teenagers.
the official synopsis:
Twenty years ago, she washed up on shore in a rowboat with a gash to the head after an overnight at Camp Macaw. No one was ever charged with a crime.
Now, the MacAllister children are all grown up. After their parents die suddenly, they return to Camp to read the will and decide what to do with the prime real estate it’s sitting on. Ryan, the oldest, wants to sell. Margo, the family’s center, hasn’t made up her mind. Mary has her own horse farm to run, and believes in leaving well-enough alone. Kate and Liddie—the twins—have opposing views. And Sean Booth, the family groundskeeper, just hopes he still has a home when all is said and done.
But then the will is read and they learn that it’s much more complicated than a simple vote. Until they unravel the mystery of what happened to Amanda, they can’t move forward. Any one of them could have done it, and all of them are hiding key pieces of the puzzle. Will they work together to solve the mystery, or will their suspicions and secrets finally tear the family apart?
I had some ideas and suspicions that changed as I read the story and learned more about the siblings. I enjoyed this book, I was curious who the culprit was and the ending was a good one.
Due out July 1.
I started Man of the Year by Caroline Louis Walker thinking it was going to be suspense but it was actually a well-written look at one man’s downward spiral as he grows suspicious about everyone in his life. It was interesting to read how he changed and allowed his jealousy to get the best of him.
Dr. Robert Hart, Sag Harbor’s just-named Man of the Year, is the envy of his friends and neighbors. His medical practice is thriving. He has a beautiful old house and a beautiful new wife and a beautiful boat docked in the village marina. Even his wayward son, Jonah, is back on track, doing well at school, finally worthy of his father’s attentions. So when Jonah’s troubled college roommate, Nick, needs a place to stay for the summer, Hart and his wife generously offer him their guest house. A win-win: Jonah will have someone to hang with, and his father can bask in the warm glow of his own generosity.
But when he begins to notice his new houseguest getting a little too close to his wife, the good doctor’s veneer begins to crack. All the little lies Robert tells—harmless falsehoods meant to protect everything he holds dear—begin to mount. Before long, he’s embroiled in a desperate downward spiral, destroying the lives that stand in his way. It’s only the women in his life—his devoted office manager, his friends, his wife—who can clearly see the truth.
Due out June 11.
The Rumor by Lesley Kara exceeded my expectations. I knew from the beginning pages that this was going to be a gripping read and it was so good. You could easily see how a rumor would grow out of control and cause trouble for multiple people.
Single mother Joanna just wanted to fit in with the other moms at her son’s school. In order to appear more interesting and hopefully secure some playdates for her son through the moms, she drops a bombshell, someone in their seaside town is actually an infamous murderer. Years ago, a ten-year-old girl murdered her friend and now that supposedly the girl is living in their small town. Who could it be? The woman down at the shop looks like she could be this child killer….or is it someone else?
I loved this engaging suspense! I felt compassion for Joanna and understood her need to impress the other woman.
Here’s the synopsis:
Joanna is desperate to ingratiate herself with a popular clique of mothers at her son’s new school. But when she tries to impress them by repeating a rumor she overheard at the school gates, there’s no going back. . . .
Rumor has it that a notorious killer, a woman who has been released from prison years after her brutal crime, is living under a new identity in Joanna’s seaside town. So who is the supposedly reformed murderer now living in their neighborhood? Suspicion falls on everyone.
Joanna becomes obsessed with the case, pawing through decades-old records in an attempt to name the killer. But her curiosity not only ostracizes her from the community, but exposes her son and his father to a heartless psychopath who has killed–and may kill again.
How dangerous can one rumor become? And how far will Joanna go to protect those she loves from harm, when she realizes what she’s unleashed?
I could see this one as a series like Big Little Lies!
Due out in July.
The Third Mrs. Durst is a pretty fast-paced story about Marlena. When the book starts, she is dirt poor and her only hope for her future is to catch the eye of a man who is known to make things happen for girls like her. I honestly thought this was going to veer into a story about sex trafficking so I’m glad it didn’t. Marlena gets her teeth fixed and starts booking modeling jobs. Soon, she is rich and famous enough to attract Mr. Durst. He’s a rich and powerful man and soon after he and Marlena get married, she sees how controlling and abusive he is.
Yes, she lives in a fancy apartment and shops at expensive places and lives a life of pure luxury but behind closed doors, she is suffering at the hands of a monster.
So she seeks revenge.
Here’s the synopsis:
Marlena Altizer Durst lives in her husband’s shadow. He controls her every move—what she wears, the food she eats, and the friends she’s allowed to make. If she disobeys, there are… consequences. And he has all the power, so nobody would believe her.
Her Cinderella story has been well-documented and it seems that she leads a fairy-tale life. But nobody ever wonders if Cinderella was happy after she married the prince. Marlena has traded freedom and safety for luxurious imprisonment, and most days, that seems like a bad bargain. Death may be the only exit she’s allowed. Just like his first wife. And his second.
Due out August 8
Layover is my second David Bell novel and I enjoyed it. My interest was held from the first page! Joshua Fields has done what’s expected of him, working for his father’s business, flying around and making deals. He’s successful but unfulfilled. His life is boring and predictable.
When he meets a mysterious young woman in an airport bar, he is captivated by her. They have drinks and chat and before she leaves, she gives him a kiss that makes his head spin. He must see this woman again! A little later, he sees her face flash on the tv screen, she’s a missing person.
He races through the airport and manages to get on the same flight as her, not going to Florida as planned. This kicks off the story of Joshua and Morgan, a bit of a cat and mouse, where he’s trying to figure out her story and why she keeps popping up and leaving. Also in pursuit of Morgan is the police and a sinister fellow whose brother is missing. What does Morgan have to do with this missing man? Who is she?
The pace is tight, the tensions are high, and you will want to slap some sense into Joshua a few times. I know I did!
This is a fun, easy read! Perfect for a day by the pool or lounging on the couch.
Due out in July.
A Stranger on the Beach by Michele Campbell was SO AMAZING. I loved it from the beginning and didn’t want to put it down until the very last page. This is her best book yet, in my opinion.
This is what I said on Goodreads:
I was riveted by the book from page one! I loved it and didn’t expect the twists and turns. A Stranger on the Beach will keep you glued to the pages until the very end. 2019 is starting out to be a very good year for books. If you enjoy fast-paced thrillers, you will want to scoot this up to the top of your MUST READ list.
Here is the synopsis:
There is a stranger outside Caroline’s house. Her spectacular new beach house, built for hosting expensive parties and vacationing with the family she thought she’d have. But her husband is lying to her and everything in her life is upside down, so when the stranger, Aiden, shows up as a bartender at the same party where Caroline and her husband have a very public fight, it doesn’t seem like anything out of the ordinary.
As her marriage collapses around her and the lavish lifestyle she’s built for herself starts to crumble, Caroline turns to Aiden for comfort…and revenge. After a brief and desperate fling that means nothing to Caroline and everything to him, Aiden’s obsession with Caroline, her family, and her house grows more and more disturbing. And when Caroline’s husband goes missing, her life descends into a nightmare that leaves her accused of her own husband’s murder.
First of all, I cannot let any details about this book slip because I don’t want to ruin it for you. Second, its a story that will have you reading well into the night so plan accordingly. And lastly, prepare yourself for twists and turns.
Due out in July.
