I loved Meagan Church’s first novel, The Last Carolina Girl, so when I saw The Girls We Sent Away- I had to read it. It was so good, I highly recommend it. I wish I could find more books like this. It is very well-written with a sympathetic main character that we, the readers, get invested in and want to see her thrive. And the period, 1960’s- I don’t see nearly enough books that take place during that time in history. Everything all together resulted in a historical fiction story that I read quickly.
Synopsis:
It’s the 1960s and Lorraine Delford has it all – an upstanding family, a perfect boyfriend, and a white picket fence home in North Carolina. Yet every time she looks through her father’s telescope, she dreams of the stars. It’s ambitious, but Lorraine has always been exceptional.
But when this darling girl-next-door gets pregnant, she’s forced to learn firsthand the realities that keep women grounded.
To hide their daughter’s secret shame, the Delfords send Lorraine to a maternity home for wayward girls. But this is no safe haven – it’s a house with dark secrets and suffocating rules. And as Lorraine begins to piece together a new vision for her life, she must decide if she can fight against the powers that aim to take her child or submit to the rules of a society she once admired.
This is out now!
An author who consistently writes excellent page-turners is Loreth Anne White. I started reading her books a while ago, and now whenever I see she has a new one, I immediately get it. The Unquiet Bones was excellent. You cannot go wrong with any of her other books!
Synopsis:
When human bones are found beneath an old chapel in the woods, evidence suggests the remains could be linked to the decades-old case of missing teen Annalise Jansen.
Homicide detective Jane Munro—pregnant and acutely attuned to the preciousness of life—hopes the grim discovery will finally bring closure to the girl’s family. But for a group of Annalise’s old friends, once dubbed the Shoreview Six by the media, it threatens to expose a terrible pledge made on an autumn night forty-seven years ago.
The friends are now highly respected, affluent members of their communities, and none of them ever expected the dark chapter in their past to resurface. But as Jane and forensic anthropologist Dr. Ella Quinn peel back the layers of secrets, the group begins to fracture. Will one cave? Will they turn on each other?
The investigation takes a sharp turn when Jane discovers a second body—that of the boy long blamed for Annalise’s disappearance. As the bones tell their story, the group learns just how far each will go to guard their own truth.
Out now!
The Perfect Housemate by Lorna Dounaeva was a solid read. I like a lighter suspense novel in between heavier reads or to get out of a reading slump and this was perfect for that kind of mood. It kept me engaged from start to finish and I always appreciate a roommate situation gone wrong. This was a fast-paced, quick read!
Synopsis:
You let her in. You shouldn’t have…
I was so nervous about someone new joining our house share; after everything that happened with my parents, my friends are like my family. Our imperfect but well-loved house is the only place where I can be myself. But when Poppy knocks on our door, blonde hair, wide eyes and a friendly smile, we all agree she’s a perfect fit. I just wish I could shake the feeling that I’ve seen her before…
At first, everything runs smoothly. But one day, Poppy arrives home with my housemates in tow. She says she ‘forgot’ to invite me to the movie. My stomach drops. As she sidles up to my friends, I’m gripped by a familiar panic. If Poppy is from my past, will she turn my friends against me? Will she tell them the secret I’ve so carefully buried?
I feel like Poppy’s watching my every move. My home used to be the place where I felt most comfortable. But as she places a delicious home-cooked meal in front of me, I don’t even feel safe eating here.
I have to find out who she really is, and what she wants.
And when I do, will she realize too late which one of us is truly dangerous?
Out on March 28
My very first Valerie Keogh book was The Trophy Wife and I absolutely devoured it. Since then, I have been reading every book she’s written, making my way through her long list of novels. And they all have one thing in common- every book is suspenseful enough to keep me on the edge of my seat, reading way too late into the night.
The Mistress is her latest and yes I enjoyed it even though the main character, Hannah, was an awful person.
Hannah Parker is a woman who always gets what she wants.
When her current husband discovers she has been lying to him – again – she knows it’s time to move on and find someone who can give her the life she desires… The life she knows she deserves…
But who will be the lucky man?
When her eye catches a glimpse of an old flame in a photograph, she’s sure it’s a sign. Mark Shepherd has always been in her thoughts – they’d been happy once, he’d adored her, but she’d made a mistake and let him get away. She won’t make the same mistake again….
Hannah is older now and wiser. She knows what men want and she knows how to keep them happy.
So what if Mark is happily married with a family of his own?
This one comes out on March 25, but she has tons of other books available right now.
Such a good book! The War Orphan by Anna Stuart is part of the author’s Women of War series but it stands alone and you do not need to read the other books to read this one. This is a historical fiction taking place during World War II. I love history and stories that take place during this period but don’t read a ton of them because they can be heavy and draining. Yes this is heartbreaking, but it’s a fantastic novel and I highly recommend it.
Synopsis:
Sixteen-year-old Tasha Ancel turns to take one last look at the imposing place that stole her freedom and her childhood. She has no idea how she continued to live when so many others did not. For the first time in months, her heart beats with hope for her future and that of the smaller children who cling to her now.
Tasha was torn from her mother’s arms by an SS guard days before the gates of Auschwitz opened. Now she only has a lock of her mother’s fiery hair. Desperate to be reunited, Tasha asks everyone she meets if they’ve seen a woman with flame-red hair. But with so many people trying to locate their loved ones in the chaotic aftermath of war finding her feels like an impossible task.
Officially an orphan, Tasha is given the chance to start a new life in the Lake District in England. She knows her mother would want her to take the opportunity but she can’t bear the thought of leaving Poland without her.
Tasha must make a heartbreaking decision: will she stay in war-ravaged Europe and cling on to the hope that the person she loves most in the world is alive, or take a long journey across the sea towards an uncertain future?
Out now
Never Trust the Husband by Jessica Payne was excellent. I read some other reviews and people raved about it- they aren’t wrong. I love a good revenge story and this had everything to make a perfect suspense story. Twists and turns and surprises throughout the book kept me turning pages and reading as fast as I could.
Synopsis:
Every night I watch Benjamin and Gwyn in their gorgeous, glass-fronted Seattle home. Your ex-husband. Your best friend. Newly engaged, they’re busy dreaming of their future.
The official story is that you disappeared, but I know the truth. They killed you.
I know Benjamin’s new business is in trouble, that he desperately needs your money. I saw the way Gwyn looked at him at your wedding reception, finding any excuse to be close, to laugh too loudly at his jokes. After all, she always wanted your perfect life.
But don’t worry, Madeline. I won’t let it end like this. I can see everything from my place in the shadows between the trees. With their house lit up, they are on display. I’ll bide my time and worm my way into their home, their lives. They will never know the truth about who I am.
Out now!
This book! It’s SO GOOD. If you love a suspense novel that has you reading quickly and staying up into the night, then you need Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera. The story centers around Lucy, who has lived with the guilt of possibly murdering her best friend. When a true-crime podcast dips into the story, Lucy must revisit the night her friend died and come to terms with the truth, whatever that may be.
I’ve seen many books with a similar plot but this didn’t feel stale or boring. I enjoyed it and have been recommending it to my friends, its a captivating novel! Its not just me who loved it, this is consistently receiving four and five stars along with glowing reviews!
Synopsis:
What if you thought you murdered your best friend? And if everyone else thought so too? And what if the truth doesn’t matter?
After Lucy is found wandering the streets, covered in her best friend Savvy’s blood, everyone thinks she is a murderer. Lucy and Savvy were the golden girls of their small Texas town: pretty, smart, and enviable. Lucy married a dream guy with a big ring and an even bigger new home. Savvy was the social butterfly loved by all, and if you believe the rumors, especially popular with the men in town. It’s been years since that horrible night, a night Lucy can’t remember anything about, and she has since moved to LA and started a new life.
But now the phenomenally huge hit true crime podcast “Listen for the Lie,” and its too-good looking host Ben Owens, have decided to investigate Savvy’s murder for the show’s second season. Lucy is forced to return to the place she vowed never to set foot in again to solve her friend’s murder, even if she is the one that did it.
The truth is out there, if we just listen.
Out now!
I have read every single book that Gemma Rogers has written so of course, as soon as I saw The Good Wife. This has everything from jealousy to drama to control to deceit to suspense mixed with tension and surprises. You never know what’s going to happen next. It’s a perfect example of a domestic thriller.
Synopsis:
Appearances can be deceiving…
After a whirlwind romance and three years of marriage, I’d tried to be a good wife.
But Tom, my husband, is always watching, controlling my every move. He chooses my clothes, my hairstyle, even instructing what and how much I’m allowed to eat – just ten measly mouthfuls.
I’ve become isolated from those I love, forbidden to work and stuck at home to fulfil his every whim.
My identity along with my life is long gone.
I am slowly suffocating but I know Tom will never, ever let me leave alive.
A chance encounter with Savannah changes everything. Tom couldn’t tear his eyes away from her. Could she be my saviour?
Could my husband’s desire for another woman be the answer to my prayers, to my freedom?
This is out now!
Such a Lovely Family is the newest novel from Aggie Blum Thompson who wrote the fantastic novel, I Don’t Forgive You. This story centers around the Calhoun family, who start off the book with a party for their friends and neighbors. Of course, something happens- a murder- which kicks off the mystery and suspense surrounding this family who all have some dark secrets. Of course this super wealth family has dark secrets that are going to come out during the book! That is what makes this such a wild ride.
Synopsis:
The cherry blossoms are in full bloom in Washington, D.C., and the Calhouns are in the midst of hosting their annual party to celebrate the best of the spring season. With a house full of friends, neighbors, and their beloved three adult children, the Calhouns are expecting another picture-perfect event. But a brutal murder in the middle of the celebration transforms the yearly gathering into a homicide scene, and all the guests into suspects.
Behind their façade of perfection, the Calhoun family has been keeping some very dark secrets. Parents who use money and emotional manipulation to control their children. Two sons, one the black sheep who is desperate to outrun mistakes he’s made, and the other a new father, willing to risk everything to protect his child. And a daughter: an Instagram influencer who refuses to face the truth about the man she married.
As the investigation heats up, family tensions build, and alliances shift. Long-buried resentments surface, forcing the Calhouns to face their darkest secrets before it’s too late.
Out on March 12
Heather Gudenkauf is an excellent author and if you see No One Is Watching, get it immediately. I think Heather is one of those writers who gets better and better with each novel she writes. I started this one evening and finished it first thing in the morning. I loved it.
Yes reality show tropes are on trend right now with so many books weaving reality tv elements into the plot, but this was different and so creepy. I can see this one being a movie or series.
Synopsis:
The Best Friend. The Confidant. The Senator. The Boyfriend. The Executive.
Five contestants have been chosen to compete for ten million dollars on the game show One Lucky Winner. The catch? None of them knows what (or who) to expect, and it will be live-streamed all over the world. Completely secluded in an estate in Northern California, with strict instructions not to leave the property and zero contact with the outside world, the competitors start to feel a little too isolated.
When long-kept secrets begin to rise to the surface, the contestants realize this is no longer just a reality show—someone is out for blood. And the game can’t end until the world knows who the contestants really are…
Out on March 26
I LOVE A REVENGE STORY! This book took a little science fiction turn which I don’t always love but the book was smartly written and intense. The two characters in the book can swap bodies, so just suspend your disbelief for a minute as the characters switch bodies and the revenge plot takes over.
Here is what you need to know about When I’m Her by Sarah Zachrich Jeng:
How far would you go to get even with the woman who ruined your life?
In this electrifying thriller, a young woman gets everything she’s ever wanted—and everything she doesn’t—when she swaps bodies with her sworn enemy.
Though polar opposites, Mary and Elizabeth are as close as can be—until the night Elizabeth makes an irrevocable mistake and leaves Mary to take the blame. Years later, Elizabeth seems to have forgotten Mary exists.
Mary hasn’t forgotten her.
She follows Elizabeth’s every move online, obsessed with paying her back for the betrayal that cost Mary her dreams. Now Mary has found a way to switch bodies with Elizabeth, and she’s got a plan to steal her charmed life. Her career. Her looks. Her husband.
They do say living well is the best revenge.
Or is it? The more Mary uncovers about Elizabeth’s life, the more she realizes she may have made a deadly mistake. And she’ll need the help of her worst enemy to stay alive.
Out on March 26
This book had me HOOKED. I didn’t want to stop reading for a single minute. If you see a book by C.L. Taylor, grab it! Every Move You Make is her latest, and wow was it fantastic. I went into this one not knowing much, sometimes I just want to jump and be surprised with a book and yes, I was!
Synopsis:
The only way to stop a stalker is to become one yourself…
Alex, Lucy, River and Bridget.
Four people with one thing in common: they are all being stalked. Their lives are filled with daily terror. Always watching. Always waiting. And never knowing what – or who – is hiding in the shadows.
But this group of four used to be five, until the terrible day their friend Nat was followed home by her stalker…
Coming together for Nat’s funeral, they are handed a wreath saying RIP. However, this isn’t a wreath in memory of Nat – it’s for them, with a card dated in ten days’ time.
It’s a clear message: in ten days, one of them will die. And the only way to stop the killer is to get closer than they ever dared to their stalkers. The very people who want them dead…
This is out now!
I’ve read a few books by Audrey Blake and they are so good, she writes historical fiction and I find myself just getting lost in another world, in another time, when I read her books. Her latest is The Woman with No Name. A story about a female spy during World War II, yes, please! And this is based on a true story, which is incredible. There are numerous books about female spies during the war and wow, they were so brave. I am in awe.
Synopsis:
She’ll light the fire of resistance—but she may get burned…
1942. Though she survived the bomb that destroyed her home, Yvonne Rudellat’s life is over. She’s estranged from her husband, her daughter is busy with war work, and Yvonne—older, diminutive, overlooked—has lost all purpose. Until she’s offered a chance to remake herself entirely…
The war has taken a turn for the worse, and the men in charge are desperate. So, when Yvonne is recruited as Britain’s first female sabotage agent, expectations are low. But her tenacity, ability to go unnoticed, and aptitude for explosives set her apart. Soon enough she arrives in occupied France with a new identity, ready to set the Nazi regime ablaze.
But there are adversaries on all sides. As Yvonne becomes infamous as the nameless, unstoppable woman who burns the enemy at every turn, she realizes she may lose herself to the urgent needs of the cause …
Out on March 12
