Choke Point

Choke Point is the 25th novel in Brad Thor's Scot Harvath series, a political thriller where Harvath hunts a rogue American operative assisting China's plan to seize a critical geopolitical "choke point" in Southeast Asia, leading to a high-stakes conflict with global implications. It was published on June 16, 2026.

The publisher's summary:  

A devastating series of bombings tears through Bangkok. Scores of American citizens are dead. The attacks send shock waves around the world.

As global assistance pours into Thailand—including the FBI’s famed Evidence Response Team—the president of the United States quietly prepares a plan B: Scot Harvath, America’s top spy, trained to operate outside the law and probe the dark corners others can’t…or won’t.

But the bomber Harvath is pursuing isn’t a terrorist. He’s something far more dangerous—one of ours.

Meanwhile, in Washington, a former United States Marine is being hunted—and he has no idea why. Desperate for answers, he turns to the one person he still trusts—his ex-fiancée, a rising star in the White House. The problem is, she isn’t sure she can trust him.

As Harvath closes in on the bomber, a devastating truth begins to emerge. China has quietly deployed its most elite intelligence unit to Thailand. Their objective: to ignite chaos, trigger a military coup, and seize control of a narrow but critical piece of land, one that could give Beijing a decisive advantage.

If the plan succeeds, Beijing will secure a key gateway between two oceans, eroding American naval dominance and tipping the balance in any war between the world’s great powers.

China will control the ultimate geopolitical choke point.

The story opened with Kevin Koebler setting off a car bomb and then walking away. Each of the subsequent chapters alternate between Koebler's activities and Harvath's activities. Harvath's involvement began after a significant bomb was set off in Bangkok that resulted in the deaths of over three hundred people.

Harvath and his team of four were called in to the U. S. Embassy in Manila for a briefing on the disaster. The team was tasked with determining the identity of the bomber and then to capture him. The politics of the region were highlighted in the briefing. Thailand and neighboring Cambodia have been in a cold war for twenty years because of border disputes. If evidence of the involvement of the Cambodians was discovered there was a fear that the Thais would begin a war against them. While the blueprint of the bombs pointed toward a Cambodian bomb maker, Chinese men are always seen at the bombed out sites. 

I was pleased to see that Scot Harvath's post spy career made much more sense in this installment of the series than in earlier novels. We read that he was recalled from retirement to help out in a mission in Thailand. Nothing more. I was glad there were no scenes with Harvath's new wife.

It seemed that the whydunnit of the story was based off the current Iran War. It even included a mention of the closing of Hormusz. However, I have been seeing ads for the book for at least five or six months. The timeline of the publication doesn't meet this test though. The mention of Iran and Hormusz was fleeting but the exact same scenario taking place in the Gulf of Thailand is ironic. 

I always enjoy a Thai setting. In this story, it's the politics of the country that are described. There wasn't any depiction of the foods, architecture, or other cultural aspects of Thai society. I learned alot, though, about the politics of the areas surrounding Thailand. 

Choke Point is a fast paced story with fascinating twists. It was an enjoyable read but the first half of the book lacked the suspense seen in the latter half. I am rating it 4 out of 5 stars.

All This And More

All This and More is an intriguing story about a divorced woman whose life is in a rut. She becomes a contestant on a reality TV show in order to change her life into the life she dreamed about as a youth. This 472 page book was written by Peng Shepherd, the author of The Cartographers and was published in 2025.

The book begins with this prologue:

This is a book about choices. Their allure, their power, and their consequences. And so, of course, you have a choice about how you want to read it. At certain points in the text, the story will present you with several options about what to do next. You can either allow the book to guide you along like a more conventional novel, or you can forge your own path by choosing to jump to a different chapter. It’s entirely up to you. To stay on the guided path, or, if you’re ever not sure what to do next: Pick the first option. To forge your own path through the story: Pick any option you like. Have fun! And remember: you could have All This . . . and More.

I wasn't sure what that meant even after reading the publisher's summary: 

Meek, play-it-safe Marsh has just turned forty-five, and her life is in shambles. Her career is stagnant, her marriage has imploded, and her teenage daughter grows more distant by the day. Marsh is convinced she’s missed her chance at everything—romance, professional fulfillment, and adventure—and is desperate for a do-over.

She can’t believe her luck when she’s selected to be the star of the global sensation All This and More, a show that uses quantum technology to allow contestants the chance to revise their pasts and change their present lives. It’s Marsh’s only shot to seize her dreams, and she’s determined to get it right this time.

But even as she rises to become a famous lawyer, gets back together with her high school sweetheart, and travels the world, she begins to worry that All This and More’s promises might be too good to be true. Because while the technology is amazing, something seems a bit off.…

Can Marsh really make her life everything she wants it to be? And is it worth it?

I attempted to read the book when it was first published. For some reason I couldn't get into the story. I cannot figure out why because this is a fantastic book. I initially read the story conventionally from page to page. I then re-read the book and jumped chapters as suggested at the end of each of the chapters. I can honestly say that I did not miss part of the story by reading it either way. 

As a character Marsh is meh. She doesn't have an exciting life or career nor does she have any idea how to craft such a life for herself. Her husband Dylan is equally meh. Dylan is a dull workaholic who has convinced Marsh that his career is the most important thing in their marriage. These two vanilla characters make a perfect couple. However, after Marsh catches Dylan having an office affair she leaves him. Once divorced and raising a teen daughter Marsh wonders whether she made the right decisions for her life. With not-too-strong characters, the plot is the driving force of the novel. 

The concept of being able to change your life on a reality TV show is an interesting one. It would be nice if it was possible. I would sign up immediately to be a contestant. It's really just hype though. Still, I give the author kudos for dreaming up this intriguing plot. 5 out of 5 stars.

A River Red With Blood

A River Red With Blood is the 23rd Charlie Parker novel by John Connolly. It is a dark and atmospheric story that takes place in small town Maine. In this installment of the series there are two disappearances for Charlie to solve.

The pulisher's summary:

Two intertwined disappearances leave a rural community in shock in the latest gripping Charlie Parker novel from New York Times bestselling author John Connolly.

In a darkly brilliant thriller set in Maine’s rural Kennebec River Valley, the body of a young runaway from a “troubled teens” school has been found in the water, seemingly drowned, while a teenage girl has gone missing, believed dead. Now it is up to one man, private investigator Charlie Parker, to find the connection, and bring two evils—one new and one ancient—to an end…

I had a hard time maintaining interest in the book in the beginning. Each of the chapters on the disappearances gave little information to make me want to read further. I continued though and by the middle of the story each subplot was fascinating and I couldn’t wait to see what was going to happen.

The part of the book that I  enjoyed the most was the group of three killers who call what they do "the game."  Originally there were four participants. When one of them violated the rules of the game he was eliminated. This worked out well for the remaining three because they could be the leader of the game sooner. Every third year each of them got to select the victim, the method of murder and actually commit the murder.  Another fascinating part of the book was the action at Spero School. Spero is a place for troubled teens whose parents have given up on. It's more of a prison than a school with ridiculous rules and severe punishments. 

As far as the characters are concerned, I did not feel that Charlie Parker was a  sympathetic character. There was certainly nothing exciting about his character. The characters who were awesome were the three involved in the game. They were the villains but most of the plot involved them. I guess because I know more about these three men that they seemed to be much more interesting. Another interesting aspect of these three characters was their psyche allowing them to be willing to kill. I wondered what had happened to these men that made them the monsters that they were.

My thoughts about the book are mixed. The beginning was slow but the ending was satisfying. I am rating the book 3 out of 5 stars.

Wanting Daisy Dead

Wanting Daisy Dead is my selection for What's in a Name Reading Challenge this month. The title fits the "flower" category. The story is a psychological thriller and it was published on October 1, 2025.

The publisher's summary:  

They all had a reason. Only one had the nerve.

Twenty years ago, student Daisy Harrington went out for the evening and never came home. Her body was found a week later. The killer was caught. Case closed.

Now, on what would have been her fortieth birthday, her five university housemates are invited to a weekend gathering. None of them want to go. But none of them can refuse—the invitation makes it clear that if they don’t attend, the past they’ve spent two decades hiding will finally come to light.

Because the man convicted of Daisy’s murder was innocent. And one of the five has known this all along. As the weekend unfolds, the truth threatens to finally be revealed…

They all wanted Daisy dead, but one wanted it more. The question is…who? And why?

The story's suspenseful beginning had me hooked. First one ex-roommate of Daisy’s received the invitation to her 40th birthday party. Then the next and the next and the next. All of them thought about their college secrets so it was impossible to determine who the whodunnit was at this point in the story. The weekend birthday celebration was sponsored by a true crime podcast called The Killer Question. The podcast looks at unsolved crimes as well those where there has been a conviction. If the podcasters believe the wrong person is incarcerated they will investigate the crime and find the real killer. In Daisy’s case, they believe the wrong man was convicted. 

As the plot moved forward, each roommate seemed to me to be her real killer. The chapters alternated between their perspectives. Maddie, Lauren, Dan, Alex and Georgie seemed innocent enough but each feared their secret being exposed. If they were smart, the roommates would have spoken with each other and decided as a group not to go to this party. I eventually settled on Lauren as my prospective whodunnit. She continued to think about her actions during the night Daisy died as evidence of her guilt. Was she just the obvious choice? I can't say.

All of these characters were ridiculously stupid. None of them should have attended the party but once they were there, they made one bad remark after another. Georgie was my favorite character. She broke up with Alex while in college and married Dan for financial security but  ruled over him harshly. Georgie also talked alot about violence toward people she didn't like and she was highly excitable. In my mind she was the bright star among the other milquetoast characters. However, she made a mistake with Alex. He became a tech billionaire. Lauren was an author who was planning to write a non-fiction book about Daisy’s murder. When the friends spoke about wanting to leave early, in order to prevent them from leaving Lauren reasoned with them to stay. The longer the roommates stayed at the party the more treacherous it became for each of them. 

Wanting Daisy Dead was a quick read. Each twist in the story made me think and this notched up my enjoyment of the book. 5 out of 5 stars.

The Margin of Death

The Margin of Death is a financial crime thriller featuring Detective Sarah Reeves. She has a missing-person case that later becomes a murder investigation and then a much larger investigation into genealogy, wealth and ancient secrets. I received a free copy of this book from Book Sirens in exchange for an honest review. The book was published on May 5, 2026.

The story began quickly and I was instantly hooked. Sarah is working on a financial crime investigation into insider trading at Apex Capital. She had received an email complaint from portfolio analyst Marcus Chen. Chen almost immediately disappeared so Sarah made an appointment to see his boss James Harrington. The complaint was related to the Cross Industries merger announcement. Chen claimed to have evidence of options trades placed weeks before the public announcement, using client accounts without authorization.

Cross Industries was owned by U. S. Senator William Cross who was the chair of the Senate Banking Committee and was running for president. Sarah discovered that Cross was using his daughter's shell companies to launder illegal foreign contributions from Russian oligarchs, Saudi nationals and Chinese businessmen. He laundered forty-seven million dollars over two years.

Harrington allowed an IT technician to open up Chen's computer for Sarah to review. The tech informed Sarah that Chen had him set up a deadman's switch on his computer so that if he didn't log in every 48 hours an automated email would be sent out. With Chen's disappearance 2 days ago, the switch was triggered. What Sarah found in a "deleted emails" folder was the beginning of her investigation into the firm. Chen was close to the firm's Head of Compliance Leo Jenkins. They attended college together and were long time friends. However, Leo was found dead that same day. His murder was set up to look like a suicide as was Chen's. I found this start to the plot riveting and I couldn’t put the book down. I read it in one sitting.

As Sarah began organizing the facts of the crime, she found additional factors that changed the essence of the investigation. The financial crime investigation process continued but Sarah was led to a spreadsheet with 37 lines. Each line referenced a name and the date killed. Her father was #4 on the list and she was #37. Her murder was pending. The investigation further led her to genealogical insights into the Parke family dating back to 893 AD and the family of Æthelflæd. I loved this part of the plot as genealogy is a hobby of mine. The Æthelflæd connection became a major part of the plot. 

What is the margin? It is explained toward the ending. I was not expecting the explanation. It was a surprise that I had to think about for awhile to fully understand it. 

There is so much more to the plot that I cannot expand on due to space restrictions. For each of the story descriptions above, there is much more detail than I mentioned. Suffice to say that I  was stuck to my seat while reading this riveting story. I loved the intersection of politics, money and old family secrets. 

5 out of 5 stars.

The Fatal Farandole

This delightful cozy mystery was published a few days ago on May 29, 2026. It is the 9th installment of the Provence Cozy Mysteries series by Ana T. Drew. The main character is baker Julie Cavallo. Please note that I received a free copy of this book from Book Sirens in exchange for an honest review.

The publisher's summary:

A beloved Provençal festival.

A murderous conspiracy.

A bullfighter who knows too much.

When two local chefs are killed within a week, shockwaves ripple through the region’s tight-knit culinary world. Suspicion lands squarely on baker Julie Cavallo. As whispers turn to accusations, her eccentric family closes ranks, and her loyal friends rally to her side.

But Julie’s running out of time. Her pastry shop is at risk. Her love life is unraveling. The gendarmes are tracking her every move. Julie can’t afford to wait for the official investigation to uncover the truth. Her instincts go into overdrive. Dots connect. Patterns appear. . .

Can Julie make it through this case, when asking the right questions has already gotten others killed?

The story opened with a bang. Our main character Julie wakes up freezing and soon sees her grandmother’s dog Lady lying near her. Lady is whimpering. She is freezing also. Julie soon realizes that she is locked in a walk in freezer. With her mind moving fast Julie sees a metal grate that she can probably fit through. All she has to do is unscrew the nails. After several nerve-wracking minutes, the grate comes off and Julie squeezes through the space, then grabs Lady. The next thing she knows she is in a hospital.

While scrounging her memory for details on how she ended up in the freezer, Julie remembers chatting with fellow chef and friend Mylene Nivault. She cannot remember anything else. After hospital discharge Julie returns to work at her gluten free pastry shop. Unfortunately, she finds out that she is a suspect in Mylene's murder. Julie didn't even know Mylene was dead, let alone murdered. Capitaine Bauer has focused on her because she is always at the scene of suspicious deaths. The news travels fast in her village, Beldoc, and Julie’s shop is not approved to be a caterer at a local festival. Friends intervene and she is finally approved. Once the bull fest begins, all hell breaks through both before and after the farandole.

So what is the farandole? I asked my french teacher. I thought she said it was a festival. After reading a few more pages I learned that the farandole is a dance. Dancers wear a cultural dress, the l'arlesienne, and the dance music was written by composer Bizet. After listening to the music on YouTube I realized that I have heard it several times in the past. 

The story had many twists, much more than I am accustomed to seeing in cozy mysteries. This was a nice surprise. Another surprise was the extensive descriptions of the Provençal setting. I learned alot more than new insights into the culture but also quite a few new French words. How the police, gendarmerie, investigated crimes and how wine appellation laws mandate which grape varieties can be used, yield limits, and specific aging processes was interesting to say the least.

Note that the differences between the wine appellation laws figure prominently in the plot. It was fascinating see how fraudsters can exploit these laws both legally and illegally. There are other laws regarding what type of paperwork is required to prove provenance. The requirements under these laws vary significantly. They, too, can easily be exploited and this created alot of suspense in the story.

The characters were well developed. Julie is an amateur sleuth who, in the past, was at the scene of several murders. Her sleuthing always puts her in danger. Julie’s grandmother Rose is a fine example of a woman aging gracefully. Rose always chooses to participate in village events and takes chances on ruining her reputation in order to have fun. Julie has a boyfriend named Gabriel. Gabriel is a police officer who seems to good to be true. However, he really is that perfect caring man. Julie has an assistant, Flo, who is the voice of reason in Julie’s circle of friends. Flo can discern the best action for situations in which Julie finds herself and force Julie to think objectively. 

I loved The Fatal Farandole and am planning on reading the entire series. While I have already read several books that I think will be in my top ten for 2026, I am adding The Fatal Fandole to my prospective list. 5 out of 5 stars.

Midnight in the House of Commons

Midnight in the House of Commons is the 16th Charles Lenox mystery by Charles Finch. In this installment of the series a member of parliament is poisoned. The series takes place in the Victorian era in London.

The publisher's summary:

In the spring of 1881, Lenox is caught up in the whirl of London life when his brother arrives to tell him that there’s been a murder in the House of Commons. Robert Baddeley, a charismatic, womanizing Member, has been found poisoned in the hallowed chamber itself. Suspicion immediately falls on the women in his life, including his wife and mistress, but as Lenox digs deeper, he realizes that there were more than a few people who might have wanted Baddeley dead. 

Meanwhile, Lenox must balance his investigation with his family life, which has grown increasingly complicated: his ward Sari struggles with heartbreak, the Lenox household receives an odd visitor, and a young woman comes to Lenox to implore him to find her fiancé, who has mysteriously vanished. 

And just when Lenox is nearing the truth of Baddeley’s murder, someone close to him is arrested for the crime—and Lenox must race to solve the case before losing everything.

Joyfully set in ballrooms, supper parties, palaces, and Parliament, Midnight in the House of Commons takes Charles Lenox through his trickiest, most satisfying case yet.

I was disappointed with the book. It wasn't much of a whodunnit. There was plenty of Victorian era verbage that I did not see advancing the plot and after awhile I became bored. This is highly unusual for me with a Charles Finch novel. In addition, it took a few chapters for the unknown woman, Violet Goodhue (I love this name) to see Lenox and describe her predicament, which was that her fiance disappeared. Lenox interviewed the man's family and closest friends who all said he wanted out of the engagement. Of course, there is more to this subplot.

 The murder itself did not occur until we were almost at the halfway mark in the story. That is too late for a mystery novel but note that the plot picked up speed here. Member of Parliament Robert Baddeley was found dead at midnight in the House of Commons Chamber. Baddeley was known to work late into the night so none of the maintenance crew were surprised to see him working late that evening. They were surprised to find his body when they opened up the Chamber for cleaning. The police later determined that he was poisoned with chloral. Chloral will kill within 15 minutes of exposure. For his investigation, Detective Lenox interviewed Baddeley’s associates as well as the night crew on site that evening.

I have been known to watch Prime Ministers Questions which is shown live on TV from the House of Commons Chambers on Wednesdays. As such, I am familiar with the decor and procedures in the House. The author accurately portrayed the scene. I was surprised where the body was placed in the Chamber and instantly knew it was staged. However, the Chamber was locked and no one should have been able to access it. A woman claiming to be Baddeley’s sister signed herself in on the premises though. The sticky point here is that Baddeley did not have a sister. Another unusual fact was the location of his office. Baddeley should have been assigned a better location for his office. Lenox was told by several men that the office was where men could meet their mistresses. All these facts Charles Lenox had to sift through in order to find the killer. The rest of the story followed the murder mystery formula with several twists and turns.

The suspects included Baddeley’s chief assistant whom he was going to fire. Mr. Cole was the last person to see him alive and his father was a chemist. The French and Russian governments were also considered. Baddeley’s wealthy wife and mistress rounded out the pool of suspects. 

I am rating the book 3 out of 5 stars. While the beginning was slow, once the investigation began the story became much more interesting. Also, note that I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

Ice Cold Body

I selected this book for the What's in a Name Challenge. I needed a book title that referenced cold weather. Icy Cold Body is a cozy mystery set in Alaska and is the first book in a five book (to date) series by Kelli Fudge. The Snowy Alaskan Murder Mystery series features Maggie Calloway as an amateur sleuth. 

The publisher's summary:  

She came to Alaska for peace. Her cat found a killer.

Retired schoolteacher Margaret "Maggie" Calloway traded her Ohio life for a cozy cabin in remote Frosthaven, Alaska. With her enormous cat, Kodiak, by her side, she dreamed of quiet days amid breathtaking wilderness. But on the first big snowfall, Kodiak drags her to Frosthaven Lake—where the ice-entombed body of beloved fish hatchery owner Earl Benton stares up from below.

The sheriff calls it a tragic accident. Maggie spots the truth: Earl's boots are bone dry. He didn't drown—he was placed there. As Maggie digs into Frosthaven's secrets—over diner coffee, in dusty archives, and among tight-lipped neighbors—she uncovers land disputes, buried grudges, and a missing deed worth a fortune. Someone will kill to keep it hidden.

With a blizzard sealing the town off and 300 suspects snowed in, Maggie and Kodiak race the storm. Clues are vanishing under feet of snow, and the killer knows she's closing in.

I loved this story! Maggie discovered a frozen body on the lake and was struck by the deceased's boots being dry. I never figured out how this could happen because the entire body was in the lake. It was never explained either. However, the story moved along at a quick pace and I kept reading. Initially, there weren't many characters introduced. There was basically Maggie and her cat Kodiak. About the midway point in the story we are introduced to town archivist Harriet Voss, Leland Gruber, owner of the Trading Post diner, Sheriff Miller and a few secondary characters. 

Harriet and Maggie became a team. They researched the belief among Frosthaven's citizens that their lakefront could not be developed. There were whispers that a deed from 1972 prohibited any development. Earl Benton, the deceased, was known to have proof. Together these two ladies solved the mystery of the deed as well as who killed Earl. Harriet and Maggie worked so well together that I think they will be the amateur sleuths in future releases of the series. 

Maggie's former career as a schoolteacher helped her deal with adversary characters. On almost every page Maggie is thinking back to her classroom and how she dealt with students, other teachers and school administration. She instinctively knew how to handle difficult people. It was fascinating to see how she was able to use her skills in a different setting.

I was surprised that the book only had 145 pages. I checked the page length of subsequent books in the series and they all were short. Despite this, the book followed the mystery formula to a T. It was an exciting novel. 5 out of 5 stars.

The Housemaid is Watching

The Housemaid is Watching is the third book in the Housemaid trilogy and it's just as wonderful as the first two.  Its a psychological thriller with yet another twisty finish that surprised me. The story takes place ten years after the first novel and Millie Calloway returns with husband Enzo and their two kids. 

The publisher's summary: 

“You must be our new neighbors!” Mrs. Lowell gushes and waves across the picket fence. I clutch my daughter’s hand and smile back: but the second Mrs. Lowell sees my husband a strange expression crosses her face. In that moment I make a promise. We finally have a family home. My past is far, far behind us. And I’ll do anything to keep it that way…

I used to clean other people’s houses—now, I can’t believe this home is actually mine. The charming kitchen, the quiet cul-de-sac, the huge yard where my kids can play. My husband and I saved for years to give our children the life they deserve.

Even though I’m wary of our new neighbor Mrs. Lowell, when she invites us over for dinner it’s our chance to make friends. Her maid opens the door wearing a white apron, her hair in a tight bun. I know exactly what it’s like to be in her shoes. But her cold stare gives me chills…

The Lowells’ maid isn’t the only strange thing on our street. I’m sure I see a shadowy figure watching us. My husband leaves the house late at night. And when I meet a woman who lives across the way, her words chill me to the bone: Be careful of your neighbors.

Did I make a terrible mistake moving my family here? I thought I’d left my darkest secrets behind. But could this quiet suburban street be the most dangerous place of all?

Millie and Enzo have two nosy, annoying neighbours. Suzette Lowell cannot stop flirting with Enzo and Millie is jealous. The neighbor across the street, Janice, is the neighborhood spy. She spends the entire day and night looking in everyone's windows with her binoculars. The Lowells have a maid, Martha, with Thursdays open and Suzette talks Enzo into hiring her even though the Accardis cannot afford it. 

Millie and Enzo have two kids, eleven year old Ada and nine year old Nico. Ada is quiet but Nico has tons of energy. Millie repeats several times that she is obsessed with her new house and that the mortgage payments are too high for her to pay. She also has quite a few internal thoughts about her husband maybe cheating on her. Why repeat these two items?  It seemed unusual for McFadden to repeat any information in a novel. It felt odd as I was reading. In addition, Millie's usual housemaid activities are not written into this novel. It made me confused until the ending. 

Who was the villain?  There were a few possibilities. Suzette, Janice and Martha were the characters I was thinking about. The identity of the whodunnit wasn't revealed until the ending but all three characters were suggested throughout the story. 

I had a few issues with the writing.  The formula used in the prior two books in the series was not followed. This reduced the suspense factor during my read. While the ending tied up all of the loose ends, it was not as shocking as the earlier novels. Unfortunately, I have to reduce my rating of the book to 4 out of 5 stars.

The Housemaid's Secret

Millie Calloway returns as a maid in this sequel to The Housemaid. She takes a new job working for the wealthy but mysterious Douglas Garrick. Millie has been told to not disturb his wife Wendy who stays locked in a guest room supposedly sleeping.

The publisher's summary:

As he continues showing me their incredible penthouse apartment, I have a terrible feeling about the woman behind closed doors. But I can't risk losing this job – not if I want to keep my darkest secret safe . . .

It's hard to find an employer who doesn't ask too many questions about my past. So I thank my lucky stars that the Garricks miraculously give me a job, cleaning their stunning penthouse with views across the city and preparing fancy meals in their shiny kitchen. I can work here for a while, stay quiet until I get what I want. It's almost perfect. But I still haven't met Mrs Garrick, or seen inside the guest bedroom. I'm sure I hear her crying. I notice spots of blood around the neck of her white nightgowns when I'm doing laundry. And one day I can't help but knock on the door. When it gently swings open, what I see inside changes everything....

That's when I make a promise. After all, I've done this before. I can protect Mrs. Garrick while keeping my own secrets locked up safe. Douglas Garrick has done wrong. He is going to pay. It's simply a question of how far I'm willing to go....

An unbelievably twisty read that will have you glued to the pages late into the night. Anyone who loves The Woman in the Window, The Wife Between Us and The Girl on the Train will be completely hooked!

The writing formula for this sequel is exactly the same as in The Housemaid. For me, this is a plus and it is what I wanted and expected. The mystery surrounding wife Wendy is the focus of the story. I enjoyed following the small reveals concerning Wendy's situation throughout the book but felt that Millie's early attempts at intervention were not called for. Wendy's situation did not change enough for Millie to need to intervene. That said, it was proper for the plot to have Millie try to intervene early and often. I wish, though, that something more severe than shouting would have alarmed Millie to take action. 

Despite my above misgivings, there was a slow ratcheting up of the tension in the story to keep me riveted to my read. There were many twists and turns that maintained my interest and some of these twists involved the characters having ulterior motives. It was hard to tell where the story was going when none of the characters seemed trustworthy.

In this installment of the series Millie has a boyfriend. Brock is an attorney who wants Millie to move in with him. She prefers to stay independent even though Brock's apartment is luxurious. When Millie gets arrested for killing Mr. Garrick he dumps her. Of course, Millie did not kill anyone. She's the heroine so I knew that she would be exonerated. What Millie does not know is that her former boyfriend Enzo is back in the country and has been following her. She had believed that someone affiliated with the Garricks was stalking her. It goes without saying that the ending was shocking. It is something McFadden's readers both expect and receive.

I loved this story. It is a wonderful sequel to The Housemaid and I am looking forward to reading the third and final book in the series.  4 out of 5 stars.

The Housemaid

The Housemaid has been on my TBR list for a few years. I finally got around to reading it last week and I hope to soon finish the four additional books in this Housemaid series. 

The publisher's summary:

Every day I clean the Winchesters’ beautiful house top to bottom. I collect their daughter from school. And I cook a delicious meal for the whole family before heading up to eat alone in my tiny room on the top floor.

I try to ignore how Nina makes a mess just to watch me clean it up. How she tells strange lies about her own daughter. And how her husband Andrew seems more broken every day. But as I look into Andrew’s handsome brown eyes, so full of pain, it’s hard not to imagine what it would be like to live Nina’s life. The walk-in closet, the fancy car, the perfect husband.

I only try on one of Nina’s pristine white dresses once. Just to see what it’s like. But she soon finds out … and by the time I realize my attic bedroom door only locks from the outside, it’s far too late.

But I reassure myself: the Winchesters don’t know who I really am.

They don’t know what I’m capable of …

Our protagonist is housemaid Millie. Millie was recently released from prison and is having a hard time finding employment. She is a convicted murderer. A week after being interviewed for a job as housemaid for Nina Winchester, Millie gets the good news that she has been hired. The job is a live-in situation and Millie can finally move out of her car. From her first day on the job Millie senses that it was a mistake to accept the position. That same day the landscaper tells her the house is dangerous.

Nina is a classic psycho. She messes up the house on purpose so Millie has more to clean. It was mean-spirited. Nina also accused Millie of misinterpreting her instructions on a daily basis. I thought Nina was the villain but nothing is that easy to decipher in a Freida McFadden book. I wondered what was wrong with her but it wasn’t until the end that I realized what was really going on.

Andrew, on the other hand, is Nina’s debonair, handsome husband. He is always calm and pleasant. Andrew makes excuses for his wife's behavior and supports her fully. No one in the neighborhood knows why he puts up with her. Landscaper Enzo is hotter than hot. He generally dismisses any conversation that Millie starts. For one reason, he speaks Italian and does not know many English words. The Winchesters have a young daughter Cecelia who is just as demented as her mother. Cecelia makes Millie's life even more miserable.

There are too many twists and turns to describe. Nothing and no one is who they seem to be. I believe there was a new twist in every other chapter. This made for a super fast pace. I read that this book was made into a movie but I didn't see it. I am definitely going to watch it ASAP as this plot is amazing. 

To say the ending is shocking is a putting it mildly. I recently learned that the author is a psychiatrist in her day job. I can only imagine that she gets her material from her clients. Otherwise, how does she come up with these plots?  5 out of 5 stars!

Dear Debbie

Dear Debbie is Freida McFadden's newest novel. It was published on January 21, 2026 and I must say it was fantastic. Debbie writes an advice column for a local newspaper similar to the Dear Abby columns I read while growing up. However, Debbie has a screw loose. No, ten loose screws.

The publisher's summary:

Debbie Mullen is losing it. For years, she has compiled all of her best advice into her column, Dear Debbie, where the wives of New England come for sympathy and neighborly advice. Through her work, Debbie has heard from countless women who are ignored, belittled, or even abused by their husbands. And Debbie does her best to guide them in the right direction. Or at least, she did.

These days, Debbie’s life seems to be spiraling out of control. She just lost her job. Something strange is happening with her teenage daughters. And her husband is keeping secrets, according to the tracking app she installed on his phone. Now, Debbie’s done being the bigger person.

She’s done being reasonable and practical. It’s time to take her own advice.

And now it’s time for payback against all the people in her life who deserve it the most.

When the story began Debbie was frequently featured at social events with friends. Nothing untoward was obvious. She attended a monthly book club with neighbors who lived on her block who openly disparaged her lack of class and higher education. Debbie desperately wants to fit in and accepts this mistreatment as necessary to endure. Later these friends begin to ridicule her intense behavior behind her back. They gossip about rumors that she spent a few months in a psychiatric hospital. Debbie’s next door neighbor Brett then accuses her of breaking into his basement and destroying his fuse box because she complained to the police about his loud music. Brett screams at her and later her husband Cooper every chance he gets.

Debbie has a beautiful garden and it is going to be featured in a local magazine. However, when the photographers don't show up she learns that the magazine canceled the photo shoot and were instead going to feature a neighbor's garden. Jo is known for having the best roses in the community. Debbie feels that Jo sabotaged her shoot and after midnight she plants beetles in the dirt of Jo's garden. By morning the beetles were all over the flowers and the photographer refused to take photos. Of course Jo blamed Debbie and Jo publicly screamed at her several times.

Most of the chapters begin with drafts of her column wherein she suggests that the complaining women kill their husbands. Debbie’s actions are slowly revealed but her duplicity is not known to the reader until the halfway point. Debbie is always calm. Her friends and neighbors are shown as explosive. 

Following the garden incident, we see Debbie plotting revenge on other neighbors as well as her husband's boss. The boss refused to promote Cooper and, in a huff, he quit his job. She also sought revenge on her daughter's soccer coach for removing her from the team. At this time Debbie was fired from her job as an advice columnist for suggesting a wife kill her husband. 

Debbie is clearly nuts. I enjoyed reading about her unraveling. Frankly, I loved some of her vengeance because these characters definately deserved it. It's interesting to note that Debbie is both the protagonist and the villain. This works though. 

Dear Debbie is a nother great McFadden novel. I am rating it 5 out of 5 stars.

Hidden Poison

Hidden Poison is the second book in the Amish Book Club Mystery Series by Tracy Fredrychowski. I reviewed Buried Secrets last month and loved it. This series is Amish fiction but the writing formula belongs in the mystery genre. Hidden Poison was just published on May 1, 2026. 

The publisher's summary: 

A poisoned pot of cream. A bishop with too much power. And one woman’s race to save her friend before the town turns against her.

Rosie Weaver finds joy in her garden, hosting book club, and sharing slow, simple mornings at the Buttered Biscuit. But her peaceful routine shatters when the bishop collapses and dies during breakfast, and the two ministers seated beside him fall ill themselves.

The town is stunned. But while some mourn the loss, others quietly admit the bishop had made enemies with his heavy-handed ways. When whispers begin to blame Lucy Fisher, the former Amish woman who owns the cafe, Rosie, Lovina Frey, and Irma Gingerich refuse to stay silent.

With the sheriff closing the diner and rumors spreading like wildfire, Rosie enlists her book club friends to help clear Lucy’s name. But the deeper they dig into the bishop’s secrets, the more dangerous the truth becomes.

Can they uncover the real poisoner before Lucy loses everything… including her place in Sweet Briar?

The story opens with Amish Bishop Enick Zook falling forward while eating breakfast in a diner owned by an ex-Amish woman. The bishop dies. The doctor's at the hospital determined that he was poisoned and wanted to perform an autopsy. The family refused, citing their faith. Identifying the killer was difficult because every one in the Amish community hated Enick, including his two sons. He was always yelling at people and finding fault where there was none. Without an autopsy the field of suspects was large and difficult for Sheriff Carr to sift through. Complicating matters were two ministers who were angling to be voted the next bishop. In addition, there were three break-ins at the Zook dairy farm that caused their cows to roam free in the street as well as breaking a pipe necessary for the production of milk and cream. 

Into this mix is Rosie Weaver and her two friends, Lovina and Irma, who are members of her murder mysyery book club. Known in the community as gossips, the trio is having a hard time getting neighbors to answer questions. Their plan is to be wherever large groups of people are gathered and to listen carefully to the whispers. The plan works of course. The ladies then meet to discuss what they have heard and rule out each suspect one by one. Sometimes Sheriff Carr asks them what they know because none of the Amish will tell him much as they do not trust law enforcement.

Hidden Poison is a delightful cozy Amish mystery that cozy lovers will enjoy. 5 out of 5 stars.

Eight Perfect Murders

I am so impressed with this novel. The plot premise concerns a blog post written by a bookstore owner wherein he listed eight crime novels with perfect, unsolvable murders. The owner becomes a suspect in several murders where it seems that a killer used this book list to recreate unsolvable murders.

The publisher's summary: 

Years ago, bookseller and mystery aficionado Malcolm Kershaw compiled a list of the genre’s most unsolvable murders, those that are almost impossible to crack―which he titled “Eight Perfect Murders”―chosen from among the best of the best including Agatha Christie’s A. B. C. Murders, Patricia Highsmith’s Strangers on a Train, Ira Levin’s Deathtrap, A. A. Milne's The Red House Mystery, Anthony Berkeley Cox's Malice Aforethought, James M. Cain's Double Indemnity, John D. MacDonald's The Drowner, and Donna Tartt's The Secret History.

But no one is more surprised than Mal, now the owner of the Old Devils Bookstore in Boston, when an FBI agent comes knocking on his door one snowy day in February. She’s looking for information about a series of unsolved murders that look eerily similar to the killings on Mal’s old list. And the FBI agent isn’t the only one interested in this bookseller who spends almost every night at home reading. The killer is out there, watching his every move in a twisty cat and mouse game―a diabolical threat who knows way too much about Mal’s personal history, especially the secrets he’s never told anyone, even his recently deceased wife.

To protect himself, Mal begins looking into possible suspects . . . and sees a killer in everyone around him. But Mal doesn’t count on the investigation leaving a trail of death in its wake. Suddenly, a series of shocking twists leaves more victims dead―and the noose around Mal’s neck grows so tight he might never escape.

As with all Peter Swanson books  I was hooked from the first page. If there is one word to describe the plot it's Hitchcockian. That's a word, right? Swanson delivers this thriller with tantalizing clues and a shocking ending. Also, I am impressed with the idea that someone is nutty enough to duplicate so-called "perfect" murders in mystery novels.

Malcolm's relationship with FBI agent Gwen Mulvy was a little off. She interviewed him in the beginning of the story and told him her entire theory of her case. That was odd. What was odder was that Malcolm decided to get in her car wjen he didn't have to and drive to the murder scene of one of his bookstore's big customers. It was strange that she asked and strange that he agreed to go with her in her car. Wouldn't most people drive separately given a choice? Their conversation in her car was bizarre. Malcolm revealed alot about himself and his deceased wife. I felt he was indirectly telling Gwen that he had reason to kill his wife. She did not take the bate though.

The big reveal of the whodunnit was a slow burn. Into the second half of the book the details began to be revealed. I didn't catch the clues until later in the story. Eight Perfect Murders is a suspense thriller on steroids. Mystery lovers simply must read this book. I am rating it 5 out of 5 stars.

The Girl in the Attic

The Girl in the Attic is my selection for the Calendar of Crime Reading Challenge for this month. It was published about a week ago on April 8, 2026. The book is a suspense thriller on steroids.

The publisher's summary:

 

Olivia thought she knew darkness. Her childhood. The years in care homes. The fear of abandonment. The fear of loss and failure. Now, as the door clangs shuts behind her – with her captor’s promise ringing in her ears that she’s ‘his’ forever – she realises that nowhere before has been as dark as her attic cell. But, under the eaves, as she shivers in the cold and recalls how she was taken, Olivia starts to make a plan. Because only she knows that the girl in the attic isn’t as innocent as her captor thinks… and that the deepest darkness might just be within her.

Initially I thought the story began slowly. I was really just getting accustomed to the author's writing style. He used Olivia's inner thoughts frequently and after 20 or 30 pages I wondered whether the book had any action. This beginning was necessary though.

Olivia is the main character. She spent most of her childhood in the foster care system. Before beginning high school an accepting, patient couple took Olivia into their home. Edward and Eva's welcoming embrace helped Olivia to become less guarded. When Eva discovers her drawing talent the couple buys her painting supplies. Olivia spends all her free time on her art and she quickly developed her artistic style. She was so good that her foster parents connected her with Ben, a friend of their's who owned a gallery. Olivia signed a contract with him and soon had her own solo exhibition. She felt positive for the first time in her life. Unfortunately, a man who discovered her there was bad news. Eventually Charles Fairfield was holding her captive in one of his homes. The grim reality that she faced took a few chapters to unfold.

Suspense notched up as the plot unfolded. Charles' plans for Olivia were shocking beyond belief. I don't believe that I have ever read a book with this type of frightening story. Charles was obviously the villain. He took his craziness very seriously and expected that Olivia could be trained to be a killer just like him. For most of the story Olivia was chained against a wall with both her hands and feet handcuffed. I could feel the physical pain she endured. It was described in detail. While the horror Olivia found herself in continued throughout the chapters, her predicament never seemed to improve .  . . until the last chapter.

The Girl in the Attic is a dark story but one with so much suspense that I could not stop reading. The darkness did affect me though and I will probably sleep with the lights on tonight. 

5 out of 5 stars.

The Twin Sister

I selected The Twin Sister for the Key Word Reading Challenge. This psychological thriller is author Yvette Davies debut novel. Let me tell you right off the bat that this psychological thriller is a must read. The book was published in October 2025 and her second book will be published in 2026.

The story opens with a car crash. The police assume that Cate, Beth's identical twin sister, was inside the car involved in the accident. Cate died along with Cate's husband Giles and two of her three children. However, Beth was in a separate car with Cate's son Ted and Cate's purse was in that car too because Cate was going to be driving in this car. A last minute decision to travel in the car with Giles and her kids put her in the accident. Since Cate was wearing Beth's sweater and had Beth's phone in the sweater pocket, the police thought that Beth had died. Without even thinking, Beth assumed Cate's life. Cate was married to a wealthy man, wore designer clothes and owned a multi-million dollar house. The lifestyle was too good to pass up and after ten years of trying for a baby with husband David, Beth now has the chance to be a mother to her nephew Ted. The mistaken identity creates an opportunity for Beth to have a better life.

Beth's marriage had been in a shambles. She and David had been unhappy and David dealt with it by getting a girlfriend. Interspersed with funeral planning were snippets of Cate and Beth as children as well as David’s life with Adriana. Beth found out that she really didn't know her sister well. Cate too was having an affair with the gardener and had other household help. Beth's biggest issue was assuming Cate's personality. They were very different people but some of Cate's acquaintances figured it all out. 

There's was a lot of action and many twists in the plot. All of them were shocking which, of course, kept me reading. I am looking forward to reading more from this author.

5 out of 5 stars.

Cold Zero

Cold Zero is Brad Thor's newest novel. It is not part of Thor's popular Scot Harvath spy series though. Cold Zero is a spy thriller but with new characters. It is also the first collaboration Thor has had with Ward Larsen. 

The publisher's summary:

A vanished plane. An earth-shattering secret. A countdown to World War III. Hemisphere Airlines Flight 777—the most advanced jetliner ever built—disappears without a trace over the North Pole. Crippled by sabotage, it crash-lands on the ice, stranding the surviving passengers in a wasteland of frigid cold and chaos.

The real storm, however, is still coming. Hidden inside the wreckage is the prototype for a revolutionary piece of technology that could upend the balance of world power. Now Washington, Moscow, and Beijing are racing to be the first on scene to retrieve it—at any cost.

Trapped in the middle of the world’s most dangerous flash point are CIA operative Kasey Sheridan and former fighter pilot turned first officer, Brett Sharpe. Hunted by enemy forces, they must spirit both the device and its creator across the ice to safety—before rival superpowers turn the Arctic into a war zone.

With the clock ticking and the temperature dropping, the fate of the free world is about to be decided at the top of the globe.

This exciting novel opened with an autonomous taxi causing mayhem in Hong Kong streets. Chinese scientist Chen Li and CIA officer Kasey Sheridan are escaping from China along with Chen's briefcase and the Sky Fire technology. Chen is not in this taxi though. The Chinese, however, believe he is and are chasing it. During the chase Chen and Sheridan board a private plane in Macau heading towards New York City where Chen plans to defect. It is soon determined that the two boarded a plane set for the U.S. A plan is quickly devised to force the plane to crash, which it did.

The novel has a swift pace. Once I began reading I knew I would have to finish it in one sitting, regardless of earlier plans for the day. I rarely find a thriller as exhilarating as Cold Zero. The authors delivered as promised. The collaboration between them works, which isn't always true of other famous authors and their cohorts. I hope that this novel is the start of a new series. Sheridan, Chen and Sharpe make a great team. While Sharpe was the plane's pilot, his military experience helped in the development of a plan to deal with the crash. I can see Sheridan as the main character in a new series.

The action between the U.S, China and Russia operatives continued to build tension throughout the story. Several times in the plot each of these nations seemed to be winning. The ending, though, was a firefight between China and the U S. For a major part of the story, the chapters alternated between the three nations' activities.  Another factor regarding the tension was the description of the Arctic setting. The cold weather always gave each side problems to solve. 

Cold Zero is one of Brad Thor's best books. I highly recommend it to  thriller fans. 5 out of 5 stars.

The Star From Calcutta

The newest Perveen Mistry cozy historical mystery was recently published on March 3, 2026. The Star From Calcutta is the fifth installment of the series and takes place in 1922 India. In this story there was a movie censor  murdered at a movie premiere. The  leading lady disappeared at the same time. 

The publisher's summary:

India, 1922: Perveen Mistry, the only female lawyer in Bombay, has secured her biggest client yet: Champa Films, a movie studio run by director Subhas Ghoshal and his wife, Rochana, the biggest name in Indian cinema. In the public eye, Rochana is notorious for her beauty and her daring stunts—behind the scenes, she has recently left the studio in Calcutta that made her famous, and the studio owner is enraged by what he claims is a breach of contract. Rochana needs Perveen’s legal help to extricate Champa Films from the impending controversy.

To study Rochana’s glamorous world, Perveen attends a special screening and brings her film fanatic best friend, Alice Hobson-Jones. But in the aftermath of the event, one of the guests is found dead, and to make matters worse, Rochana has disappeared.

To protect her clients, Perveen begins to investigate the developing murder case, peeling back the glitz to reveal a salacious web of blackmail, deceit, and romantic affairs. For the first time in their friendship, Alice seems to be keeping a secret from Perveen. Is she hiding key information about the night of the murder? Will Perveen be able to detangle the truth from lies while protecting herself—and her closest friend?

This installment of the series was somewhat different than the earlier novels. In the past Perveen was investigating murders as a defense of her clients. In Star, Perveen was a witness because she attended the film preview and because she found the body. It was a nice twist that keeps the series fresh. However, she was still able to gather information for her investigation, although she had to ensure that the police did not know what she was up to. As a potential witness in a trial, or even the defendant, Perveen had to lay low. She hired a retired detective to help her with research into the movie companies, the censors and even her clients. 

While I have always enjoyed the Indian setting, this particular novel sheds light on the beginnings of Bollywood. Up until the time of the story, 1922, the movies that were shown in India were primarily made in Britain and had British storylines. None of the movie companies were creating stories about the lives of the Indian people nor were the actors Indian. If a character was ethnic, a mixed race actor was hired and, in all cases, the names of the actors were changed to Indian names. Around 1922 several Indian owned movie companies sprang up. They told Indian stories and used Indian actors. 

The pace was pretty quick, although the murder didn't occur until page 100 (out of 415). Perveen is a brilliant amateur sleuth. She relies on her law school education and work experience to help her create lists, in her mind that is, on how to approach each investigation in a rational manner. She pretty much knows what information she needs to obtain, in what order to obtain it and the names of those people who might have the information. Perveen thinks analytically as a lawyer would think. When she gets into trouble her father is a great resource. With twenty five years experience as a lawyer himself, he has the gravitas to know how best to handle unexpected challenges.

Perveen has a romantic interest in another character. The romance cannot go anywhere because she is still married to Cyrus Sodawilla and is not eligible for a divorce. Perveen is skating on thin ice in her liaisons with him but as a twenty-six year old woman she cannot turn her passion off. To make matters worse, her best friend's parents, the Hobson-Jones, are trying to marry him off to their daughter Alice. Of course, Alice isn't interested in him because she prefers women.

To say anything more about the book would be a spoiler. Suffice it to say that The Star of Calcutta is a perfect cozy mystery. I am rating it 5 out of 5 stars.