Review: Good Half Gone (Tarryn Fisher)

Good Half Gone
Author: Tarryn Fisher
Publication Date: March 19, 2024
Publisher: Graydon House
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Fiction
Note: This review is for an ARC and is my unbiased opinion.

Rating: ★ ★ ★

Synopsis:

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Wives

Iris Walsh saw her twin sister, Piper, get kidnapped—so why does no one believe her?

Iris narrowly escaped her pretty, popular twin sister’s fate as a teen: kidnapped, trafficked and long gone before the cops agreed to investigate. With no evidence to go on but a few scattered memories, the case quickly goes cold.

Now an adult, Iris wants one thing—proof. And if the police still won’t help, she’ll just have to find it her own way; by interning at the isolated Shoal Island Hospital for the criminally insane, where secrets lurk in the shadows and are kept under lock and key. But Iris soon realizes that something even more sinister is simmering beneath the surface of the Shoal, and that the patients aren’t the only ones being observed…


Tarryn Fisher is one of my must-read authors. I’ve read all of her books, and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on Good Half Gone. That was before I even read the blurb, then I was even more excited. I hate to say it, but I might have overhyped the book to myself. While I liked it, I didn’t love it as much as I expected.

Good Half Gone starts out explosively with the day Iris’s twin sister Piper is abducted. Those first few chapters really drew me in and hooked me. After that, the suspense dried up for a bit and the pace slowed down. I felt like I was being told rather than shown at some points. I also found myself confused at times. I had a hard time connecting what was happening in the past to the present. It makes more sense now that I’m done reading, but it took a while to feel a connection between teenage Iris and 20-something Iris because of how each timeline jumped around. Which was weird because both timelines were interesting in their own ways. One thing that didn’t help was the amount of attention placed on unimportant details. A lot of information was given that sometimes mattered, but most times didn’t. That was probably meant to make it harder to figure out what was coming, but it just bogged things down a bit and didn’t keep me from guessing some of the twists. The Shoal Island Hospital stuff was both creepy and intriguing. I could picture the island and its terrain, the uncomfortable weather on the ferry, and the buildings and their inhabitants. The intensity picked back up at about seventy-five percent in when all unbelievable craziness broke lose. It might not have been believable, but it was a lot of fun to read.

So, yeah. I had mixed feelings about this book. This was a hard review to write because it was hard to figure out what did and didn’t work for me. There’s no doubt Tarryn Fisher knows how to create a twisted tale with a whole lot of atmosphere, but this story needed something in the middle. I don’t know if that’s narrowing down the information that is given or making Iris a little easier to connect to. If you are good at suspending disbelief in the end, you might like this thriller set in the darker, grittier side of the Pacific Northwest.

Review: Murder Road (Simone St. James)

Murder Road
Author: Simone St. James
Publication Date: March 5, 2024
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Fiction
Note: This review is for an ARC and is my unbiased opinion.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Synopsis:

A young couple find themselves haunted by a string of gruesome murders committed along an old deserted road in this terrifying new novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Book of Cold Cases.

July 1995. April and Eddie have taken a wrong turn. They’re looking for the small resort town where they plan to spend their honeymoon. When they spot what appears to a lone hitchhiker along the deserted road, they stop to help. But not long after the hitchiker gets into their car, they see the blood seeping from her jacket and a truck barreling down Atticus Line after them.

When the hitchhiker dies at the local hospital, April and Eddie find themselves in the crosshairs of the Coldlake Falls police. Unexplained murders have been happening along Atticus Line for years and the cops finally have two witnesses who easily become their only suspects. As April and Eddie start to dig into the history of the town and that horrible stretch of road to clear their names, they soon learn that there is something supernatural at work, something that could not only tear the town and its dark secrets apart, but take April and Eddie down with it all.


Oh, boy. What did I get myself into? Those were some of my first thoughts when I started reading this book. Murder Road was intense! I was creeped out and stressed out within the first 10%. I was reading it at night and decided quickly that this book was going to be a daytime read only. Just when I thought things were calming down, the intensity would increase again. Murder Road was one of those books that kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time I was reading it. It kept me entertained, guessing, and worried for the characters the entire time I was reading. I loved how it managed to surprise me at times when I thought I knew what was coming. The revelations were surprising, and I loved the ending. This book exactly what I’ve come to expect from St. James and is a new favorite of mine from this author.

Review: A Step Past Darkness (Vera Kurian)

A Step Past Darkness
Author: Vera Kurian
Publication Date: February 20, 2024
Publisher: Harlequin Trade Publishing, Park Row
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Fiction
Note: This review is for an ARC and is my unbiased opinion.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ 

Synopsis:

SIX CLASSMATES. ONE TERRIFYING NIGHT. A MURDER TWENTY YEARS IN THE MAKING…

There’s something sinister under the surface of the idyllic, suburban town of Wesley Falls, and it’s not just the abandoned coal mine that lies beneath it. The summer of 1995 kicks off with a party in the mine where six high school students witness a horrifying crime that changes the course of their lives.

The six couldn’t be more different.

  • Maddy, a devout member of the local megachurch
  • Kelly, the bookworm next door
  • James, a cynical burnout
  • Casey, a loveable football player
  • Padma, the shy straight-A student
  • Jia, who’s starting to see visions she can’t explain

When they realize that they can’t trust anyone but each other, they begin to investigate what happened on their own. As tensions escalate in town to a breaking point, the six make a vow of silence, bury all their evidence, and promise to never contact each other again. Their plan works – almost.

Twenty years later, Jia calls them all back to Wesley Falls—Maddy has been murdered, and they are the only ones who can uncover why. But to end things, they have to return to the mine one last time.


A Step Past Darkness pulled me in right from the beginning. The mystery behind what was going on in Wesley Falls, at Golden Praise, at the mine, and with some of the people of Wesley Falls was creepy and at times intense. The story built at a slower pace but was well worth the payoff. At first, the slow pace was because of the set up. There were six main characters. That’s a lot of points of view to get to know, but each character had their own voice and experiences to add to the story. Once I was into the story, things picked up a bit. They did seem to slow down a little in the middle again, but I think it was because of the complexity of the plot and the players involved. It was also a longer thriller page wise, so that might have had an impact. Things picked right back up last third of the book and the ending was explosive.

Overall, I enjoyed A Step Past Darkness. It wasn’t quite as big a winner for me as Never Saw Me Coming, but I loved the mystery and the multiple points of view. These two books have cemented Kurian as a must-read thriller author for me.

Mini Reviews: Pine River (Tijan), The Love Plot (Young), The Unmaking of June Farrow (Young)

Pine River
Author: Tijan
Publication Date: October 24, 2023
Publisher: Tijan
Genre: Contemporary Romance, New Adult, Sports Romance

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★

My thoughts:

If you enjoy Tijan’s new adult books, this book is for you. It’s classic Tijan with a girl who doesn’t realize how cool and bad@$$ she is. She attracts the guy no one can touch. They hook up and become a couple without ever planning on it. There’s lots of drama along the way. It was fun. I enjoyed Ramsay and Scout’s romance. I loved the side characters and wouldn’t mind getting books for Ramsay’s triplet cousins. Was it my favorite book of Tijan’s? No, but it was everything I’ve come to expect from her.

The Love Plot
Author: Samantha Young
Narrator: Savannah Peachwood
Publication Date:
August 29, 2023
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Genre: Contemporary Romance, New Adult, Sports Romance

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★

My thoughts:

The Love Plot was a fun book to listen to. Star was complex character who had her boundaries pushed in several different directions after she started fake dating grumpy Rafe.  I adored how they fell for each other, and how Rafe loved carefree Star the way she was. The way Star grew and came to certain understandings was well written. Rafe’s family was frustrating, and I wish he would have spoken his mind earlier at times, but everything that happened made for an interesting story. In the end, I was happy with the outcome. 

The Unmaking of June Farrow
Author: Adrienne Young

Narrator: Brittany Pressley
Publication Date: October 17, 2023
Publisher: Random House Audio
Genre: Mystery, Magical Realism, Fantasy, Fiction

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

My thoughts:

What drew me to read The Unmaking of June Farrow was the eye-catching cover and title, and all of the rave reviews this book has been getting. It’s probably one I would have passed over because of the fantasy aspect of it had I not read all those reviews. I’m happy I didn’t. I loved listening to this book. The mystery of the timelines and why June made the decisions she did had me enthralled. I liked how memories came back to her piece by piece and what each revealed. I stressed over some choices June had to make. I loved all of the side characters and what they added to the story. It was an easy book to get wrapped up in. It was so well written. This was my first read by Young, but it won’t be my last. I can’t wait to read her other books now. 

Review: The House on Prytania (Karen White)

The House on Prytania
Series: Royal Street, #2
Author: Karen White
Narrator: Sophie Amoss
Publication Date: May 9, 2023

Publisher: Penguin Audio
Genre: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Paranormal, Romance

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Synopsis:

A woman is haunted—both literally and figuratively—by ghosts of the past in this second novel of the Royal Street series by New York Times bestselling author Karen White.

Nola Trenholm may not be psychic herself, but she’s spent enough time around people who are to know when ghosts are present, and there are definitely a few lingering spirits in her recently purchased Creole cottage in New Orleans. Something, or someone, is keeping them tethered to this world. And not all of them are benign. 

But with the sudden return of Sunny Ryan, Beau Ryan’s long-lost sister, Nola has plenty to distract her from her ghostly housemates. Especially when the tempting—yet firmly unavailable—Beau, wanting to mete out justice to those he blames for Sunny’s kidnapping, asks Nola for a favor that threatens to derail her hard-won recovery and send her hurtling backward. He asks her to welcome Michael Hebert back into her life, even though Michael is the reason for Nola’s bruised heart. Beau is convinced that Michael’s powerful family was behind Sunny’s disappearance and that Michael is the key to getting information the police won’t be able to ignore—if Nola is willing to risk everything for which she’s worked so hard. 

Torn between helping Beau and protecting herself, Nola doesn’t realize until it’s almost too late why the ghosts are haunting her house—a startling revelation that will throw her and Beau together to fight a common enemy. Assuming Nola can get Beau to listen to what the spirits are trying to tell him, because ignoring them could prove to be a fatal mistake…


Karen White is back with another book in her new Royal Street series and it’s a good one. Nola’s story picks up where the last book ends. She’s working on her house and there’s still some spirits hanging around. There’s also unfinished business with her ex-boyfriend Michael, her maybe enemy/co-worker Beau, and Beau’s sister Sunny’s reappearance. Nola’s got a lot to balance, figure out, and a big mystery to solve.

I had so much fun being back in New Orleans with Nola and the rest of the characters. Nola and her roommate Jolene’s friendship continued to make me laugh. The confusion over the status of her relationship with Beau was still fresh and fun. I loved how Nola’s younger sister Sarah played a big part in this book and how a couple of new and returning characters influenced things. The mystery had me guessing what was coming next. It was all so entertaining!

This book was filled with mystery, ghosts, friendships, a little history, and maybe a touch of possible romance. I even learned some new interesting facts about where certain sayings come from. I’ve always read White’s books, and this was my first time listening to one of her audiobooks. It was just as good as reading, if not better. The narrator did a fantastic job and now I want to listen to whatever books White releases in this series. They next book can’t come soon enough for me after the ending of this one!

Review: A Fatal Affair (A.R. Torre)

A Fatal Affair
Author: A.R. Torre

Publication Date: June 20, 2023
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Fiction
Note: This review is for an ARC and is my unbiased opinion.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ½

Synopsis:

Stars. Lovers. Liars. Killers. This is Hollywood, and everyone has a part to play in a shocking novel of suspense by New York Times bestselling author A. R. Torre.

Actress Nora Kemp loves two men. One is Hugh Iverson, a philanthropic movie star who gives Nora security and respectability. The other is Hugh’s twin brother, Trent, a Hollywood bad boy who brings out Nora’s wild side. When Trent and an unidentified woman are found dead on the Iversons’ Beverly Hills property, more than Nora’s and Hugh’s reputations are at stake.

An investigation suggests murder-suicide. But there’s more to the crime than first meets the eye: suspicions of a serial killer with a bizarre motive, Hugh’s unnerved and cautious staff, and a missing mother and son. As two LA detectives sift through the deceptions of the innocent and the guilty—some living and some dead—solving the case becomes a cunning cat-and-mouse game.

Because in a city of illusions, the truth—no matter how dangerous—is so easy to hide.


I have so much to say about A Fatal Affair but can’t say what’s on my mind without giving too much away. It’s always like that with an A.R. Torre book. So instead, you’re getting a list of the things I can say.

What made me love A Fatal Affair:

  • The writing. It’s dark, twisty, and fascinating. I’m always shocked or surprised by what Torre comes up with in her stories.
  • The short chapters. They kept the story moving at a fast pace. No time to get bored in this book.
  • The multiple points of view. Each character had an important part to play. I was especially interested in the Iverson twins and Nora. I wouldn’t have minded more from their POVs. Same for Miles and Kyle. Heck, I wouldn’t even have minded more from the detectives.
  • The way the plot was woven. I had a feeling where this story was going, but there were still little surprises along the way. I liked how I was given pieces to put together from each character’s POV.
  • There was a satisfying conclusion, and yet, I still wanted to know more. The ending was totally what I would expect from Torre. She’s going to keep me thinking about this book for a long time to come.

The only thing I wanted more of from A Fatal Affair was:

  • I said the ending kept me wanting to know more. I wanted a little more about Nora and the Iverson twins. I also wanted a little more of Miles and Kyle. There weren’t necessarily loose ends, but just a feeling of needing more. I guess that’s why I love Torre’s books, though. She keeps me wondering about certain things.

Overall, this was another fantastic book by Torre. It continues to show why she’s my favorite author in the mystery/thriller genre. Her books are so much fun to read. I can’t wait to find out what she has coming up next.

Review: A Cruel Arrangement (Tijan)

A Cruel Arrangement
Series: Kings of New York, #2
Author: Tijan

Publication Date: April 25, 2023
Publisher: Montlake
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Romantic Suspense
Note: This review is for an ARC and is my unbiased opinion.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ½

Synopsis:

From New York Times bestselling author Tijan comes the intensely passionate story of a man trying to make amends and the woman who makes him want to keep his promises.

This was my place. My business. Easter Lanes.

Then a guy comes in, trying to rob me, daring to take it away from me.

My home. My life.

Hell no. I won’t let my livelihood be threatened.

No one knows what I’ve done to build this life for myself.

Except he might.

Ashton Walden, a man I remember from when we were kids.

Even back then I could tell how dangerous he would be one day.

He’s now the head of the Walden mafia family, and my father is so in debt to them that they practically own him.

My dad and I are estranged and I want nothing to do with him or his debt, but the day after the attempted robbery, I don’t wake up in the hospital.

I wake up in Ashton Walden’s home. And he drops a bomb on me.

If I want my livelihood back, I need to earn it back.

And thus begins our cruel arrangement.


I’m a big fan of Tijan’s books, so I hate admitting that getting into A Cruel Arrangement wasn’t easy for me. It wasn’t until about 25% in that I was hooked into the characters, the plot, and the romance. I assumed having read the first book in the series that it would be easy to jump right in since the story picks up not too long after that first book ended. I was wrong. Now, that might have been because I was pretty tired when I tried to start this book. Or Tijan’s rambling writing (not a bad thing, just something she is known for) rambled a bit too much in the beginning for me. Or it could just be that I wasn’t all that interested in the buildup to Ashton and Molly’s romance. I didn’t feel their chemistry like I expected I would in those first few chapters. It wasn’t until I finally did that I was into the story. There’s something about the way Tijan writes all-consuming attraction that makes her romances work like magic for me.

Okay, now that I’ve admitted all that, let me get to the rest of the book. I ended up loving how connected Ashton and Molly were. Their chemistry came alive, and I felt that all-consuming attraction I mentioned above. I liked how they became a team. The action also ramped up the closer they got. I loved getting answers to many questions I had from the first book. I enjoyed seeing Trace and Jess again and how they were involved in the story. The only thing that really bugged me in the rest of the book was Molly’s “switch” thing. That was just… I don’t even know what to say about it. There were also a couple of pacing issues for me, but I would attribute those to maybe overexplaining. Overall, it was a good conclusion to the story that began in A Dirty Business.

One last comment, or question I guess… Did anyone else think American Idol or From Justin to Kelly when Justin and Kelly were mentioned? Was that just me? I pictured those two every time the names were brought up. Kind of funny for a mafia romance.

Review: A Familiar Stranger (A.R. Torre)

A Familiar Stranger
Author: A.R. Torre

Publication Date: September 27, 2022
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Fiction
Note: This review is for an ARC and is my unbiased opinion.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ½

Synopsis: 

Such a quiet and ordinary wife and mother. Who will even notice what she’s done?

Lillian Smith leads an unexceptional life, writing obituaries and killing time with her inattentive husband and disconnected son. Then she meets David, a handsome stranger, in a coffee shop. Lured into an affair, she invents a new persona, one without strings, deadlines, or brooding husbands.

Lillian has never felt so reckless, unpredictable, or wanted. But as her affair with David intensifies, she withdraws from everything that’s real, even her closest friend. When evidence of her life as a secret lover finds its way onto her son’s social media, she risks ruining much more than her marriage or reputation.

As lies beget lies, Lillian’s two worlds spiral dangerously out of control. And betrayals run deeper than she imagines. Because Lillian isn’t the only one leading a double life.


I knew from the first page of A Familiar Stranger that I was going to love this book. Not that I had any doubts that I wouldn’t. A.R. Torre’s writing style is raw and addictive. I didn’t read the blurb, so I went in completely blind. Each new chapter and character were a surprise that drew me in more. I loved how the story was told in a combination of multiple POVs and short chapters. Each chapter felt like a new revelation, one that kept me wanting more.

So, what’s this domestic thriller about exactly? Well, it’s about Lillian Smith and some other stuff. (Like that shady description?) Lillian’s a wife to Mike, mother to Jacob, friend to Sam and Lenny, and newspaper obituary writer. She’s also kind of a mess and so is her self-professed boring life. In search of more, Lillian winds up having an affair. That affair sets things into motion that Lillian and those around her could not predict. That’s all you’re getting from me on the plot because you don’t want me to spoil anything.

What I will tell you about is the characters. They were characters I loved to hate. They were pretty dang awful, but I couldn’t help but root for them. There was something about Lillian that I could identify with. I don’t know if I should admit that because she was a messed-up woman, and I hated her stupid choices. But she was great MC for this sorted tale. Then there was Mike. Lillian’s husband was just as easy to dislike as Lillian. He had this careless way about him that frustrated both Lillian and me. Which is why it’s probably funny that Mike was my favorite character in this book. There was just something about him. You’ll get it when you read this book. Then, there were the other side characters. Some were Lillian’s friends. Others were complete surprises. All were great voices to move the plot forward.

Another thing I will mention is the twists. Did I foresee all of them? No. Some were truly surprising. Several blindsided me and one I guessed. It wouldn’t have mattered if I saw them all coming. I would have loved them anyways. They made the way this story was set up highly entertaining for the reader.

I feel like this review is probably lacking, but I don’t know what else to say without giving anything more away. I had a lot of fun reading this book thanks to everything that went on in it. It also helped that I had my friend Stephanie was reading along with me at the same time because I needed someone to talk about this one with. There were so many things for us to marvel over and discuss. I think we both agreed that we loved the way things ended but had a couple of lingering questions, specifically regarding David Laurent.

Review: Girls Without Tears (T.L. Finlay)

Girls Without Tears
Author: T.L. Finlay

Narrator: Tara Sands
Publication Date: September 1, 2022

Publisher: Dreamscape Media
Genre: Thriller, Mystery, Fiction
Note: This review is for an ARC and is my unbiased opinion.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★

Synopsis: 

A missing child, a distraught mother, and a killer on the loose set the stage for a brutal bloodbath in the Florida Everglades in this thrilling read, perfect for fans of Wendy Walker and Megan Goldin.

When six-year-old Skye disappears from Everglades City, Noa is hesitant to return to her hometown to help with the search effort. Skye is the daughter of Noa’s ex, Zack, and Taylor, the girl he dumped her for. Going home also means facing the townspeople who have always misunderstood Noa’s medical condition, Congenital Insensitivity to Pain, and dealing with more of their ignorant comments.

But returning home is just the beginning of Noa’s painful journey. When her childhood friend, Jamie, is assaulted by a vagrant, Noa intervenes in a violent counterattack—and the man’s fingerprints are found near Skye’s DNA. As Noa gets closer to the truth of who kidnapped Skye, she starts to uncover secrets about her hometown that she didn’t expect.

Nothing and no one are what they seem in this small Florida backwater—and any good friend can quickly become a deadly enemy.


When I saw that Traci Finlay was releasing a new thriller, I knew I wanted to read it. I loved The Rules of Burken, so I had a feeling I would also enjoy Girls Without Tears. I did.

Girls Without Tears was a fast-paced thriller that kept me entertained the entire time I was reading it. I had a feeling I knew who the kidnapper was, but there were so many possibilities I couldn’t be 100% sure. (I was right!) I loved the setting of the Florida Everglades and the creepiness that brought to the story. Noa’s CIP was something that fascinated me and added something unique to her relationships with the other characters. The lead up to the end was a little crazy, but that’s what I would expect from a thriller. The epilogue was perfection. Finlay was toying with me up until the end!

I know this review is sparce, but I’m not giving anything away. If you’re looking for a fun thriller with just the right amount of tension and an interesting MC, I would recommend this book. The narrator was also fabulous.

Review: Nothing More to Tell (Karen M. McManus)

Nothing More to Tell
Author: Karen M. McManus

Publication Date: August 30, 2022
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Genre: Young Adult, Mystery, Thriller, Fiction
Note: This review is for an ARC and is my unbiased opinion.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ½

Synopsis: 

Be sure to keep your friends close . . . and your secrets closer.

Four years ago, Brynn left Saint Ambrose School following the shocking murder of her favorite teacher—a story that made headlines after the teacher’s body was found by three Saint Ambrose students in the woods behind their school. The case was never solved. Now that Brynn is moving home and starting her dream internship at a true-crime show, she’s determined to find out what really happened.

The kids who found Mr. Larkin are her way in, and her ex–best friend, Tripp Talbot, was one of them. Without his account of events, the other two kids might have gone down for Mr. Larkin’s murder. They’ve never forgotten what Tripp did for them that day. Just like he hasn’t forgotten that everything he told the police was a lie.

Digging into the past is bound to shake up the present, and as Brynn begins to investigate what happened in the woods that day, she begins to uncover secrets that might change everything—about Saint Ambrose, about Mr. Larkin, and about her ex-best friend, Tripp Talbot.

Four years ago someone got away with murder. The most terrifying part is that they never left. 


Nothing More to Tell caught my attention from the very beginning. I was curious about Brynn and Tripp. I was also curious about what happened to Mr. Larkin. I was curious about Shane and Charlotte. Basically, I was curious about EVERYTHING. And I was worried about what Brynn was getting herself into with this podcast and her teacher’s murder. All these feelings right from the start had me hooked. I didn’t want to put the book down. That feeling continued throughout the entire book. McManus kept me guessing and even when I thought I knew the murderer I wasn’t completely sure I knew the murderer. It was a fun mystery to be wrapped up in. The only little complaint I have is the very ending. I needed a little more there. In the scheme of things, that isn’t a huge deal because the twists and turns were excellent. Fans of McManus’ books are going to enjoy this one.