Double Take (Madison Kelly #2) by Elizabeth Breck

 

Publication: October 12, 2021

Publisher: Crooked Lane Books

Source: Publisher

 

Synopsis:

 

When a young journalist goes missing in sunny San Diego, P.I. Madison Kelly learns the true price of knowing too much. 

It's a perfect San Diego fall--cool and crisp with bright blue skies. But not everything is right in the sunny idyll dubbed America's Finest City. Young journalist Barrett Brown has been missing for a week, and her boyfriend hires private investigator Madison Kelly to find her. Right away, Barrett reminds Madison of a younger version of herself: smart, ambitious, and a loner.

As she launches her investigation, Madison realizes that Barrett's disappearance is connected to a big story she was chasing--and she sets out to walk in Barrett's footsteps to trace her whereabouts. As the trail grows colder, things begin to heat up between Madison and Barrett's boyfriend. But he doesn't seem to be telling everything he knows, and Madison gets the feeling that her every move is being watched. What dirty secrets lie at the heart of Barrett's big lead?

If Madison can't get to the bottom of the case in time, she could be in line to become the next victim. 

 

******

 

I was excited to jump back into the world of Madison Kelly again with Double Take. It was a very easy story to get into and my interest was piqued from the first chapter. I could tell right away that there was more to the story than meets the eye. This case was not your average missing person’s case. Not only was Madison trying to find a missing Barrett, but she was also investigating what story Barrett was looking into herself.  It was interesting to see how everything was connected and how it would all come together. 

 

This time, Madison seemed to have a slightly bigger network of friends/people she could talk to and who could help her investigate things. Even though Madison likes to do things her own way and usually by herself, it was a nice change to have her not do everything on her own and to rely on others, even if it was just for something small.   

 

There were a few red flags when it came to certain characters or situations that I thought Madison with all her experience should have realized there was something strange going on. Madison should have involved the police a lot sooner than when she did also. That just makes the story even more entertaining though.  All in all, I enjoyed reading this book and look forward to the next mystery that Madison aims to solve.  

 

 

RATING: 3½ OUT OF 5.

 

 

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The Killer in Me (Frankie Sheehan #2) by Olivia Kiernan

Publication: April 2, 2019

Publisher: Dutton

Source: Publisher

Synopsis:

A deadly past refuses to stay buried in Olivia Kiernan’s masterful new novel.

Death is no stranger to Detective Chief Superintendent Frankie Sheehan, but she isn’t the only one from her small, coastal suburb to be intimately acquainted with it. Years ago, teenager Sean Hennessey shocked the tight-knit community when he was convicted of the brutal murder of his parents and attempted slaying of his sister, though he always maintained his innocence. Now, Sean is finally being released from prison—but when his newfound freedom coincides with the discovery of two bodies, the alleged connection between the cases only serves to pull Frankie further from answers even as it draws her closer to her town’s hidden darkness. With a television documentary revisiting Sean’s sentence pushing the public’s sympathies into conflict on a weekly basis, a rabid media pressuring the police like never before, and a rising body count, Frankie will need   all of her resources if she is not only to catch a killer, but put to rest what really happened all those years ago.

A dark, irresistible cocktail of secrets, murder, and family, Olivia Kiernan’s latest is an impossible-to-put-down triumph.

********

It was good to get back into Detective Chief Superintendent Frankie Sheehan’s world and unravel the clues to whatever case came her way. I love police procedurals and The Killer in Me proved to be a good one. 

The story is told by Frankie’s POV, so there was no bouncing back and forth between characters which was a nice change for me. I liked the concept of the story, though there were some parts of it that were a bit slow moving. There were several red herrings and I enjoyed trying to decipher whether Sean was innocent or guilty. The author did a great job of creating an unreliable character with him. It was easy to feel sorry for him and the life he missed out on. Even though Frankie is looking into this past case, she also has to deal with a more pressing current one. The murder of two people in a church. It was interesting to see Frankie and her team work behind the scenes to uncover clues as to what happened and rule out suspects. 

Both of these cases created an intriguing look at the past and the present. I was eager to discover how they would intersect if at all. For whatever reason, it took me a couple of tries to read this book, but once I started it again and got a few chapters in, it was easy to get into the story. The mystery was well done, and the ending was one I definitely did not guess.  

RATING: 3½ OUT OF 5.

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Quickie Review: Lock Every Door by Riley Sager

Publication: July 2, 2019

Publisher: Dutton/Penguin Group

Source: Publisher

Synopsis:

No visitors. No nights spent away from the apartment. No disturbing the other residents, all of whom are rich or famous or both. These are the only rules for Jules Larsen's new job as an apartment sitter at the Bartholomew, one of Manhattan's most high-profile and mysterious buildings. Recently heartbroken and just plain broke, Jules is taken in by the splendor of her surroundings and accepts the terms, ready to leave her past life behind.

As she gets to know the residents and staff of the Bartholomew, Jules finds herself drawn to fellow apartment sitter Ingrid, who comfortingly, disturbingly reminds her of the sister she lost eight years ago. When Ingrid confides that the Bartholomew is not what it seems and the dark history hidden beneath its gleaming facade is starting to frighten her, Jules brushes it off as a harmless ghost story—until the next day, when Ingrid disappears.

Searching for the truth about Ingrid's disappearance, Jules digs deeper into the Bartholomew's dark past and into the secrets kept within its walls. Her discovery that Ingrid is not the first apartment sitter to go missing at the Bartholomew pits Jules against the clock as she races to unmask a killer, expose the building's hidden past, and escape the Bartholomew before her temporary status becomes permanent.

******

I would say that this was more of a mysterious story than suspenseful. I thought that Jules’s, the main character was good. I didn’t really connect with her, but she was likable, spunky, and I found it easy to want her to have a better life. She has gone through some tough times in her life and she is pretty determined to keep going and not give up.  

Jules was however a little naive at times. Not to mention, she put herself in dangerous situations when I felt like she didn't have to. And even though I know she did some of the things because of her sister Jane, but to me that wasn't a big enough reason to jeopardize her own safety. 

The story didn't pick up that much for me until 70% or so. I'm satisfied with how the book ended, but I wish there had been more red herrings/twists to the story. 

Lock Every Door is a well written and entertaining story that you should try if you are a fan of Riley Sager or mysteries in general. He always comes up with interesting concepts and characters. 

RATING: 3½ OUT OF 5.

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Lock Every Door by Riley Sager Blog Tour!

Thank you for joining me on my stop of the Lock Every Door by Riley Sager Blog Tour! Ever since Final Girls, I have been keeping an eye out for any and every book that Riley Sager has come out with. Lock Every Door is unique and suspenseful....The perfect combo for a summer read. Check below to find out more about this book and the author. Make sure to enter the giveaway at the end!

Lock Every Door

by Riley Sager

Publisher: Dutton Books

Release Date: July 2, 2019

Genre: Adult, Horror, Thriller

Synopsis:

No visitors. No nights spent away from the apartment. No disturbing the other residents, all of whom are rich or famous or both. These are the only rules for Jules Larsen's new job as an apartment sitter at the Bartholomew, one of Manhattan's most high-profile and mysterious buildings. Recently heartbroken and just plain broke, Jules is taken in by the splendor of her surroundings and accepts the terms, ready to leave her past life behind.

As she gets to know the residents and staff of the Bartholomew, Jules finds herself drawn to fellow apartment sitter Ingrid, who comfortingly, disturbingly reminds her of the sister she lost eight years ago. When Ingrid confides that the Bartholomew is not what it seems and the dark history hidden beneath its gleaming facade is starting to frighten her, Jules brushes it off as a harmless ghost story . . . until the next day, when Ingrid disappears.

Searching for the truth about Ingrid's disappearance, Jules digs deeper into the Bartholomew's dark past and into the secrets kept within its walls. Her discovery that Ingrid is not the first apartment sitter to go missing at the Bartholomew pits Jules against the clock as she races to unmask a killer, expose the building's hidden past, and escape the Bartholomew before her temporary status becomes permanent.

BOOK LINKS

• Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42368604-lock-every-door
• Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Lock-Every-Door-Riley-Sager/dp/1524745146/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1546634063&sr=8-1
• Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lock-every-door-riley-sager/1129705366?ean=9781524745141
• Book Depository: https://www.bookdepository.com/Lock-Every-Door-Riley-Sager/9781524745868?ref=grid-view&qid=1560936123223&sr=1-6
• Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/lock-every-door
• iBooks: https://books.apple.com/us/book/id1438348852
• IndieBound: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781524745141

TOUR SCHEDULE

Blog tour schedule link: https://fantasticflyingbookclub.blogspot.com/2019/06/tour-schedule-lock-every-door-by-riley.html

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Riley Sager is the pseudonym of a former journalist, editor and graphic designer.

Now a full-time writer, Riley is the author of FINAL GIRLS, an international bestseller that has been published in 25 languages, and the New York Times bestseller THE LAST TIME I LIED. His latest book, LOCK EVERY DOOR, will be published in July.

A native of Pennsylvania, Riley now lives in Princeton, New Jersey.

GIVEAWAY!

7 copies of LOCK EVERY DOOR by Riley Sager

US Only!!

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

One Day in December by Josie Silver

Publication: October 16, 2018

Publisher: Broadway Books/Penguin Random House

Source: Publisher & Purchased My Own Copy

Synopsis:

A love story about what happens after you meet, or rather, don't meet the one.

Laurie is pretty sure love at first sight doesn't exist anywhere but the movies. But then, through a misted-up bus window one snowy December day, she sees a man who she knows instantly is the one. Their eyes meet, there's a moment of pure magic...and then her bus drives away.

Certain they're fated to find each other again, Laurie spends a year scanning every bus stop and cafe in London for him. But she doesn't find him, not when it matters anyway. Instead they "reunite" at a Christmas party, when her best friend Sarah giddily introduces her new boyfriend to Laurie. It's Jack, the man from the bus. It would be.

What follows for Laurie, Sarah and Jack is ten years of friendship, heartbreak, missed opportunities, roads not taken, and destinies reconsidered. One Day in December is a joyous, heartwarming and immensely moving love story to escape into and a reminder that fate takes inexplicable turns along the route to happiness. 

******

"Sometimes you just meet the right person at the wrong time."

When I started reading One Day in December, I was hoping it would be a cute story and I would like it, but it turned out to be one of my most favorite wintertime romances. I think it is safe to say, that I read a pretty good amount of romance books each year. I usually know what to expect before I read a new one. But this book felt a little bit different to me.  I did switch several times between reading the book and listening to the audiobook. The audiobook was narrated by Eleanor Tomlinson and Charlie Anson. I thought that the narration for the book was done well. There were a few times though when the woman narrator was on, I couldn’t tell what character was actually talking. Both narrators did a good job with the accents of the characters and evoking the necessary emotions.

"You tread lightly through life, but you leave deep footprints that are hard for other people to fill."

I enjoyed following these characters on their journey as they navigate each other and their romantic relationships. I would have loved to seen a couple of the characters more fleshed out than they were though. I still loved most of them regardless. The characters and the story caught me off guard. Before I knew it, I was invested in what was going to happen to Laurie, Jack, Sarah, and Oscar. And of course I wanted everyone to get their HEA. It was a little bit of a tear jerker, this story was. There were sweet and sad moments, but it was a totally satisfying read. I can see myself re-reading this book every year.

 

RATING: 5 out of 5.

 

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Call Me Evie by J.P. Pomare

Publication: March 5, 2019

Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons

Source: Publisher

Synopsis:

In this propulsive, twist-filled, and haunting psychological suspense debut perfect for fans of Sharp Objects and Room, a seventeen-year-old girl struggles to remember the role she played on the night her life changed forever.

For the past two weeks, seventeen-year-old Kate Bennet has lived against her will in an isolated cabin in a remote beach town--brought there by a mysterious man named Bill. Part captor, part benefactor, Bill calls her Evie and tells her he's hiding her to protect her. That she did something terrible one night back home in Melbourne--something so unspeakable that he had no choice but to take her away. The trouble is, Kate can't remember the night in question. 

The fragments of Kate's shattered memories of her old life seem happy: good friends, a big house in the suburbs, a devoted boyfriend. Bill says he'll help her fill in the blanks--but his story isn't adding up. And as she tries to reconcile the girl she thought she'd been with the devastating consequences Bill claims she's responsible for, Kate will unearth secrets about herself and those closest to her that could change everything. 

A riveting debut novel that fearlessly plumbs the darkest recesses of the mind, Call Me Evie explores the fragility of memory and the potential in all of us to hide the truth, even from ourselves.

******

I was confused during the first few chapters. The way the story started, I kept wondering what the heck was going on here. But I'm glad I kept reading. As the story progressed, I became more interested. No character comes across very likeable here. And Evie didn't seem to have much of a personality to me until towards the end. Maybe that was because she couldn't remember much of what happened "that night"? There are some flashbacks of before and after, so I was able to see glimpses into her life before she called herself Evie. She remembers bits and pieces gradually, but can she remember it all before it is too late?

The more I read, the more curious I became and wanted to find out what happened and who the actual cause of all the trouble really was. I don't want to give too much away because this story is best to go into somewhat blindly and to discover clues for yourself along the way.

When reading Call Me Evie, I thought I knew where the story was headed. How it would end. But I didn't know. That's the thing with this story. You'll think you know something....you'll think you have it all figured out, but you won't. Not fully. Not until you reach the end. Call Me Evie is a unique and suspenseful tale that held my curiosity and kept me turning the pages wanting needing to know what happened.

RATING: 3-3½ out of 5.

                                    

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