A Talent for Murder by Peter SwansonHenry Kimball/Lily Kintner #3

Title:  Talent for Murder

Series: Henry Kimball/Lily Kintner #3

Author: Peter Swanson

Publisher: William Morrow

Release Date: June 11, 2024

A newlywed librarian begins to suspect the man she married might be a murderer—in this spectacularly twisty and deviously clever novel by Peter Swanson, New York Times bestselling author of The Kind Worth Killing and Eight Perfect Murders.

Martha Ratliff conceded long ago that she’d likely spend her life alone. She was fine with it, happy with her solo existence, stimulated by her job as an archival librarian, constantly surrounded by thought-provoking ideas and the books she loved. But then she met Alan, a charming and sweet-natured divorcee with a job that took him on the road for half the year. When he asked her to marry him, she said yes, even though he still felt a little bit like a stranger.

A year in and the marriage was good, except for that strange blood streak on the back of one of his shirts he’d worn to a conference in Denver. Her curiosity turning to suspicion, Martha investigates the cities Alan visited over the past year and uncovers a disturbing pattern—five unsolved cases of murdered women.

Is she married to a serial killer? Or could it merely be a coincidence? Unsure what to think, Martha contacts an old friend from graduate school for advice. Lily Kintner once helped Martha out of a jam with an abusive boyfriend and may have some insight. Intrigued, Lily offers to meet Alan to find out what kind of man he really is . . . but what Lily uncovers is more perplexing and wicked than they ever could have expected.

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Who are you going to call?

Martha Ratliff is in a bind. She enjoys her job as a librarian, and a year ago, she married Alan. Martha believed her marriage was strong until she noticed a disturbing pattern. Alan travels half the year to various conventions, selling shirts and pins to teachers. When Martha finds blood on one of his shirts, she begins questioning his trips and the unsolved assaults and murders of women in the cities he’s recently visited.

Is it a coincidence, or is she married to a serial killer?

Distraught, Martha reaches out to her grad school friend, Lily Kintner. She recalls how Lily helped her escape an abusive relationship during their school days and hopes Lily can help make sense of her discoveries.

Intrigued, Lily agrees to investigate Alan further. What she uncovers is deeply disturbing, to say the least, making it essential to enlist Henry Kimball’s help.

I devoured A Talent for Murder. My only complaint is that it’s too short, and Peter Swanson hasn’t written another book featuring this duo.

I need MORE!

Cliffhanger: No

4.5/5 Fangs

The Kind Worth Saving by Peter SwansonHenry Kimball/Lily Kintner #2

 

Title: The Kind Worth Saving

Series: Henry Kimball/Lily Kintner #2

Author: Peter Swanson

Publisher: William Morrow

Release Date: March 7, 2023

In this spectacularly devious novel by New York Times bestselling author Peter Swanson—featuring the smart and complex Lily Kintner from his acclaimed novel, The Kind Worth Killing—a private eye starts to follow a possibly adulterous husband, but little does he know that the twisted trail will lead back to the woman who hired him.

There was always something slightly dangerous about Joan. So, when she turns up at private investigator Henry Kimball’s office asking him to investigate her husband, he can’t help feeling ill at ease. Just the sight of her stirs up a chilling memory: he knew Joan in his previous life as a high school English teacher, when he was at the center of a tragedy.

Now Joan needs his help in proving that her husband is cheating. But what should be a simple case of infidelity becomes much more complicated when Kimball finds two bodies in an uninhabited suburban home with a “for sale” sign out front. Suddenly it feels like the past is repeating itself, and Henry must go back to one of the worst days of his life to uncover the truth.

Is it possible that Joan knows something about that day, something she’s hidden all these years? Could there still be a killer out there, someone who believes they have gotten away with murder? Henry is determined to find out, but as he steps closer to the truth, a murderer is getting closer to him, and in this hair-raising game of cat and mouse only one of them will survive.

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I have no idea how I missed reading this book when it came out. I finally corrected that mistake!

Henry Kimball, no longer a detective, has embarked on a new career as a private investigator.

Joan Whalen, a woman he knew as a teenager, hires him to follow her husband, Richard, to determine if he’s cheating. Henry remembers Joan from his brief time as a teacher, a job cut short by a tragic event.

The case takes a darker turn when Henry discovers two bodies in a house for sale. He keeps returning to the possibility that Joan is involved, despite her having an alibi. A nagging feeling persists that she’s somehow responsible. This is where Lily Kintner comes into play.

To understand why I adore Lily, you need to read the first book, The Kind Worth Killing. My Dexter Lily is a fantastic character that everyone should know.

I can only say that I love The Kind Worth Saving and would read anything featuring Lily and Henry again!

Cliffhanger: No

5/5 Fangs

Spiral of Need by Suzanne Wright The Mercury Pack #1

 

Title: Spiral of Need

Series: The Mercury Pack #1

Author: Suzanne Wright

Publisher: Montlake Romance

Release Date: September 29, 2015

Ally Marshall isn’t just a wolf shifter — she’s a Seer.

But a girl doesn’t exactly need special powers to know that Derren Hudson despises her entire kind. Disdain practically rolls off the Beta of the Mercury Pack . . . disdain mixed with a healthy dose of desire. And no matter how much the ruggedly handsome male appeals to her, this is one call of the wild she’s determined to ignore.

After one betrayal too many, Derren doesn’t have much use for Seers — except for Ally.

Forced into acting as her protector, he finds himself intensely and passionately drawn to the woman who incites his primal instinct to claim.

And when enemies target the pack, Ally’s gift may be just what the Mercury Pack needs.

Can he put his distrust aside, or will he force himself to turn his back on the one woman who makes his inner beast howl?

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Another good beginning to a wolf pack series!

Ally Marshall, a wolf shifter and seer, faces trouble when her ex-boyfriend finds his mate, who begins causing problems for her. Knowing she should leave her pack, Ally decides to join a new one.

Derren Hudson, the Beta of the Mercury Pack, is loyal and determined. Despite his distrust of seers, he can’t refuse a friend’s request to help Ally.

Ally and Derren are drawn to each other, but both are hesitant to pursue a relationship without trust. As the Mercury Pack faces multiple attacks, can they move forward together? And can Ally’s gift as a seer protect them from the dangers ahead?

Ally is another compelling heroine crafted by Suzanne Wright. The Mercury Pack characters are engaging, making their books appealing. With witty banter between Ally and Derren and plenty of action, Spiral of Need is a fast-paced read.

Cliffhanger: No

3.5/5 Fangs

Feral Sins by Suzanne WrightThe Phoenix Pack #1

 

Title: Feral Sins

Series: The Phoenix Pack #1

Author: Suzanne Wright 

Publisher: Suzanne Wright

Release Date: March 3, 2012

If your inner wolf and your body react rather enthusiastically to a psychotic Alpha male who’s own wolf has a tendency to turn feral, it can’t be a good thing, can it? Entering into a bargain with him wouldn’t be good either. Unfortunately, Taryn Warner, a latent wolf shifter, doesn’t have many options open to her right now. Okay, she has no options. Basically it comes down to whether she’ll do what it takes to escape the arranged mating with the sick SOB that her father set up. As the answer in this case is yes, it looks as though she’ll have to agree to Trey Coleman’s deal… she’ll have to mate with him instead.

Having always disliked shifter politics, Trey Coleman hadn’t bothered trying to form alliances with other packs. Now that his uncle – a wolf with many alliances – means to take Trey’s territory and his pack, he has no option but to form some alliances of his own very quickly or he’ll be easily outnumbered in the upcoming battle. He figures that the easiest way to do that would be to mate with a female whose Alpha is powerful and influential. There’s only one problem with that – he would then be stuck with her, and the last thing Trey wants is a mate. When he hears of Taryn’s situation, he offers her a deal – if she falsely claims he’s her true mate and allows him to claim her, he’ll save her from her arranged mating and then let her leave after the battle with his uncle is over.

Sounds like a pretty straightforward deal...but soon Taryn and Trey realize they got more than they bargained for. Their mating instincts to protect and possess are weighing on them, they crave each other’s touch and company, and their inner wolves don’t like it whenever they’re apart. Add in that they’ll have to deal with this for an entire three months until the day of the battle finally arrives, and they’ve got themselves a recipe for disaster – or maybe for something quite the opposite.

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Taryn Warner is a latent wolf shifter whose uncaring father wants her to mate with a wolf known for his mean streak. Unwilling to wait for this to happen, Taryn seizes an opportunity when Trey Coleman, the alpha of another pack, offers her a deal she can’t refuse.

Trey Coleman’s pack faces a threat. His uncle, now the head of Trey’s former pack, aims to seize Trey’s territory. To win in battle, Trey must form alliances. Mating with Taryn would secure an alliance with her father, bolstering his numbers for the fight.

Neither Taryn nor Trey anticipated their mutual attraction or the powerful bond that keeps their wolves from wanting to be apart.

Feral Sins delivers a compelling mix of action, romance, and humor, featuring a strong, likable, and engaging female protagonist.

Cliffhanger: No

3.75/5 Fangs

The Edge by David BaldacciThe 6:20 Man #2

 

Title: The Edge

Series: he 6:20 Man #2

Author: David Baldacci

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

Release Date: November 14, 2023

The 6:20 Man is back, dropped by his handlers into a small coastal town in Maine to solve the murder of a CIA agent who knew America’s dirtiest secrets—can Travis Devine uncover the truth before his time runs out?

When CIA operative Jenny Sikwell is murdered in rural Maine, government officials have immediate concerns over national security. Her laptop and phone were full of state secrets that, in the wrong hands, endanger the lives of countless operatives. In need of someone who can solve the murder quickly and retrieve the missing information, the U.S. government knows just the chameleon they can call on.

Ex-Army Ranger Travis Devine spent his time in the military preparing to take on any scenario, followed by his short-lived business career chasing shadows in the deepest halls of power, so his analytical mind makes him particularly well-suited for complex, high-stakes tasks. Taking down the world’s largest financial conspiracy proved his value, and in comparison, this case looks straightforward. Except small towns hold secrets and Devine finds himself an outsider again.

Devine must ingratiate himself with locals who have trusted each other their whole lives, and who distrust outsiders just as much. Dak, Jenny’s brother, who’s working to revitalize the town. Earl, the retired lobsterman who found Jenny’s body. And Alex, Jenny’s sister with a dark past of her own. As Devine gets to know the residents of Potter, Maine, answers seem to appear and then transform into more questions. There’s a long history of secrets and those who will stop at nothing to keep them from being exposed. Leaving Devine with no idea who he can trust... and who wants him dead.

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Travis is back!

Travis Devine, a former Army Ranger now working for the government, is assigned to investigate the murder of CIA operative Jenny Sikwell in Potter, Maine. Was Jenny’s murder connected to her work, or was she investigating something closer to home?

Upon arriving in Potter, Travis senses that people are hiding secrets. Something larger is at play, possibly tied to an old attack on a teenager years ago. Unsure whom to trust, Travis finds a potential ally in Jenny’s sister, Alex, who has her own dark past.

The Edge is packed with action. Travis is a compelling character. Baldacci has crafted a smart, honest, and dangerous man who is likable and original.

Cliffhanger: No

4/5 Fangs

The Wedding People by Alison Espach

 

Title: The Wedding People

Author: Alison Espach

Publisher: Henry Holt and Co

Release Date: July 30, 2024

A propulsive and uncommonly wise novel about one unexpected wedding guest and the surprising people who help her start anew.

It’s a beautiful day in Newport, Rhode Island, when Phoebe Stone arrives at the grand Cornwall Inn wearing a green dress and gold heels, not a bag in sight, alone. She's immediately mistaken by everyone in the lobby for one of the wedding people, but she’s actually the only guest at the Cornwall who isn’t here for the big event. Phoebe is here because she’s dreamed of coming for years—she hoped to shuck oysters and take sunset sails with her husband, only now she’s here without him, at rock bottom, and determined to have one last decadent splurge on herself. Meanwhile, the bride has accounted for every detail and every possible disaster the weekend might yield except for, well, Phoebe and Phoebe's plan—which makes it that much more surprising when the two women can’t stop confiding in each other.

In turns absurdly funny and devastatingly tender, Alison Espach’s The Wedding People is ultimately an incredibly nuanced and resonant look at the winding paths we can take to places we never imagined—and the chance encounters it sometimes takes to reroute us.

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This book has been on my radar for a while. If I'm honest, I never liked the cover, which is why it took me a long time to read it.

Phoebe Stone arrives at the grand Cornwall Inn with no bags and at the end of her rope. She is there to stay in the best room the hotel has to offer, craving room service and a chance to enjoy the night. In recent years, she has been overwhelmed. Struggling with infertility and her ex-husband’s infidelity, it’s no wonder she has been depressed. Then, her cat dies, and she struggles to process the loss. She leaves everything behind, including her home and work.

When Phoebe arrives at the hotel, she discovers it is fully booked for a wedding. Shortly after, she strikes up a conversation with the bride, Lila, and they soon form an almost-friendship. Before she knows it, Phoebe is pulled into the wedding preparations. Without really trying, she begins to have fun and forge new relationships.

The Wedding People is insightful, featuring well-developed characters and an engaging plot that blends drama and humor.

Cliffhanger: No

4/5 Fangs

The Writer by James Patterson & J.D. Barker

 

Title: The Writer

Author: James Patterson &  J.D. Barker

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company

Release Date: March 17, 2025

NYPD Detective Declan Shaw gets a call: How fast can you get to the Beresford building on Central Park West? 

In the tower apartment, Shaw finds a woman waiting for him. She’s covered in blood. A body is lying dead on the floor of the luxurious living room.

Every book in the apartment’s floor-to-ceiling shelves is by the same author: bestselling true-crime writer Denise Morrow.

"This is you?" Shaw asks the woman. "You're a writer?"

Only one person knows the ending to this story. Is it the victim or the killer?

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A true thriller!

Declan Shaw, an NYPD detective, is on the verge of ending his life by jumping in front of a train when he receives a call from his partner, Jarod Cordova. Cordova reports a new murder at the Beresford building on Central Park West.

The victim is Dr. David Morrow, a well-known cardiologist. His wife, Denise Morrow, a famous true crime writer, found the body and called 911, specifically requesting Detective Declan Shaw. When Declan arrives, Denise is covered in blood and holding a gun. Convinced she killed her husband, Declan believes it’s an open-and-shut case.

Not so fast—nothing is as it seems, and Declan soon realizes he knows far less than he thought.

The Writer is a fast-paced, intelligent thriller that kept my heart racing. I see a lot of J.D. Barker’s style in this one, having read and loved many of his books in recent years.

Is the ending unforgettable? Absolutely.

Did I like it? hmm

Did you?

Cliffhanger: No

4/5 Fangs