Edited Out

Seffi Wardwell Mystery, #3

by

Rebecca M. Douglass

Feel the cold as Seffi pursues a killer!

Edited Out is the third book in author Rebecca M. Douglass's warm and winning Seffi Wardwell Mystery series set in the wintry small coastal town of Smelt Point, Maine, where everyone knows everyone else, all their business, and outsiders stand out like lighted buoys. Though not known as a tourist destination, Smelt Point is the annual host of an off-season artists' residency, and this year, there are five artists and writers participating and staying in Chloe and Arden Patterson's struggling inn, where Seffi Wardwell helps part-time. When an obnoxious writer who has singlehandedly developed a strong local following of ill-wishers is found dead in the inn's solarium, Seffi steps up to track down the murderer and save the inn's reputation. 

I so enjoy Seffi, her friends, and their vividly described town; just don't call it charming or a village! These tough Mainers know their town is pretty much low on charm, relishing their fishing heritage and the jobs the local cannery provides, the magnificent coastal views, and their almost fanatical obsession with gardening of all kinds. The five artists-in-residence offer a temporary distraction to the locals as winter descends, blanketing the town in ice and snow. The weather also creates a pseudo "locked room" situation when the much-disliked Zaria Carver is murdered. 

Seffi, a recent transplant from the West Coast, is still settling in as a resident and is well aware that she is still viewed by many as an outsider herself. However, her wide-ranging participation in local activities has garnered her many good friends, as evidenced by their enthusiastic show of regard after her exciting 'life or death' confrontation with the killer. Seffi has personal sadness in her backstory, but, as an aside to the resolution of the murder case, there are hints of change in her future. 

I recommend EDITED OUT to cozy mystery fans, especially those who enjoy LGBT representation and Maine or coastal settings in their stories. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours.

Kill to Keep

Sheriff Bet Rivers Mystery, #3

by

Elena Taylor

Steady suspense with plenty of surprise twists as the sheriff and her department investigate a murder at a traveling carnival.

Kill to Keep is the third book in author Elena Taylor’s excellent Sheriff Bet Rivers Mystery series, which finds Bet and her team struggling to solve a homicide during the return of the traveling Carnival Roma to small Collier, Washington. Rob Collier, a former FBI agent and owner of much of the small town, has leased some of his acreage to Carnival Roma for their annual two-week operation of rides, games, and performances. Before its official opening, he and Sheriff Bet Rivers arrive to conduct a site inspection when they hear a gunshot. They quickly discover the body of an unidentified white male behind the “big top,” however, the man doesn’t show any signs of trauma, let alone a wound from a bullet. 

The suspense builds steadily as Bet and the members of her department, including the deputized Rob, work to solve the man’s murder, and with rampant suspicions of and by the carnies, it is tough going. Much of the story also focuses on Bet and Rob’s growing relationship and her self-doubt about whether she is more into him than he is into her. A continuing storyline is her struggle with her past relationship with her deceased father, the former sheriff, and her resulting imposter syndrome after taking over his position as sheriff. Still, with a good group of coworkers on her side, she’s working her way through that and through this difficult case.  

The plot moves at a deliberate pace as the team must overcome roadblocks in dealing with the carnival community, who are, at best, reluctant to speak with law enforcement. They are an insular group with trust issues, and the transient nature of their livelihood creates a suspicious image for outsiders. Bet is smart and thoughtful, and able to see through her own preconceptions to reach the truth of the case. There are plenty of twists and turns along the way, especially toward the latter part of the story, and that really revs up the pace of the tale.   

While this book is the third in the series, it can easily be read and enjoyed as a standalone. However, I believe those who have read the previous novels will connect more with the building relationships and the impact of shared past experiences on the main characters. I recommend KILL TO KEEP to readers of mysteries, suspense, and thrillers. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours.

The Bone Nest

by

Shanessa Gluhm

It was their final summer together, and nothing would ever be the same.

The Bone Nest is a suspenseful and cleverly plotted murder mystery by Shanessa Gluhm and set in Blusummer, Texas, where almost 40 years earlier, a serial killer had committed a string of murders of young local women, strangled and photographed, the bodies of the first three never found. That summer was the last one that Hayes Sheridan, Chantilly Price, Troy Terrell, and Greer Collins would have together before the four split up to follow their post-graduation college and work plans. But the 4^th of July would see the group destroyed as one would die and another would be accused of murder. 

Fast-forward to 2024, where a young criminal defense attorney, Joaquin Ramos, out to enervate his new practice and make a name for himself, would take on the death sentence case of Troy Terrell, the convicted serial killer known as "The Songbird Strangler," whose punishment was scheduled to be carried out after the New Year. Working to overturn Troy's conviction at the behest of the Death Penalty Abolition Program, Joaquin and his team have an uphill battle as the previous petitions on Troy's behalf have failed. 

The story unfolds in dual timelines (1986 and 2024) and from multiple points of view, giving readers a front-row seat to the events of both the past and the present, and personal insight into the characters involved. Because we know Troy Terrell is on death row, with his time running, and that he was there for the murder of his friend, Tilly, the buildup to the night of July 4, 1986, is breath-stealingly suspenseful. There are secrets among all the friends, which develop later into several plausible motives for Tilly's murder. I was completely certain I knew who the killer was SEVERAL times, only to have one theory after another kicked to the curb by the plot, which would take spectacular turn after spectacular turn. 

The resulting tale is full of missed connections and choices that led to unfulfilled dreams and futures that never lived up to expectations. The main female character, Greer Collins Sheridan, one of the four teenagers in 1986, had loved Hayes Sheridan all her life but only got him by default. She gets the life she dreamed of, only to face tragedy and the knowledge that she was always his second choice. Hayes follows his parents' plans for his future rather than his dream of becoming a farmer. Troy, who just wanted to get out of Blusummer, gets his wish, but life on death row for a murder he swears he didn't commit was a devastatingly cruel plot twist. Even the attorney, Joaquin, who dreams of winning big in court and is not afraid to put in the work to achieve it, faces a personal roadblock. His attraction to Melrose Reed, the paralegal on Troy's defense team, feels wrong, and as her boss, it is inappropriate as long as they work together. But he hopes with all his heart that after the case is settled, he can finally approach her as a regular man interested in a legitimate romantic relationship. 

With its strong and interesting character development and clever, twisty plot, I recommend THE BONE NEST to readers of suspense, mysteries, and thrillers.

For this and other book reviews, visit my blog, Boys' Mom Reads!

The Vanishers

by

R.G. Belsky

Cancel your plans, grab this book!

The Vanishers is a new thriller by R.G. Belsky, and you’re going to want to cancel any other plans you have once you crack this book open; it’s an absolutely gripping page-turner! With its engaging and sympathetic main character and riveting plot, you’re not going to want any distractions until you get to the bottom of this mystery. 

Megan and Patrick Foley are looking for a summer rental on the shore: a place to get away from the stress of their jobs and the city, and to devote time to each other and focus on their marriage that has become full of daily conflict. They find the perfect place on Pleasant Street in Stone Beach, Connecticut: a beautiful old home with plenty of spacious bedrooms for several summer tenants, right on the beach, and at an unbelievably low price. The older woman who owns the place, Mrs. Monahan, is pleasant, too, and eager to share her home with others for the season. Her husband, who is an invalid, stays secluded in his room on the top floor of the house, and the other guests, including the family with the two young boys, all seem nice. Sure, the boys argue, like brothers tend to do, especially when the younger boy’s Nintendo Switch goes missing, but the next day, when the younger brother doesn’t appear, everyone in the house claims there was ever only one child! Even Patrick is adamant he never saw another boy. Now Megan is on a mission to find out what happened to him and why everyone denies he ever existed, or find a psychiatrist to treat her delusion quick, fast, and in a hurry. 

What a page-turner! Megan Foley is the epitome of the typical young career woman balancing life with a spouse who is also working to succeed in his field. Patrick is a bit overbearing, ready to proclaim how Megan should do everything his way, often getting his way as she gives in to his demands. The goal of closing the gap between them as a couple is quickly disrupted when she is the only one who remembers the younger Beecham son, and all evidence of his ever having existed amazingly evaporates as well. The tension builds as Megan confronts Mrs. Monahan and seeks help from an investigator of the unexplainable. The rising suspense of the puzzling events kept me glued to the story from start to finish. 

I recommend THE VANISHERS to readers of mysteries, thrillers, and suspense. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours.

Picture-Perfect Boyfriend

by

Becky Dean

Fun and flirty with an inspirational message to be yourself and pursue your dream, not the one someone else plans for you.

Picture-Perfect Boyfriend is the latest contemporary young adult novel by author Becky Dean, and it is as fun as it is supportive of its theme to be true to oneself. I enjoyed this story, with its fine mix of romance, comedy, mystery, and inspiration, so much that I was smiling the entire time I turned its pages. 

High school senior Mackenzie "Kenzie" Reed is an engaging and relatable main character on spring break with her family on the beautiful island of Maui. She's spent the entire final school year conforming to her parents' ideal vision of how she should live her life. Kenzie wants to pursue photography, but her mother and father don't believe it is a viable career goal and want her to join them in their family optometry business. Worn down by their years of criticism of her differences and the trivialization of her aspirations and talent, she had decided to do things their way. Happily, the story heads elsewhere. 

The premise of the made-up boyfriend materializing in person hooked me the moment I read the blurb, and the story did not disappoint. Jacob/Jake, himself presenting two faces, was fun, flirty, and an enigma for much of the book. I laughed over the Eddie Haskell vibes I got from his interaction with Kenzie's family members and was relieved to discover he wasn't the "Stepford" boyfriend. The mystery of his identity and how he came to be on the island was brilliant. 

The Maui setting was the perfect place to release Kenzie's repressed desires and personality. The descriptions of the lush surroundings and the inclusion of so many interesting places to visit on the island will have readers wanting to book their own visit. 

With its engaging characters and fun and brilliantly executed premise, I recommend PICTURE-PERFECT BOYFRIEND to readers of contemporary young adult fiction, especially those who like an island setting, family drama, and romance. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author or publisher through TBR and Beyond Book Tours.