"I Have a Secret", by Cheryl Bradshaw

Sloane Monroe #3

First published in 2012

Private detective Sloane Monroe is on the haunt for a killer who stabbed to death a classmate on their 20-year high school party reunion. The investigation brings her back to her hometown where no one is ready to talk…This small town is soaked in secrets and to unravel the mystery of the present lie in the past……

This story is engaging and has kept my attention from start to finish with its many twists and turns. Sloane is a unique and complex protagonist I loved to follow as she was digging deep for answers.

This is quick read and really entertaining, the creative writing gives the plot character and is so easy to follow. The players are engaging and dialogues sounded real, quite witty and humorous. Sloane is a great heroine hard not to be rooting for her success. Well, I also like her love interest Giovanni quite a deferent person to pair up with a P.I.

Well written and fun to read

"Kill Shot", by Cameron Blake

Adam Kinkaid Book #1

Published in 2017, a short book of 214 pages

In a few words:

Ex-Navy Seal Abram Kinkaid is recruited by a rogue group to assassinate the Prime Minister of Canada claiming it is in the best interests of the United States… caught between truth and death, Abram must make a choice…..he is then thrust into a world of espionage and murder…..what will come out of this?

My thoughts in a few words:

A very long introduction to the main character and a very tedious process depicting his indoctrination into the group and how they proceed with is training: long winded words put together that went on and one for many chapters. Too much… although once past this stage the pacing picks up and the drama comes to life and the mystery starts to be interesting. However, the story line appears convoluted and the changing scenario definitely will keep the reader on his toes. As for Kinkaid, although his character is well defined, I didn’t care much for him, or maybe the mission he was sent to do hit home too much, especially now in 2026….

Interesting ending leaving the door open and many questions.

Not my cup of tea but not that bad.

"The Lightning Girl", by Sam Ripley

 Sarah returns to her hometown after her father’s death only to find that old memories of thirty years ago will haunt her. Her best friend Genevieve survived being struck by lightning had proclaimed to be a witch and that this event had given her power.

Till one night Genevieve slipped and fell of a cliff to the sea and met her end…she has never been recovered or seen since…..Where is she…..

Returning home, Sarah thinks more and more about her friend especially the last night she was alive. She begins to question the story she’s believed for many years …. Then Genevieve reached out…..and as readers we fall in a psychological tug of war…what is real and what is not……..

My thoughts:

I admit that after the first 5 chapters I didn’t think I would push on. Not really my style but lo and behold a was struck by a magical spell and from then on, I was hooked.

What a mystery this turn out to be. Gen keeps popping up and talking to Sarah. Not frightening but definitely disconcerting. What happened to Gen, was she murdered and by whom…. Gen will divulge tidbits to Sarah just enough to push her to uncover the truth and this goes on and on, a teaser well done till the very end. This uncertainty kept me engaged and questioning Sarah’s interpretations of events. I enjoyed this and played along.

Some may say there is a supernatural element here but I think it is more a psychological brain game. Guilty conscience plays tricks on you: Sarah sees and hears her friend and talks to her….but is she really there talking back.

The pacing is steady giving us enough twists and clues for us to keep turning the pages. Sarah is a good character as is the ghost Gen….

If you like a mystery with originality you may like this one. I know I did.

My thanks to Atria Books as well as Netgalley for this ARC