"Two Kind of Stranger", by Steve Cavanagh

A Legal thriller

Eddie Flynn book #9

This is the case of a Tik Tok personality who has millions of followers thanks to her random acts of kindness videos. Till one day she captured accidently a shocking betrayal on camera…..her account then went viral…Down spirited, Elly still can’t resist helping others but this time her kindness lands her in deep water and needs Eddies' help. Logan the stranger she helped may not be as helpless as she though.

I have a hard time resisting this author he pens such good legal stories. The opening is simply fantastic. The momentum takes hold right from the start and as the events spiral out of control, tension mounts, and as readers we are easily kept on a knife edge till the very last moment.

While Elly and Logan’s story unfold a subplot comes into the mix … surprise another case this one has everyone in danger, including Eddie and his family.

This story has less court action more investigating and preparation since two cases are on the go at the same time. I needed to pay a bit more attention for this reason, no distraction for me I needed to be all there since we jump from different scenes and different characters. Although we may switch from one drama to another, this high-stakes suspense is easy to follow.

Conclusion:

“Two Kinds of Stranger” is a stellar entry in the Eddie Flynn series. If you like a fast-paced thriller with intricate twists and interesting protagonist this book is for you.

Last note:

Although part of a series this thriller can easily be read on its own.

My thanks to Atria Books and Netgalley for this ARC

"Missing", by E.A. Jackson

Every parent’s nightmare…your baby vanished in the middle of the night taken through a window in your hotel room when you were sleeping: how would you react?

DI Martha Allen is investigating and does all the right things to get to the bottom of this but she finds herself not trusting the witness and knows to be lying.

Fast forward 30 years later, a murder is committed that brings Martha back into the baby case investigation that was pulled from her so many years ago. She absolutely had to revived the old case, one she will absolutely won’t let go. The coincidence to strong to let go...

My thoughts:

This is good decent and twisted police procedural that has Martha uncovers a web of secrets and lies that span thirty years. Following her in her quest to find the truth is not only tense but it plunges us into the life of a promising young woman which turned morbid by exploitation and drugs.

I like the occasional twists that I never saw coming and the way the author has woven together the past and present to create a compelling narrative, not always easy to do, well-done here.

The first part is a tense page-turner as Martha is in a race to find the missing baby and the second part although a bit more measured reviving the cold case is as much intense and captivating as the first part. In whole a very intriguing and captivating case.

Well said and well-done, this is my first experience reading this author and it will not be my last.

I received this ARC from Atria Books via Netgalley for my thoughts: this is the way I see it.

"The Showstone", by Glenn Cooper

A Supernatural Religious Thriller

Cal Donovan #4

The story:

Iraq 1989, Hiram Donovan mails an archeological piece found on a dig to his wife back in the United States. Hiram dies a few days later.

Then the story moves forward thirty years later with Cal, Hiram’s son, a Harvard professor on a summer furlough learning that his mother was murdered and nothing seemed taken out of place in her house. Why was she killed? Later on, while cleaning his mother’s house he had the answer: an envelope mailed from his father in Iraq was found containing a black obsidian stoned and a note card with Dr. John Dee’s name on it, what was this all about? Researching the provenance Cal discovers the Showstone was used for scrying, an ancient art of magic and connecting with God through an angel tongue…..from then on, strange happenings and the story morphs into a trek around the globe…

My thoughts:

I have been a fan for many years and I have enjoyed the out of the ordinary sagas Mr. Cooper has penned although I admit this time he has overdid it. This latest still blends true historical events with fictional characters and happenings masterfully but I found it to be so mystifying the story lost my attention mid way, I had a very hard time sticking with it from then on.

The showstone yield spiritual visions once studies by Elizabethan alchemist and astrologer John Dee. Of course, the bloody quest is continued for the artifact and follows a predictable and boring course till the very end. Good and evil, angels and fallen angels and past and present….here we go back and forth and a lot of time spent on historical background. The story drags on and on…. I presume you guessed by now this thriller was not my cup of tea but that is me please judge by yourself.

I received this ARC from the Book Whisperer via Netgalley for my thoughts: this is the way I see it.

"Vanished in the Crowd", by Rhys Bowen and Clare Broyles

Molly Murphy Mystery book #22

A cozy mystery

Set in 1909 New York during the Hudson-Fulton celebration. The story follows retired detective Molly Murphy Sullivan as she investigates the disappearance of a female scientist. The story hovers around the suffragette movement, a militant campaign advocating for women’s right to vote.

My thoughts:

The Molly Murphy mysteries give us ample doses of history and wonderful characters while the story moves along at the slow and steady pace. I particularly love Molly and her husband Daniel and how they interact with each other, balancing work and personal life really shows the views may not have changed that much since….of course at center stage is the women’s suffrage movement, science and social divide and class status. Interesting.

To celebrate the 300th anniversary of Henry Hudson’s discovery of the Hudson River , parades, exhibitions and carnivals made for two straight weeks of celebrations which Molly and her friends were part of…till the parade turned deadly and Molly, the sleuth, sprang into action. No mystery without a murder would be captivating. Here we are plunged into a very suspenseful drama, one that has kept me riveted till the very end.

“Vanishing in the Crowd” is an engaging story that weave wonderfully a mystery and historical context and all vividly said to keep us on our toes.

My many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for this ARC.

"Dead of Summer", by John W. Mefford

Alex &Ozzie, Dark Horizon Book #5

What to expect in a few words:

While a heatwave is baking Austin, someone is killing women in the most brutal way one can imagine. While working on a chaotic film set, Alex witnesses a custody battle turn violent, reminding her of a past case that was never solved. But when another body is found, Alex is on the move……

My thoughts:

In his usual signature Mr. Mefford has given us another mind-blowing story with multiple ups and downs which keeps going till the very last page. It is easy to get caught up in the mystery and to try figuring out who is the killer but like any good twisted stories, you have to wait till it all wraps up. Definitely an intriguing saga and a page-turner.

In a few words:

Mr. Mefford makes compelling read for those who enjoy intense and suspenseful narratives and excels in weaving a complex tale to satisfy the most voracious readers.

Keep up the good work John

"The Debt", by Glenn Cooper

Cal Donovan #3

Cal is back at the Vatican Library researching is next paper when he comes across an interesting letter. In 1848 when the Papal States were under attack by revolutionaries, the Vatican borrowed a very large sum of money from the Jewish Sassoon Bank.

Curious, Cal continued his research. Not finding any evidence that the loan was ever paid back, he contacted Pope Celestine VI who then asked him to discreetly research further this loan ……that is when trouble started…..

An unexpected discovery rocks the foundations of the Catholic Church. Have fun reading what comes next.

My thoughts:

The first part is laborious I even thought abandoning this story, nevertheless I stuck with it knowing well Mr. Cooper will move on and gives us an exciting journey into the annals of the Vatican. Its starts with an introduction of a large group of Cardinals and their responsibilities then ¼ in the conspiracy begins.

With intermittent flashbacks the story of the ancient loan is revealed …then we are deep into the conspiracy giving us plenty of suspense, globe trotting, blackmail, sabotage to content with.

Although I was captivated by this religious tale, nevertheless its concept failed to be plausible and the drama lacks in believable characters. Having said this,” The Dept” is smoothly said and its style invites us to keep turning the pages till the very surprising ending.

I am a huge fan of religious conspiracies and Glenn Cooper excels on that topic and each one have been captivating and entertaining.
My thanks to Lascaux Media and Netgalley for giving the privilege to read and review this book.