Amber Patterson is fed up with being a "have not," especially since the world she occupies seems to be filled with "haves" like the beautiful socialite Daphne Parrish, whose enviable marriage and bank account turn Amber green with envy. Intent on stealing the handsome Jackson Patterson from under Daphne's unsuspecting nose, Amber worms her way into Daphne's life and family, beginning with the made-up story of her sister who, coincidently, died of cystic fibrosis, just like Daphne's sister. The two bond when Amber volunteers to help with Daphne's fundraiser for CF and soon become close friends, even as Amber plots to take the unsuspecting Daphne's place in Bishop's Harbor, Connecticut.
It is true that none of us really knows what goes on behind closed doors. The grass may look greener beyond the fence, but is it, really? Constantine's plotting is clever and her characters are revealed at just the right pace to keep the reader. There are lots of surprising twists and turns that reminded me of Gone Girl and similar thrillers. Highly recommended!
BIBLIOPHILY
Wednesday, January 23, 2019
Thursday, January 17, 2019
FLIPPED FOR MURDER (Maddie Day)
This is a great start to the appealing Country Store mystery series by the author of the Quaker Midwide series, Edith Maxwell (writing here as Maddie Day).
Robbie Jordan has moved back to South Lick, Indiana after the death of her mother to be near her mother's sister, Aunt Adele. She opens Pans n' Pancakes, a cozy country restaurant that also sells vintage-style kitchen equipment, but soon after her grand opening, the mayor's obnoxious assistant is found dead with one of Robbie's cheesy biscuits stuffed into her mouth. There's nothing like opening a new business and immediately becoming a murder suspect, but Robbie apparently has no motive!
Day offers a great group of interesting characters with a lot of potential for development in future books. There is also the intriguing subplot about Robbie's father, whose identity has never been revealed to her. I know that the author earned her doctorate in linguistics in Indiana, so I enjoyed every instance of local dialect that she included in the story. I would give this series a definite thumbs up!
Robbie Jordan has moved back to South Lick, Indiana after the death of her mother to be near her mother's sister, Aunt Adele. She opens Pans n' Pancakes, a cozy country restaurant that also sells vintage-style kitchen equipment, but soon after her grand opening, the mayor's obnoxious assistant is found dead with one of Robbie's cheesy biscuits stuffed into her mouth. There's nothing like opening a new business and immediately becoming a murder suspect, but Robbie apparently has no motive!
Day offers a great group of interesting characters with a lot of potential for development in future books. There is also the intriguing subplot about Robbie's father, whose identity has never been revealed to her. I know that the author earned her doctorate in linguistics in Indiana, so I enjoyed every instance of local dialect that she included in the story. I would give this series a definite thumbs up!
THE AU PAIR (Emma Rous)
What a novel! The absolute only complaint that I have about it is the some of the same people appear in the two timelines (1992 and 2017) of the book, resulting in just a touch of confusion for my poor old brain.
In the spring of 1992, Ruth and Dominic Mayes hire Laua Silviera for a year to care for their 4-year-old son, Edwin. Laura, who has been dealing with family problems and health issues, welcomes the move away from her stultifying home to the Summerbourne estate and enjoys her time with Edwin. According to Dominic, Ruth is moody and depressed due to her inability to conceive another child, especially after the untimely death of Edwin's twin, Theo. Eventually, Ruth becomes pregnant but commits suicide on the same day that she gives birth.
Seraphine Mayes, her twin brother Danny, and older brother Edwin mourn the accidental death of their father, Dominic, in 2017. When Seraphine finds a picture of Dominic, Edwin, and her mother, Ruth holding ONE infant, she begins to question her identity. Who is the baby in the picture, Seraphine or Danny? Where is the other twin? The picture had to have been taken on the day that they were born because their mother went over the cliff that afternoon. Danny strongly resembles Edwin, but Seraphine does not. When Seraphine tracks down Laura Silviera for information it sets off a series of dangerous and unexplained events that seem to be related to her inquiries.
Rous has written an intriguing novel that will keep the reader engaged right up until the end. It has a great twist that you won't see coming. It is highly recommended!
In the spring of 1992, Ruth and Dominic Mayes hire Laua Silviera for a year to care for their 4-year-old son, Edwin. Laura, who has been dealing with family problems and health issues, welcomes the move away from her stultifying home to the Summerbourne estate and enjoys her time with Edwin. According to Dominic, Ruth is moody and depressed due to her inability to conceive another child, especially after the untimely death of Edwin's twin, Theo. Eventually, Ruth becomes pregnant but commits suicide on the same day that she gives birth.
Seraphine Mayes, her twin brother Danny, and older brother Edwin mourn the accidental death of their father, Dominic, in 2017. When Seraphine finds a picture of Dominic, Edwin, and her mother, Ruth holding ONE infant, she begins to question her identity. Who is the baby in the picture, Seraphine or Danny? Where is the other twin? The picture had to have been taken on the day that they were born because their mother went over the cliff that afternoon. Danny strongly resembles Edwin, but Seraphine does not. When Seraphine tracks down Laura Silviera for information it sets off a series of dangerous and unexplained events that seem to be related to her inquiries.
Rous has written an intriguing novel that will keep the reader engaged right up until the end. It has a great twist that you won't see coming. It is highly recommended!
Monday, January 7, 2019
SAFE HAVEN (Patricia MacDonald)
You can always count on Patricia MacDonald to deliver a great thriller. Her novels remind me of Mary Higgins Clark's early work. I do have to say, though that Dena Russell, MacDonald's main character, does not have particularly good judgment in choosing men. nor does she appear to be overly perceptive to subtle character nuances that could save her a lot of trouble in the long run! I also have to say that I guessed who the "bad guy" was before page 100 (I admit that I actually then glanced at that last pages to confirm my suspicions), but it didn't ruin the novel for me because there were so many red herrings, suspicious characters, and plot twists that there was no time for boredom!
Dena Russell is expecting a child with her increasingly volatile boyfriend, Brian, a high school crush that turned into an adult affair when she returned to town for a reunion. She moved back from Chicago to be with Brian after discovering that she was pregnant, but when he becomes violent she reports him to the police and moves out. Old friends, weirdly uncooperative cops, and suspicious deaths provide an abundance of action in this fast-paced novel. I always recommend Patricia MacDonald!
Dena Russell is expecting a child with her increasingly volatile boyfriend, Brian, a high school crush that turned into an adult affair when she returned to town for a reunion. She moved back from Chicago to be with Brian after discovering that she was pregnant, but when he becomes violent she reports him to the police and moves out. Old friends, weirdly uncooperative cops, and suspicious deaths provide an abundance of action in this fast-paced novel. I always recommend Patricia MacDonald!
NINE PERFECT STRANGERS (Liane Moriarty)
A luxury spa sounds sounds like the perfect way to unwind, rejuvenate, and maybe lose a few pounds. Tranquillum Resort is the destination of 9 diverse strangers (2 of them a young married couple who recently won the lottery) who all have their private reasons for booking a 10-day stay at the resort. Frances is a romance writer in a slump, Ben and Jessica have been struggling to find their relationship again, Tony wants to change his life, Napoleon, Heather, and Zoe share grief and guilt, Lars is addicted to spas, and Carmel wants to lose weight.
Moriarty has successfully presented the story from all points of view - the 9 strangers and the spa founder, Masha, and her staff, Yao and Desiree - giving each characters turns to express their insecurities, hopes, and dreams. Of course, this wouldn't be an interesting novel without twists, turns, discoveries, and unexpected events, which Moriarty provides abundantly. She makes the reader care about each and every character, even the unlikable ones! I would call Nine Perfect Strangers an excellent way to spend a weekend (but, please, don't book into Tranquillum!).
Moriarty has successfully presented the story from all points of view - the 9 strangers and the spa founder, Masha, and her staff, Yao and Desiree - giving each characters turns to express their insecurities, hopes, and dreams. Of course, this wouldn't be an interesting novel without twists, turns, discoveries, and unexpected events, which Moriarty provides abundantly. She makes the reader care about each and every character, even the unlikable ones! I would call Nine Perfect Strangers an excellent way to spend a weekend (but, please, don't book into Tranquillum!).
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)