Detective Amanda Steele lost everything almost six years ago after her husband and daughter were killed by a drunk driver and she shut out her parents and siblings, unable to be near them after her life fell apart. Now she spends her nights drinking too much and having one night stands, although somehow she still keeps it together enough to stay at her job as a homicide detective. She gets a called to a crime … Read More “The Little Grave by Carolyn Arnold” »
While this is the fourth installment of the DI Dan Riley series, this can definitely stand on its own – this book focuses a lot more on the victims of the crimes than the investigation itself. Daisey Garrett is left for dead after a brutal attack by the Rose Petal Ripper – so dubbed because the killer leaves a single rose on their victims. While she is the lone victim who survives this serial killer, … Read More “The Woman Inside by Anna-Lou Weatherley” »
This was a heartwarming book about the meaning of family, Midwestern work ethic and perseverance, and, well, beer. Edith and Helen are sisters who are on very different paths. Edith gets married, has children with her husband who is a trucker, and works at the local nursing home baking pies. (They’re the third best pies in the entire state according to a local paper, but that’s not all that important after all.) Helen becomes obsessed … Read More “The Lager Queen of Minnesota by J. Ryan Stradal” »
A modern day reimagination of Jane Eyre set in the South, this thriller will keep you turning pages as fast as you can right through the end. Jane — not her real name — is an almost homeless dog walker in an extremely well-to-do neighborhood, trying to improve her lot in life. When she meets Eddie — who rushes out to buy a dog for her to walk — she sees her chance. And even … Read More “The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins” »
This was an overall fun, sweet book, and I liked how it was narrated by the main character looking back over his life and telling his story to an unnamed (until the end) interviewer. If you’re looking for something fast, easy, and relatively feel-good, give this one a go. In some ways, it reminded me of Fannie Flagg’s books, but I think I liked these characters more than many of Flagg’s books. Set in 1938, … Read More “Better Luck Next Time by Julia Claiborne Johnson” »