Gone by Ruby Speechley

Title: Gone

Author: Ruby Speechley
Genre: Suspense - Thriller - Mystery 
Publisher: Boldwood Books - Copyright 2023
Publication Date: February 21, 2023
ISBN: 9781837513765
Read: February 16-18, 2023
Disclaimer: I received a digital advance reader copy from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis from Publisher: Last night my son, Shay, sneaked out of the house and didn’t come home. He promised not to go to the illegal party in the woods. But someone’s been attacked and Shay has gone missing. The police want to know if he saw what happened. I’m worried he could be involved.

After all the trouble he’s been in lately, mixing with the wrong crowd, coming home beaten up and scared, I thought we’d put it all behind us. Trouble is, Shay resents me moving my new boyfriend into the family home. I found all sorts on his laptop, including a half-written email warning me not to trust David. What does he know that I don’t? 

I’m beginning to fear for his safety. What is David hiding from me? Who have I let into our lives? 

I don’t know who I can trust. Will I ever see my son alive again?

Review: As suspense thrillers go, Gone by Ruby Speechley is really good, but I have read better. There were some thing that seemed out of place or not fitting the to story Speechley is telling. First, the cover. Swing sets always make me thing of young children, but the kids in this story are teens so the swings on the cover are the first thing that seem out of place, even though it does make for a striking cover that draws your attention.

The second issue I had is with the third person point of view. Normally, this works very well in suspense books, but for some reason it doesn't seem to fit this story. I tried reading some of the story in first person, from Rachel's (the mother) point of view, and I honestly liked it a lot better. If Speechley had chosen to write from Rachel's POV in first person, the suspense, the motherly panic of wondering where her child is, and the suspicion of those around her would've all be heightened and given more insight into Rachel's character, which I had a hard time connecting to Rachel.

But, overall, these are minor issues. The plot is very well constructed and the characters are well-rounded. The story's pacing is good and the ending is worth the read. Speechley does a great job of laying out clues, building suspense and suspicion, but I wish I'd had more of an "edge of my seat" reaction to reading the book. 

Book Review: The Echo of Old Book by Barbara Davis

Title: The Echo of Old Books

Author: Barbara Davis
Genre: Historical Mystery - Romance
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing - Copyright 2023
Publication Date: March 28, 2023
ISBN: 9781662511608
Read: March 4-9, 2023
Disclaimer: I received a digital advance reader copy from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis from Publisher: Rare-book dealer Ashlyn Greer’s affinity for books extends beyond the intoxicating scent of old paper, ink, and leather. She can feel the echoes of the books’ previous owners―an emotional fingerprint only she can read. When Ashlyn discovers a pair of beautifully bound volumes that appear to have never been published, her gift quickly becomes an obsession. Not only is each inscribed with a startling incrimination, but the authors, Hemi and Belle, tell conflicting sides of a tragic romance. 

With no trace of how these mysterious books came into the world, Ashlyn is caught up in a decades-old literary mystery, beckoned by two hearts in ruins, whoever they were, wherever they are. Determined to learn the truth behind the doomed lovers’ tale, she reads on, following a trail of broken promises and seemingly unforgivable betrayals. The more Ashlyn learns about Hemi and Belle, the nearer she comes to bringing closure to their love story―and to the unfinished chapters of her own life.

Review: The Echo of Old Books is the first book I've read from Barbara Davis, and I really enjoyed it. Part historical mystery, part historical romance, part modern "coming to terms with self," the story is emotional and haunting.

Ashlyn Greer hasn't had the easiest life after losing both parents at a young age. However, things seem to be on the upswing when she inherits An Unlikely Story, a rare and used bookstore, where she's spent many happy hours and learned the craft of restoring old books. Beyond her love for books is a special ability Ashlyn is only starting to fully understand: she can sense and connect with the residual psychic impressions left behind by a book's previous owner(s). It's a gift that makes running An Unlikely Story interesting, but when Ashlyn happens upon two unique books, her gift quickly takes a slightly darker turn.

The books she discovers are written by two authors, Belle and Hemi, but are alike in appearance. One is titled "Forgetting Belle" and is written by Hemi, and the other is titled "Forever and Other Lies" and is written by Belle. However, both books detail the same torrid love affair between the two authors but from different perspectives. It doesn't take long for Ashlyn to become obsessed and soon finds herself in the midst of a decades old romance and mystery.

The Echo of Old Books is well-written and obviously benefits from a lot of detailed research on Davis's part. The stories of Hemi, Belle, and Ashlyn are seven together like a beautiful tapestry hanging against the backdrop of old books. Given Ashlyn's psychic gift, there is a touch of magical realism to the story, which only serves to bring emotions to the forefront and heighten the reader's need to keep turning pages. 

Book Review: Fractured Oak by Dannie Boyd

Title: Fractured Oak

Author: Dannie Boyd
Genre: Thriller - Mystery - Magical Realism
Publisher: Indigo Dot Press - Copyright 2023
Publication Date: April 25, 2023
ISBN: 9781958160046
Read: March 19-21, 2023
Disclaimer: I received a digital advance reader copy from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis from Publisher: It’s hard to catch a killer when the only witness is a tree. 

In 1853, after Catherine Miller is murdered for daring to become a doctor in a field full of men, a molecular fusion between human decay and natural rebirth transforms her into a Northern Red Oak. One hundred and seventy years later, she remains a mute but sentient tree, rooted near a secluded Northeast Ohio house. After she watches in horror as the newest homeowner murders one of his PhD students, Catherine is resolved, somehow, to see that justice gets served. 

Fortunately, present-day Catherine has an unwitting ally: Lani Whitaker, a fourth-generation detective facing mandatory retirement and sick of being treated like a dried-up relic by her young chief of police. When the body of that same PhD student turns up in the woods, Lani is determined to solve the case and go out with a win. 

Two women, generations apart, linked to each other through murder. Can solving a twenty-first-century homicide shed light on a nineteenth-century killer?

Review: First, let me say that Dannie Boyd is a pen name for author Carrie Rubin, who has several medical thrillers published under her own name. Apparently she chose a pen name for Fractured Oak because it deals with magical realism, a departure from her normal books, in addition to the mystery of who killed whom. With that being said, on to the review...

I really enjoyed the premise of this book. Catherine, the third woman to graduate from medical school in the United States, is murdered in 1853, discovers her soul melded with that of an oak tree, and then finds herself witness to a modern-day murder. This alone was enough to hook me into the story because trees live silent lives, and honestly, I have often wondered what they may have witnessed over their lifespans--especially the long-lived trees like oaks and redwoods. What horrors have they seen? What joys? What forgotten moments and forgotten people have they known? At least in some way, Boyd has answered a few of these questions by telling part of the story from Catherine the Tree's point of view.

Then there's Lani, the detective trying to solve the murder. Faced with ageism, she's determined to not let everything she's worked her entire life to achieve go down without a fight. I loved her spirit and her humor. I've known my fair share of cops, and Lani would be right at home among any of them. 

The best part about Fractured Oak is that as a reader I got a two-for-the-price-of-one murder plot. Told in alternating points of view between Catherine and Lani, and although the murderer is known for the contemporary death, there's no lack of tension because that comes in the form of the uncertainty of whether Lani will catch the killer. The resolution of Catherine's murder in 1853 is left until the end but is no less satisfying. 

Fractured Oak is a unique blend of mystery, psychological thriller, and magical realism that simply works in a beautiful blend of colorful characters, detailed world building, mysterious clues, and a touch of magic.

TV Series Review: Wednesday

Television Series Title: WEDNESDAY

Channel/Streaming Service: Netflix
Creators: Alfred Gough, Miles Millar
Aired: 2022 (Season 1)
Genre: Comedy - Dark Comedy - Mystery - Horror
Parental Guidance Rating: MA-14

Synopsis: A sleuthing, supernaturally infused mystery charting Wednesday Addams' years as a student at Nevermore Academy. Wednesday's attempts to master her emerging psychic ability, thwart a monstrous killing spree that has terrorized the local town, and solve the supernatural mystery that embroiled her parents 25 years ago - all while navigating her new and very tangled relationships at Nevermore.

Principal Characters and Cast: 

Wednesday Addams - Jenna Ortega

Tyler Galpin - Hunter Doohan

Xavier Thorpe - Percy Hynes White

Enid Sinclair - Emma Myers

Principal Larissa Weems - Gwendolyn Christie

Dr. Valerie Kinbott - Riki Lindhome

Sheriff Donovan Galpin - Jamie McShane

Bianca Barclay - Joy Sunday

Ajax Petropolus - Georgie Farmer

Yoko Tanaka - Naomi J. Ogawa

Eugene Ottinger - Moosa Mostafa

Marilyn Thornhill - Christina Ricci

Morticia Addams - Catherine Zeta-Jones

Gomez Addams - Luis Guzmán

Thing - Victor Dorobantu

Review: I've been a fan of The Addams Family since childhood when the original black and white series aired as reruns in the afternoons after school. This was followed by The Munsters, so my budding black goth girl heart was in a twisted kind of heaven. Since then, I've committed every show and movie regarding The Addams Family to memory. So you can imagine my excitement when I learned Netflix would be reviving my favorite creepy and kooky family with a special emphasis on my favorite character: Wednesday.

To say I harbored some doubts about the new show is fair. After all, Christine Ricci's turn as Wednesday was flawless and a thing of beauty to watch on the big screen The Addams Family (1991) and Addams Family Values (1993). Then I learned she would be appearing in the Netflix series. Color me intrigued. 

Wednesday faces her colorful new roommate, Enid.

Any doubts I had about Netflix's handling of one of my most beloved childhood memories faded the moment Jenna Ortega appeared on the screen as Wednesday Addams. Her deadpan delivery of lines, ability to be both humorous and creepy, and overall presence as Wednesday was *chef's kiss* perfection. Not to mention the killer dance scene at Nevermore's Rave'N left me in stitches. 

The show focuses on Wednesday and her trials and tribulations at Nevermore, but the supporting cast isn't without a huge degree of talent. Gwendolyn Christie (Game of Thrones, Star Wars: The Force Awakens) stars as Principal Weems, headmistress of Nevermore Academy and Morticia's old roommate, and absolutely nails the role. Catherine Zeta-Jones (Chicago, The Mask of Zorro) and Luis Guzmán (The Taking of Pelham 123, Narcos) are stellar as Morticia and Gomez, and of course, Christina Ricci is awesome as "dorm mom" Marilyn Thornhill, the only so-called Normie at Nevermore. This is only to name a few of the talented actors fleshing out the ranks of Outcasts and Normies in the small town of Jericho.

Christina Ricci as Marilyn Thornhill.

Wednesday, for all the dark humor and teen angst, is still a murder mystery, and the twists and turns are sometimes subtle and sometimes sharp. I've stated before on this blog that I often am able to figure out the Who in a Whodunnit fairly quickly. However, that was not the case with Wednesday. Just when I thought I'd solved the mystery, the plot shot in a different direction and left me questioning my own sanity. If you like dark gallows-style humor and twisted murder mysteries, then you'll love Wednesday.

(Images are for illustrative purposes only. All copyrights are retained by original holders.)

Book Review: The Prisoner of Fear by Chad Miller

Title: The Prisoner of Fear (Book 1 Doyle and Braham Series)

Author: Chad Miller
Genre: Horror - Gothic Fiction
Publisher: Hear Our Voice LLC - Copyright 2022
Publication Date: October 1, 2022
Read: Oct. 8-11, 2022
Disclaimer: Author requested a review and sent a free paperback copy. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis from Publisher:  It is 1889 in Philadelphia, and detective John Doyle is restless. Along with his miserable partner, Thomas Braham, Doyle pursues mysteries, strange sightings, and other obscurities tossed aside and disregarded by the police. For years, Doyle has taken on these cases in the hopes of discovering something supernatural - something that could upend and dispute his long-standing, debilitating fear that immortal souls do not exist. 

Doyle's search for the supernatural remains unsuccessful until he receives a strange letter from an old doctor friend regarding a young woman with a mysterious and rather disturbing illness. When the doctor goes missing in the same town that this young woman resides in, Doyle and Braham decide to take on the case and search for clues regarding their missing friend. In doing so, they discover that there is no longer any suffering young woman, but a dangerous abomination whose origin cannot be explained by science nor modern medicine. 

Meanwhile, an unnamed victim has been kidnapped. Trapped in a cell with nothing but a journal to document their experiences, this mysterious Prisoner must undergo terrifying scientific experiments while trying not to lose all hope and sanity.

Review: Anyone who knows me know I'm a huge fan of Gothic literature and its contemporary descendent, horror. My friends (and family) have heard me expound upon the virtues of dark fiction over the years. If it's dark, disturbing, psychologically scarring, and even the tiniest bit creepy, I'm all over it like flies on a corpse. 

So, dearest reader, you can imagine my excitement when I was offered a review copy of Chad Miller's The Prisoner of Fear. I waited with antici...............pation for it to arrive. When it finally landed on my doorstep, I was giddy, and yet I was in the midst of reading another book for review so I set Miller's book aside. Still, the cover haunted me. The promise of a Sherlockian-style mystery combined with the Gothic epistolary-based chills of Bram Stoker and Mary Shelley seduced me like a siren's call. For a week, I held firm and didn't give into that call. However, curiosity soon gave way to desire and I had no choice but to dive into those dark waters, whether for good or ill.

Oh, dearest reader, why did I wait to satisify my dark urges? Why, oh why, did I torment myself with fleeting glances at that haunting cover? Once I read the opening line, my resolve crumbled, and I came undone. Although I continued to read the other book in line for review during the day, I secretly stole precious hours each night to navigate the twists and turns and delightfully view the dark images Miller skillfully paints on the pages of The Prisoner of Fear. Yes, I lost hours of sleep, but what I gained is so much more valuable: a new "must-read" author. 

At the heart of Miller's work is a mystery that seems simple enough to solve. However, that simplicity is deceptive. I've admitted in other blogs that I'm often able to figure out the Who in most WhoDoneIt book, but Miller kept me guessing to the end, and then had the nerve to end the book with a cliffhanger. (AND the sequel isn't scheduled to be released until next year? WTF? Cue the hellish wailing and gnashing of teeth... *deep breath* It's fine. I'm calm. I can wait.) The plot twists were subtle and yet my mind was continually blown. Although I could tell a twist was coming soon the shapes those twists took were unexpected and shot the story into a completely different direction than I'd predicted. 

It wasn't until I'd finished reading the book that I realized the title didn't actually refer to a single character: The reader is The Prisoner of Fear, and like any good horror author, Chad Miller is the puppet master gleefully pulling strings. I, for one, will happily take up the roll of marionette. 

But....Miller, if you're reading this review, I have two words for you: Write. Faster.

Book Review: Isolated Futures (Omnibus) by Koen Martens

 

Title: Isolated Futures (Omnibus)

Author: Koen Martens
Genre: Science Fiction - Dystopian Futures
Publisher: Self-published - Copyright 2022
Publication Date: March 18, 2022
Read: September 20-26, 2022
Disclaimer: Author requested a review and sent a free paperback copy. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis from Publisher: If you’re a fan of thought-provoking sci-fi cyberpunk technothrillers like The Passengers and Black Mirror, then Koen Martens’ sci-fi anthology is your perfect next read! 

Story 1 - Forced to be Free: Sam, a young hacker with anger management issues, has joined

a defense initiative against the advancing Russian army set to occupy Europe. When he discovers his boss is working undercover for the enemy, he must thwart his boss and prevent the destruction of the EU’s drone defense network before it’s too late. 

Story 2 - Murder, Plain and Simple: Dr. Jennifer Mendoza is a ship physician on the interstellar luxury cruiser Christopher. When a prominent and wealthy passenger is murdered, she is called to investigate the crime. Can she identify the killer before more people lose their lives? 

Story 3 - Cima Peak: Juan, a naive adolescent growing up in a post-apocalyptic world, embarks on a dangerous excursion that strands him and his friend far from his home. Can they make it back to their base before it’s too late to save the city from incoming slavers? 

Story 4 - Negative Reinforcement: Limei is an independent app developer on an isolated space station. She is utterly dependent on and enamored with her personal AI assistant. When she learns The Algorithm is planning to destroy human life on her ship, she must find a way to take it down before her crew perishes. 

Story 5 - Eddy: Digital forensics expert Lagan has been wrongly convicted of murder, but no one is willing to believe that he witnessed his own doppelgänger commit the crime. When he learns that the doppelgänger was one of many beings created to replace humans with AI-run clones, he must prove his innocence and take down the scheme before more people’s lives are ruined. 

Story 6 - DingDong by Zhumee: When Martin’s new Zhumee smart doorbell accidentally causes his neighbor’s wrongful arrest, he must set out on a quest to prove her innocence. Little does he know, Zhumee has far more control over the justice system than anyone imagined. Can he race against the clock to take down this corrupt system?

Review: Six novellas. A total of 476 pages. Six days to read. Challenge accepted. 

Wow. Where do I start? Koen Martens' omnibus of science fiction dystopian futures offers six different and yet relatable and oddly relevant stories, each one more terrifyingly plausible than the last. I've spent the last three days since finishing Isolated Futures trying to figure out how I would describe the utter fascination, chills, and love I felt reading these novellas and the best I can do is simply.... Wow.

Each story deals with its own future--everything from the near future of Forced to Be Free to the distant future where Earth is merely an afterthought for most humans in Negative Reinforcement--and each delivers a gut punch when the reader realizes just how plausible each future is. 

Forced to Be Free has great pacing and a spy-thriller vibe with questionable characters, murky motives, and an all-too-believable invasion scenario that brings the headlines of today into very sharp focus. 

Murder, Plain and Simple is anything but plain and simple. I loved the distant future world building showcased in this story while the mystery reminded me of Agatha Christie. There's a delicate balance between the clues left for the reader and the final reveal that kept me guessing until the end. (And, for the record, I can usually figure out the Who in Whodunnits fairly quickly.)

Cima Peak has a dystopian survivor scenario, and I'll be honest, it wasn't my favorite story. I thought the tension between the two main characters could be a little tighter and more focused, especially given the high stakes set by the author. Also, I thought the "full circle" events wrapped up a bit too neatly given the story's after-the-fall-of-civilization setting, but overall, it was still a fun read.

Negative Reinforcement is a cautionary tale for the over-dependence on technology our world is already facing. Again, this wasn't my favorite story, mainly because it reminded me of The Matrix in many ways. But, I did like the arc for the main character. It was plausible, and I enjoyed the thought-provoking nature of the plot.

Eddy is a fast-paced collision between James Bond and Invasion of the Bodysnatchers, and I liked it! A lot. Science goes awry and the stakes are high for the protagonist...or is he the antagonist....could he be both? The story has a film-like quality I can easily see translating to the big--or small--screen. This is definitely my second favorite novella in the omnibus.

DingDong by Zhumee is, hands-down, my favorite and not just because its the only story in the bunch to feature a cat! (But, the cat is a delightful bonus.) Another cautionary tale that begs the reader to think about society's reliance on technology, and the vast network of devices we willingly tap into on a daily basis in the name of "security." 

Overall, Isolated Futures is an omnibus well worth reading if you're a lover of dystopian fiction, science fiction, techno thrillers, or just reading in general. Koen Martens states in the preface that he reconnected with his love of writing during the pandemic. I certainly hope he continues to love writing for many years to come because I'm a fan now, and I expect to see a lot more from Martens in the, hopefully, not-so-distant future.