Review of "Local Woman Missing: A Novel of Suspense" by Mary Kubica

 

New mom Shelby Tebow knows her husband Jason is a philanderer, but she's no angel herself. On her evening runs Shelby hooks up with men she's met, to get some excitement into her life.



When Shelby doesn't return from one of her nocturnal jaunts, the town is in an uproar. Things escalate two weeks later when pregnancy doula Meredith Dickey and her six-year-old daughter Delilah also disappear.



Eleven years later, Delilah resurfaces and tells a story of being held in a cold dark basement by a couple who kept her filthy and hungry. Delilah can't provide information about her abduction, however, and has no idea what happened to her mother.



The book alternates back and forth between the present - when Delilah is reunited with her father Josh and her teenage brother Leo, and eleven years ago - when the disappearances occurred.

Scenes in the present are narrated by Leo, who's conflicted about Delilah's return. Leo had become comfortable being alone with his father, and feels displaced by his sister - who's damaged and needy. Moreover, Leo's schoolmates harass him about Delilah, and bully him when he refuses to talk about her.



Scenes set eleven years ago are recounted by Meredith (before she vanishes) and her friend Kate. We learn that Meredith had been getting menacing texts before she disappeared, saying things like 'I know what you did. I hope you die.'



Meredith can't fathom who's sending the threats, but thinks they might be connected to her work as a pregnancy doula. Meredith is adamant about the rights of her expectant mothers, and sometimes annoys the women's husbands and/or doctors.



Meredith's neighbor Kate is very concerned about what's going on. Kate is suspicious of Shelby and Meredith's husbands, and also of the ob/gyns used by Meredith's clients. Kate convinces her wife Bea to help her make inquiries about the missing women, and the duo even concoct a scheme to investigate an ob/gyn Meredith disagreed with.



The story provides a vivid picture of Delilah's PTSD, and of her family's uncertainty about how to help her. We also get a realistic portrait of the police investigations, and the distress of family members thrust into the limelight when a tragedy befalls them.



The novel is a suspenseful page turner, and I was on board until the 'big reveals', which are not credible. Surprise twists, even shocking ones, should be within the bounds of believability.

Nevertheless, this is a story that many thriller fans would probably enjoy.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review of "The Maid: A Novel of Suspense" by Nita Prose

This review was first posted on Mystery and Suspense. Check it out for features, interviews, and reviews. https://www.mysteryandsuspense.com/th...

 

Molly Gray, who's mildly autistic, is proud to be a maid at the five-star Regency Grand hotel, which has sumptuous features, a lemon polish fragrance, bustling activity and posh guests. Molly loves her uniform, her maid's trolley, and her ability to return rooms to a state of perfection - as instructed by Mr. Snow, the hotel manager.

Molly was raised by her Gran, who taught Molly life lessons with aphorisms like: If you love your job, you'll never work a day in your life; Never mind what others think, it's what you think that matters; It's what's between the lines, not on them; The truth is subjective; Cleanliness is next to godliness; and more.



Molly knows she's socially awkward, makes etiquette mistakes, misreads body language, and says the wrong thing at the wrong time. She's also aware this makes her the butt of jokes among some co-workers, but Molly - whose Gran instilled confidence in her - ignores cutting remarks and carries on.



Sadly, Gran died nine months ago and Molly now lives alone. Molly is emotionally bereft and financially strained, because Gran's nest egg was stolen by 'a bad egg' Molly dated. Thus Molly is especially gratified by the tips she receives from appreciative hotel guests.

One guest who's always been very generous is Mrs. Giselle Black, the much younger second wife of Mr. Black, a wealthy business tycoon.



The Blacks frequently stay in the Regency Grand, and Molly is their regular maid. One day, Molly enters the Black's penthouse suite to clean and finds Mr. Black in the bedroom.....dead. Molly faints from shock, then wakes up and alerts the manager, who calls the police.



Molly is interviewed by Detective Stark, and the maid tells the cop the truth....but not the WHOLE truth.



Moreover, Molly is inadvertently involved in questionable activities at the Regency Grand. Molly has a crush on a handsome bartender named Rodney, who uses the maid's infatuation for his own ends.



Rodney convinces Molly that a Mexican dishwasher called Juan Manuel, who overstayed his visa, is in dire straights.



So Molly lets the dishwasher sleep in an empty hotel room every night, and cleans away the traces every morning.

When Molly is repeatedly questioned by the police about finding Mr. Black, bartender Rodney gets VERY nervous. He keeps asking Molly if she mentioned Juan Manuel to the cops, and Molly keeps denying she did....because what does Juan Manuel have to do with Mr. Black?



Though there are shady people who take advantage of Molly, there are also fine people who wish her well. For instance, the hotel doorman Mr. Preston - an old friend of Gran's - tells Molly, "If ever you need anything, any help at all, you just remember your ol' friend Mr. Preston, you hear?" And Molly does.



Molly is an endearing character who's unfailingly polite, has good manners, keeps her home spotlessly clean, and loves the Olive Garden restaurant. She has quirks, but these only add to her considerable charm. We pull for Molly all the way, hoping things turn out alright and the bad eggs get what's coming to them.

This sly, well-crafted mystery is excellent light entertainment.

Thanks to Netgalley, Nita Prose, and Ballantine Books for a review copy.

Rating: 4 stars

Review of "My Life in a Cat House: True Tales of Love, Laughter, and Living with Five Felines" by Gwen Cooper

 

Gwen Cooper

Gwen Cooper is a dedicated 'cat mommy' who likes to share stories about her beloved pets. I was introduced to Cooper's writing when I read her book Homer's Odyssey, about an adorable blind kitty who knew no limits. The book made Homer a worldwide celebrity, and fans showered him with letters and gifts....which he generously shared with his siblings.

Cooper's original cat family - adopted when she was in her twenties - consisted of three felines: Scarlett - a tiger-striped tabby who disdained all humans other than 'mommy'; Vashti - a white beauty who seduced every man she met; and Homer - a sightless black fur ball who was never daunted by a challenge.


Scarlett


Vashti


Homer

Now, two decades later, Gwen and her husband Laurence are parents to two black cats: Clayton - a sturdy, three-legged cuddler who loves to play fetch; and Fanny - a muscular huntress who eyes birds and squirrels outside, but makes do with moths and giant roaches inside.


Clayton


Fanny

Cooper's stories about her animal family range from heartrending - when a cat gets sick and dies; to laugh out loud funny - when a pet demonstrates its unique intelligence.

*****

One of my favorite anecdotes in the book is about Vashti, "The Picasso of Pee" whose brilliant use of urine is unparalleled in the animal kingdom. One time, when Gwen was in the process of moving, she temporarily housed Vashti with her ex-boyfriend Jorge. Vashti apparently feared she'd be left with Jorge forever, and mounted a 'peemageddon' to get herself evicted from the unwanted abode.

First Vashti urinated on Jorge's favorite spot on the couch, and - when that didn't work - soiled a basket of Jorge's freshly laundered clothes. Gwen still didn't take Vashti home, so the cat peed on the leather jacket Jorge wore every day. Finally - right in front of Jorge's eyes - Vashti let loose on the stove where he made his food. That did it! Jorge ordered Vashti's immediate removal. Gwen was awed by Vashti's strategic plan to escalate her attacks until she got thrown out.

Afterwards, Vashti took to peeing on the possessions of men who visited Gwen, to make sure they didn't overstay their welcome.

*****

The author tells another amusing tale about athletic Fanny enlisting Clayton's help to steal treats from a kitchen cabinet. In the middle of the night - when Gwen and Laurence were asleep - Fanny opened the cabinet, climbed to the top shelf, snagged packets of dry food, and tossed them down to Clayton, who was waiting on the floor below. Three-legged Clayton, who had great front-body strength, mangled the packets open and the cats went to town.....until Gwen caught them.

*****

In other amusing stories:

- Gwen describes the time she hauled three cats to a Manhattan veterinary clinic, by taxi and on foot, in the pouring rain.....when she wasn't even sure where the building was.



- Gwen notes how thrilled she was when Clayton - who seemed to be a slow learner and not quite as bright as he could be - taught himself to play fetch. "See", Gwen wanted to shout, "Clayton is smart. He's VERY smart!"



- Gwen depicts the time Homer was napping through a photo shoot, and Laurence had to rush over with half a pound of sliced deli turkey and a whole bunch of little cans of Bumble Bee tuna to stimulate the little guy.



There are many more anecdotes in the book, which brought me lots of laughs.....and a few tears.

I enjoyed the book and highly recommend it to animal lovers.

Thanks to Netgalley, Gwen Cooper, and BenBella Books for a copy of the book.

Rating: 4 stars

Review of "The Last Thing He Told Me: A Novel of Suspense" by Laura Dave

Hannah Hall is a woodturner whose furniture creations are collected by people all over the country.



That's how Hannah met her husband of one year, Owen Michaels. Owen happened to accompany his boss Avett Thompson - CEO of the tech company 'The Shop' - when Avett stopped in to check on a rolled-edge side table ordered by his wife. Owen was fascinated by Hannah's work, and the duo hit it off immediately.



Hannah and Owen now live in a houseboat in Sausalito, California with Owen's 16-year-old daughter Bailey.



Bailey was used to having her dad to herself, and is somewhat resentful of her new stepmom. However, Hannah does her best to be gentle with Bailey, and the new blended family is rubbing along relatively peacefully.

Things take a shocking turn when Owen is expected home one afternoon, to drive Bailey to play rehearsal, and a 12-year-old girl shows up instead. The girl tells Hannah, "Mr. Michaels wanted me to give you this." It's a note addressed to Hannah reading 'Protect her.' There's no explanation and Owen doesn't respond to Hannah's increasingly worried calls.



Later on that evening Bailey finds a cash-filled duffel bag in her school locker, with a note that says, 'Bailey, I can't help this make sense. I'm so sorry. You know what matters about me. And you know what matters about yourself. Please hold on to it. Help Hannah. Do what she tells you. She loves you. We both do. You are my whole life, Dad.'

It seems Owen has done a runner, and Hannah learns why when a newscast announces that the FBI raided 'The Shop' and arrested CEO Avett Thompson for embezzlement and fraud. The bulletin went on to say that arrests of other senior staff were expected shortly. Hannah can't believe Owen would do anything illegal and is flabbergasted by his disappearance.



The next day Hannah gets a visit from a U.S. Marshall who claims he wants to help her husband.....



.....and then from FBI agents who want to get Owen to testify against Avett, but Hannah stonewalls them all.



Trying to think of where Owen might be, Hannah recalls an incident where someone hailed Owen as an acquaintance from Austin, Texas.....which Owen brushed off.



Hannah thinks there might be clues in Austin, so she and Bailey head there to see what they can learn. Big surprises await in Texas, as does danger and intrigue.

On the upside, working together forges a bond between Hannah and Bailey, who come to rely on each other for practical as well as emotional reasons.



Parts of this suspense thriller stretch credulity, but I enjoyed the book and recommend it to fans of the genre.

Rating: 3 stars

Review of "The Therapist: A Novel of Suspense" by B.A. Paris

Thirtysomething Alice and her boyfriend Leo have recently moved in together, taking up residence in a gated London circle that contains 12 homes.

Before moving to London Alice lived in the country and Leo - who works in Birmingham - could only visit her on weekends. With a house in London, the couple can see each other more frequently.

Alice works from home, and feeling lonely, longs to make friends with the local women.

So - without informing Leo - Alice uses a group text to invite the circle residents to a drinks party. Leo is a bit put out, but helps with the preparations for the gathering.

Alice doesn't know all the people in the circle, and accidentally welcomes an outsider to the party, thinking he's a neighbor.

The man, named Thomas, turns out to be a private detective looking into a recent murder in Alice and Leo's house.  

Alice, who can't even watch scary scenes in suspense movies, is COMPLETELY freaked out to learn of a grisly murder in her own home.

Worse yet, Leo knew about the murder and bought the house anyway, without informing Alice of the tragedy.

It turns out  a woman named Nina was killed in Alice and Leo's BEDROOM, and the prime suspect was Nina's husband Oliver - who later committed suicide. Oliver's sister is sure her brother didn't kill Nina, and hired Thomas to find the real killer.

Alice feels compelled to help Thomas, and becomes convinced the actual murderer lives in the circle. So Alice tries to surreptitiously question the 'suspects' during coffee klatches and lunch dates.

However, Alice's maneuvers are blindingly obvious, and the neighbors don't appreciate the scrutiny.

As in most communities, there are undercurrents and secrets, among them the fact that the murder victim, Nina,  was seeing a therapist....and no one seems to know who it was or why she was going.

Meanwhile, Alice starts to feel a presence in her house at night, and dithers between thinking it's a ghost and thinking it's the real killer sneaking into her home. Much of this happens when Leo is away for work, so Alice has to deal with it alone.

The story really starts to stretch credulity at this point, since a scaredy-cat like Alice would surely skedaddle from the house instead of staying there night after night. Moreover Alice seems obtuse about obvious clues, and one longs to point her in the right direction. (I've found that some of Paris's other books have a similar problem, with protagonists that don't behave in a believable fashion.)

The tale moves along to a dramatic climax that has some big surprises.

This isn't a flawless book, but it's an engaging story that would probably appeal to many mystery lovers.

Thanks to Netgalley, B.A. Paris, and Harper Collins Publishers for a copy of the book.

Rating: 3 stars

Review of "Blowback: A Vanessa Pierson Thriller" by Valerie Plame and Sarah Lovett

 

As the story opens, beautiful, blonde CIA operative Vanessa Pierson is meeting her Iranian asset - a nuclear physicist - in Vienna.



The physicist reveals that the CIA's nemesis Bhoot, an international arms supplier, will soon be visiting a nuclear facility in Iran. Before the informant can reveal the facility's location he's assassinated by Chechen sharpshooter Pauk.



Vanessa soon learns that Pauk has been killing off her assets far and wide. Is there a leak in the CIA? Driven to protect both her assets and her country Vanessa sets off on a country-hopping odyssey to find the location of the nuclear facility, capture Bhoot, and stop Pauk.



During Vanessa's quest she feels compelled to insure the safety of her Iranian informant's family; get a hidden message decoded; have a couple of shoot-outs with Pauk; and engage in a prohibited romantic dalliance with a fellow CIA operative.



Vanessa is a kind of daredevil rogue agent who defies rules so she has to hide much of this activity from her bosses in the CIA. Unfortunately this maneuver may just get her thrown off the case. 😒



Blowback is a fast-paced story with plenty of action but limited depth. A good choice for a beach or vacation read.

Rating: 3 stars