Review: What She Knew by Gilly Macmillan

What She Knew

by Gilly Macmillan

Publisher: William Morrow

Pages: 496

Format: ARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  In a heartbeat, everything changes…

Rachel Jenner is walking in a Bristol park with her eight-year-old son, Ben, when he asks if he can run ahead. It’s an ordinary request on an ordinary Sunday afternoon, and Rachel has no reason to worry—until Ben vanishes.  

Police are called, search parties go out, and Rachel, already insecure after her recent divorce, feels herself coming undone. As hours and then days pass without a sign of Ben, everyone who knew him is called into question, from Rachel’s newly married ex-husband to her mother-of-the-year sister. Inevitably, media attention focuses on Rachel too, and the public’s attitude toward her begins to shift from sympathy to suspicion.

As she desperately pieces together the threadbare clues, Rachel realizes that nothing is quite as she imagined it to be, not even her own judgment. And the greatest dangers may lie not in the anonymous strangers of every parent’s nightmares, but behind the familiar smiles of those she trusts the most.

Where is Ben? The clock is ticking...


Kritters Thoughts:  A mystery who dun it, but not your typical one.  In the first few chapters a child goes missing as he is out on a walk with his dog and his mom, she is still trying to recover from the separation and divorce from his father and this is just where the story begins.  

Narrated by both the mother and the lead detective on the case in alternating chapters there are also great tid bits thrown - blog posts, news articles with comments and current dialogue between the detective and his therapist as he reflects on the case.  These extra things added to the story, but if you don't love books with extras still try this one as 80% of the book is in usual novel form.

As I was telling my mom when describing this book and why I liked it, I said - yes a child goes missing and that is a major plot point, really this book is a family drama with secrets and betrayal at the heart of this book.  These secrets lead both the mother and detectives down roads of suspicion as they try to find her child.  The final culprit is satisfying, but really an afterthought as you watch this family dissolve.

If you have read a lot in this genre and may be burnt out, go ahead with this one as it felt new and fresh.

Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Partner in Crime Tours.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review: Everything She Forgot by Lisa Ballantyne

Everything She Forgot

by Lisa Ballantyne

Publisher: William Morrow

Pages: 448

Format: ARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  They’re calling it the worst pile-up in London history. Driving home, Margaret Holloway has her mind elsewhere—on a troubled student, her daughter’s acting class, the next day’s meeting—when she’s rear-ended and trapped in the wreckage. Just as she begins to panic, a disfigured stranger pulls her from the car just seconds before it’s engulfed in flames. Then he simply disappears.

Though she escapes with minor injuries, Margaret feels that something’s wrong. She’s having trouble concentrating. Her emotions are running wild. More than that, flashbacks to the crash are also dredging up lost associations from her childhood, fragments of events that were wiped from her memory. Whatever happened, she didn’t merely forget—she chose to forget. And somehow, Margaret knows deep down that it’s got something to do with the man who saved her life.


Kritters Thoughts:  With two major storylines going on at the same time, this book was interesting, but I definitely liked one storyline over another.  In 1985, a young man has decided to win back his ex girlfriend and baby mama and their daughter and start a life 7 years after their daughter was born.  The current storyline is a woman who gets into a major accident driving home from work in a snowstorm and from this storm she is rescued from her car by a man who keeps her guessing.  

I didn't love the current storyline.  I think I wanted more from it, it was just kind of bland and I didn't feel like Margaret was really trying hard to find the clues from this unknown rescuer.  

On the other hand, I absolutely adored the 1985 storyline and loved that I knew it was connected to the current storyline, but not completely until near the end.  There were two major points of view within this storyline - a reporter and a father who abducted his daughter sort of by accident.  The reporter storyline entertained me, it didn't completely add a ton to the story but he was entertaining because of his devout religious views and his high standards yet he was abusing his own family - hypocrite with a capital H.  The story could have probably been fine without him, but I didn't mind it included.

This is my second Lisa Ballantyne book and not on my autobuy list, but will definitely still read new books as long as the synopsis sounds like it could be good.



Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Partner in Crime Tours.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review: Beyond Suspicion by Catherine A Winn

Beyond Suspicion

by Catherine A Winn

Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press

Pages: 234

Format: ARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  Her mom’s remarriage has been hard on fifteen year old Shelby. Roger is strict and treats her like a child. At least they’re letting her go to her first boy-girl party. That is until she gets home from school and finds that Roger has changed his mind—he wants Shelby to babysit her year-old brother Josh. It’s so unfair! Fuming, Shelby takes Josh in his stroller to the park. After all, it’s not his fault. Someone sets off fireworks, distracting Shelby. When she turns around—Josh is gone.

Shelby tells the police she’s seen a white van cruising the neighborhood lately, and she thinks she saw it at the park as well. But to her horror, the police are not interested: Pointing to angry texts to her girlfriends about getting back at Roger, they accuse her of causing Josh’s disappearance! The police focus on the woods around the park, driving Shelby wild with fear and anger that the kidnappers will get away. With TV reporters all over the front yard, Shelby sneaks out the back to find her brother, any way she can.

So begins Shelby’s race against time—and against a world that has turned on her. And yet she finds help along the way. There’s mysterious Matt, who says he wants to help, but doesn’t seem to want anyone to know it. And there’s Jess, who watches out for Shelby as, against the odds, she tracks down the kidnappers down just as they are leaving town.


Kritters Thoughts:  Shelby is a high schooler and was really wanting to go to a party, her mom and step dad need her to stay home and baby sit her brother.  She relents because deep down she truly loves him and while out in her care he is kidnapped.  She is blamed for the kidnapping but she thinks she knows a few of the clues as to who took him.

Shelby was a great sleuth.  Not only was she connected to the crime, but a person of interest and she was out collecting clues without a drivers license!  I loved how she was completely into collecting clues and finding out who dun it.  And I loved the final perp, the twists and turns were great and although I may have guessed it a little early, I still loved how it all came together in the end.

Narrated by a high schooler and without any crazy crazy content, this book is perfect for the YA reader who may enjoy getting into the mystery thriller genre.  This is a perfect beginners into the genre - could create an early fan!  For the reader who may be older in age (I know all ages read YA, I mean you are actually older than a high schooler) then you will enjoy this change of pace by having a younger narrator and main character in the story.


Rating:  perfect YA read

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Partner in Crime Tours.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review: The Doomsday Equation by Matt Richtel

The Doomsday Equation

by Matt Richtel

Publisher: William Morrow

Pages: 384

Format: ARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  Computer genius Jeremy Stillwater has designed a machine that can predict global conflicts and ultimately head them off. But he’s a stubborn guy, very sure of his own genius, and has wound up making enemies, and even seen his brilliant invention discredited.

There’s nowhere for him to turn when the most remarkable thing happens: his computer beeps with warning that the outbreak of World War III is imminent, three days and counting.

Alone, armed with nothing but his own ingenuity, he embarks on quest to find the mysterious and powerful nemesis determined to destroy mankind. But enemies lurk in the shadows waiting to strike. Could they have figured out how to use Jeremy, and his invention, for their own evil ends?

Before he can save billions of lives, Jeremy has to figure out how to save his own. . . .

Kritters Thoughts:  Jeremy Stillwater is a genius, but not the best person to share his genius with the world - people skills don't rank high on his list of qualities.  He has created a program that can predict major conflict and the government has turned him down.  This program alerts him to a possible World War III and no one is interested in listening to him or trusting his information.

I loved how the author portrayed genius without some people skills!  It helped with the plot, but also felt authentic.  Jeremy was definitely an entertaining main character and I absolutely shook my head at some of the things he did and said!

There was a story within the story as Jeremy sees the World War III approaching someone is also hunting him, but he is unsure as to why.  Sometimes I felt like this storyline overshadowed the intended storyline, but I wouldn't have liked the book without it.  

This book kept me on the edge of my seat and I had the hardest time setting it down for anything!  I will definitely be pushing Matt Richtel's books up on my TBR pile.


Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Partner in Crime Tours.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review: Little Girl Lost by Brian McGilloway

Little Girl Lost

by Brian McGilloway

Publisher: Pan McMillian

Pages: 305

Format: ebook

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  Unwilling, or unable, to speak, the only person she seems to trust is the young officer who rescued her, Detective Sergeant Lucy Black. Soon afterwards, DS Black is baffled to find herself suddenly moved from a high-profile case involving the kidnapping of another girl, a prominent businessman's teenage daughter. 

Black's problems are not only professional: she's caring for her increasingly unstable father, and trying to avoid conflict with her frosty mother - who also happens to be the Assistant Chief Constable. As she struggles to identify the unclaimed child, Black begins to realize that her case and the kidnapping may be linked by events that occurred during the grimmest days of the country's recent history - events that also defined her own troubled childhood.

Kritters Thoughts:  There are a few little girls who are lost in this book and a young woman who lost her childhood and must realize the details behind what happened in the past.  As a detective Lucy Black returns home to care for her father and continue her career, but just as she gets in town a little girl is found in the woods and has an odd connection to another girl who is the daughter of a wealthy businessman and who is missing.  

I loved the parallels of DS Black learning about her past in her hometown as she investigates the girl found in the woods, it was thankfully obvious that DS Black didn't have an easy childhood and because of her past she can help these girls.  It was so interesting watching her piece together both the events of the present and the past.  There was an interesting twist in the end that was satisfying and sad at the same time, I wouldn't change it, but it made me stop and think about the rest of the book.

An interesting thriller that takes place in Ireland, but don't let that keep you from reading it - if you are a reader who doesn't like to read outside the US (like me!).  

Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Ebook 2014 Challenge: 10 out of 100

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Partners in Crime Tours.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review: Beyond Justice by Joshua Graham

Beyond Justice by Joshua Graham

Publisher: Dawn Treader

Pages: 448

Format: book

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  THE DESCENT INTO HELL IS NOT ALWAYS VERTICAL…

Sam Hudson, a reputable San Diego attorney, learns this when the authorities wrongfully convict him of the brutal rape and murder of his wife and daughter, and sends him to death row. There he awaits execution by lethal injection.

If he survives that long.

In prison, Sam fights for his life while his attorney works frantically on his appeal. It is then that he embraces the faith of his departed wife and begins to manifest supernatural abilities. Abilities which help him save lives– his own, those of his unlikely allies–and uncover the true killer’s identity, unlocking the door to his exoneration.

Now a free man, Sam’s newfound faith confronts him with the most insurmountable challenge yet. A challenge beyond vengeance, beyond rage, beyond anything Sam believes himself capable of: to forgive the very man who murdered his family, according to his faith. But this endeavor reveals darker secrets than either Sam or the killer could ever have imagined. Secrets that hurtle them into a fateful collision course.

Kritters Thoughts:  Sam Hudson is an attorney who gets caught up on the other side of the law and has to to do some work to get his name cleared as he is not guilty of the crimes.  

I am amazed that a book with this length kept my attention - I read this book in two sittings.  I loved how the book took you through the crime, time in jail and beyond.  It was a complete story where normal legal thrillers only tell a part of the full story.  

Although I loved the legal side of things, there was a sub plot that had me confused and wondering if I would like any of Graham's other books.  The religious part of the storyline was at times awkward and didn't always fit in the flow of the book.  There were some times where I thought it was weirdly included and maybe would have omitted it.

Overall, I liked my first read of Joshua Graham and am intrigued as to his other works.

Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Partner in Crime tours.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review: The Tenth Circle by Jon Land

The Tenth Circle by Jon Land

Publisher: Open Road Media

Pages: 536

Format: book

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  Blaine McCracken pulled off the impossible on a mission in Iran, but his work has just begun. Returning to the US, he faces another terrible threat in the form of Reverend Jeremiah Rule, whose hateful rhetoric has inflamed half the world, resulting in a series of devastating terrorist attacks. But Rule isn’t acting alone. A shadowy cabal is pulling his strings, unaware that they are creating a monster who will soon spin free of their control.

Finding himself a wanted man, McCracken must draw on skills and allies both old and new to get to the heart of a plot aimed at unleashing no less than the tenth circle of hell. A desperate chase takes him into the past, where the answers he needs are hidden amid two of history’s greatest puzzles: the lost colony of Roanoke and the Mary Celeste. As the clock ticks down to an unthinkable maelstrom, McCracken and his trusty sidekick, Johnny Wareagle, must save the United States from a war the country didn’t know it was fighting, and that it may well lose.

Kritters Thoughts:  A political thriller with a lot of locations, a lot of characters and a lot of short choppy chapters.  Blaine McCracken is the main character, but there was a large host of other characters that were vital to the story and without them all the pieces wouldn't connect, but it was awfully hard to keep them all straight and to remember what side of the equation they were on.  

With many characters all living in different locations, this book hopped country and states often.  From Iran to Washington, D.C., there were a lot of moving parts.  I wish that it had been easier to read.

As far as the chapters, I felt as though they were maybe edited a little choppy and if some had combined to keep the story moving forward, I could have been more hooked and flipping pages much quicker.

This was my first Jon Land book and my first Blaine McCracken book, so I am still debating about trying another.  

Rating: enjoyable, but didn't leave me wanting more

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Partner in Crime Tours.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review: Cut Short by Leigh Russell

Cut Short by Leigh Russell

Publisher: Oldcastle Books

Pages: 352

Format: ebook

Goodreads:  D.I. Geraldine Steel expects the quiet town of Woolsmarsh to be dull. She quickly discovers she is wrong. The park is a place where children play, friends sit and gossip, people walk their dogs, or take a short cut to avoid the streets. But in the shadows a predator prowls, hunting for victims. A woman sees the killer and comes forward as a witness—someone whom the killer must stop at all costs. For D.I. Geraldine Steel, it is a race against time to find the killer before he strikes again, as public pressure mounts with the growing death toll.


Kritters Thoughts:  What started with a few short choppy chapters where not enough information was given became an interesting string of crime, but way too many characters to keep straight.  A DI Steel was at the heart of the investigation and could possibly be named the main character, but this cast of characters was ridiculous and really hard to remember all the moving parts.

Thankfully amongst the cast of characters, the killer was introduced early, the reader was just waiting for the police to connect the crimes and find the killer.  The interesting part was trying to find out the motive behind the killer while the police were looking for the culprit.  Although, I believe some of their policing skills weren't up to par, I am not a professional (but I do live with one) so I thought maybe they should have done a better job in their police work at a few of the key moments. 

If you are a fan of mysteries set in London with a large set of characters, then you will probably enjoy this one more than I did.  I had quite the list of notes just to keep all the people straight! 


Rating: enjoyable, but didn't leave me wanting more

Ebook 2013 Challenge: 78 out of 50

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Partner in Partner in Crime Tours.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review: The Absence of Mercy by John Burley

The Absence of Mercy by John Burley

Publisher: William Morrow

Pages: 352

Format: book

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  Just west of the Ohio River, lies the peaceful town of Wintersville. Safe from the crime and congestion of city life, it is the perfect place to raise a family . . . or so they thought.

Life as the town medical examiner is relatively unhurried for Dr. Ben Stevenson. With only a smattering of cases here and there-car accident victims, death by natural causes-he has plenty of time to spend with his loving wife and two sons. That is until a teenager's body is discovered in the woods and Ben, as the only coroner in the area, is assigned to the case. But as the increasingly animalistic attacks continue, the case challenges Ben in ways he never suspects.

Kritters Thoughts:  A book with a serial killer with the coroner and his family at the center, what a great change to the normal serial killer book.  I loved having the main character be a different part of the investigation; it gave a different perspective on how the hunt for a serial killer can unfold.

WHAT a twist!  I have to keep this review brief because I just can't reveal anything that would ruin the spoiler on this one!  The killer came out of nowhere for me, but not too far that I felt annoyed.  It was just out of left field that I wanted to read it again to pick up on any more clues that I think I may have missed!  I absolutely adore being surprised!  

This is a psychological thriller that I would put at the top of my list, but definitely need to read something light just after!

Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Partner In Crime Tours.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review: The Joshua Stone by James Barney

The Joshua Stone by James Barney

Publisher: William Morrow

Pages: 416

Format: ARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  In 1959, in an underground laboratory in a remote region of West Virginia, a secret government experiment went terribly awry. A half dozen scientists mysteriously disappeared, and all subsequent efforts to rescue them failed. In desperation, President Eisenhower ordered the lab sealed shut and all records of its existence destroyed. Now, fifty-four years later, something from the lab has emerged.

When mysterious events begin occurring along the New River Valley in West Virginia, government agents Mike Califano and Ana Thorne are sent to investigate. What they discover will shake the foundations of science and religion and put both agents in the crosshairs of a deadly, worldwide conspiracy. A powerful and mysterious force has been unleashed, and it's about to fall into the wrong hands. To prevent a global catastrophe, Califano and Thorne must work together to solve a biblical mystery that has confounded scholars for centuries. And they must do so quickly, before time runs out . . . forever.

Kritters Thoughts:  Does the government still have secret projects?  Will the consequences of former projects harm us in the future?  How much does the public need to know about what is going on in their country?  All of these questions took a center stage in this book as a government project gone wrong comes back to life more than 50 years later.  

Set in many places around where I live, this book felt like it really took place in my backyard, this was a fun part of the book!  The chase between the different places kept my flipping the pages so quickly!  I loved how things were so interwoven and how a few dropped hints didn't provide too much to give too much away, but just the right amount.

The formatting of chapters and the sequence of how things were revealed was genius!  I will definitely be checking out James Barney's past book and will keep an eye on his future.  

Rating: absolutely loved it and want a sequel

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Partner in Crime tours.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review: In the Shadow of Revenge by Patricia Hale

In the Shadow of Revenge

by Patricia Hale

Publisher: Carina Press

Pages: 203

Format: ebook

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  Everybody thought brilliant Cecily would leave dead-end Miller's Falls for something better. But a two-decades-old tragedy locks her in place. Few understand the fierce bond that Cecily and Amelia share with Hilary, who was assaulted one summer as the two other girls watched helplessly. It's a bond of love and guilt…and a desire for vengeance that cuts clear to the bone.

So Assistant DA Cecily Minos waits, eager to see the guy in her courtroom. When Amelia meets a man who has the tattoo the girls remember seeing that day, they think they've finally caught a break. But the police refuse to reopen the case, and it's up to Cecily and Amelia to pursue their suspect.

Their investigation soon uncovers secrets best left buried. But the law is slow, and they've waited long enough for revenge….


Kritters Thoughts:  A small town, a cold case and three friends who haven't been able to leave the small town or the past behind.  Cecily, Amelia and Hilary have been friends since a young age and at the tender age of 9 endured a horrific day that left them all scared and they have all been barely coping until the past comes back to haunt them.

From the beginning I was entranced by these three friends who were linked together through this horrible thing and each trying to cope.  I was glad to see Cecily take the lead and try to solve it so they could all move on, but the use of the Ouija board was just a little weird; sure I played with it as a teenager, but to whip it out again just seemed odd.  It would have been more interesting to have her "powers" come from something different and unique to their friendship.  The twists and turns were fantastic and not out of left field.  

An absolutely quick and heart stopping read that had me flipping on my iphone from the beginning to the very end.  I will definitely be keeping my eye out for the future of this author.

Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Ebook 2013 Challenge: 60 out of 50

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Partners in Crime Tours.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review: There Was an Old Woman by Hallie Ephron

There Was an Old Woman by Hallie Ephron 

Publisher: William Morrow 

Pages: 304 

Format: eARC 

Buy the Book: Amazon  

Goodreads:  "Don't let him in until I'm gone." That's what Mina Yetner's neighbor whispers to her just before the EMTs take her to the hospital. Mina writes down the message-at nearly ninety, she has to write down most things lest she forget-and calls Sandra's daughter Ginger, telling her that once again her mother needs help.

Evie Ferrante is dismayed when she gets the call from her sister: this time it's Evie's turn to see what their mother's done to herself. But when Evie arrives home-where she hasn't been in months-she's shocked by the state of her mother's house: it's in terrible disrepair, much worse than Ginger led her to believe. And as Evie cleans and organizes, she finds things that don't make sense: expensive liquor in the garage, pricier than their mother's usual brand, a new flat-screen television on the wall. Where was her mother getting all this money?

The blessing and curse of small neighborhoods is knowing everything about your neighbors, and Evie, suspicious and concerned about her mother, rekindles a relationship with Mina. Mina's been having episodes she can't explain lately, herself, and her nephew Brian is trying to convince her to move to a community that will provide her with some help. Though Mina's resistant, Evie isn't certain that isn't a bad idea. But before any decision is made about Mina, Evie needs her help figuring out what's been going on with her mother-and the more Evie digs into what her mother's been up to over the past few months, the more a bigger-and more sinister-story begins to unfold.


Kritters Thoughts:  A slow start, but a great finish to this thriller.  A young woman who has spent her professional life preserving moments from the past for others to enjoy for years to come, when she is ripped out of her normal routine to her hometown to take care of her suddenly ailing mother.  Along with an elderly neighbor who is quite a feisty one they uncover a plot that is ripping through their neighborhood and the real question is who is behind the plot.

Although I thought there was a slow start to this book, once the pieces started fitting together the book sped quickly to the end.  With quite an intense last 50 pages, I wish that the first part would have been just as intense, but it was still worth reading to get to the conclusion.

Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Ebook 2013 Challenge: 23 out of 50

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Partner in Crime Tours.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

On the tour:

April 13 Showcase @ HottBooks

April 15 Review by Kristin @ Kritters Ramblings

April 16 Review by Melina @ Melina's Book Blog

April 17 Review by Frishawn @ WTF Are You Reading?

April 18 Review by Sandie @ Booksie’s Blog
April 19 Showcase @ Omnimystery

April 20 Review by Tammy @ The Self Taught Cook

April 21 Review by Linda @ Bookvisions

April 23 Review by Kathleen @ Celticlady's Reviews

April 24 Showcase @ CMash Reads
April 25 Review by @ Views from the Countryside

April 26 Review by Mason @ Thoughts in Progress

April 30 Review by Amy @ The Crafty Book Nerd

April 30 Review by Fenny @ HotchpotchBlog