Home » Posts tagged 'murder' (Page 4)
Tag Archives: murder
It Cannoli Be Murder–Italian food mystery
It Cannoli Be Murder
by Catherine Bruns
Isn’t this book’s title just too punny? I have to smile when I read it! Let me introduce its two main characters. Tess loves to cook. Food is her love language; she loves to see people enjoying the food she made. When It Cannoli Be Murder opens, Tess is in the restaurant she and her deceased husband dreamed of opening. She is cooking up fresh, from scratch foods. She enjoys making her own pasta. Can’t you just smell the aromas in her kitchen? Opening day is in two weeks, but she has no reservations booked so far. Will it be a flop before it even opens?
Gabby is Tess’ best friend and the owner of a new bookstore. Gabby has her own business crisis to deal with, but the two ladies try to help each other. Gabby is depending on a book signing to perk up her failing shop. She is in a “make or break” situation when Preston, the famous author, enters her bookstore with his entourage. They all treat Gabby as a servant, but there is clearly conflict among his helpers. When a murder occurs in the bookshop, Gabby and Tess are both implicated, and Gabby’s detective brother is not allowed to investigate the case because of their relationship.
Gabby and Tess predictably, for a cozy mystery, take it upon themselves to find the real murderer. They are warned off by the police because their actions are dangerous; they also receive warnings from an anonymous person who may have been involved in the crime. I enjoyed their antics and relationship, but they really did go over the line into illegality several times. There are any number of people who might want to kill the victim as she was a “mean girl” in high school (especially to Gabby and Tess) and hasn’t mended her ways as she grew older. Generally self-centered and narcissistic, she does have a good side which Tess discovers in the process of interviewing those who knew the victim. The murderer and the motive are a surprise, but the ending is satisfying.
You will certainly want to see Gabby and Tess succeed in their business ventures. There is a tad bit of romance along the way, but Tess’ husband died only 6 months prior to this story, so she is not ready to have a new relationship. Her priority is her restaurant. I enjoyed this cozy mystery and would love to have Tess, a trained chef with an Italian family background, cook some of her delicious Italian dishes for me.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Mystery
Notes: 1. #3 in the Italian Chef Mystery Series but can be read as a standalone as the author backfills information as needed. I had read #1, but not #2. Except for one event that I had forgotten from the first book in the series, there were no story gaps for me.
2. This book contains some delicious sounding recipes that Tess makes. Only one of them would be in the easy category, but they are all satisfying to read if you love food.
Publication: July 28,2020—Poisoned Pen Press
Memorable Lines:
A wave of anxiety passed over me. Sure, police weren’t supposed to be fuzzy and warm, but this guy’s demeanor was colder than a New York icicle in January.
The room was so quiet that you could have heard a chocolate chip drop.
“I’m an only child, and I wasn’t sheltered,” I reminded her. “You don’t count,” Gabby said. “In Italian families, it doesn’t matter whether there’s one kid or ten. Everyone gets suffocated equally.”
Bound for Murder–books, dancers, and hippies
Bound for Murder
by Victoria Gilbert
I always look forward to cozy mysteries in the Blue Ridge Library Mystery Series. The female protagonist, Amy, is the library director in Taylorsford and Richard, the male protagonist, is a contemporary dancer, choreographer, and teacher at the university. He also is Amy’s next door neighbor. In this episode we find that they are engaged. Without trying, Amy finds herself involved in solving murders. Again!
There are a lot of interesting supporting characters. She lives with her Aunt Lydia who has many intriguing contacts. Amy’s best friend Sunny works in the library and has recently broken up with the Brad, the local Sheriff, making for a bit of discomfort for their friends. Amy also has a careful relationship with one of her aunt’s former friends. He deals in art and is not above some shady deals.
Sunny’s grandparents are former hippies who ran a commune on their farm in the sixties. When a skeleton is accidentally dug up during some work on the creek bed, it starts a series of investigations and new crimes. Amy has several almost encounters with someone who is intent on warning her off of interviewing former members of the commune. It seems that all of these young people were doing drugs of some sort from weed to LSD. Sunny is afraid for her “grands,” which draws Amy into the fray.
The relationship between Amy and Richard is sweet, and they are very respectful of each other. There is not as much about dance in this book as in some in the series, but there is a lot about research through library sources. Multiple threads are attached to the various former commune members, but there are others who could be the murderer also. I had a strong feeling that I knew who the murderer was about half way through the book, but I still enjoyed watching Amy’s pursuit of the truth. There are some tense scenes as Amy and several other characters are put in danger. On a more humorous note, there are two kittens who provide some fun antics. Richard’s very proper and authoritative mother always tries to take center stage in wedding planning and any social occasion, but Richard and others have effective ways of defusing her efforts. All in all, Bound for Murder is a good cozy mystery that I enjoyed.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Mystery
Notes: #4 in the Blue Ridge Library Mystery series, but I have read some of the earlier books in the series and some of the later ones without a problem, so I feel confident in saying it works as a standalone.
Publication: January 7, 2020—Crooked Lane Books
Memorable Lines:
There are two times in a woman’s life when complete strangers think it’s appropriate to offer unsolicited advice—when she’s obviously pregnant, and when they discover she’s planning a wedding.
People often assumed that anyone who worked in a library got to read on the job, but sadly, that wasn’t true. I always had a towering “to read” stack of books teetering on my nightstand and far too many unread titles filling my e-reader.
“Oh, most of them are polite enough. But they were all talking shop and I had nothing to contribute, so I just sat there silent as the grave, drinking like a mourner at a wake.”
Standing Dead–K-9 page turner
Standing Dead
by Margaret Mizushima
The story of Standing Dead opens with Mattie, a Deputy Sheriff, and her newly found sister Julia driving to a little town in Mexico looking for their mother. Mattie had a traumatic childhood (ages 2-6) involving a kidnapping and abuse from a man who pretended to be her father. Her real father, a Border Patrol Agent, was murdered and eventually the case was a designated “cold.” Mattie wants to get to the bottom of this case and bring her mother out of hiding.
After her long trip home from Mexico and a reunion with her boyfriend, veterinarian Cole Walker, his two daughters, and her K-9 officer Robo, Mattie and Robo return to their house. There she discovers the first of many creepy notes taunting Mattie and directing her through a variety of difficult situations. She is led to a beetle-kill pine forest where the trees are not the only “standing dead.” Mattie, her family, and her friends are all in deadly danger.
As always with the Timber Creek K-9 Mystery Series, watching the relationship between Robo and Mattie is touching as Mattie understandably has trust issues. Robo is highly trained and intelligent and does some pretty amazing things.
As things get “interesting” for Mattie, Cole is called out to the same area in the mountains to attend to some very sick horses. Their paths cross, and Cole is able to provide a clue that helps the law enforcement team determine the cause of death. Cole goes through his own crisis as he supports Mattie by backing off when she makes decisions to put herself in danger to save those she loves.
Other branches of law enforcement join in with the small local squad. They pool their manpower and resources for the good of the team. Also, there is a local sheriff’s posse that helps as needed, and Cole is a trusted and active member.
I stayed up late to finish this page turner. I am looking forward to the next book in the series and plan on returning to the few that I have not yet read.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Mystery
Notes: #8 in the Timber Creek K-9 Mystery Series. It could be read as a standalone, but to understand more of Mattie’s background I would recommend reading some of the previous books.
Publication: March 7, 2023—Crooked Lane Books
Memorable Lines:
She leaned to stroke the dark fur between his ears while she kept up with Sophie’s banter, and soon Cole noticed the taut muscles in her face relax as kids and dogs—two of Mattie’s favorite things in the world—seemed to ease her distress.
He knew how hard it was for her to trust others, and he felt he’d passed a test. He just wished it wasn’t a test involving life and death.
She drove steadily into the night seeing ahead only as far as the headlights would allow. She decided it was symbolic of the mission that lay ahead—she could only see ahead one step at a time. The rest of it would play out and reveal itself very soon.
Unnatural History–crime novel
Unnatural History
by Jonathan Kellerman
Dr. Alex Delaware is a psychologist with great insight into the workings of the human mind. He freelances working with the courts as an expert witness, often in family court when there is a custody conflict. In his spare time, he goes to crime scenes when his friend Milo, a homicide lieutenant requests his input which he only does when he sees that a case is going to be “different.”
The case in Unnatural History is indeed very different. A rich young man working out of a bare bones photography studio is found murdered. He has been giving homeless people a makeover according to their fantasy dream career. He pays each one $500 cash, and everything is on the up and up. Everyone has only kind words to say about the deceased, but his family background is sad and he had learning difficulties. Milo, Alex, and several younger detectives try to make sense out of the case, interviewing multiple, often foggy, homeless people. They are also trying to locate the victim’s extremely rich, reclusive father who seems to make a hobby of marrying, siring a child, and divorcing, leaving a trail of wealthy half brothers and sisters who barely know each other. Things get even crazier when some of the victim’s photographic subjects become victims themselves. There are lots of suspects and possible motivations, and Alex and Milo have to bring their A game to this case.
One of the things I like about this book is the way the author treats the rampant homelessness in Los Angeles. So many people take the extreme view of “these poor people are just victims” or at the other end of the spectrum that the fault is all their own, a result of their sinful nature or lack of self-discipline. In fact, homelessness has many causes and manifestations from drug and alcohol use to mental problems. Via Alex, the author takes the reader through a brief history of changes in government policies without funding to support the necessary programs. I remember these changes in the 1970’s, and the discussion of it in the book is accurate.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Mystery and Thriller, General Fiction
Notes: 1. #38 in the Alex Delaware series, but absolutely could be read as a standalone. The mystery depends on the case, not on character development.
2. As a crime novel, there are, of course, victims, but there is no play by play depiction of the violence.
3. Psychological issues are present, but the book does not drop into the realm of creepy.
4. Contains a lot of swearing, but no sex.
Publication: February 7, 2023—Ballantine (Random House)
Memorable Lines:
When you’re all strung up, there’s nothing less helpful than being told to calm down. But cops aren’t therapists and confronting anxiety kicks in their own fears of madness and impulse. So they keep saying it and getting nowhere and the beat goes on.
I did ask him what it was like working with the unhomed community in general. He said they were prisoners of circumstances and that created unnatural histories for them.
“Something with money, I assume?” “Why would you assume that?” “Because money is like dirt, Lieutenant. When it is skimpy dust, no one cares. When it collects into a mountain, people do crazy things to climb it.”
Bookclubbed to Death–story within a story
Bookclubbed to Death
by V. M. Burns
Samantha “Sam” Washington owns Market Street Mysteries Bookshop on the Lake Michigan shoreline. Her grandmother Nana Jo helps out at the bookstore and with the mysteries in which Sam manages to get enmeshed. Nana Jo lives in a retirement community and has a cadre of friends who always want to help out too. Sam’s sidekicks are her two toy poodles Snickers and Oreo. Her fiancé Frank is retired from secretive government agencies and still has contacts that prove to be invaluable when Sam needs to prove her innocence after a murder victim is found in her store.
Sam is also a writer awaiting publication of her first book. She needs a distraction when the investigation becomes overwhelming. Then she involves herself with manuscripts that are in process. They are historical fiction pieces; the novels she writes mirror her real-life problems and help her think them through. In this case we read her book about King George VI who needs Lady Elizabeth’s help in unraveling a murder mystery at Windsor Castle. Just as in Sam’s real-life mystery, Lady Elizabeth surrounds herself with trusted volunteers and assigns them jobs. Then Lady Elizabeth puts the clues together to discover opportunity, motivation, method, and the killer.
In the present day murder, Sam has to deal with Delia Marshall, an important reviewer who could ruin Sam’s writing career. Sam agrees to allow Delia and her book club, the Mystery Mavens, the use of her bookstore for their meeting when the library is closed for repairs after a tornado. At first Sam caters to Delia’s unreasonable requests, but eventually stands firms. She soon discovers that Delia is quite unpopular, and it becomes necessary for her to find out why.
The author’s technique of echoing the theme and plot of one story within another is interesting. It is not my favorite way of storytelling, but the author does it well. It will appeal to lovers of cozy mysteries, historical fiction, royalty, and dual timeline as Bookclubbed to Death combines all into one work of fiction.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Mystery
Notes: #8 in the Mystery Bookshop Mystery Series, but could be read as a standalone. I have only read one other in the series, #6, so you can see that the author does a good job in providing any needed details.
Publication: December 27, 2022—Kensington
Memorable Lines:
“But rather than using her brains to help others, she used hers to sleuth out secrets. Everyone has secrets they’d rather weren’t made public. Delia found out what they were and figured out how to use them to her benefit.”
“You inspired me. You came into that room like a … giant. You weren’t afraid of Delia. You knew she could destroy your career, but you still burst into that room and challenged her. You weren’t afraid of Delia Marshall. That’s when I gained courage. I knew I needed to do something.”
… writing allowed my subconscious to sort through the clues and figure out things my conscious mind couldn’t, then I needed to write. I needed all of the help I could get.
Death in the Margins–student dance production
Death in the Margins
by Victoria Gilbert
Amy is the director of the Taylorsford Public Library which is a more than full time job as she has to fill in when one of her two part time assistants or volunteers is unable to work their shifts. She is married to Richard Muir, a contemporary dancer, choreographer, and instructor at Clarion University. The book starts out with action as Meredith Fox, Richard’s ex-fiancée and also a dancer, stirs up conflict at a rehearsal and soon after is discovered murdered.
Taylorsford is a smallish community where there are few secrets, lots of relationships, and rampant gossip. Amy doesn’t believe that the young man accused of the crime is guilty so she informally interviews local residents and uses her library research skills to discover other potential suspects. She reports back to the chief deputy who is allowed to only assist on the case because it is not in his jurisdiction. Other major threads that tie into the murder involve art theft, blackmail, and expensive horses. Meanwhile, Richard and his dance partner Karla are consumed with preparations for a presentation featuring younger students, university students, and some professionals. It will benefit the student dance program in the local school system.
Amy is highly observant but perhaps too trusting. I sometimes question why she would believe certain characters’ statements.
Often she changes her opinion about the individuals on her list of suspects based on what they say about their location at the time of the crime as well as their motivations and involvements with others in the community. Her trust endangers her on more than one occasion.
This is an all-round, solid, good cozy mystery with just the right amount of personal interactions between the characters. The dance classes include children who have various kinds of disabilities and a girl who is on the autistic spectrum. These students are minor characters, but I appreciate their being included. Kids just automatically love to dance when they are allowed to abandon themselves to music. I have a life-long love of libraries, dance, and children so this book appeals to me in a number of ways.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Mystery
Notes: Death in the Margins is #7 in the Blue Ridge Library Mystery Series. I have read some, but not all, of the books in the series and had no trouble enjoying this one as an “almost” standalone. As with most cozy mystery series, reading them all in sequence would probably be best. This is a good series which I recommend.
Publication: December 6, 2022—Crooked Lane Books
Memorable Lines:
“I would’ve dressed up a little if I’d known I could use my feminine wiles to extract more information out of him.” Kurt laughed. “Do you really think you have any of those, my dear? Don’t you know your charm lies in the fact that you’re so direct and lacking in what some would call feminine guile?”
I didn’t mind managing the library solo. It allowed me to indulge in one of my favorite fantasies—that the collection of books and other materials, as well as the comfortable, wellworn space, were all mine. My own private sanctuary, filled with light and enough reading material to keep me entertained and informed for years and years.
“Why, Aunt Lydia, if I didn’t know better, I’d suspect you of watching some of those mob-inspired TV shows.” “I may have seen one or two,” she replied airily, “but also plenty of noir films from the forties. There’s sadly no time-frame limitation on crime and violence, you know.”
Standoff–my first audiobook
Standoff
by Patricia Bradley
My first foray into the world of audiobooks was on a recent roadtrip by myself. Because I am a newbie to this medium, I was going to forgo a review. By the time I got to the end of Standoff by Patricia Bradley, however, I realized I do have some insights to share.
- Although the format, an audio book, is interesting, I don’t think it will ever replace actually reading the book. Just as I enjoy print copies and e-books, audiobooks are another tool in my toolbox but not my favorite at this point.
- You need uninterrupted alone time to be able to enjoy an audiobook.
- I listened to this book because I had read # 4 (Deception) in the series and wanted the backstory. That is not what I got. I discovered the series is composed of four different protagonists with some overlap in minor characters. These books can truly be read as standalones.
- As a newcomer to audio books, but not to dramatic arts, I hesitate in my judgement of Rachel Dulade, the book’s reader. She had a difficult task as she spoke in a deep South, Louisiana accent for a variety of characters, both men and women. It was difficult to distinguish her male characters from each other. Her narrator voice was without accent and well done.
- The plot itself was excellent. The book started out a bit slow, but by the end the pace was heart-thumpingly fast.
- My favorite supporting character is Daisy, an elderly neighbor of Brooke, the protagonist. Daisy is a wise and independent woman who hovers on the brink of needing extra help in her daily activities.
- There are a lot of moral and ethical issues the characters must face. Suspicion casts its shadow on a number of Rangers and political standouts. It is hard for Brooke to know whom to trust. The reader is also given an inside peek at the many ways people deal with grief.
- I recommend this book and series in whatever format you prefer.
Rating: book—5/5, audio—4/5
Category: Mystery, Suspense, Christian Fiction
Notes: #1 in the Natchez Trace Park Rangers Series, but is a standalone novel.
Publication: May 4, 2020—Baker Publishing, Tantor audio
A Vacation to Die For–ex-in-laws can be a pain
A Vacation to Die For
by Lynn Cahoon
It’s good to return to South Cove to visit with Jill, owner of a bookstore/coffee shop, and her fiancé Greg, the local police detective. They head up to nearby Apple Valley for a much needed get-away, but unfortunately there is a murder back in town. In addition, there are a lot of other threads in this well-crafted cozy mystery. There is a conflict with the mayor when Jill won’t agree to sell her property to a real estate developer. Evie, one of Jill’s baristas is harassed by her ex-husband and his sister over an inheritance. Jill is a bibliophile, preferring a good book to social interaction, but she tries in this book to reach outside her comfort zone.
There are lots of interactions among the various characters. Some are just townspeople and others are in the area for trouble. Jill seems to frequently find her way into investigations and dangerous spots, sometimes because she is nosy and sometimes because she is in the wrong place at the wrong time. Jill shows off her investigative skills in this book as she picks up on little things she sees or hears that others might not notice. She then feeds them to Greg, helping solve the crimes. Jill’s dog Emma is a mainstay, always ready for a run. Another dog, Homer, plays an important role in this book.
There are lots of food mentions from Tiny’s fantastic cooking at Lille’s café to Sadie’s delectable desserts from Pies on the Fly. You don’t want to try to read this book when you are hungry.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Mystery
Notes: 1. A Vacation to Die For is #14 in the Tourist Trap Mystery Series. You could read it as a standalone as Cahoon is good at grounding readers in the past and the characters as needed. As this story is fairly far into the series, however, I think it would be more enjoyable if others in the series were read first. I do recommend the whole series if you are looking to read a new cozy mystery series. This one never disappoints.
2. A recipe for Esmeralda’s Creole Seafood Stew is included.
Publication: September 6, 2022—Kensington (Lyrical Press)
Memorable Lines:
“I swear, I can’t hold a Tupperware party without having one of the guests show up dead.”
I let her talk for a while. I found the best part of being a friend was letting the other person talk out the problem and find their own solution.
The world must be moving into an ice age. Greg had asked me to investigate. I hurried home to get my car before he changed his mind.
Killers of a Certain Age–all-female assassin squad
Killers of a Certain Age
by Deanna Raybourn
It is with mixed feelings that I review Killers of a Certain Age. I think I wanted it to have the same vibes as The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osmond, but that is not really fair. I knew going in that the story was about a group of retired female assassins, but that summary does not encapsulate Deanna Raybourn’s story satisfactorily.
The beginnings of the larger group which calls itself by the code name “the Museum” are people who were frustrated at the escape of so many Nazis who were slipping away from (and sometimes with the help of) various governments after World War II. They decided to pursue justice. When most of the Nazis had been tracked down and “disposed of,” they turned their attention to other “targets that had been scrupulously vetted and chosen because their deaths would benefit humanity as a whole.” Their mission was to bring justice, not to pursue what was lawful. Bottom line: the end justifies the means. The philosophy underlying the plot makes me uncomfortable. I am trying to disregard those feelings as I review the book.
Killers of a Certain Age has four main characters, the women who spent the last forty years killing specific targets only as assigned. They were not allowed to have outside contracts. These agents were chosen, recruited, and trained by the administration of the Museum. They trusted the board members and fully expected to live out their retirement years with a good pension. Unfortunately, there are political happenings with the organization and putting out a “hit” on these women is part of the fallout.
The backgrounds of the assassins are interesting as well as their relationships with each other. The story is told by relating current events as well as including chapters that reveal the details of prior assignments. The women are well-trained and use their respective skills to compensate for the decline of physical strength and flexibility brought on by age. The reader has a first-hand view of their plan to save themselves without hurting innocent bystanders.
Although I didn’t enjoy Killers of a Certain Age, I did appreciate the women’s attempts at dark humor. I commend the author for her writing skills and her creation of a complex plot. My favorite aspect of the book lies in the ingenious codes used to communicate secretly. I’m sure that a lot of readers will give the book two thumbs up, but it was just not the right read for me.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Fiction, Mystery, Suspense
Notes: Lots of violence and bad language
Publication: September 6, 2022—Berkley (Penguin Random House)
Memorable Lines:
The tunnel led into a courtyard bordered by four brick buildings, each one more decrepit than the last. The facades, linked by galleries and staircases, leaned against each other for support like elderly women having one last gossip.
We looked like a girl gang that would have the Queen as our leader, all low heels and no-nonsense curls. Mary Alice had even tucked butterscotch candies in her purse, which she handed out to porters in lieu of tips.
Two good hits and the lock dropped off. “Subtle,” she said. “Natalie, I’m tired, I am covered in mud that is at least seventy percent dead people, and I am hungry. Do not test me.”
What She Found–cold case with coverups
What She Found
by Robert Dugoni
Tracy Crosswhite, with three awards for valor, has moved from working with a team in the Violent Crimes Section to being the only detective in the Cold Case Unit in Seattle. The perks are a private office and more regular hours so she can spend more time with her husband and baby girl. She has just completed a successful investigation into a serial killer bringing closure for a lot of families and good press to the Seattle Police Department at a time when some groups are calling for defunding the force.
Twenty-five years earlier Lisa Childress, an investigative reporter for a Seattle newspaper, had a 2:00 A.M. meeting with an informer in a warehouse district. She also had a husband and young daughter, but she never returned to them. The daughter appeals to Crosswhite for help.
Author Robert Dugoni has created a plot that will set your head spinning with its complications. Themes include police and community politics, ethics, family relationships, the role of the press, drugs, amnesia, and statutes of limitations. Crimes range from blackmail to murder. Crosswhite finds it difficult to get people to talk about old crimes whether from aging memories or shame. Many of the witnesses are dead. Crosswhite, for personal and professional reasons, will not be deterred in her efforts to bring the truth to light. Honor, justice, and truth are important virtues in the way she lives her life. By the conclusion, everyone has a renewed sense of the importance of family. Crosswhite is a skilled investigator—intelligent and clever in her ability to uncover secrets, follow up on clues, and connect disparate threads.
What She Found is suspenseful without indulging in graphic violence or stepping over the line into the psychological thriller category. This mystery has more action than an Agatha Christie novel; but, as found in a Christie mystery, it requires a protagonist up to the mental challenge. This is not a “happily ever after” book, but the reader will find satisfaction in the conclusion.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: General Fiction, Mystery
Notes: 1. #9 in the Tracy Crosswhite Series. I read 2 books in Dugoni’s Charles Jenkins Series and liked them enough to try a book relatively late in this series. To my surprise, It worked quite well as a standalone. Although he does characters well, Dugoni’s books are more about the plot than the characters.
2. Another puzzlement for me is that I finished the book and noted that there had been “some mild swearing.” Normally that would mean about 4 or 5 instances. In doing a search, however, I found there were many more examples of inappropriate language (about 30) than had registered with me. So, am I becoming used to that in my reading, was it appropriate to the characters, or was the story so well told that I kept reading without noticing them? I truly don’t know.
Publication: August 23, 2022—Thomas & Mercer
Memorable Lines:
Tracy knew regret was much harder to live with than failure. Regret caused you to second-guess what you hadn’t done.
Honoring her word was more important than pleasing her chief, though it certainly would not be without consequences. It might not be the smartest decision Tracy ever made, but it was the honorable one.
“What I’ve learned is that life isn’t about memories. It isn’t about the past. It’s about living in the present and looking to the future, and what that future holds for each of us.”
education pathways 