TBR Challenge: Gilly Macmillan - The Fall

Be careful what you wish for...
Nicole and Tom's lives are changed overnight by a ten-million-pound lottery win.
Before they know it they've moved into a state-of-the-art Glass Barn conversion in the stunning grounds of Lancaut Manor in Gloucestershire.
But their dream quickly turns into a nightmare when Tom is found dead in the swimming pool, with a wound on his head.
Someone close to home must be responsible. But other than the young couple who live in the Manor, and their housekeeper in the Coach House next door, there's no one around for miles.
Who among them is capable of murder?

Comment: October is almost over, it seems incredible, but here we are for one more TBR Challenge post. The theme for this month is "the hunt" and my mind went right away to a story in which someone is being hunted, which happens in pretty much any type of thriller. This book is set in a secluded peninsula, so I imagined that someone, at some point, might chase someone else.

In Lancout there are two incredible houses close by, one of them a state of the art glass construction where an old barn used to be. Their owners, Tom and Nicole won the lottery and were able to do things according to their preferences and all seemed to go well but now Tom is dead and the only people she can ask for help are her neighbors Sasha and Olly at the grand manor. The police arrive and start investigating but the clues don't seem to match the way they thought and the more they look up to things, the stronger the feeling something isn't quite right with the people in these houses. But what really happened? Is now Nicole in danger too?

What made me interested in this book was the cover of a different edition followed by a recommendation at a site I usually check. It seemed to imply this would be a very moody read and with a villain who would need to be found by the police so that reassured me even further when I chose it for this theme.

The plot doesn't have a huge amount of twists but there are enough surprises to make the reading exciting and seemingly fast paced. The story is narrated by many characters, Nicole, Sasha, Ollly, police officers Hal and Jen, and housekeeper Kitty. Then, a major information comes to light half way, kind of, and we also follow Tom's last day alive. There are also some journal entries by Anna, who used to own the grand manor house before Olly and Sasha. It does seem as if it's too many people but they are all different style narrators and I was able to set them apart easily, even with their names on top of the chapter indicating whose POV we were having.

The story begins with Nicole being the one finding Tom and we follow her shocking reaction while she goes to the manor to ask for help. From this moment on, we know something isn't quite right in the whole setting but as discover what secrets are being kept as we peel them off, one by one. I will admit that when the first major twist is presented, while it's not truly surprising because of the hints we had been given, it was still quite a surprise. I think the author did a great planning of the plot's development, for the most part, and at this point, I was fully convinced of it.

The more the story developed, the more interesting it became, especially if I think about the psychological aspects of everything. I say this because, in terms of action and events, this isn't the busiest plot, but the way we link what happens to characters and their motivations, personalities, then this really becomes a much more appealing story to read. Perhaps, I could say that the author didn't go as far she she could with this element, because sometimes we would have some moments about the characters (like how Hal, the police officer, thought Jen to be a good person to date, if she were to find him attractive, and in spite of them being co workers) which didn't evolve in any meaningful way. Well, not in how things are worded, at least.

The writing sometimes wasn't very polished, to be honest, and I think a better story telling here and there would have made the difference. Still, this plot did engage me completely, and I was still doubting who could be Tom's killer, although the plot's development kind of made it a little obvious but, perhaps not... I wondered if the author would write this incredible last twist or something... I'd say, for the sake of the TBR Challenge's theme, that one or two characters seemed to chase someone else at different moments, so I stand by my choice regardless of what others might think.

As one can imagine, all characters hide some kind of secret, but to me it was obvious from the start who was less likely to turn out to be innocent. Thinking this, I expected a great finale but that is where the story lost some points for me. The last chapters with all the twists were captivating and the action resulting from the characters' decisions very thrilling on their own, but... But, the personality established for some characters and how they play out some choices at the end didn't match. Sure, the author could have deceived the reader all this time, but at the very end, two details disappointed me. Thus, a lower grade than the five stars I was planning on giving.

The very end was a let down. It was not necessary for those two characters to do what they did and not for those reasons so I was annoyed, I confess. Anyway... I might try another book by this author one day, to see how it compares.

Grade: 8/10

Mini - Comments

The following two books are of different genres and styles but I don't feel like writing too much about wither of them, for different reasons. 

One of Us is Dead by Jeneva Rose is my first attempt at something by this author. It was a birthday gift, actually, and I was surprised by the choice but also eager to give it a try. 
Sadly, I think I'll have to join the group of readers who doesn't appreciate the author's style (something I can now see is quite divisive among those who tried the author's books) because this book did nothing to impress me. I disliked the characters and their characterization, I wasn't fond of the setting and the plot and I felt rather indifferent towards the end. I suppose it is fairer to say that I didn't like the author's style. 
This story is so annoying, I can't understand how many people liked it. Basically, we have a small group of socialite friends who spend almost all of their days in gatherings or at the salon. There is envy and back stacking and one of them will be dead by the end, although we don't know whom. 
The author kept the mystery until the end and that alone is what "saved" this book from being worse in my eyes, but no, I cannot find any real interest in these characters, most are incredible unlikable and vain, and in what they go through. I do like thrillers and domestic mysteries, whether cozy or fast paced, but this wasn't it.
Grade: 3/10

Sweep With Me by Ilona Andrews is a novella, part of the Innkeeper Chronicles series, which I have been reading lately. In this novella, which happens pretty much right after the events of book #3 - the fourth is also before this novella but mostly set in a different place - we have a glimpse of how life is being for Dina and Sean now that they are a couple working together at the Inn. They need to deal with another adventure that follows some new guests...

This was like a little sweet, not really incredible in terms of plot advancement, but it was a great way to let us know what has been going on and how the main characters have been dealing with changes due to the events of past books. The author's imagination is really incredible and it was nice to get to know a few more characters and beings that can be allies to Dina in the future. This was quick to read but very tasteful.

Grade: 8/10

Riku Onda - Honeybees and Distant Thunder

In a small coastal town just a stone's throw from Tokyo, a prestigious piano competition is underway. Over the course of two feverish weeks, three students will experience some of the most joyous—and painful—moments of their lives. Though they don't know it yet, each will profoundly and unpredictably change the others, for ever.
Aya was a child prodigy who abruptly gave up performing after the death of her mother, and is now trying for a comeback; Masaru, a childhood friend of Aya who came to the piano through her insistence that he learn to play, is now reunited with her after many years, and is equally invested in both his and her success; Akashi, who is older and married, works in a music store and is the “old man” of the competitors, hoping for a final chance at success; and Jin, a sixteen-year-old prodigy, the free spirited son of a beekeeper who travels constantly, and has no formal training (and doesn’t even own a piano) yet whose mesmerizing insight into music has brought him to the attention of one of the world’s most celebrated pianists, the late Maestro Von Hoffman.
Each of them will break the rules, awe their fans and push themselves to the brink. But at what cost?
Beloved in Japan, Riku Onda immerses us in the world of music—from piano masterpieces to the buzz of bees and the rumble of thunder—which crescendos to a surprising ending in this rich and vibrant novel.

Comment: I saw this book at the library and the title certainly caught my eye, for its originality. Since I had previously read books by Japanese authors, that I liked, I wondered if I'd like this too, so I brought it with me.

The international music competition for piano takes place in several cities, including in Japan, and the contestants need to prepare several pieces and there are two eliminations until the final. Akishi, Masuru, Aya and Jin are four of the contestants, each one with a specific reason to play and with a distinguishable style. However, others are going to compete too and the jury has a hard task ahead, for these people are all talented and all symbolize a certain way of looking at classical music. What unites and what separates all these people? Can music really bring people together?

I'm not really certain on how to classify and explain this book. The premise is very simple for such a long book (more than 450 pages in the edition I've read) but somehow one can turn the pages and still be absorbed by the thoughts of these characters and the motions they go through while they are playing.

I don't know much about classical music, much less specific pieces meant to be played on a piano. I know I like listening to some pieces, of course some of the most famous ones, but I cannot truly appreciate the art and precision of how the same piece can sound so different when played by different people - I mean, unless it's done on purpose to be so - or, as I've learned, if the piano isn't tuned or placed on the right spot on the stage. I did like this part of the book: the more technical details shared and how that can influence the music and the sound.

The book is divided into three main sections, what happens during the first elimination, then in the second, and then in the final. We follow the thoughts of several characters, not only the ones competing. I've found this to be a little confusing at times, because we jump from one characters' POV to the next in the following paragraph, often without a graphic break in the text. I guess this is the author's style but it created a certain distance between what was happening and the matching emotions. With this I mean I could easily separate myself  emotionally from what was being shared.

It's natural that some characters seem more approachable than others, and it seems to me that, in the simplicity of their personalities/Japanese culture, a lot is more inferred than shared. Often characters would exhibit feelings and thoughts precisely through the music and not as much through conversation. It is great that music is universal, but I did miss, sometimes, a less subtle information on certain things. For instance, when one of the four main characters is eliminated between the first and the second elimination, we get to see the impact, but it wasn't as heartfelt as it could, if the author had been another one, perhaps.

I would say this is a poetic story. It's more about words we can associate with music, with how certain pieces make one feel and look at the world. One of the characters, for instance, sees the playing of the piano as an extension of some kind of the nature around people and how we overlook or dismiss certain obvious things, like the flapping of wings of a bird, or the sounds of a storm coming... To me, this was all beautiful and rather philosophical, but I can see how it would frustrate some readers too.

This was a good discovery for me, actually. I have a hit and miss experience with Japanese authors, but have enjoyed the majority of what I've read so far, and it was good to see this one does seems appealing.

Grade: 8/10

Mary Balogh - Someone to Romance

Lady Jessica Archer lost her own interest in the glittering excitement of romance after her cousin and dearest friend, Abigail Westcott, was rejected by the ton when her father was revealed to be a bigamist. Ever practical, however, once she's twenty-five, she decides it's time to wed. Though she no longer believes she will find true love, she is still very eligible. She is, after all, the sister of Avery Archer, Duke of Netherby.
Jessica considers the many qualified gentlemen who court her. But when she meets the mysterious Gabriel Thorne, who has returned to England from the New World to claim an equally mysterious inheritance, Jessica considers him completely unsuitable, because he had the audacity, when he first met her, to announce his intention to wed her.
When Jessica guesses who Gabriel really is, however, and watches the lengths to which he will go in order to protect those who rely upon him, she is drawn to his cause—and to the man.

Comment: This is the 7th installment in the Westcott series by Mary Balogh, following the lives of several members of the Westcott family and their relatives and friends.

Jessica Archer loves her family and the fact most of those who are married are so blissfully happy makes her want to marry for love as well. She is 25 but never felt the urge to find a husband, even more so after the crisis that affected the family years ago which caused her cousin and best friend Abby to not have a come out as they were both so eager to share. Now Abby is happy too and Jessica feels this is the year to see if she can find someone...

Gabriel Thorne left England and succeed in America with the help of an uncle, but he is back to take his place as the earl of Lyndale, especially when it seems the man who would be so if Gabriel didn't who up is not someone who respects those under his care. Gabriel feels Jessica would be the perfect wife to better support his cause in society, but will he discover she is more than her status?

I've been a fan of this author for some years now and have read many books in most of her series. There are situations/themes that are inevitably repetitive but it is always a good reading experience anyway.

This book can be read as a standalone, as all the author's books can in terms of structure and development. However, I would not advise it because a lot about Jessica and her thoughts and motivations in certain moments come from events that happened in past books. Her attitude and behavior in some moments only feels special or meaningful if one had read the first book at least, when her actions and ideas were different than in this book, regarding certain things. This way, how she behaves now feels a lot more impactful.

The plot, however, seemed to me to be a bit more focused on Gabriel and his reasons to return to England. He was successful in America and had all motives to stay there but by coming back we get to see how likable he is and how he can cherish his personality. He is someone who matured and learned from the past - he went away as a young man, urged by others who did not help him as they should - and now feels he has to be there for those who depend on him, namely the workers of the estate he will inherit and an aunt that he cares for.

I've found him to be a good character and was rooting for him, even though there were times where he seemed a little too aloof, although this can be explained too, considering the circumstances. He is, therefore, quite well matched with Jessica, whom we have seen as someone likable but slightly uppity sometimes. Of course they will learn together that friendship and family to support you are some of the best things in life and by becoming a couple they would find themselves with someone who would also understand them.

Their romance isn't very demonstrative, but to be fair this author's writing style isn't meant to be over the top nor fluffy, and a lot of things are inferred in a more subtle way. Actually, to my personal taste, perhaps I could say that a few things related to the romance were a bit too tame, a bit too subtle, and I wish the feelings between them had been a bit more easily demonstrated. Again, however, this is an historical romance and the author does try to keep things relatively realistic in terms of character interaction.

This was an engaging story to read. Gabriel has a lot of things to worry about and with Jessica's help, and of her family, he manages to deal with some. I thought this part of the plot was interesting and made the interactions between many characters to feel more dynamic, since many contributed somehow to enhance the romance between Gabriel and Jessica and then to help him with his personal affairs. 

I'm now looking for to the next story, which will feature Harry, at last.

Grade: 8/10

Louise Penny - A Rule Against Murder

It is the height of summer, and Armand and Reine-Marie Gamache are celebrating their wedding anniversary at Manoir Bellechasse, an isolated, luxurious inn not far from the village of Three Pines. But they're not alone. The Finney family—rich, cultured, and respectable—has also arrived for a celebration of their own.
The beautiful Manoir Bellechasse might be surrounded by nature, but there is something unnatural looming. As the heat rises and the humidity closes in, some surprising guests turn up at the family reunion, and a terrible summer storm leaves behind a dead body. It is up to Chief Inspector Gamache to unearth secrets long buried and hatreds hidden behind polite smiles. The chase takes him to Three Pines, into the dark corners of his own life, and finally to a harrowing climax.

Comment: This is the 4th installment in the Armand Gamache series, which I foresee being something I will enjoy reading...

In this story, inspector Gamache and his wife are spending some time at an inn close to Three Pines, celebrating their anniversary. They are having a quiet time enjoying the summer, in spite of the fact some other guests, namely the Finney family, not being all congenial. Then, one of the siblings and his wife finally arrive and everything changes once more. The family dynamics are tense and it all goes to worse when one person is murdered. Who killed this person and how did they manage it since the tool used was impossible for one person to maneuver on their own?

The author has said plenty of times that these books are about a crime investigation, yes, which means they might be read solely for the closure of having a resolution to a mystery, but they are also character studies. I find that this is actually the most provoking part of the novels, because everyone, main character or not, has something about them that we want to see revealed, there are many layers to all characters.

In this book the inspector and his wife are spending some days at the Manoir Bellechasse, which has a solid reputation despite the origins of its construction. They are regulars but do not mind they are not given the best rooms, which immediately tells us about their personality and attitude. These characters are meant for us to like them and I really like the fact we can genuinely care for them and want for them to have good things happening in return.

In contrast, pretty much all of the secondary characters are not as likable. All of them, even the ones we would label"good people", have some kind of deep layer or some secret behavior that makes their personality less than what we see in Gamache and his wife. Although, to be fair, they are not perfect! They just seem so by contrast, and after 4 books I can see that Gamache's big flaw is that he does like to be right, not as in arrogance, but in knowing his deductions are often correct.

The plot is quite usual in how it develops. A good part of the book is on character observation,let's say, in which we see many situations where the characters do and say things that matter to their personality and as to why they could be the murderer or the victim, and a lot is shared through Gamache's skills in seeing between the lines. A lot doesn't make immediate sense, although the writing conveys that tension and anticipation quite well. We just know something is going to happen.

Obviously, only after the investigation is well under way do we understand some of the previous references or scenes. I don't tend to guess who the killer is in these types of books and this time it was no different. Only once the explanations were given did some of those seemingly unimportant references in chapters past make sense. Even then, I would say that there are always some things that don't scream logic or sometimes the way they are viable is through some conveniences and not real logic (to me at least).

The author also seems to have a predilection to unusual crime scenes and methods. I had never heard of the method in which the victim was killed in this book and even investigating on google didn't show an obvious result, although I accept the science behind it. Perhaps this, along with a few other small details, prevented me from seeing the big picture better. Still, it was a good entertainment, to read this story and to see the sequence of events developing at the same time the characters became more visible. Too bad, also, that most of them were not friendly people,even those who had reasons not to be.

I will definitely read the next book and see what new things I'll learn!

Grade: 8/10

Robert Galbraith - The Hallmarked Man

A dismembered corpse is discovered in the vault of a silver shop. The police initially believe it to be that of a convicted armed robber - but not everyone agrees with that theory. One of them is Decima Mullins, who calls on the help of private detective Cormoran Strike as she's certain the body in the silver vault was that of her boyfriend - the father of her newborn baby - who suddenly and mysteriously disappeared.
The more Strike and his business partner Robin Ellacott delve into the case, the more labyrinthine it gets. The silver shop is no ordinary one: it's located beside Freemasons' Hall and specializes in Masonic silverware. And in addition to the armed robber and Decima's boyfriend, it becomes clear that there are other missing men who could fit the profile of the body in the vault.
As the case becomes ever more complicated and dangerous, Strike faces another quandary. Robin seems increasingly committed to her boyfriend, policeman Ryan Murphy, but the impulse to declare his own feelings for her is becoming stronger than ever.

Comment: This is the 8th installment in the Cormoran Strike series by Robert Galbraith, a series I have enjoyed for the past years.

After the events of the previous book, Robin is still dealing with nightmares and to make all worse, she now has a medical issue too, but she doesn't let this affect her dedication to the job. Striker, on his part, is feeling the pressure of not telling Robin how he really feels about her, knowing her boyfriend might propose at any time. However, their personal struggles need to be put aside because they have a new client, Decima Mullins, who believes her missing boyfriend might be the man found killed in a masonic shop. The thing is, a few other men might also be the victim and the detectives need to investigate, but the more they do so, more complications arise... what really happened for the man to be killed in such a way? Who is he really? What happened to the other missing men?

The edition I got has 1049 pages, not counting acknowledgments and other usual information one finds in any book. I just breezed through all of them because in spite of the fact these books are always long, have a lot of detail and secondary elements, it is simply addictive, even if there are things I'd change or wish were different.

As always, the best thing about this book is the smooth combination of an investigation and the little scenes regarding the main characters' lives being interwoven. It is as rewarding to me to know which steps they take to go from one information to the next while investigating as it is to know what Robin and Strike feel and what they do in their personal lives. I can imagine this might seem too much for some readers but to me it is a well done element.

The case being investigated is, at times, a bit confusing. I confess I wasn't always aware of why they had to look into certain things, and the fact there were five (if I recall) men they suspected might be the victim also made some things seem they came out of nowhere. Of course, these five men all had some mystery about them - why they were missing, evidently - and each one of them had something that led Robin and Striker into something else. It all came to a point in which this makes sense, but not always.

At the same time, the imagination and the machination to come up with details about so many things, so many people, while I was reading and feeling confused, I still thought this was well executed,especially when things start to be more obviously connected. Something that keeps surprising me, though, in books with private detectives, is how easy it seems that strangers simply share stuff and tell things to people who are not the police. Still, this is precisely what sometimes advances the plot when it seems no connection can be made.

I won't include details because to do so or I would need to explain a lot or to give the right context, some spoilers would need to be added, thus I will simply say that, as it always happens in these books, the links between events, the explanation about certain seemingly careless details, the motivation behind some characters' attitudes, all this is a lot more complex than what it seems. It came to a point I just had to know how this all played out and when the final scenes about the case are finally happening and we learn how this is all connected, although it wasn't as greatly done as in the book I liked the most in the series, it was still quite incredible.

A good part of the book is also centered on Robin and Striker's personal lives. I particularly liked seeing how dedicated Striker is in regards to his feelings for Robin and how that affects some choices of his too. I really hope that, considering the way this book ends, that the next one will show us a new dynamic between them. Of course it won't be all perfection for them, after all they both have deeper issues to deal with but I'm still hopeful they can deal with them together somehow.

For me, this was a wonderful entertainment. I would have liked a few things to be different and for certain narrative sequences to be more clear, but in general, another great installment. I can't wait for the next one!

Grade: 8/10

Grace Burrowes - A Gentleman of Unreliable Honor

Lord Julian Caldicott is summoned by his estranged mother to search for old love letters she has misplaced. Julian soon realizes the letters along with other items of sentimental value have been stolen. The thief is preying on wealthy women, purloining mementos both dear and scandalous. If the missing items become public, many reputations will be ruined, including the duchess's.
Julian embarks on the investigation despite having no clues, too many suspects, and his distant and difficult mama at the center of the whole intrigue. In the midst of these frustrations, Julian's ducal brother takes ship for France, adding more duties to his lordship's already full plate. Before Julian can bring the culprit behind the thefts to justice, he must first come to terms with old betrayals that could yield new and deadly fruit.

Comment: This is the 6th installment in the Lord Julian series by Grace Burrowes, following the investigations of Lord Julian, war survival and heir to a dukedom.

In this story Julian is invited by his mother to look for a few letters of hers which have disappeared. It just happens that she is attending a house party and her host, and friend, has also lost something. And, not surprising anymore, another guest also misplaced something, which means a thief is around or someone has a specific agenda in targeting these ladies. The question is, why, and why now considering the fact that if it as a blackmailing plan, nothing has been demanded. At the same time, Julian needs to deal with the fact his impression of his mother might not be as black and white as he sometimes remembers...

It is always rewarding to read these books, mainly because the main characters are likable and I want to see what happens next in their lives. The little investigation Lord Julian does is also an interesting mental exercise.

This story might not seem the most necessary in the big scheme of things because, honestly, not much really happens in terms of plot advancing. The books until now have all kind of added something else to the overall arc and this one seems to be a little less demanding, but I think the real gem here is in how this story helps us to peel off one more layer in Julian's personality. His relationship with his mother has been presented, until now, in a certain way, but perhaps not all is as it seemed.

I really like these psychological little things in these books, small details that might matter much from a certain POV, but if one sees from a different angle it can be very different. We have been given the impression that Julian didn't have a good relationship with his mother and the whole illegitimacy issue didn't help either, but it turns out that Julian's perspective might not be as impartial as it seemed when he gave opinion on my other things. I kind of liked where this went...

The investigation he embarks on seems very simple at first. Of course, it isn't so, but more than the mystery of who stole things, it is the way the need to do was constructed. It is true this series is not meant to be a complex crime master-plan but I would not guess, ever, the reason the thief stole things was the one we learn. I think the author might not be really taken into the right consideration when it comes to the mysteries planned and how they need to be developed. 

The stories aren't big, in terms of the number of pages, and that might make it seem as if not much is going on, but I think the author has a very direct and concise manner in her writing. Of course, on the other side of things, it does feel as if certain things didn't have to be as subtle as they are; I wouldn't mind if a few details were to made more clear and, along with it, certain situations were to be highlighted more too. For instance, the romance... although I suppose that if the book is to have so many more books, as it does, some things simply need to drag.

I had a good time reading this book and I am eager to get to the next and see what new adventure Julian will face now that his brother finally left for his European tour.

Grade: 8/10

Ilona Andrews - Sweep of the Blade

Maud Demille was a daughter of Innkeepers. She knew that a simple life wasn't in the cards, but she never anticipated what Fate would throw at her.
Once a wife to a powerful vampire knight, Maud and her daughter, Helen, had been exiled for the sins of her husband to the desolate planet of Karhari. Karhari killed her husband, and Maud had spent a year and a half avenging his debts. But now all the debts are paid. Rescued by her sister Dina, Maud had swore off all things vampire. Except she met Arland, the Marshal of House Krahr. One thing led to another and he asked for her hand in marriage. She declined.
Try as she might, she can't just walk away from Arland. It doesn't help that being human is a lot harder for Maud than being a vampire.
To sort it all out, she accepts his invitation to visit his home planet. House Krahr is a powerful vampire House, and Maud knows that a woman who turned down the proposal from its most beloved son wouldn't get a warm reception. But Maud Demille never shied from a fight and House Krahr may soon discover that there is more to this human woman than they ever thought possible.

Comment: This is the 4th installment in the Innkeeper Chronicles by Ilona Andrews and it is focused on Maud, Dina's sister, as she travels with her daughter Helen to Arland's planet, to see if she can have a new life there with him.

Maud has had the experience of following her heart and becoming the wife of a vampire. Not everything was bad and she got her daughter, but the truth is that her life with her previous husband wasn't the partnership she imagined and things went on to become very bad. She is aware that Arland isn't the same type of person, but will she and her daughter be well received in his planet, by his family? She is willing to try, but she knows that if nothing goes according to plan, she has her sister to help, especially since it does seem as if the welcome she imagined to be polite if not warm, is actually stressful and complicated due to the fact Arland's family is hosting a wedding... but something isn't quite right...

As always, it was a great fun to read this story. These authors are consistent in their style and talent and whether one likes one book more than another, there is no doubt that the ability is there and easy to notice. I should say that this can be read as a standalone, but it is incredibly rewarding to read the whole series, and some references do make more sense that way.

This story also departs from the previous three one for it doesn't take place at Dina's Inn. This time, Maud travels to Arland's planet to see if she can adapt to his family and vampire life, as well as her daughter. In the previous book, Maud and Arland started noticing one another and circumstances brought them closer, but Maud had a previous marriage to a vampire and it didn't end well, even before her husband was killed. She is wary and this is to be expected, after all. Nevertheless, it is obvious these two would be a couple that would match, and the fun was in anticipating how well Maud would actually adapt.

As soon as they arrive, Maud has to face adversity, but nothing she can't handle. It turns out that all the experience she gained before, all the things she studied and improved on for her first vampire marriage, would end up being useful here too. I did like the fact Maud was a great heroine, vulnerable but also fearless and her behavior was conscious and considerate in her new environment. As an adventure, this story worked out pretty well, even if one thinks about how Helen had do adapt too.

I liked the cultural aspects too, because Maud was also afraid other vampires would not welcome Helen or that Maud would be seen as inferior somehow, but all the situations that led to her feeling worthy were not only due to others's words/actions, but through her own personal awareness. I suppose that being with the right people certainly helps, and it was certainly hopeful and exciting to see Maud gaining the trust and the gratitude of other members of Arland's family.

The romance is very subtle, it's all in actions, little things, small key scenes/moments. I think a bit more demonstration would be better, but the way things are developed, it is clear they have feelings for each other, and we can even say they aren't demonstrative people anyway, in terms of personality. It was also fun to know more about the vampires in this series, but in this regard, i do think the authors could have gone further in establishing or describing more by having interactions being more central.

All in all, another great story and I can't wait for the next!

Grade: 8/10

Cara Hunter - In the Dark

From the author of the massive bestseller CLOSE TO HOME, comes the second pulse-pounding DI Fawley crime thriller.
A woman and child are found locked in a basement room, barely alive.
No one knows who they are — the woman can't speak, and there are no missing persons reports that match their profile. The elderly man who owns the house claims he has never seen them before.
The inhabitants of the quiet Oxford street are in shock. How could this happen right under their noses? But DI Adam Fawley knows that nothing is impossible.
And that no one is as innocent as they seem ...

Comment: This is the second installment in the DI Adam Fawley series by Cara Hunter. I had read the first book in the series by pure chance, an impulsive choice at the library back in November of 2025, but it was a good read and I felt like reading the next one, at least.

In this story, the police team is investigating the case of a woman and her child, found in a basement, with clear signs of prolonged hunger and thirst.The house they are found at belongs to an old teacher, who has some sort of dementia, and investigating him reveals he divorced his wife fora younger woman, although both women are now dead. What is the connection between these people? How did the woman get locked in the basement? Who is the child's father? How could the neighbors not see anything? And does it seem that a woman missing for two years is also connected to this house?

The plot of this book was an incredible exercise in twists and discoveries. the author must have had a lot of fun thinking and plotting this story because I really could not see the big twist coming until the obvious moment it was revealed.

The story happens some time after the events of the first book, and there are some hints about what happened then, but not to the point in which a new reader would not understand. This plot is isolated from the other, but the police team is the same, so it is to be expected that many references are continuous or sequential about them and their personal lives.

The case investigated was actually very interesting and I did not see the twists coming, which made this story very refreshing, even though the secrets aren't that original or the characters acting on them that special or amazing. Still, the author was able to present this in such a way that the sequence of events and how things are shared to the reader make the surprises really well planned and timed. In terms of plot, I think this book was a lot more impactful than the first one.

I also liked the new insights into the main characters' lives and their behavior at home and at work. Some are clearly meant to be characters we look for and root for (like Adam, or officers Everett and Sommer) and others are meant to be the morally grey ones, such as officer Quinn. The juxtaposition of all these people and their respective personalities helped to sustain the story and strength of the characterization of everyone. I cannot say I liked them all, but I do feel interested in them and in what will be there for them in the next story.

However, in spite of the good elements, and even some better ones here than in the first installment, I did give the same grade to both books. I cannot pinpoint exactly what I feel could have elevated this more, considering how incredible some elements truly were, but perhaps the atmosphere wasn't always very likable or the characters didn't make choices I think would be consistent with other aspects of their personalities. I confess I wasn't fond of the plot device in which Adam and his wife actively participate in a specific situation related to the boy found with his mother in the basement. I understand why it matters for the characters as they further develop, but I didn't like the unlikeliness of this situation.

Still, this was a fascinating story and I read it in practically one day. I'm fully invested in reading the next too, when I can.

Grade: 8/10

Alexandra Vasti - Ne'er Duke Well

Peter Kent―newly inherited Duke of Stanhope and recently of New Orleans, Louisiana―must become respectable. Between his radical politics and the time he interrupted a minor royal wedding with a flock of sheep―not his fault!―he’s developed a scandalous reputation at odds with his goal of becoming guardian to his half siblings. For help, he turns to the cleverest and most managing woman of his acquaintance, Lady Selina Ravenscroft.
Selina is society’s most proper debutante, save one tiny secret: she runs an erotic circulating library for women. When Peter asks for her help, she suggests courtship and marriage to a lady of unimpeachable reputation. (Which is to say, definitely not herself.)
But matchmaking doesn’t go according to plan. Peter’s siblings run rampant on Bond Street. Selina ends up in the Serpentine. And worst of all, the scorching chemistry between Peter and Selina proves impossible to resist. For the disreputable duke and his unpredictable matchmaker, falling in love just might be the ultimate scandal.

Comment: I got curious about this book back in 2024, after reading AztecLady's review and feeling the story seemed very intriguing. I have, now, finally, gotten to it!

In this story we meet Peter Kent, who has just inherited a dukedom, and he wants this social improvement to help him get the guardianship of his half siblings Lucinda and Freddy. He is quite happy with his family's connection to the Ravenscrofts, namely to Selina, a woman he admires for her skill in dealing with social obligations and etiquette, something his young sister should benefit from as well. They conclude he should marry, to further prove his intentions towards his siblings are worthy, but it seems the ladies Selina finds for him, in spite of their incredible suitability, just don't work as well as he thinks Selina herself would do. It also seems this is something she things as well, thus is there any way for them to find a better option?

I think this was a very encouraging historical romance novel, for it was fun and captivating until the end, something recent historical romances seem to be missing, according to many reviews out there. I liked the fact this one worked out well and provided an interesting tale to read.

The main plot centers on Peter's intention of getting his siblings to live with him, and a huge difference in his hearing some time later being deferred sets on his status, behavior and the opinion of a man he feels he needs to impress. To achieve this, he seeks the help of those he is friends with, even though he is a duke who has been in America and has a very different perception of many things, that Tories  - like the man he wants to impress - see very differently. I can understand Peter's anxiety over this, after all a positive decision will mean he gets to his his family with him.

Therefore, many scenes are focused on presenting Peter in a good light but, of course, many other fun and silly things happen instead, which make it doubtful he will be seen well, but at the same time make the story feel funny and light. I think this balance was well achieved, actually, and I was never worried that things were going into too much silliness, as often happens in "light" romances. These scenes also helped to cement the idea that Peter and Selina would be a good match, although the passion they feel for one another was always a little too convenient and not as easily part of any organic development (to me).

In fact, the romance was cute as one would expect, and I liked it that we got to have scenes/situations in which the balance between them is made to be obvious. these two share a lot of interests and have common goals and ideas, so their romance also seems to be stronger. Such a thing is not always obvious and I liked it that the author took the time to set this up and to make it seem that as they got to interact, more layers were added to their relationship.

Another issue that take a place here, and which acts as an obstacle for why Peter and Selina don't become a couple sooner, is the fact Selina has an erotic publishing, part of a bigger brand in her twin brother's name. However, she has been doing this for two years and to society this would be scandalous, so she doesn't want this to be one more weight on Peter's chances of gaining guardianship because it's obvious the truth will be exposed sooner than later. I thought this to be a good element, perhaps not that easy to imagine, but still way better accomplished than similar things in other books.

It was also suggestive to have plenty of secondary characters being important in key scenes. I immediately imagined that so many people could be protagonists in following books, in seems there are two more after this one, but still many are left without a story, unless the next books have more than one romance being developed. I feel intrigued to try the next one, at least. One day.

Grade: 8/10

Emily St John Mandel - Station Eleven

Kirsten Raymonde will never forget the night Arthur Leander, the famous Hollywood actor, had a heart attack on stage during a production of King Lear. That was the night when a devastating flu pandemic arrived in the city, and within weeks, civilization as we know it came to an end.
Twenty years later, Kirsten moves between the settlements of the altered world with a small troupe of actors and musicians. They call themselves The Traveling Symphony, and they have dedicated themselves to keeping the remnants of art and humanity alive. But when they arrive in St. Deborah by the Water, they encounter a violent prophet who will threaten the tiny band’s existence. And as the story takes off, moving back and forth in time, and vividly depicting life before and after the pandemic, the strange twist of fate that connects them all will be revealed.

Comment: I saw this book at the library and remembered how much it had been praised and liked by many readers. I got curious and that was the only reason I decided to try it.

Years ago, a devastating flu killed the majority of the population, and the remaining ones had to adapt to a life without the commodities that have shaped people's lives in the recent decades, such as electricity and technologies. The survivors now live in a world where it is necessary to hunt and to collect things and where remembering the past can be both a need and a curse. Kristen travels with her friends in the itinerary symphony, stopping here and there to play music and to give people theater, just like when she was a young child part of a play, the very day the flu arrived in America. However, things change rapidly and safe places might not be anymore, and friendly faces might have moved somewhere else...

I didn't have many expectations about this book, only the awareness of positive reviews, because I had read another book by this author some years ago and I had not been totally convinced by it. Since this one has had way more ratings and praise, I figured that it would be a better story.

The plot is centered on a flu pandemic that kills most people in the planet at a very quick rate, and not that long after, the survivors need to adapt. This book came out in 2014, and I can see why some people might have thought life imitates art when a certain virus spread in late 2019 and after... Not everything is the same, of course, and the obvious difference is that in the book most people don't survive. I think the author did a good job to convey uncertainty and despair without it being cloying, or so unbearable as many other post apocalyptic worlds can be.

The story tells us the progress of Kristen and her troupe as they travel from place to place and how they see things change, sometimes from year to year. At the back of their mind there is always the hope things might go back to what they were before and perhaps one day cities will provide as they did before. For now, humans group together and try to deal with what happened as best as they can. I absolutely loved the fact this story never really highlights the most negative aspects of what a real situation like this would cause. I mean, some things are alluded, but there is no shock factor in seeing violent and inhumane things being described on the page.

With this said, the story isn't innocent not does it hide from the harsh facts;but it does present this in a more melancholic and almost philosophical way, which really appealed to me. I suppose for fans of "hardcore" apocalyptic worlds, this feels too tame, but I liked precisely that. In between the plot of the troupe, we get to have plenty of scenes from the "before" of several characters, and how they were in terms of personality and choices, and why some might have become who they are now. In some cases, it's really only a matter of characterization and comparison.

I liked the tone of the story and the fact that terrible things aren't waiting for everyone all the time. Yes, some sad things happen, some unfair ones, some avoidable... all things that make human choices be more or less valid, but I liked it that all characters were interesting and weren't all black and white. Even the villain, if we can use this word, is shaped by the past and the aftermath of the pandemic, not because it has always been a terrible person.

The end is one of hope, I think, because many people survived the only way possible, they tried to create small groups /communities in a way that can resemble order and peace just like the civilized societies used to be before the pandemic. Not all is easy to adapt to, of course, but I liked this idea that patience and hope can be half way to maintain sanity and structure to any rules and behaviors. The book isn't big but I think it was a good one to give food for thought, although sometimes perhaps a bit too simplistic. I also would have liked if more attention had been given to other people not just the ones we followed.

Grade: 8/10

Yrsa Sigurdardottir - The Silence of the Sea

An abandoned yacht, a young family missing - chilling crime from the queen of Nordic Noir.
The most chilling novel yet from Yrsa Sigurdardottir, an international bestseller at the height of her powers.
'Mummy dead.' The child's pure treble was uncomfortably clear. It was the last thing Brynjar - and doubtless the others - wanted to hear at that moment. 'Daddy dead.' It got worse. 'Adda dead. Bygga dead.' The child sighed and clutched her grandmother's leg. 'All dead.'
A luxury yacht arrives in Reykjavik harbour with nobody on board. What has happened to the crew, and to the family who were on board when it left Lisbon?
Thora Gudmundsdottir is hired by the young father's parents to investigate, and is soon drawn deeper into the mystery. What should she make of the rumours saying that the vessel was cursed, especially given that when she boards the yacht she thinks she sees one of the missing twins? Where is Karitas, the glamorous young wife of the yacht's former owner? And whose is the body that has washed up further along the shore?

Comment: After having read other books by this author and enjoying them, I've decided to try this one too, whose Portuguese cover intrigued me, as suggestive as it looks. 

In this story lawyer Thora is working for a couple whose son, daughter-in-law and two granddaughters went missing from a ship that sailed from Lisbon to Reykjavik and that crashed into the harbor on arrival. It turned out that no one was on board when the police investigated so, what could have happened? Besides the family, there had been just three more people, the crew, and no sign of them either. Thora knows the chance of finding someone alive isn't very likely, but she still needs to follow the protocols to declare them dead, since the couple doesn't have much money and there's yet one granddaughter to take care of, the youngest one who stayed behind. As some clues become revealed about the ship's owners and what happened in it in the past, can this explain what happened to these seven people now?

Apparently, this is the last book in a series whose main character is Thora, the lawyer. I had no idea and didn't investigate properly but it seems the points in common would have been related to the character's personal life and not any cases she worked on, as I've seen happening with the books in the other series I've tried by the author, and that followed a similar pattern.

I was interested in this book because of the Portuguese cover, which seemed very creepy somehow, and added to the premise, this story felt more like possible horror than mystery, but I trusted the author would do a good job as she had done with the other books I had read. It was also intriguing to think this story was being linked to a real case, which might have been used as inspiration for this book. Besides, the idea of doing such a travel by ship seems both fascinating and weird, meaning, without more people as one would expect in normal circumstances.

Portuguese cover

The main intrigue was, of course, what happened to the people, since seven people left Lisbon and no one arrived in Reyjkavik. But, as the plot progresses, we start noticing that many other things, some seemingly more secondary than others, were also a bit too strange, such as why the family decided to travel by ship when they had all planned to go by plane, why such a small crew, what happened to one of them who had to be replaced at the last moment, and what might have happened, intentional or accidental, for no one to be found on arrival?

The story is told in alternated chapters, some from the main POV of Thora (in third person) in which we see what happens after the ship arrives and what procedures are done by the authorities, and the other chapters are mostly focused on AEgir, the son of the couple who contacted Thora, as he lets us know how the journey started and what went on until the two time lines finally connect. I think this tactic really worked here because we can still have suspense and doubts on what happened and the reasons why. 

Of course, some things are a little too convenient, but considering the big picture, i think the mystery was well planned and executed. I think a few details were a little fuzzy and not completely believable if we think about such a small group of people managing certain tasks, but once the revelations are shared, a lot makes sense. I think some of the twists at the end, namely two in specific were very well done, at least I think I've never fully considered those things as options. Although, to be fair, perhaps other readers might have thought so.

Perhaps another thing I can point out is that some explanations are a bit too easy (almost as if something had to be said) and there is a particular sequence of scenes that I've found wasn't done as well, when Thora discovers the actual set of events. It's great that we get answers but I think this part in specific was not as atmospheric as other things had been before. Still, what an adventure... if all mysteries could be explained as we wish...

Grade: 8/10

L.A. Witt - Own Goal

Eight seasons ago, Jarek Badura made the biggest mistake of his career, earning him the nickname “Joke.” He’s been fighting ever since to prove that season was a fluke, and he’s only just started to leave it behind, finally regaining some respect and securing his place as second line center.
But his team just made a new acquisition, and suddenly he’s linemates with the man who was the unknowing catalyst for his fall from grace all those years ago.
After seven long seasons, Hunter Michaud is done carrying his disastrously managed team. An unrestricted free agent, he startles the hockey world by accepting an offer elsewhere, signing with a team that works together and builds on each other’s strengths. And it doesn’t hurt that one of Hunter’s longtime idols is on the roster.
He just doesn’t realize how much his career is already intertwined with Jarek’s.
Or how much resentment is waiting for him in Pittsburgh.
Or how much chemistry is hiding under the ice between them.

Comment: One more book by this author which has characters who play hockey. This book has no connection to the other ones I've read this past July and June, but I thought I might as well get to it. I've also checked that the author wrote another book with this theme, seemingly not connected either, but that one doesn't seem as appealing to me.

In this story we meet Jarek Badura, who is finally feeling he is at the best moment of his career, and that happens mostly because he is in a team where everyone, between players and coaches and staff, seem to really want to work as a team. It also helps he has made real friendships, but his life takes a turn when the team announces the next player they signed up, who happens to be Hunter Michaud, the player he feels he almost destroyed his career for, even though he has no idea. Things start complicated, although Hunter is there to be a team player and not the star others might expect, but Jarek can't help see him through his younger player's eyes... still, such animosity has to give at some point. Will they discover they have a lot more in common than they imagined?

I had a good time reading this one, I think the author did a great job in sequencing things and in making them interesting. I think it's visible how much this story seems improved, in terms of hockey content, from the other ones. Not that I'm an expert, but whatever is shared here seems to be done with more confidence and it is a lot more detailed in relation to what had been used in the other books with the theme.

Some readers complained that the story took too long since we spend a lot of time with Jarek's thoughts about his "mistakes". The story is told alternately by Jarek and Hunter, so this isn't really a matter of pages, but of perception; Jarek's POV is quite set on what he thinks others will think of him if a secret he is hiding comes out, and Hunter's POV is certainly more about his new experience and trying to be part of this team. I liked it that both were out and no one seems to care much in what that means in regards to their hockey abilities (as it should).

I will agree that the perception of why Jarek's thoughts seem repetitive might not be that unlikely, though. He does spend a lot time thinking about what a terrible secret he has, and it gets to the point that, I mean, it really has to pay off, otherwise this would seem ridiculous. Well, the secret is quite serious, more than I imagined, and it does explain his fears and behavior. We might think we would not fall for the manipulation he was caught in, but, seriously, it would not be hard if one is as young as Jarek was when he did what he did.

Anyway, the dramatic issues weren't just props and I liked it that things were given proper meaning when necessary, but I confess my attention was on the romance, which took some time to be developed, a factor I liked, because it did give credence to the guys' feelings when they finally admitted they were attracted to one another. I don't think the romance part was that hard to accept because the tension between them and the common details brought them a lot closer too. So, I believed in them when they started thinking about love.

I liked both guys as individuals, and I liked it that we got to see them interact with their teammates so often, and in funny/special ways, reinforcing the friendship and the camaraderie. I think these things in sports are often only seen for publicity and it's almost as players don't see each other out of work, but I have to assume it's not so. We also see Jarek interact with his sister, but Hunter never really speaks to his family, I will assume due to geographical distance, but... it would have been nice. The fact they have a positive work place also gives credibility to the end of the story.

All in all, I had a great time reading this one. As I've said about the previous book, this is another one i'd re-read if I had the time in the future.

Grade: 8/10

Louise Penny - The Cruelest Month

It's Easter, and on a glorious Spring day in peaceful Three Pines, someone waits for night to fall. They plan to raise the dead??? When Chief Inspector Gamache of the Surete du Quebec arrives the next morning, he faces an unusual crime scene. A s??ance in an old abandoned house has gone horrifically wrong and someone has been seemingly frightened to death. In indyllic Three Pines, terrible secrets lie buried, and even Gamache has something to hide. One of his own team is about to betray him. But how far will they go to ensure Gamache's downfall?

Comment: This is the third installment in the Inspector Armand Gamache series, following the investigations of this inspector and his team in a Quebec area, mostly in Three Pines, a charming village but where murder happens with frequency.

In this third adventure, a woman dies while being part of a seance. At first it seems she simply died due to an intense fright, but evidence reveals she had been drugged and now it's up to inspector Gamache to discover who would have hated this woman so much to the point of finding such a way to kill her. At the same time, something is going on back on the Sureté, and inspector Gamache is facing vile attacks in the newspapers, seemingly still connected to the Arnot case, exposed by Gamache. In this game of cat and mouse, who will prevail?

There is no doubt whatsoever that Louise Penny found her groove and her place with this series. Although this is only the 3rd book in 20 or something, I can already tell this will be consistently engaging and with plenty of food for thought. The author includes notes in some installment telling the reader about how the success of her career came in late, but it it totally worth it and these books are police mysteries but also studies on human nature and I have to agree.

It is true the base of the books has been a murder and how the police investigates. But unlike stories where what matters is the whys and hows, in here the real importance is on the psychology of the assassin and what happened to make someone do something like this. I really like thrillers/ crime stories where the key elements are psychological/philosophical and not how many people die or how terribly. However, I can see how this might sound a little repetitive and, perhaps, boring, to other readers.

The plot of this book is divided into two themes. Inspector Gamache needs to investigate the case and needs to deal with the personal issues at work. This second theme has been going on since book #1 and has had a good enough resolution but things weren't completely solved, i think, and there's room to keep up the subject, although I will be honest to say that, while this does add interesting clues on human behavior and layers to some characters, it also distracts from the main plot, which I think is more captivating. I understand why the author feels this matters too, but... I hope it won't be highlighted as much in future books.

The process of reading these books is great, in the sense that I keep wanting to turn the pages and see what is next in terms of investigation and who will be interviewed after, and what kind of specific dialogue they will have which is supposed to give us clues. The exercise of seeing each character sharing stuff and then the reader having to read between the lines is quite engaging. The author's talent shines in this, because often little things or more philosophical things are included in poetry, culture history and geography hints/content and I just love having these things as an educational plus.

The case seems complicated but, of course, once everything is presented and explained at the end, and the pieces fit, all makes sense in an almost too simplistic way. The real wonder is, as I've said, the psychology of what made the killer do this, and how incredible it is to see that sometimes something that seems ridiculous or vital is seen in a totally opposed way by someone else. We humans are, indeed, complex and fascinating.

Some twists pertaining to personal issues probably will surprise some readers but I will confess I wasn't amazed by what we learn here about some characters. I don't know if it having read too many books and recognizing some red herrings, but I only felt happy my suspicions were matched. Still, it is always fun to see how some things surprise the characters. Let's see what the author will do in the following book regarding the new things we learned here.

Grade: 8/10

Nguyen Phan Qué Mai - Dust Child

In 1969, sisters Trang and Quỳnh, desperate to help their parents pay off debts, leave their rural village and become “bar girls” in Sài Gòn, drinking, flirting (and more) with American GIs in return for money. As the war moves closer to the city, the once-innocent Trang gets swept up in an irresistible romance with a young and charming American helicopter pilot, Dan. Decades later, Dan returns to Việt Nam with his wife, Linda, hoping to find a way to heal from his PTSD and, unbeknownst to her, reckon with secrets from his past.
At the same time, Phong—the son of a Black American soldier and a Vietnamese woman—embarks on a search to find both his parents and a way out of Việt Nam. Abandoned in front of an orphanage, Phong grew up being called “the dust of life,” “Black American imperialist,” and “child of the enemy,” and he dreams of a better life for himself and his family in the U.S.
Past and present converge as these characters come together to confront decisions made during a time of war—decisions that force them to look deep within and find common ground across race, generation, culture, and language. Suspenseful, poetic, and perfect for readers of Min Jin Lee’s Pachinko or Yaa Gyasi’s Homegoing, Dust Child tells an unforgettable and immersive story of how those who inherited tragedy can redefine their destinies through love, hard-earned wisdom, compassion, courage, and joy.

Comment: I was given this book last year, whether for my birthday or for Christmas and, well, as always, better late than never!

In 1969, sisters Trang and Quynh leave their village to work in a bar in Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh) so that they could earn more money and help their parents paying debts. However, this bar is only a step away from a brothel and while they feel uncomfortable, they still accept what it entails, since they have no option.

In 2016, Phong is an orphan whose father was clearly an African American soldier and he has the dream to travel to the US and, perhaps, have a better life with his family. This isn't easy,especially when he knows nothing of his origins.

This same year, Dan is traveling to Vietnam to try to get closure, for he was also a soldier whose life was deeply affected by the war and by Kim, the woman he met at a bar and who he left, pregnant, although now he wants to find her and his child...

The lives of these people will somehow mix, but will the truth of their existences be easy to accept?

This is the first book I try by this Vietnamese author. I actually had another book by her, her debut The Mountains Sing, but since a friend gave me this one, and it fit a prompt in a challenge I'm doing (precisely, reading a gifted book), I've decided to start with it. As indicated by the accolades, it was "powerful and heartbreaking" but to me it lacked a certain strategic emotional impact.

The story is divided into three main characters' POV, in third person, but the really strong impact of the emotions and the difficulties all of these people faced seemed a little detached from what was being told. In a way, this helped me cope and accept the events, but at the same time, it felt like a missed opportunity and the terrible things everyone dealt with weren't as harrowing as I imagined.

Perhaps having different timelines and focus on more than one protagonist made me feel distracted but jumping from Trang (mostly) and then Phong and then Dan made the flow break somehow. Still, their individual tribulations all had merit and offered food for thought. Of course I cannot really describe the necessary details without some spoilers, but it's not hard to infer stuff from the main subjects each character seems to personify.

Dan is dealing with PTSD and guilt over leaving a pregnant woman behind, although he had a girlfriend back home. This situations repeated itself with a large number of soldiers and while I could sympathize with Dan, bearing in mind the circumstances, I also felt annoyed by him and his American entitlement. I can imagine many others behaved properly and really developed feelings for Vietnamese women, but I confess it is much easier to imagine a majority of those who didn't do "the right thing".

Phong really made me sad, he is the son of a Vietnamese woman and an American soldier, Black at that. This means that it was even more obvious how discriminated and bullied he was by other children and adults later on. The world has not improved, I supposed. It was also very heartbreaking o see how Phong didn't have much chances in life but he was still a good man, in spite of youth mistakes. I think his character was my favorite and I felt sorry that while his discoveries led him into a satisfying closure, not  every detail was as rewarding.

Trang was, probably, the most complex character. I cannot envision the life real people like her actually went through and how it must have affected the way they saw themselves. This was, for me, the really heartbreaking part of the novel, the way her journey went through. Perhaps a different writing style would have added drama and sadness to how Trang lived though the hard choices, which would have elevated the novel, I bet, but this way I could maintain my control on how much to suffer..

The author included a note explaining the inspiration for the novel and I got the feeling that this would have led her to write a better non fiction than a novel, but at the same time, this was a much stronger story than others out there, so... I also liked knowing more about cultural and social aspects regarding Vietnam, of course, mainly when it came to the time period of he late 60s. However, to be fair, this was not the focus, I'd say.

In the end, what really stayed with me is that everyone who might see representation in any of the characters in this book probably feels this could be avoided. Wars are never solution to anything. Why can't humans learn?

Grade: 8/10

Joel Dicker - The Disappearance of Stephanie Mailer

In the summer of 1994, the quiet seaside town of Orphea reels from the discovery of two brutal murders.
Confounding their superiors, two young police officers, Jesse Rosenberg and Derek Scott crack the case and arrest the murderer, earning themselves handsome promotions and the lasting respect of their colleagues.
But twenty years later, just as he is on the point of taking early retirement, Rosenberg is approached by Stephanie Mailer, a journalist who believes he made a mistake back in 1994 and that the real murderer is still out there, perhaps ready to strike again. Before she can give any more details however, Stephanie Mailer mysteriously disappears without trace, and Rosenberg and Scott are forced to confront the awful possibility that her suspicions might have been proved horribly true.
What happened to Stephanie Mailer?
What did she know?
And what really happened in Orphea all those years ago?

Comment: One more book by Joel Dicker I had in the pile to read. Since I have enjoyed other thrillers by him (more than two other books which are not mainly crime investigations), I had confidence I'd like this one too.

Stephanie Mailer is a reporter who shows up at the retirement party for officer Jesse Rosenberg telling him that, in 1994, he and his partner caught the wrong man, guilty of killing four people. She tells him that the truth was always in front of them and they didn't investigate properly. Stephanie Mailer disappears that same day and that propels Jesse and partner Derek, who has been on desk duty, to reopen the investigation. As things move long, they start noticing that there are more things that seem to be linked to that old case than they imagined, as clues that were overlooked before, now take a new meaning. But happened, what made the killer scared that he or she felt they had to kill again?

This was a very rewarding story to read. It might not be perfect because there were some transitions here and there that seemed forced and around half way a few details were presented in such a way that coincidence is a weak word to describe things, but one thing is true: it was a real roller coaster of entertainment to read this story.

The plot is centered on the investigation happening in the present but there are a few scenes spread throughout the book in which we can see something from the POV of the protagonist, in the past. I'm glad this wasn't "flashback style" because I tire very easily of that method, and this way I could sense I was not being too distracted by going back and forth. Besides, I really like it when we, the reader, can follow up the clues on the now as the characters do, instead of just having that information as a given while the characters are in the dark.

I also think the author must have watched a lot of movies because I could see a couple of references to scenes I remember seeing in a movie; perhaps there were more and I didn't recognize them. This said, I think the plot was constructed in a very ingenious way, there are twists and red herrings around all the time, and while the chapters didn't all end in surprises or shocking news, I've felt that going forward was always going to tell me something new, something for me to think about.

What an imagination it must have required to sequence the events in a reliable way, to add details and make them (mostly) work out with what we had read before... the author really did a good job creating the plot. I never suspected the killer was that person, and I'd have preferred for someone else to be guilty, but I think it made sense, psychologically speaking. It was also fun to be able to see how some little things mattered a lot more than seemed obvious when certain things were introduced.

The characters were all very intriguing but not in the sense that they were all keeping secrets. I mean, of course they did that, but their personalities were what was really fun to look for. I also liked the fact that everyone had layers but only one character or two, clearly antagonists, were really "bad people" and all the others had more to them than just a label we could give them. It was really a relief to think these characters were not all secretly hiding terrible stuff or something. Some were simply people trying their best.

Perhaps, this is not the most incredible plot ever, but it was very satisfying to read and I was rooting for the characters we are suppose to root for, namely the police officers investigating, to succeed. The title is, perhaps, a little unsuitable because the main focus isn't exactly on Stephanie's disappearance, but on how it is connected to the initial crime. Still, entertaining. I'm looking for to read more thrillers by the author.

Grade: 8/10