Mary Kay Andrews, The Newcomer

I picked up The Newcomer because I was looking for something fluffy with both romance and mystery subplots. Objectively speaking, The Newcomer delivered on all accounts. The story follows a young woman called Letty Carnahan, who must flee New York City with her four-year-old niece following the murder of Letty’s sister Tanya. Ending up in a family-owned motel in Florida called The Murmuring Surf, Letty hopes to find a safe place to lay low while trying to raise Maya. While she does find this, she also must deal with a suspicious cop, her own sister’s shady past, and a tight-knit community of elderly folks who do not look fondly on newcomers.

This book has a foot in both the romance and mystery genres, with a heap of the ‘found family’ trope sprinkled throughout. Continue reading “Mary Kay Andrews, The Newcomer” →

Amy Tintera, Listen for the Lie

What would you do if you believed you murdered your best friend? That is the question Lucy Chase has been asking herself for the last five years. Before rebuilding her life in Los Angeles, Lucy Chase was labeled a murderer by the residents of her hometown for the slaying of her best friend, Savvy Harper, after wandering the town soaked in her blood. Only two people really know what happened that fateful night; one cannot remember the events, and the other is dead. Enter Ben Owens, the charming and handsome true crime podcast host who is trying to find the truth. Lucy returns to her small, Southern hometown to assist in getting justice for her best friend. Even if it means remembering things she doesn’t want to remember. Even if it means realizing she’s the killer.

Continue reading “Amy Tintera, Listen for the Lie” →

Sharyn McCrumb, The Unquiet Grave

This novel proved to be a very different beast of a crime book. Ghosts, murderers, and coverups, oh my! There’s a lot about this novel that screams quintessential southern murder mystery. Taking place post-Civil War in Appalachian mountain towns and based on the true story of Zona Heaster, otherwise known as the Greenbriar Ghost, this novel approaches difficult topics with grace and respect for both the victim and family.

Mary Jane Heaster does not like “Trout” Shue from the moment she learns about him. When her beloved daughter marries him almost immediately after meeting him, she is right to worry. Continue reading “Sharyn McCrumb, The Unquiet Grave” →

Kelly J. Ford, Cottonmouths (2017)

This was Drear’s Bluff, nothing bad happened here. People didn’t disappear.

Kelly J. Ford’s novel, Cottonmouths, explores the return home to the small, Southern town of Drear’s Bluff, Arkansas, through the eyes of college dropout Emily Skinner. While bearing the pressure of her community’s expectations, she reconnects with her childhood friend and unrequited first love, Jody, whose new life is full of secrets and lies. As Emily’s life becomes intertwined with Jody’s, she must make decisions on who to trust, what to believe, and how much of herself she is willing to give away for someone she loves.

Continue reading “Kelly J. Ford, Cottonmouths (2017)” →

Patricia Cornwell, Post-Mortem (1990)

Trigger Warnings: Sexual Violence, Violence Against Women

Plot Summary:

Post-Mortem is the first novel in Patricia Cornwell’s twenty-eight-book series. Protagonist Dr. Kay Scarpetta, the chief medical examiner in Richmond, Virginia, has seen an influx of clients with a serial killer on the loose and an incompetent police department. The only link between the murdered women is their manner of death. Scarpetta takes it upon herself to find the missing link and stop the killings. If the case wasn’t difficult enough, somebody is out to sabotage Dr. Scarpetta, but she can’t stop until she knows the truth. After all, the murdered women were just like her – something that haunts her more than the ice-cold bodies in the morgue. Continue reading “Patricia Cornwell, Post-Mortem (1990)” →

Gillian Flynn, Gone Girl

What are you thinking? How are you feeling? Who are you? What have we done to each other? What will we do?

On the surface, Nick and Amy appear to have the perfect marriage.

In the small town of North Carthage, Missouri during the summer of 2012, Amy Dunne disappears. Specifically, on the day of Nick and Amy’s fifth wedding anniversary. When Amy vanishes into what seems to be thin air, Nick is left as suspect number one.

Nick, a small town boy from Missouri making it as a writer in New York, meets Amy and the rest is history. They sweep each other into a dreamy whirlwind until reality strikes and they both lose their jobs, leading them to Nick’s hometown. Continue reading “Gillian Flynn, Gone Girl” →

Amy Greene, Bloodroot

TW: Abuse and depictions of violence

Amy Greene’s debut novel, Bloodroot, is a striking work of literary fiction set in the Appalachian region of Tennessee. Rather than following a traditional plot, Bloodroot is a collection of life stories spanning four generations, each narrator connected to the novel’s central figure: Myra Lamb. By progressing in a non-linear fashion, Bloodroot’s character-driven storytelling allows readers to slowly navigate the depths of this tragic family. This is largely achieved through coupled perspectives, the first alternating between Myra’s childhood friend, Doug, and her grandmother, Birdie; and later shifting to Myra’s own children, Johnny and Laura. Though these stories are brought together by their connection to Myra, I found each incredibly compelling in its own right. Continue reading “Amy Greene, Bloodroot” →

Delia Owens, Where the Crawdads Sing

Where the Crawdads Sing is a crime novel built upon elements of Southern Gothic, coming-of-age, and romance. Delia Owens blends this concoction of literary ingredients into a narrative I did not want to let go of, surrounding a character I would die for.

Kya Clark, a ten-year-old girl, lives alone in the marshes of North Carolina, abandoned by her family and shunned by her small town as trash. Without school, a job, or friends, Kya only has the marsh to turn to, leading to a fascination with the other marsh-dwelling creatures. The gulls become her friends, the waves her teachers, and the sand her home. Kya’s connection with the marsh runs deep, but it is not enough; her desire for human connection draws her towards the townspeople whom she could never trust. In finding love, Kya opens herself up to new possibilities for an integrated life. The choice is stolen from her when the golden boy of the town is found dead in the marsh, and Kya, the so-called “Marsh Girl,” is thrust into the town’s spotlight as fingers start pointing. Battling a town riddled with prejudice and a taste for vengeance, Kya must protect herself and find her way back to the marsh, the best friend she’s ever known. Continue reading “Delia Owens, Where the Crawdads Sing” →

Stacy Willingham, All the Dangerous Things

Imagine putting your toddler son to sleep, then waking up in the morning to find him missing from his bed. The baby monitor conveniently ran out of batteries a couple of days ago, and there is no evidence of a break-in besides an open window and a footprint outside. The police found his stuffed animal near a marsh. All the evidence points to the suspicion that it was an insider job. You feel like something is off. Something is missing from your memories. Something important. Something about yourself that could change the trajectory of the case. Continue reading “Stacy Willingham, All the Dangerous Things” →

Kathy Reichs and Brendan Reichs, Virals

Virals is a light, breezy way for young readers to delve into the wonderful world of supernatural powers and murder. The novel follows 15-year-old Tory Brennan as she and her friends investigate a decades-old murder, while simultaneously dealing with the impossible, yet true, supernatural changes to themselves. Our story centers around the slightly creepy, and definitely spooky, Loggerhead Island. Loggerhead Island (which isn’t a real place, I googled) is right off the coast of the always lovely Charleston, South Carolina. When the band of teens discovers something not quite right about the dealings on Loggerhead Island, they begin to investigate and discover a darker truth than they ever expected. But our story doesn’t end there! Loggerhead Island contains more than just scary ass monkeys and weird wolf-dogs; it also holds a new type of power that will infect the teens and change their lives forever (or at least for this book but forever sounds all cool and ominous). Continue reading “Kathy Reichs and Brendan Reichs, Virals” →