The Book Grrl: fiction

Friday, July 17, 2015

My Review of ‘Last Kiss’

REVIEW OF LAST KISS

Author: Louise Phillips

A man is murdered in a swank hotel in Dublin by a woman apparently obsessed with imagery and the Tarot. When another body is found, killed in similar circumstances, the police realize they may be dealing with that rarest of birds – a female serial killer.

Louise Phillips’ protagonist, criminal profiler Dr. Kate Pearson, is in fine fettle. Not only smart, but funny. Professional, but feeling ill at odds about her personal situation.

Kate has separated from her husband and does her best to look after her son, Charlie. Her frustration with that situation is compounded by the odd feeling she has that the officer she’s worked with most closely – Adam O’Connor – would like to be more than friends and vice versa.

Nonetheless, they are teamed to investigate the possible connections with other murders across Europe. All the while, an ambitious rival officer plays dirty in an attempt to discredit O’Connor.

Meanwhile, a woman worries that her husband is having an affair with a much more aggressive and sexual woman than herself. She confides her fears to a group of female friends – at least one of whom knows more than she’s telling.

There is a twist – which I did see coming – but that did nothing to lessen how enthralled I was with the story.

Louise Phillips once again delivers the goods in this heart-stopping thriller.

This book is an absolute must-read!

Friday, July 3, 2015

My Review of ‘Ruin Falls’

REVIEW OF RUIN FALLS

by Jenny Milchman

When Liz Daniels and family take a trip to see her in-laws, this alone is most unusual. Her husband, Paul, who’s kept his distance from his parents gets this sudden urge to vacation at their farm.

However, when Paul takes the extraordinary step of staying at a motel overnight, this is truly out of character for him. Paul is rigidly anti-consumerist and won’t abide his children eating anything but health food. No pesticides, no additives, no sugary treats for his kids. And Paul, being an expert in living off the land, has visions of doing so completely someday.

But that is just the set-up of Liz Daniels’ nightmare – the disappearance of her two children. Taken by Paul himself.

Once that’s established, the cops dismiss the matter as a “domestic dispute,” and Liz is left on her own to solve the problem.

What transpires is a story that’s way more than one of eerie suspense and page-turning thrills. It is a story of a woman who always deferred to and depended upon her husband’s strength and larger-than-life persona, who must come into her own.

In the face of self-doubt and loneliness, Liz is forced to deal with her stoic father-in-law, Paul’s fawning students, and a dangerous adversary in order to dig out the whole truth behind her situation.

To her credit, Liz co-owns a business. However, she hasn’t been the “take charge” partner, leaving that role to her friend Liz, who has her own troubles.

Not only is the story well-plotted and characters fully formed, but the setting is described in rich detail, without slowing the pace.

I highly recommend this book.