This Is How I Lied by Heather Gudenkauf

THIS IS HOW I LIED by Heather Gudenkauf is a timely and gripping thriller about careless violence we can inflict on those we love, and the lengths we will go to make it right, even 25 years later.

Tough as nails and seven months pregnant, Detective Maggie Kennedy-O’Keefe of Grotto PD, is dreading going on desk duty before having the baby her and her husband so badly want. But when new evidence is found in the 25-year-old cold case of her best friend’s murder that requires the work of a desk jockey, Maggie jumps at the opportunity to be the one who finally puts Eve Knox’s case to rest.

Maggie has her work cut out for her. Everyone close to Eve is a suspect. There’s Nola, Eve’s little sister who’s always been a little... off; Nick, Eve’s ex-boyfriend with a vicious temper; a Schwinn riding drifter who blew in and out of Grotto; even Maggie’s husband Sean, who may have known more about Eve’s last day than he’s letting on. As Maggie continues to investigate, the case comes closer and closer to home, forcing her to confront her own demons before she can find justice for Eve.

Heather Gudenkauf is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of many books, including The Weight of Silence and These Things Hidden. Heather graduated from the University of Iowa with a degree in elementary education, has spent her career working with students of all ages. She lives in Iowa with her husband, three children, and a very spoiled German Shorthaired Pointer named Lolo. In her free time, Heather enjoys spending time with her family, reading, hiking, and running.

When Detective Maggie was 15 her best friend Eve was killed.  Her father was the investigating officer at the time and the case went cold.  Now 25 years later and  7 months pregnant a piece of evidence is found and the case is reopened.  Maggie is tasked with going over all the evidence and getting it ready to send to the state authorities.  Maggie has secrets from that time that she wants to keep, and someone is determined to bring them to light.  While someone else is just a motivated to keep the secrets buried.  Eve's younger sister Nola has always been a bit strange, and this new evidence seems to intensify that.  She has her own idea of who killed her sister and will do whatever it takes to bring them down. What happened to Eve is revealed in alternating chapters with teasers as to who the killer could be that kept me guessing.

*Thank you to Park Row Books/Netgalley for this review copy*

Excerpt link.
Author Website

The Cuban Affair (Audio)

US Army combat veteran Daniel “Mac” MacCormick, now a charter boat captain, who is about to set sail on his most dangerous cruise.

Daniel Graham MacCormick—Mac for short—seems to have a pretty good life. At age thirty-five he’s living in Key West, owner of a forty-two-foot charter fishing boat, The Maine. Mac served five years in the Army as an infantry officer with two tours in Afghanistan. He returned with the Silver Star, two Purple Hearts, scars that don’t tan, and a boat with a big bank loan. Truth be told, Mac’s finances are more than a little shaky.
One day, Mac is sitting in the famous Green Parrot Bar in Key West, contemplating his life, and waiting for Carlos, a hotshot Miami lawyer heavily involved with anti-Castro groups. Carlos wants to hire Mac and The Maine for a ten-day fishing tournament to Cuba at the standard rate, but Mac suspects there is more to this and turns it down. The price then goes up to two million dollars, and Mac agrees to hear the deal, and meet Carlos’s clients—a beautiful Cuban-American woman named Sara Ortega, and a mysterious older Cuban exile, Eduardo Valazquez.

What Mac learns is that there is sixty million American dollars hidden in Cuba by Sara’s grandfather when he fled Castro’s revolution. With the “Cuban Thaw” underway between Havana and Washington, Carlos, Eduardo, and Sara know it’s only a matter of time before someone finds the stash—by accident or on purpose. And Mac knows if he accepts this job, he’ll walk away rich…or not at all.

Scott Brick did an excellent job narrating this action, adventure story. When the novel gets a bit bogged down with historical aspects, he made it easy to listen Mac knows the deal is too good to be true, but figures what the heck, he'll give it a go. With his snarky humor and inner dialog, Mac is a great character that I hope turns up in another book. 

*Thanks to Simon and Schuster Audio for this review copy*

The Black Book (audio)

Three bodies in a beautiful and luxurious bedroom.

Billy Harney was born to be a cop. The son of Chicago's chief of detectives, whose twin sister is also on the force, Billy plays it by the book. Alongside Detective Kate Fenton, Billy's tempestuous, adrenaline-junkie partner, there's nothing he wouldn't sacrifice for his job. Enter Amy Lentini, a hard-charging assistant state's attorney hell-bent on making a name for herself-who suspects Billy isn't the cop he claims to be. They're about to be linked by more than their careers.

One missing black book.

A horrifying murder leads investigators to an unexpected address-an exclusive brothel that caters to Chicago's most powerful citizens. There's plenty of incriminating evidence on the scene-but what matters most is what's missing: the madam's black book. Now shock waves are rippling through the city's elite, and everyone's desperate to find it.

Chicago has never been more dangerous.

As everyone who's anyone in Chicago scrambles to get their hands on the elusive black book, no one's motives can be trusted. An ingenious, inventive thriller about power, corruption, and the power of secrets to scandalize a city-and possibly destroy a family

Billy Harney comes from a family of cops. He is a homicide detective and is working on a case that brings him to a suspected house of prostitution. When he and his partner Kate lead the raid their careers take a turn for the worse. An unstoppable listen with twists that kept me guessing who could have taken the black book? The story is told in past and present chapters that easily weave a fast-paced, entertaining story that has you suspecting everyone. Edorado Ballerini did a fantastic job with the narration.

*Thank to Hachette Audio for this excellent listen*

The Twilight Wife (audio)

Thirty-four-year-old marine biologist Kyra Winthrop remembers nothing about the diving accident that left her with a complex form of memory loss. With only brief flashes of the last few years of her life, her world has narrowed to a few close friendships on the island where she lives with her devoted husband, Jacob.

But all is not what it seems. Kyra begins to have visions—or are they memories?—of a rocky marriage, broken promises, and cryptic relationships with the island residents, whom she believes to be her friends.

As Kyra races to uncover her past, the truth becomes a terrifying nightmare. A twisty, immersive thriller, The Twilight Wife will keep readers enthralled through the final, shocking twist.

Narrator Cassandra Campbell does an excellent job with building the tension of  Kyra's memory as she gets flashes of events and can't put them into context.  There is a little bit of repetition as the character is building upon each remembered event, but it did allow for me to figure out what Kyra was trying to remember. The setting of an Island is perfect for the suspense. 

*Thanks to Simon and Schuster for this review copy*

Happy 30th to my son Caleb!

Cross The Line (audio) + Giveaway JIAM

Alex Cross chases a cold-blooded killer...with a conscience.

Shots ring out in the early morning hours in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. When the smoke clears, a prominent police official lies dead, leaving the city's police force scrambling for answers.

Under pressure from the mayor, Alex Cross steps into the leadership vacuum to investigate the case. But before Cross can make any headway, a brutal crime wave sweeps across the region. The deadly scenes share only one common thread – the victims are all criminals. And the only thing more dangerous than a murderer without a conscience, is a killer who thinks he has justice on his side.

As Cross pursues an adversary who has appointed himself judge, jury, and executioner, he must take the law back into his own hands before the city he's sworn to protect descends into utter chaos

The Alex Cross series has remained one of my favorites. Have I loved every book? Nope, but I like this character and his family. He is good at his job, but loves his family more than anything. It has been great to watch them grow, change and become closer as the years have passed. There are three cases pulling both Alex, his partner Samson and wife Bree in many directions. Could they be connected?  A couple of twists, fast paced with plenty of action made for an entertaining listen. What frustrates me with this series is that I listen on audio and there have been a few narrators for the voice of Alex Cross. Most of them has done a good job, but this latest voice was too young sounding for a veteran Detective with three kids. I loved Peter Bradbury's voice of the villain.  Despite the change in narrators, I will listen to the next Alex Cross book that releases in November.

*Thanks to Hachette Audio for this review copy*

I am hosting a giveaway of my gently used (previously listened to) audiobooks. Enter by commenting on my Friday audiobook posts. I will draw a few winners on July 7th. Please let me know which audiobook(s) you are interested in listening to of the group pictured here. 

Last Words by Michael Koryta narrated by Robert Petkoff
Distress Signals by Catherine Ryan Hyde narrated by Alan Smyth, Bronson Pinchot and Suzanne Torren
Always A Cowboy by Linda Lael Miller narrated by Jack Garret
Here's To Us by Elin Hilderbrand narrated by Erin Bennett
A Duke To Remember by Kelly Bowen narrated by Polly Lee
Spinning the Moon (2 classic stories) by Karen White narrated by Susan Bennett and Pilar Witherspoon

Dead Man Switch (audio) + Giveaway

Someone is hunting down America's most elite special ops soldiers - in their homes.

A deadly fall on a rugged stretch of California coast. A burglary gone wrong in Virginia. These incidents seem unrelated, but the victims were living undercover, their true identities closely held secrets. They are members of a classified team, the last line of defense against foreign threats. Now someone is assassinating them one by one, taking out family members and innocent bystanders to make the deaths seem like accidents.

Captain John Hayes, a special operations legend, has left the military to settle down with his family. But when he pieces together a pattern behind the murders and discovers that his protégée, Claire Rhodes, a brilliant assassin, is the prime suspect, he returns to duty to unmask the attackers.

With every success, the killers grow bolder. Their ultimate goal: lure Hayes and his remaining fellow soldiers to Manhattan, to eliminate them all in a single devastating strike. To save his teammates and thousands of innocent lives, Hayes must find a way to stop a seemingly unstoppable weapon.

After listening to Cold Barrel Zero in which John Hayes, a special operation operative is introduced, I knew a great character had been created and was glad to know his story wasn't over.  In this second book he has finally cleared his name with those that matter. There are a select few that know he's been cleared but his cover has been kept in place which will hopefully be of advantage when he has to race to find out who is behind the systematic killing of those involved in Cold Harvest. He is relentless in wanting to protect his team, but one of them may be behind these attacks.  Narrator Peter Coleman gets the fast paced, thrill ride atmosphere of this second John Hayes novel perfectly. I could not stop listening! 

*Thanks to Hachette Audio for this review copy*

June is Audiobook Month. Check out the other bloggers celebrating this month by recommending their top 5 audiobooks and why they love to listen here. Each blog is hosting a giveaway for earbuds and  3 free audiobook downloads on Audiobooks.com. 

I am hosting a giveaway of my gently used (previously listened to) audiobooks. Enter by commenting on my Friday audiobook posts. I will draw a few winners at the end of the month. Please let me know which audiobook(s) you are interested in listening to of the group pictured here. 

Last Words by Michael Koryta narrated by Robert Petkoff
Distress Signals by Catherine Ryan Hyde narrated by Alan Smyth, Bronson Pinchot and Suzanne Torren
Always A Cowboy by Linda Lael Miller narrated by Jack Garret
Here's To Us by Elin Hilderbrand narrated by Erin Bennett
A Duke To Remember by Kelly Bowen narrated by Polly Lee
Spinning the Moon (2 classic stories) by Karen White narrated by Susan Bennett and Pilar Witherspoon

#loveaudiobooks

No Man's Land by David Baldacci (audio)

Two men. Thirty years.

John Puller’s mother, Jackie, vanished thirty years ago from Fort Monroe, Virginia, when Puller was just a boy. Paul Rogers has been in prison for ten years. But twenty years before that, he was at Fort Monroe. One night three decades ago, Puller’s and Rogers’ worlds collided with devastating results, and the truth has been buried ever since.

Until now.

Military investigators, armed with a letter from a friend of Jackie’s, arrive in the hospital room of Puller’s father–a legendary three-star now sinking into dementia–and reveal that Puller Sr. has been accused of murdering Jackie.

Aided by his brother Robert Puller, an Air Force major, and Veronica Knox, who works for a shadowy U.S. intelligence organization, Puller begins a journey that will take him into his own past, to find the truth about his mother.

Paul Rogers’ time is running out. With the clock ticking, he begins his own journey, one that will take him across the country to the place where all his troubles began: a mysterious building on the grounds of Fort Monroe. There, thirty years ago, the man Rogers had once been vanished too, and was replaced with a monster. And now the monster wants revenge. And the only person standing in his way is John Puller.

The letter accusing his father leads John to investigate on his own,  He doesn't remember much and wants to discover the truth  Good friend Veronica Knox is ready to help when they both are called off the investigation by military brass they know they are getting close to something no one wants them to know..  There is a dual story of Paul Rogers recently released from prison, making his way back to Virginia for a reckoning.  As Paul's story unfolds it becomes clear his past has something to do with Jackie's disappearance.  As the chapters alternate and John's investigation brings him back to where he grew up the two stories converge in an unputdownable listen superbly narrated by Kyf Brewer and Orlagh Cassidy. I hope there are more John Puller stories. 

*Thanks to Hachette Audio for this review copy*


 

Right Behind You (audio)

Is he a hero?

Eight years ago, Sharlah May Nash’s older brother beat their drunken father to death with a baseball bat in order to save both of their lives. Now thirteen years old, Sharlah has finally moved on. About to be adopted by retired FBI profiler Pierce Quincy and his partner, Rainie Conner, Sharlah loves one thing best about her new family: They are all experts on monsters.

Is he a killer?

Then the call comes in. A double murder at a local gas station, followed by reports of an armed suspect shooting his way through the wilds of Oregon. As Quincy and Rainie race to assist, they are forced to confront mounting evidence: The shooter may very well be Sharlah’s older brother, Telly Ray Nash, and it appears his killing spree has only just begun.

All she knows for sure: He’s back.

As the clock winds down on a massive hunt for Telly, Quincy and Rainie must answer two critical questions: Why after eight years has this young man started killing again? And what does this mean for Sharlah? Once upon a time, Sharlah’s big brother saved her life. Now, she has two questions of her own: Is her brother a hero or a killer? And how much will it cost her new family before they learn the final, shattering truth? Because as Sharlah knows all too well, the biggest danger is the one standing right behind you.

Rainey and Quincy are looking forward to the finalization of their adoption of Sharlah. When they get a call about a double murder their plans have to take a backseat .  It seems that Sharlah's brother has killed his foster family and is coming for her.  The investigation heats up when another shooting takes place. Telly Ray's story is told in flashback and he becomes a sympathetic character. It didn't take me long to decide that he is not a killer and I had to keep listening to find out if I was right. Great unfolding story as the manhunt for Telly Ray heats up.
Both Teri Schnaubelt and Luke Daniels narration's were well done.  Teri was able to make Sharlah sound her age and the women's voices stood out as well.  I loved Luke Daniels Telly Ray narration. 

Book #7 in a series

Bullseye (audio)

Caught in the crossfire of a deadly standoff, Detective Michael Bennett must kill...or be killed.

Tensions between America and Russia are the highest they've been since the Cold War. As the countries' Presidents travel to the United Nations to iron out their differences, a fashionable husband and wife team of lethal assassins prowls the streets of Manhattan hunting their prey—a professor hiding a scandalous secret. Their next target: the extremely popular President of the United States of America. Pulled away from his family and pressed into service, Detective Michael Bennett must trace the source of a threat that could rip the country apart—and what he finds may turn the Cold War red hot once again. With allegiances constantly in doubt and no one above suspicion, only Bennett can step into the line of fire to save the President before the deadly kill shot hits its mark.

Book number nine in the Michael Bennett series focuses on Michael, his job and stopping an assassination. His family which is a big part of the series has a small role in this book and were definitely missed. The action is, as always, non-stop and brilliantly narrated by Danny Mastrogiorgio. His pacing is spot on and he does a great job with the variety of voices and accents. Looking forward to the next book in this series.

Thank you to Mitch and Hachette Audio for this review copy.

The Second Girl

He's a good detective...with a bad habit.

Frank Marr knows crime in Washington, DC. A decorated former police detective, he retired early and now ekes a living as a private eye for a defense attorney. Frank Marr may be the best investigator the city has ever known, but the city doesn't know his dirty secret.

A long-functioning drug addict, Frank has devoted his considerable skills to hiding his usage from others. But after accidentally discovering a kidnapped teenage girl in the home of an Adams Morgan drug gang, Frank becomes a hero and is thrust into the spotlight. He reluctantly agrees to investigate the disappearance of another girl--possibly connected to the first--and the heightened scrutiny may bring his own secrets to light, too.

Christopher Ryan Grant narrated Frank and the other characters exceptionally well.  Frank is a unique character in that you are on and off the fence about liking him. His position as a former cop turned PI gives him a bit of latitude in his investigative choices.  The case he agrees to take puts him at risk with many which adds to the intensity of the novel.  A fast paced story with a few twists that left me looking forward to what Frank Marr gets himself into next.  

*Thanks to Mitch and Hachette Audio for this review copy*

The Fixer (audio)

When former investigative reporter Rick Hoffman loses his job, fiancée, and apartment, his only option is to move back into — and renovate — the home of his miserable youth, now empty and in decay since the stroke that put his father in a nursing home.

As Rick starts to pull apart the old house, he makes an electrifying discovery — millions of dollars hidden in the walls. It’s enough money to completely transform Rick’s life — and everything he thought he knew about his father. Yet the more of his father’s hidden past that Rick brings to light, the more dangerous his present becomes. Soon, he finds himself on the run from deadly enemies desperate to keep the past buried, and only solving the mystery of his father — a man who has been unable to communicate, comprehend, or care for himself for almost 20 years — will save Rick… if he can survive long enough to do it.

Rick was hard to like at the beginning of the book.  He's selfish and whiny until he begins to realize what his father was attempting to do for his family. As he uses his skills as an investigative reporter the trouble starts taking twists and turns until the truth is finally revealed.  This was my first time listening to Steven Kearney.  The mystery of how and why the money was hidden by Rick's father was compelling enough to keep me listening to the story.  The narration was just okay and if the plot was not as interesting, I would have quit listening.

The Last Mile (audio)

Convicted murderer Melvin Mars is counting down the last hours before his execution—for the violent killing of his parents twenty years earlier—when he’s granted an unexpected reprieve. Another man has confessed to the crime.

Amos Decker, newly hired on an FBI special task force, takes an interest in Mars’ case after discovering the striking similarities to his own life: Both men were talented football players with promising careers cut short by tragedy. Both men’s families were brutally murdered. And in both cases, another suspect came forward, years after the killing, to confess to the crime. A suspect who may or may not have been telling the truth.

The confession has the potential to make Melvin Mars—guilty or not—a free man. Who wants Mars out of prison? And why now?

But when a member of Decker’s team disappears, it becomes clear that something much larger—and more sinister—than just one convicted criminal’s life hangs in the balance. Decker will need all of his extraordinary brainpower to stop an innocent man from being executed.

Amos Deker is back! He is a great character with a condition that makes him so interesting (which is expounded upon in the first book Memory Man).  Certain aspects of the case make no sense to Amos and he wants to know why as well as figure out what really happened even if it turns out that Melvin did kill his parents.  He can put seemingly random events together to see what others don't. Melvin is sympathetic and I wanted to know what really happened hoping that he didn't kill his parents. I loved how Amos has changed since the first book and look forward to what he gets himself involved with next. Kyf Brewster and Orlagh Cassidy once again did a fantastic job narrating the many character voices. The transition between the voices was smooth and easily recognizable. I wanted to be in the car so I could listen longer.

*Thanks to Mitch and Hachette Audio for this audiobook*

The Passenger (audio)

Forty-eight hours after leaving her husband’s body at the base of the stairs, Tanya Dubois cashes in her credit cards, dyes her hair brown, demands a new name from a shadowy voice over the phone, and flees town. It’s not the first time.

She meets Blue, a female bartender who recognizes the hunted look in a fugitive’s eyes and offers her a place to stay. With dwindling choices, Tanya-now-Amelia accepts. An uneasy―and dangerous―alliance is born.

It’s almost impossible to live off the grid today, but Amelia-now-Debra and Blue have the courage, the ingenuity, and the desperation, to try. Hopscotching from city to city, Debra especially is chased by a very dark secret . . . can she outrun her past?

With heart-stopping escapes and devious deceptions, The Passenger is an amazing psychological thriller about defining yourself while you pursue your path to survival. One thing is certain: the ride will leave you breathless.

Right off you know that Tanya has a past that she is running from when she needs to run again. This time she needs help and makes cryptic call for help. She gets that she thinks/hopes is an identity that will last for awhile. But shortly after meeting a kindred soul her life is threatened and she has to run again, but what happens is a twist that she never saw coming. Woven into her story are letters that tell a story, but we a left wondering what it all means.  Her past comes for a reckoning and we learn the truth. Madeleine Maby narrated the book that kept me listening wondering if this character was believable, but wanting to know what happened to her. 

*Thanks to Simon and Schuster for this audio copy*

Cold Barrel Zero (audio)

A CODE HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT. A BLACK OPS TEAM THAT WENT TOO FAR.

John Hayes is a Special Operations legend who went rogue on a deep-cover mission and betrayed his own soldiers. Disgraced and on the run, he returns to the United States to get back to his wife and daughter and take revenge on his accusers with a series of devastating attacks.

Only one man can stop him: Thomas Byrne. He once fought alongside Hayes as a combat medic, but he gave up the gun. Now a surgeon, he moves from town to town, trying to forget his past, until he is called upon by a high-ranking government official to help capture the man he once called a friend.

Hayes and Byrne were once as close as brothers, but with the fate of the nation hanging in the balance and nothing as it seems, both men must decide whom to trust--and whom to betray. In a final, explosive battle for justice, they face off along a rifle's cold barrel.

This was a non-stop action, suspense filled novel that keeps you guessing. Both Hayes and Byrne are great characters. It took a bit to get all the characters situated in my mind with the multiple POVs as I listened to the book.  I made a note of them and had to refer to it to remind myself of which group they belonged to. There were quite a few great twists and I loved that I was kept guessing!  My errands ran longer than normal so I had time to listen. Peter Coleman does a good job narrating. I hope that these characters make a return appearance. 

Thanks to Mitch and Hachette Audio for this review copy

Private Paris (audio)

Paris is burning—and only Private's Jack Morgan can put out the fire.

When Jack Morgan stops by Private's Paris office, he envisions a quick hello during an otherwise relaxing trip filled with fine food and sightseeing. But Jack is quickly pressed into duty after a call from his client Sherman Wilkerson, asking Jack to track down his young granddaughter who is on the run from a brutal drug dealer.

Before Jack can locate her, several members of France's cultural elite are found dead—murdered in stunning, symbolic fashion. The only link between the crimes is a mysterious graffiti tag. As religious and ethnic tensions simmer in the City of Lights, only Jack and his Private team can connect the dots before the smoldering powder keg explodes.

The name James Patterson is synonymous with a great story and a fast read, or in this case a fast listen. I "read with my ears" Patterson's latest Private book, and it did not disappoint. Written with Mark Sullivan, this is the latest installment in the Private series which has the same core characters but each book takes place in a different location. Though they are part of a series, each stands on it's own and have very little reference to the other books in the series so you won't be lost starting here and there aren't any spoilers if you missed on of the other books. There are three readers (Jay Snyder, Dion Graham and Joan Brassard) that lent their voices to this audio and they were fabulous to listen to. The story came to life through their accents and made the story even more enjoyable. True to style, the authors weaves multiple story lines together to keep you guessing and entertained with suspense and action. There are not his most suspenseful or twist filled stories but they are worth adding to your list of books to read. I highly recommend the Private series.

Reviewed by Courtney

Time to update the photo, it was taken a year ago.  Cole will be 2 next month!


*Thanks to Mitch and Hachette Audio for this review copy*

Cold Shot

In college, Griffin McCray and his four best friends had their lives planned out. Griffin and Luke Gallagher would join the Baltimore PD. Declan Gray would head to the FBI and Parker Mitchell would go on to graduate school as a crime scene analyst. But then Luke vanished before graduation and their world--and friendships--crumbled.

Now Griffin is a park ranger at Gettysburg, having left life as a SWAT-team sniper when a case went bad. The job is mostly quiet--until the day he captures two relic hunters uncovering skeletal remains near Little Round Top.

Griffin just wants the case to go away, but charming forensic anthropologist Finley Scott determines that the body is modern--a young social justice lawyer missing since spring--and all evidence points to the work of an expert sniper.

When FBI agent Declan Gray takes over the case, past and present collide. Griffin soon realizes he'll need to confront some of the darkest days of his life if he--and those he cares about--are going to escape a downward spiral of murder that crosses continents.

After loving the Alaskan Courage series I knew her next series would be on my TBR list!. We are introduced to a new set of interesting characters - all friends for a long time. This first book introduces the characters and focuses on Griffin and Finley. Griffin likes his solitary job as a park ranger, it helps to keep the past where he wants it. When Finley starts spending time in the park on a dig, his heart begins to thaw. When a body is uncovered and determined to be recent his solitary life is a thing of the past, especially when his friends show up to help.  Once the identity of the body is determined the suspense picks up with many trying to keep everything buried.  Griffin and Finley's romance, while a part of the story, did not overtake it. There are hints to what the other characters will be dealing with in future books.  A clean read with some faith elements. A great start to this new series.  

*Thanks to Bethany House for this review copy*

The Guilty (audio)

Will Robie is the government's most professional, disciplined, and lethal assassin. He infiltrates the most hostile countries in the world, defeats our enemies' advanced security measures, and eliminates threats before they ever reach our shores. But now, his skills have left him. Sent overseas on a critical assignment, he fails, unable to pull the trigger. Absent his talents, Robie is a man without a mission, and without a purpose.

To recover what he has lost, Robie must confront what he has tried to forget for over twenty years: his own past.

Government assassin Will Robie has failed by missing his target for the first time and wonders if his career is over. He soon discovers that his father, whom he hasn't seen in 20 years, is accused of murder. Will makes the trip to Cantrell, Mississippi in an effort to get over whatever it is that has caused him to fail. Everywhere he goes his welcome is subdued. Everyone remembers him due to his being the star quarterback on a state championship team. His father's guilt seems to be a foregone conclusion to everyone in town. Will is surprised to learn that his father is remarried and has a young son which helps cement Will's determination to help his father's defense whether he wants the help or not. When bodies begin to pile up Will knows he made the right decision even if it means confronting his past and uncovering secrets that could kill. Jessica Reel is sent to Cantrell to help Will figure out who may have framed his father. The reveal was a dark and twisty surprise. When I learned that there was a new male narrator for the series I was a bit concerned as I loved Ron Mclarty's narrations. Welcome Kyf Brewer! He did a fantastic job and in fact I loved the added dimension his voice brings to the character. Orlagh Cassidy did a fantastic job with the female narration as usual.

The Guilty (Will Robie #4) by David Baldacci









This complimentary review copy was received thankfully from Mitch and Hachette Audio and in no way influenced my review of this book. These are my personal thoughts and reactions to the reading of the book.

Cross Justice

The toughest cases are the ones that hit close to home.

When his cousin is accused of a heinous crime, Alex Cross returns to his North Carolina hometown for the first time in over three decades. As he tries to prove his cousin's innocence in a town where everyone seems to be on the take, Cross unearths a family secret that forces him to question everything he's ever known.

Chasing a ghost he believed was long dead, Cross gets pulled into a case that has local cops scratching their heads and needing his help: a grisly string of socialite murders. Now he's hot on the trail of both a brutal killer, and the truth about his own past—and the answers he finds might be fatal.

Alex and his family are taking a trip to get away and recover from being stalked and held captive by psychotic killer. He hopes to help his cousin as they rest and relax. His daughter is also taking advantage of training with elite college track coaches and runners. The evidence against his cousin is so convincing that Alex is wondering if maybe he really did commit the crimes. When Alex learns the truth about his parents and wants to find out what and why. Meanwhile a killing spree is going on in Florida. Alex is drawn to Florida to track down the secret he has been told. When he crosses path the those investigating the socialite killer, he helps them track down and catch the killer. It was a strange interlude, which becomes more significant and powerful as the story concludes. When Alex's daughter Janey has drugs planted on her, he and Bree truly begin investigating and discover all the evidence against his cousin may just be false. The conclusion is satisfying as well as emotional. Another good installment in the Cross series. Narrated by Ruben Santiago-Hudson and Jefferson Mays. 

Cross Justice (#23) by James Patterson


*Thanks to Mitch and Hachette Audio for this review copy*

Last Words by Michael Koryta

Markus Novak just wants to come home. An investigator for a Florida-based Death Row defense firm, Novak’s life derailed when his wife, Lauren, was killed in the midst of a case the two were working together. Two years later, her murderer is still at large, and Novak’s attempts to learn the truth about her death through less-than-legal means and jailhouse bargaining have put his job on the line. Now he’s been all but banished, sent to Garrison, Indiana to assess a cold case that he’s certain his boss has no intention of taking.

As Novak knows all too well, some crimes never do get solved. But it’s not often that the man who many believe got away with murder is the one calling for the case to be reopened. Ten years ago, a teenaged girl disappeared inside an elaborate cave system beneath rural farmland. Days later, Ridley Barnes emerged carrying Sarah Martin’s lifeless body. Barnes has claimed all along that he has no memory of exactly where — or how — he found Sarah. His memory of whether she was dead or alive at the time is equally foggy. Tired of living under a cloud of suspicion, he says he wants answers — even if they mean he’ll end up in the electric chair.

But what’s he really up to? And Novak knows why he’s so unhappy to be in Garrison – but why are the locals so hostile towards him? The answers lie in the fiendish brain of a dangerous man, the real identity of a mysterious woman, and deep beneath them all, in the network of ancient, stony passages that hold secrets deadlier than he can imagine. Soon Novak is made painfully aware that if he has any chance of returning to the life and career he left behind in Florida, he’ll need to find the truth in Garrison first.

This was my first book by Michael Koryta and I am now a fan! I plan on requesting his previous books to read as he is a master story teller. "Last Words" drew me in from the start and from that point forward I could not get enough! There were so many twists and turns that kept you guessing and on the edge of your seat for resolution until the very end. The characters are well developed and create in the reader a sense of alliance with some and enemies of others. I hope the main character becomes a series of books that Koryta is planning on doing as there are stories left untold! I listened to this book while I was driving to and from work and there were times where I just wanted to keep driving around so I could hear more of the story. This book was absolutely riveting to listen to! Robert Petkoff is hands down one of the BEST readers I have heard. He altered his voice just enough to give each character a distinct quality so you knew without a doubt who was speaking without going too overboard. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for an outstanding read with the caution that once they start reading they won't be able to stop.  

Reviewed by Courtney (my daughter)

*Thank you to Hachette Audio and Mitch for this review copy*

Hope To Die (audio)

Detective Alex Cross is being stalked by a psychotic genius, forced to play the deadliest game of his career. Cross's family—his loving wife Bree, the wise and lively Nana Mama, and his precious children—have been ripped away. Terrified and desperate, Cross must give this mad man what he wants if he has any chance of saving the most important people in his life. The stakes have never been higher: What will Cross sacrifice to save the ones he loves?

The previous book, Cross My Heart, ended with a cliff-hanger that left a very frustrated reader thinking, "no way, will he (the author) do this", but not totally sure. The book picks up right where we were left, wondering what happens to Cross's family. When the bodies begin showing up, it is unbelievably tense as you wait for identification. Alex is asked to do something that goes against everything he believes in, but his family always comes first. The action was non-stop and the narrations of Scott Sower and Michael Boatman have you feeling like you are right there with the torturous feelings of Alex and the creepiness of Mulch/Sunday .  After listening to this 22nd book in the series,  I am wondering how much more can Alex go through regarding his family.  

This complimentary review copy was received thankfully from Mitch and Hachette Audio and in no way influenced my review of this book. These are my personal thoughts and reactions to the reading of the book.