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Although Casey Duncan's seen plenty of crime in her two years as a homicide detective, it's the murder she committed while in college that haunts her the most.  As deserving as the victim may have been, he was still the son of a powerful mobster.  While Casey was never charged for the killing, a recent attack reminds her that she will never be truly safe.    

Diana Berry, Casey's best friend, has finally separated from her abusive ex-husband.  When he shows up unexpectedly, leaving Diana bruised and beaten, Casey decides enough is enough.  For both her and her BFF.  Diana knows of a place for people like them, people who need to disappear.  It's not easy to get into Rockton—a secret, off-the-grid town in the middle of nowhere—but Casey knows how to investigate a murder and Rockton's just experienced its first one.  The town needs Casey almost as desperately as she and Diana need it.  

It's only when Casey arrives in the Yukon that she realizes just how cut off Rockton is from the rest of the world.  In a town of 200 people, all hiding from something ("The women are mostly running from bad choices in men.  The men are mostly running from bad choices in life" [175].), Casey and Diana could be in a whole different kind of trouble.  Between the women's enigmatic new neighbors, their local murderer, and the extreme, punishing climate in which they suddenly find themselves, there are myriad ways they could disappear—never to be seen again.  The more Casey investigates Rockton's first murder, the more secrets she uncovers about the town, its residents, and her place in this strange new world from which there is no escape ...

I picked up City of the Lost, the first book in the Rockton series by Kelley Armstrong, on a whim.  Locked-room type mysteries always intrigue me, especially when they feature isolated locations in inhospitable climates.  This novel fit the bill, with the added bonuses of sharp prose, a propulsive plot, and flawed, complex characters whom I soon grew to care about.  Although it's dark and gory, City of the Lost is also engrossing and enjoyable.  It reminds me of the t.v. show Lost (sans the supernatural elements), if it were set in a snowy wilderness instead of on a tropical island.  Needless to say, I rushed right out to grab the next two books in the series.  I simply have to know what happens next in the very intriguing town of Rockton.

(Readalikes:  Reminds me of Lost and of the other books in the Rockton series, including A Darkness Absolute and This Fallen Prey)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for strong language, violence, blood/gore, sexual content, and disturbing subject matter

To the FTC, with love:  Another library fine find

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It's been two years since the car crash that killed David Hall and erased Jane Norton's memory.  A traumatic brain injury, leading to amnesia, has stolen the last three years from the 17-year-old.  Although Jane can recall events from childhood, she can't remember high school, her father's death, or the "accident" that killed David, her best friend's boyfriend.  The police have what appears to be a suicide note, written in Jane's handwriting, but she can't fathom why she would have been in a car with David, let alone with the intention of ending their lives together.  It makes no sense.  Nothing does for Jane, who desperately wants to remember the one event no one will let her forget. 

When anonymous threats start appearing on social media and at David's grave site, Jane thinks it must be a sick joke.  Someone calling themselves "Liv Danger" claims to know what happened that night.  They also warn that "All will pay."  When idle threats turn into sinister action, Jane knows only she can stop Liv Danger from going any further.  Wracking her shattered brain for clues, the teenager becomes more and more confused.  What really happened the night of the accident?  Jane knows the answers that could stop the violence and maybe even clear her name are hiding somewhere in her head.  Can Jane force them out before it's too late?  Or will Liv Danger get the revenge they're so desperately seeking?

I enjoy a psychological suspense novel that leaves me feeling off-kilter and keeps me guessing what is real and what is not.  Blame by Jeff Abbott does that, which is why I kept reading the novel despite its flat, unlikable characters and its increasing nosedive toward the far-fetched and melodramatic.  Whatever else it might not be, Blame is certainly compelling.  I definitely wanted to know what was going to happen.  Still, the novel's disappointing, eye roll-worthy finale bugged and overall, the story just did not feel very satisfying.  Although Blame has gotten lots of positive buzz, for me, it ended up being only a ho-hum read.  

(Readalikes:  Reminds me of other psychological thrillers featuring main characters with memory loss, like Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson; The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins; In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware; Elizabeth Is Missing by Emma Healey; The First Wife by Erica Spindler; and Remember Mia by Alexandra Burt) 

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for language (no F-bombs), violence, sexual innuendo, depictions of underage drinking/partying, and disturbing subject matter

To the FTC, with love:  Another library fine find.

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A decade ago, Bailey Craig left tiny Yancey, Alaska, behind forever.  With a hard-earned reputation for being rebellious and easy, she had to flee in order to start over.  Now known as religious and serious, the 28-year-old college professor still has no intention of ever returning.  It's only when her beloved aunt dies in a plane crash that Bailey even considers it. As she reluctantly boards a plane bound for The Last Frontier, she vows to stay not one second longer than is absolutely necessary. 

It's been over ten years since Bailey broke Cole McKenna's heart, but he's never forgotten her.  When fate (divine intervention?) brings her back into his life, he's more than a little intrigued.  It's obvious Bailey is not the girl he used to know.  And the woman she appears to have become?  More than a little enticing.  Does Cole dare take the risk of trying to get to know the new Bailey?  Or is that just a sure-fire way to get his heart stomped all over once again?  

When Bailey and Cole are enlisted to help investigate the suspicious deaths of two deep-sea divers, their battered hearts will get a second chance to find healing in the last place they expected to find it ...

Romantic suspense really is not my thing, but in looking for a book set in Alaska for the Literary Escapes Challenge, I came across Submerged by Christian fiction author Dani Pettrey.  With an intriguing premise and lots of positive reviews on Amazon, the novel seemed worth a peek.  And you know what?  It turned out to be a better read than I expected.  Pettrey's prose doesn't exactly sparkle, but it's capable enough.  Her characters are likable, even though there are too many to keep track of and none of them are all that developed or original.  The mystery at the novel's core isn't overly exciting, but it kept me reading.  Yes, the plot got clumsy and far-fetched, but all in all, Submerged is not a bad read.  I especially appreciate its clean content as well as its uplifting messages about forgiveness, faith, and a person's ability to change despite past troubles.  While I probably won't continue with this series, I did end up enjoying Submerged overall.  

(Readalikes:  Hm, I can't think of anything.  You?)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for violence and scenes of peril

To the FTC, with love:  I bought a copy of Submerged from Amazon with a portion of the millions I make from my lucrative career as a book blogger.  Ha ha.

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New York City, 1910—Jane Prescott excels at fading into the wallpaper.  Serving without being seen is practically part of her job description as a lady's maid for the wealthy Benchley family.  That ability comes in handy when Norrie Newsome, a notorious playboy who's engaged to one of Jane's charges, is brutally murdered at a house party.  No one is more strategically placed to look into the killing than Jane, a woman who is always around but never really noticed.

Callous, spoiled and often cruel, Norrie's public admirers abhorred him in private.  Any number of people, then, could have decided to kill the obdurate young man.  Who did end his life?  Was it his spurned lover?  The humiliated victim of one of Norrie's pranks?  Or a stranger outraged by a devastating tragedy at a mine owned by the Newsomes?  With so many suspects, finding the real murderer won't be easy.  With the help of Michael Behan, a handsome tabloid reporter, no-nonsense Jane will solve the case.  Even if she has to risk everything—her job, her reputation, even her own safety—to do it.

I always enjoy an intriguing murder mystery, especially when it's set against a colorful historical backdrop, and narrated by a tenacious sleuth.  A Death of No Importance, a debut adult novel by YA author Mariah Fredericks, is no exception.  While most of the story's characters are unlikable, Jane and Michael are both complex and engaging, adjectives that also describe the mystery they're attempting to solve.  All of these elements combine to produce an entertaining novel that I quite enjoyed.  I'm excited for the next installment (Death of a New American, April 2019) in this alluring new series.

(Readalikes:  Reminds me of These Shallow Graves by Jennifer Donnelly and of Jennifer Ashley's Below Stairs Mysteries [Death Below Stairs; and Scandal Above Stairs])

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

(possibly R)

for language (no F-bombs), blood/gore, and disturbing subject matter

To the FTC, with love:  I received a finished copy of A Death of No Importance from the generous folks at St. Martin's Press.  Thank you!