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Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

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Note:  Although this review will not contain spoilers for A Darkness Absolute, it may inadvertently reveal plot surprises from its predecessor, City of the Lost.  As always, I recommend reading books in a series in order.

When homicide detective Casey Duncan needed a place to hide, Rockton took her in.  Although she's grown used to life in the secret, off-the-grid town hidden deep in the Yukon, Rockton still lobs constant curve balls to remind her how inhospitable her new digs can be.  A resident with cabin fever going AWOL surprises her, but her subsequent discovery of a woman held captive inside a cave stuns her.  Residents of Casey's new hometown are not exactly known for their mental stability, but still, who would do such a thing?  The victim cannot identify her abductor, so it's up to Casey and Sheriff Eric Dalton to apprehend him.  As the investigation heats up, the duo must ask themselves if their perp is a Rockton local or if they need to widen their search to include an even more sinister group—outsiders.  Hunting for the mysterious man will reveal even more secrets about Rockton's history, its purpose, and its people, including the always enigmatic Eric Dalton.  The more Casey learns about the town, the more she questions if her safe haven is really safe at all ...

After devouring City of the Lost, I plunged right into A Darkness Absolute, the second book in Kelley Armstrong's engrossing Casey Duncan series.  Like its predecessor, the novel offers an exciting, adrenaline-fueled read.  With an intense, atmospheric setting; complex, intriguing characters; and a twisty, compelling plot; it's got everything I love in a thriller.  The series has a dark rawness to it that makes for disturbing reading at times, but overall, it's a riveting and addicting series that will leave you clamoring for the next installment.  And the next.  And the next.

(Readalikes:  Other books in the Casey Duncan series, including City of the Lost and This Fallen Prey; also reminds me of the t.v. show Lost—if it were set in a snowy forest instead of on a tropical island)

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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Fiona "Fi" Lawson has had enough of her husband's infidelity.  Bram's latest betrayal has thrown her life into a tailspin, but she refuses to let it completely uproot those of their two young sons.  Even she can admit that while Bram has failed as a spouse, he's an engaged, loving father.  He deserves to be in the boys' lives.  In order to provide the kids as much stability as possible, Fi and Bram agree to a "bird's nest" custody arrangement.  The children will remain in the family home, while the parents take turns living there with them.  

It's an unusual situation, but one that works surprisingly well—until the day Fi comes home from a trip to find strangers moving into her home.  With Bram and the boys nowhere in sight, Fi's sure she's the victim of some grand prank.  As the hours drag on with no answers, however, she begins to realize just how thoroughly, how shockingly, how viciously, she's been betrayed.

As a mystery/thriller nut, I've read about all kinds of mind-boggling terrors being enacted on ordinary, unsuspecting people.  Some are too fantastical to be believed, while others are so simple, so plausible, that they chill me right to the bone.  Such is the case with Our House by English author Louise Candlish (available in the U.S. August 7, 2018).  Its premise hooked me as soon as I read it because, really, what could be more horrifying than having your beautiful, safe, valuable home yanked right out from under you?  It's a disturbing thought, one that fuels this compelling novel, causing the reader to burn through its pages trying to figure out what happened and why.  The answers aren't as complex or twisty as I wanted them to be, but I still found the hunt for them engrossing and entertaining.  Despite a depressing end for characters who aren't all that likable in the first place, overall, I enjoyed Our House.  It's convincing and creepy in a way that had me questioning my husband about who actually owns our houses ...

(Readalikes:  Hm, I can't really think of anything.  Can you?)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for strong language, violence, and sexual content

To the FTC, with love:  I received an ARC of Our House from the generous folks at Penguin Random House.  Thank you!

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Note:  Although this review will not contain spoilers for Al Capone Throws Me a Curve, it may inadvertently reveal plot surprises from earlier Alcatraz novels.  As always, I recommend reading books in a series in order.

While Moose Flanagan's friends believe his living situation on Alcatraz is the coolest thing ever, Moose just thinks of it as home.  The Island might house an inescapable prison, where some of the country's most notorious criminals are locked up, but it's not like he rubs shoulders with them in the chow line.  As unique a hometown as Alcatraz might be for a kid, it's still just a community with the same kind of mundane problems that plague any other place.  Of course, not every boy gets a helping hand now and then from the likes of Al Capone, but still ... Moose is just an ordinary kid.

It's the summer of 1936 and Moose has only one thing on his mind—baseball.  He desperately wants to make the high school team.  When his batting skills fail to impress the team's captain, Moose is offered a deal.  If he can bring the captain an impressive souvenir from the Rock, Moose is in.  It's an impossible task, but Moose has to try.  

Moose's big plans are thwarted by his usual nemeses, Natalie and Piper.  Although Natalie is four years older than Moose, her "special" condition means she can't be left alone.  The last thing on earth Moose wants to do is drag her to the mainland baseball diamond every day, but he's left with little choice.  He can't keep her out of trouble if he can't see her.  Unbelievably, the warden has asked him to keep an eye on his daughter as well.  Although Piper's pretty, she's also a mischievous, danger-loving whirlwind who's not afraid to sell out anyone who gets in the way of her scheming.  

All Moose wants to do is play baseball, but he's got two troublesome girls to watch over, a souvenir to procure, and a possible prison riot to worry about.  Before he knows it, he's up to his chin in problems.  When Natalie disappears at the worst possible time into the worst possible place, Moose is terrified—not just for his high school baseball career but for his very life ...

It's been five years since Gennifer Choldenko published an Al Capone book and man, have I missed Moose Flanagan!  He's an ordinary kid, yes, but one who possesses a heart of gold.  If you haven't gotten to know this understated but unforgettable character, you need to go back and read the three books that come before Al Capone Throws Me a Curve.  They're all atmospheric, entertaining, and exciting.  As is the newest installment in this excellent series.  Al Capone Throws Me a Curve brings back all the characters I fell in love with in the previous books and throws them into a new adventure that's even riskier than those that have come before.  With an intriguing setting, sympathetic characters, and lots of action, this book will keep readers young and old entertained from beginning to end.  I can't recommend the series highly enough.  I adore it.

(Readalikes:  Other books in the Alcatraz series, including Al Capone Does My Shirts; Al Capone Shines My Shoes; and Al Capone Does My Homework.  It also reminds me of The Warden's Daughter by Jerry Spinelli.)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for violence, scenes of peril, and brief, mild language (no F-bombs)

To the FTC, with love:  I received an ARC of Al Capone Throws Me a Curve from the generous folks at Penguin Random House.  Thank you!