Review: Brimstone Hollow by Archer Sullivan

 

Brimstone Hollow (Annie Gore #2) by Archer Sullivan

Publication Date: August 11th 2026 by Minotaur Books & Macmillan Audio

Pages: 304

Audio Book Length: 9hrs 43min

Narrator: Emily Pike Stewart

Source: Publishers

Rating: ★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Libro.fm | Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

When snake-handling preacher Ezra King is found dead from snake bites and then buried less than twenty-four hours later, his estranged daughter Katie becomes suspicious. She hires Annie to investigate. On the surface, it looks like a tragic accident involving dangerous animals, but Annie agrees to take a closer look. Being local and familiar with small-town Appalachian culture, she’s able to ask questions and gain trust in ways an outsider never could.

 

Ezra left behind a troubled past, found religion, and used his charismatic personality to become the preacher at Mount Zion. His tent revivals featured snakes. Yikes!

 

As Annie starts digging for answers, word quickly spreads around town. What seemed like a straightforward case soon turns suspicious, especially after Annie narrowly survives an attempt on her life.

 

Brimstone Hollow is the second book in the Annie Gore series. While this could be read as a standalone, each mystery is wrapped up, I’d still recommend starting with the first book to better understand Annie’s background and how she became a PI.

 

I enjoyed watching Annie quickly gain acceptance in Mount Zion by treating the locals with genuine respect. Several residents proved helpful, and the descriptions of food at the little hole-in-the-wall diner Annie discovered had my mouth watering. The story had plenty of twists, action, and layers. I appreciated Annie’s determination to get to the truth. I’m already looking forward to her next case!

 

I alternated between the audiobook and eBook and recommend either format. Emily Pike Stewart, who also narrated the previous installment, did another wonderful job. Her subtle Southern accent suited the story perfectly, and I enjoyed that she sang portions of the hymns featured in the book. Her performance definitely enhanced my enjoyment.

4 Stars

Book Description:

Following her powerful debut in The Witch’s Orchard, private investigator Annie Gore returns in Brimstone Hollow, bringing readers back to the mountains that author Archer Sullivan, a ninth generation Appalachian, knows so well.

There isn’t much that happens in the Appalachian Mountains that Private Investigator Annie Gore hasn’t seen. Before she joined the Air Force, she was born and raised in those rolling hills, and lately Annie's cases have called her away from her Louisville office and closer to the small towns of her youth than she ever anticipated. But when her newest client asks if she’s ever been to a snake-handling church, Annie knows she’s about to enter unknown territory.

Katie May has been estranged from her father―one of Appalachia’s last infamous snake handling preachers―for twenty years. But when Katie finds out he’s been fatally bitten, and a funeral was held within twenty-four hours, she questions whether someone deliberately rushed the process. Despite Annie’s doubts, she takes the case. After all, when she looks at Katie, she sees a version of herself: a girl who needs to understand her father in order to understand herself.

As she navigates the hidden hollers and dangerous secrets of this insular Eastern Kentucky town, Annie works fast, hoping to find the truth in record time for her client―and before too many memories from her own childhood surface. But it soon becomes apparent that someone wants Annie’s investigation to stop―by any means necessary.

Review: The Women in White by Sarah Pekkanen

 

The Women in White by Sarah Pekkanen

Publication Date: August 4th 2026 by St. Martin's Press & Macmillan Audio

Pages: 304

Audio Book Length: 7hrs 57min

Narrator: Saskia Maarleveld

Source: Publishers

Rating: ★★★½

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Libro.fm | Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

The Women in White is told through two timelines: the past, set in 1964, and the present day. In 1964, Betty and her friends, known as Girls One through Four, are test subjects in a study on psychic abilities at the Marquis University. In the present, Riley applies for a job as Betty's caregiver. Riley isn't sure why Betty hired her, as Betty seems capable of caring for herself, even if she does seem stuck in a time warp. However, Betty has a another assignment in mind: she wants Riley to track down the other women, Betty’s friends, who participated in the experiments conducted by the study's director, Dr. Trimble.

 

I was outraged by the amount of power Dr. Trimble and the husbands wielded over Betty and her friends in the 1964 timeline. I wanted these women to stand up for themselves. Riley’s search for the women yields little information at first but digging deeper she finds out their fates. In the present there’s also some strange occurrences and Betty determines she must go back to Marquis with Riley to get to the truth.

 

The Women in White was an engrossing story, but I found I was more invested in the present timeline than the past. I speed up the audio for the 1964 chapters because I was frustrated by how powerless these women were. I wanted one of them to stand up for themselves, or for someone to intervene in their behalf.  Some of what happened was “too little too late” for my tastes.  I also wanted more closure regarding Dr. Trimble. He was a nasty piece of work only concerned with his research and what the discoveries would mean for him.

 

That said, I was satisfied with how things ultimately turned out for Betty and Riley.

I alternated between the e-book and audio copy and can recommend either version. Saskia Maarleveld did a wonderful job bringing all the characters, male and female, in a wide range of ages, to life.

3.5 Stars

Book Description:

From Sarah Pekkanen, the New York Times bestselling author of House of Glass and co-author of The Wife Between Us—a stunning new novel of buried secrets, mind-bending history, and one woman’s search for the truth . . .

Decades ago, four women at prestigious Marquis University were the focus of parapsychology experiments led by a pioneering researcher. Just as they seemed on the verge of a real breakthrough, the four women vanished and the program was abruptly shut down.

In the present day, Riley Bell is desperate for a new life when she lands a caretaker job for Betty Sadler—an elderly, wheelchair bound woman whose house seems suspended in time. No television. No microwave. And Betty has never even heard of a cell phone.

Newly widowed, Betty discovers notes in her late husband’s papers that spark her quest to answer one final unanswered mystery that has shadowed her for six what happened to her three best friends who disappeared on the same day?

Told in dual timelines, as Betty’s world of 5 o’clock martinis and increasingly rigorous experiments converges with Riley’s present-day search for the other three women, the danger and intensity grow white hot.

Because whatever was swirling around these four exceptional young women is rising again.

Review: Storm Tide by Paul Doiron

 

Storm Tide (Mike Bowditch #16) by Paul Doiron

Publication Date: June 30th 2026 by Minotaur Books & Macmillan Audio

Pages: 352

Audio Book Length: 10hrs 35min

Narrator: Henry Leyva

Source: Publishers

Rating: ★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Libro.fm | Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

After the events of the last book, Mike Bowditch is facing a disciplinary hearing and has been demoted back to patrolling for the Game Warden’s office in rural Maine until a decision is made.

 

Meanwhile, there’s two suspicious deaths that point to a vigilante on the loose. Mike’s tipped off by someone who knows a little too much about his personal life, both past and present.

 

Also, Mike’s wife, Stacy, is weeks away from giving birth to their first child and notices a white van has been tailing her.

 

Mike is unsettled to find someone personally obsessed, especially since he has so much to lose, with a wife and baby on the way. As usual, Mike runs headlong into danger, and there were a few times I wanted to shake some sense into him. Especially when he landed in situations I wasn’t sure he’d survive. Still, his determination to find the stalker before the stalker finds him or his family made sense.

 

One of the things I love about this series is that Doiron brings the rough and beautiful landscape of Maine to life without slowing the plot!

 

I alternately read and listened to an audio version with Henry Leyva narrating. I love his performance! At this point, he is Mike Bowditch to me! Doiron’s wry humor comes through loud and clear through his performance and I enjoy his Maine accents.

 

Storm Tide is book sixteen in a series, but I jumped in late (book twelve) and have enjoyed every installment since!

4 Stars

Book Description:

Game Warden Mike Bowditch investigates a series of brutal killings during a life-changing year in Storm Tide, the harrowing new thriller from Edgar Award-nominated author Paul Doiron.

When the magnificent home of entrepreneur Brian Malloy mysteriously goes up in flames, Maine game warden Mike Bowditch tries to pull Malloy’s burning body from the fire but is too late. Malloy was suspected of murdering his young, illegitimate son. Now it looks like someone else has delivered a verdict.

Miles away, on a lonely stretch of icy railroad track, the body of Axl Deming, once accused of a brutal rape, is found literally cut in half. Though the two murders seem unrelated, a cryptic text from an unknown number draws Bowditch to the scene—and hints at a chilling connection. He suspects someone is orchestrating the executions of criminals who escaped justice, and for reasons he can’t explain, his own name is on the list, but the state police aren’t convinced. His search for the truth takes him through frozen harbors, trackless forests, and remote islands, far from rescue.

Meanwhile, Bowditch is facing a disciplinary hearing that could end his career. His wife Stacey, just weeks from giving birth, is being stalked by a stranger in a white van. And when he realizes someone has also been watching their home, the case turns increasingly personal.

To protect his family, Bowditch must work alone to uncover who’s behind the killings—and stop them before he becomes their next victim.

Review: Whisper Creek by Allison Brennan

 

Whisper Creek by Allison Brennan

Publication Date: June 23rd 2026 by Minotaur Books & Macmillan Audio

Pages: 336

Audio Book Length: 9hrs 28min

Narrator: Amanda Stribling

Source: Publishers

Rating: ★★★★½

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Libro.fm | Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

This was an on-the-edge, high stakes kind of read! A woman trying to keep her farm afloat, a corrupt businessman, home invasions and a hostage situation! All of it unfolding as a brutal storm bears down on the county!

 

Ellen McKenna trying to keep her Texas family farm afloat after the death of her husband.  Mitchell Robinson, a local businessman is determined to buy her property for his own greedy plot. He hires a fixer and things go badly.

 

When the story starts Ellen is hunkering down for a major storm, checking on her neighbors and dealing with mishaps on her own property. Thankfully, she has her kids, despite being young to help with all of that. They’re industrious, smart and love the farm as much as Ellen does. Plus, they have Grandma Penny who does most of the cooking. She was a hoot!

 

The McKenna’s cared about their community and the land they lived on, not just the profits. I rooted for them as they came up against all these dangers! Ellen and the kids were smart about how they handled things, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t on the edge of my seat worried over what was going to happen!

 

Whisper Creek was a thrilling, action‑packed story with characters I genuinely came to care about. I tore through it in a single day eager to know how it would all turn out!

 

I alternately read and listened to Whisper Creek and can recommend either version. Amanda Stribling did an amazing job narrating a variety of characters, male and female, with a pleasing subtle southern accent. A definite recommend!

4.5 Stars

Book Description:

Allison Brennan delivers a pulse-pounding thriller about one family fighting for their land against both human enemies and Mother Nature.

After the sudden death of her husband, Ellen McKenna is doing everything she can to keep her Texas farm afloat. She and her family hope to expand their operation, but times are tough and making ends meet is more expensive than she imagined, much less trying to grow. Many of their neighbors in Cooke County have thrown in the towel and agreed to sell their farms to a local businessman, but despite similar pressure, Ellen refuses to let her dreams die.

On top of the usual hardships, a series of recent storms has left the region partly flooded, and as the heavy rain begins again one morning, all the members of the McKenna family jump into action to protect their land and animals. Ellen’s oldest son discovers an injured dog—and the dog leads him to a man barely clinging to life, the apparent victim of a brutal home invasion. Then, Ellen’s younger kids go to check on a nearby neighbor and walk into a threat none of them saw coming.

Before anyone can figure out what’s really going on in their idyllic rural valley, the storm picks up again in intensity, and the McKenna kids find themselves in over their heads with no way to call for help. To protect her farm--and her family—Ellen must face down all the forces trying to tear them apart.

Allison Brennan's talent for twisty, tense pacing combines with a deeply drawn family drama and the unforgiving power of nature in this compelling standalone thriller.

Audiobook Review: Beach Thriller by Jamie Day

 

Beach Thriller by Jamie Day

Publication Date: June 9th 2026 by Macmillan Audio

Pages: 368

Audio Book Length: 12hrs 20min

Narrators: Emily Shaffer, Jane Oppenheimer, Jennifer Pickens, Megan Tusing

Source: Publisher 

Rating: ★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Libro.fm | Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Holly, a moderately successful writer, is suffering from writer’s block, but needs to come up with her next book soon. Especially since she’s hurting for cash. Moving back to her childhood home, a rundown beach cottage isn’t something she wanted to do but it’s all she can afford. Holly just needs to hunker down and write a book. That’s difficult when reminders of her sister’s death which was ruled as “undetermined” are around every corner. Holly knows in her gut that Anna was murdered, but the police did little to solve it.

 

Jade, not quite eighteen, ran away from a troubled home has also landed in Beauford, her path intersecting with Holly’s.

 

Finding her old draft, “Beach Thriller”, which was based on those events motivates Holly to uncover the truth and finally get justice for her sister.  Unfortunately, digging around for the truth puts both Holly and Jade in danger.

 

It took me a bit to get into the story and some of the dialogue and reactions felt a little off, but around the 30% mark I was fully invested. I enjoyed Beach Thriller and liked both Holly and Jade. I liked the “book within a book” aspect. I guessed at some of the reveals, but others were a surprise. I appreciated how it all was explained and made sense, wrapping up the story in a satisfying conclusion.

 

I listened to the audio version and having a full cast of narrators, one for each POV, definitely enhanced my enjoyment!

4 Stars

Book Description:

Holly Sinclair, a struggling writer, is forced from her cherished New York apartment and returns to her family's seaside cottage in the charming town of Beauport, Massachusetts—a home she hasn't seen in nearly twenty years. Guilt grabs her the moment she arrives. Years ago, her sister died here, and Holly still blames herself.

She arrives on a mission from her literary agent to write a best-selling novel. Her future depends on it. But she’s not the only one with an agenda. Someone is watching Holly's every move from the shadows. Desperate for a good idea, Holly makes the fateful choice to write about her past. The Watcher sees all and knows what Holly doesn’t: Some secrets must remain buried.

As threats from the ominous Watcher become increasingly sinister, Holly realizes that, even though the past is a faint echo, it is still close enough to be deadly.

Audiobook Review: Marion by Leah Rowan

 

Marion by Leah Rowan

Publication Date: June 2nd 2026 by Macmillan Audio

Pages: 336

Audio Book Length: 10hrs 25min

Narrators: Natalie Naudus, Tawny Platis

Source: Publisher 

Rating: ★★★★½

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Libro.fm | Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

One of the most iconic moments in film history is the shower scene in Psycho. We all know what happens to Marion Crane, but what if she fought back? What if she survived and Norm didn’t?

 

In this reimagining, “Marion” is devastated to learn her sister has been abused by her husband. Desperate to help her escape, she steals cash from the ad agency where she works and heads to Saratoga Springs. But when her bus breaks down in a tiny town, she’s forced to take the only available room at a rundown motel. Norm Billings, the owner, seems harmless enough and so at first, Marion is thankful she has a place to stay, but things go horribly wrong from there!

 

The story alternates between Marion and Hannah, a new investigator searching for a missing woman. I liked Hannah, but I was rooting for Marion from the start!

 

I loved this re-telling with Marion as the victor instead of the victim! Yes, in real life this is a no-no, but have you ever sided with a woman who was tired of being the victim and took justice in her own hands? A few famous (infamous?) examples come to mind for me! This was a wild ride and I wasn’t sure how it would work out. The little vigilante in me was hoping! There were some twists I didn’t see coming, too!

 

I listened to the audio version narrated by Natalie Naudus as Hannah and Tawny Platis as Marion which gave a clear voice each to POV. I thoroughly enjoyed both narrators and it enhanced my enjoyment.

 

Marion was a riveting, clever reimagining! A definite recommend!

4.5 Stars

Book Description:

A twist on Hitchcock’s iconic classic Psycho—where the leading lady doesn't die, but instead turns the knife on Norm, kicking off a crime spree that turns the silver screen victim into a heroine for our times.

NORMAN WAS HER FIRST.

Marion is in deep. She's stolen money from the Manhattan ad agency where she works in a desperate bid to help her sister escape an abusive marriage, but the bus breaks down before she can make it to Saratoga Springs. It's late at night, and the only place with vacancies is an old set of cabins on the outskirts of town. She pays for a room in cash, and ends up chatting with Norm, the young innkeeper who's handsome, charming and a touch hung-up on his elderly mother. Back in her room, she steps into the shower, scrubbing off the late-summer heat, when the curtain is pulled back...

Norm Billings is there with a knife. He raises his arm to strike, but before he does, Marion knees him in the balls, grabs the knife, and stabs the life out of him. Now, she's covered in blood, and she's a woman on the run—not just a thief, but a killer, too. Where will she go? How will she save both herself and her sister? And what mysteries will she uncover as she does?

In Psycho, Hitchcock shocked audiences when he killed off his protagonist. But what if the leading lady had fought back? Marion offers an alternate history of the most famous dead blonde to ever grace the silver screen. Only this time, the knife is in her hands—and she's no victim.

Audiobook Review: A Curse of Beasts and Magic by Jeaniene Frost

 

A Curse of Beasts and Magic (Beautiful & Beastly #1) by Jeaniene Frost

Publication Date: May 26h 2026 by Macmillan Audio

Pages: 361

Audio Book Length: 11hrs 28min

Narrators: Tavia Gilbert

Source: Publisher 

Rating: ★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Libro.fm | Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

At fifteen, Raine lost her family in a brutal attack, and she’s been left with the Beast responsible inhabiting her body. Her job as an ER nurse helps satisfy the Beast’s needs to feed on pain and her patrolling at night for criminals helps as well.

 

Everything changes the night she rescues an elderly man from his attackers and draws the attention of Remy, the Warden tasked with policing magical beings. It’s frightening to find out there’s a whole magical world she wasn’t aware of, but it’s also a relief to find out exactly what she has inside her. Remy helps her get her Beast in control in exchange for helping heal his grandfather and pretending to be his girlfriend.

 

With this arrangement, Raine is dragged into the politics of a magical world she knows nothing about. While there’s a growing romantic relationship between Raine and Remy, she discovers there’s a lot of information he’s holding back. I really liked Raine. She had a strong moral compass and worried over having this powerful entity trapped inside and what it might do to others. She trusts easily, because she assumes the best of people. I think she’s going to be more cautious going forward.

 

A Curse of Beasts and Magic delivers action, romance and dangerous political maneuvering. The final battle is a high‑stakes showdown packed with reveals and consequences that I’m sure will play out in the next book. I’m eager to find out what comes next.

 

I listened to the audio version narrated by Tavia Gilbert. I like her female voices, but the male voices less so. Still, the performance overall made for an enjoyable listen.

4 Stars

Book Description:

New York Times bestselling author of The Night Huntress series Jeaniene Frost returns with a brand-new series! It’s Beauty and the Beast meets The Witcher in this dark fantastical retelling, except Beauty IS the Beast, and he’s the Warden keeping mythical beings in check in our world and beyond.

Raine Stone was the sole survivor of a horrific creature while camping. Her account of the attack was attributed to shock, but Raine knows all too well that her story is true because now she carries that same Beast inside her!

She’s been restraining its violent urges by letting it 'feed' on the pain and chaos she’s exposed to as an ER nurse, and by playing vigilante against would-be muggers at night. But when Raine uses the Beast’s energy to heal a frail elderly gentleman from a seemingly random attack, she opens herself to a new world of danger—literally.

Remington “Remy” Byrne knows that the wall between a realm of deadly mythic creatures and our own world is very thin; he’s the Warden who guards the gateways between them. He also rules the supernatural creatures living in secret among us. Raine’s Beast makes her an intruder on Remy’s territory, but the elderly gentleman she saved is Remy’s grandfather, and her Beast contains power that could tip the scales in a sinister plot against Remy’s rule—if Raine allies with him.

Will they be friends or foes…or will the dangerous attraction between them turn into something else? And can our world be saved by their explosive alliance?

Review: The Final Target by Nora Roberts

 

The Final Target by Nora Roberts

Publication Date: May 26th 2026 by St. Martin's Press & Macmillan Audio

Pages: 432

Audio Book Length: 14hrs 59min

Narrator: January LaVoy

Source: Publishers

Rating: ★★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Libro.fm | Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Arden’s lifelong dream of becoming a published author finally comes true, but her success draws the attention of a dangerous, obsessive stalker named Dustin. After barely surviving his brutal attack, Arden is left to rebuild not just her life, but her sense of safety. She heals, she grows, and she thrives.

 

Meanwhile, Dustin stews and he focuses on revenge. His determination was chilling adding a constant thread of tension.

 

The Final Target is classic Nora Roberts, and I loved every minute. Arden could’ve shut down after the attack, but instead she chooses to live boldly. Her move to the Pacific Northwest brings new friends, a gorgeous home she pours her heart into, and a community that embraces her. She isn’t looking for love, which of course is exactly when it finds her with Gideon an ex-police detective and current wood-working genius.

 

When Dustin comes for “his woman”, the showdown kept me on the edge of my seat! Arden isn’t alone this time; she has her family, the police, and Gideon at her back. The ending was a thrill ride!

 

I alternated between the audiobook and e‑copy and can recommend both. January LaVoy’s narration was fantastic, truly the icing on the cake! 

5 Stars

Book Description:

A young author becomes the object of a fan’s desire―and rage―in the gripping new thriller by the #1 New York Times-bestselling author of Hidden Nature.

He showed up at Arden Bowie’s debut author appearance with a copy of her novel and an eager smile. He showered her with compliments and got her autograph. Then he came to her next event. And the one after that.

Dustin was just an aspiring writer who wanted advice, Arden reassured herself. But after giving in to one of his incessant invitations and chatting with him over coffee, she discovered that ignoring her inner alarm bell had been a terrible mistake…

An introvert at heart, Arden had long craved solitude―but now, after a harrowing assault, she finds herself hiding behind locked doors and startling at every sound. And her relief at his imprisonment is tempered by anxiety when Dustin’s wealthy mother helps to get him a paltry five-year sentence at a psychiatric facility.

Arden decides to write a new story for herself, moving to a tiny Oregon town and befriending Gideon, an ex-LAPD detective. But while she learns to thrive, Dustin remains his delusional, twisted self, as fixated as ever and now seething with anger. He still believes Arden's purpose on earth is to serve and please him. And his job is to protect her. But who will protect her from him?

Review: The Shippers by Katherine Center

 

The Shippers by Katherine Center

Publication Date: May 19th 2026 by St. Martin's Press & Macmillan Audio

Pages: 336

Audio Book Length: 11hrs 8min

Narrator: Patti Murin & Katherine Center

Source: Publishers

Rating: ★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Libro.fm | Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Jojo hasn’t had the best luck in love, but a new theory, that she “imprinted” on her very first kiss has her determined to break the curse with “Project Conquest” while on a cruise for her sister’s destination wedding. Naturally, she recruits her estranged best friend, Cooper, as her wingman. Yes, that Cooper: the guy who ran off to London and ghosted her for four years, only to suddenly show up for the wedding like nothing happened.

 

This story has so many layers. Jojo is wrestling with old wounds, especially the abandonment she felt from her father, something that flips completely once real communication finally happens. Honestly, communication (or the total lack of it) is practically its own character in this book. I liked Jojo and rooted for her HEA, but I was also frustrated by her refusal to communicate and her stubborn insistence on sticking to her mission long after it was clearly going off the rails. Cooper was a delight, I adored him, but he wasn’t innocent on the communication front either. See the theme here? Even so, I genuinely enjoyed the story.

 

Katherine Center’s author’s note and acknowledgements are a must read!

 

The Shippers is a feel-good, big-hearted romp full of slapsticky humor (the unicorn underpants!), warmth, and a swoony romance.

 

I alternated between the audio and the e‑copy and can happily recommend either. Patti Murin is a fantastic narrator; she gives every character a distinct voice and nails the emotions! I loved her performance!  

4 Stars

Book Description: 

After a whole lifetime of being bad at love, JoJo Burton decides to solve her intimacy issues once and for all at her sister’s destination wedding on a cruise ship. With the help of a little pop psychology, she diagnoses herself with a fixation on the neighborhood guy who was her her first crush and first kiss (and who just happens to be a newly-divorced wedding guest ), and she decides to woo him during the cruise for some long-delayed closure. Only problem is, her sister’s a little busy being a bride at the moment—so JoJo ropes in her childhood bestie, Cooper Watts, to be her wing man. Cooper: who RSVPed no, but then showed up, anyway. Cooper: who left town without a word four years earlier and moved to London. Cooper: who was, if she’s honest, the worst heartbreak of JoJo’s life. It’s bliss for her to see him again, and it’s agony, too—and the more they team up for Project Conquest, the more she obsesses over questions she can’t bring herself to ask.

Shipboard antics ensue in this witty, heart-tugging, childhood-friends-to-lovers romance—as JoJo and Cooper fake flirt, slow dance, share a cabin, sing duets, treat sunburns, get jealous, rescue each other over and over, and finally, at last, figure it all out in the most blissful, swoony, romantic way.

No one does summer romance quite like Katherine Center. THE SHIPPERS will take readers on the cruise of a lifetime in a story awash with romantic longing, top-notch banter, long-held secrets . . . and true love rediscovered.

Review: An Ordinary Sort of Evil by Kelley Armstrong

 

An Ordinary Sort of Evil (A Rip Through Time #5) by Kelley Armstrong

Publication Date: May 19th 2026 by Minotaur Books & Macmillan Audio

Pages: 320

Audio Book Length: 12hrs 52min

Narrator: Kate Handford

Source: Publishers

Rating: ★★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Libro.fm | Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

An Ordinary Sort of Evil is the fifth entry in this excellent mystery/time‑travel series, one that’s best read in order, though the helpful introduction here makes it possible to jump in without feeling lost.

 

Detective Mallory Atkinson, attacked in modern‑day Scotland, inexplicably wakes up 150 years in the past in the body of Catriona Mitchell, a Victorian housemaid. Over the course of the series, she’s built a life in this new era, forging deep friendships with Duncan Gray and his sister Isla, assisting Duncan with autopsies for the police, and helping solve murders with the aid of her twenty‑first‑century know‑how. And yes, the slow‑burn romance between Mallory and Duncan continues to simmer, this installment delivers some very satisfying developments.

 

This time, Duncan and Mallory are summoned by the Adlers, wealthy patrons of Duncan’s business. A séance has revealed that their missing housemaid, Nellie, didn’t run off as assumed, she was murdered, and her spirit is demanding justice. Duncan and Mallory dismiss the séance as nonsense, but they agree to look into Nellie’s disappearance, only to discover that the claim of murder may not be so far‑fetched after all.

 

As in the previous books, the investigation unfolds through careful interviews, motive‑hunting, and forensic work, albeit limited by the science of the time. Mallory’s modern knowledge continues to give them an edge. The case itself is layered, tragic, and full of unexpected turns.

 

Mallory and Duncan find they have a surprising fan in the mix, and there’s a fun reveal at the end!

 

I alternated between reading and listening and can wholeheartedly recommend either format. Kate Handford once again delivers a standout performance, bringing every character, young and old, male and female. Her Scottish accents are pitch‑perfect, and she continues to be a highlight of the series.

5 Stars

Book Description:

New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong returns to Victorian Scotland in the latest in the genre-blending Rip Through Time series.

Modern-day homicide detective Mallory Mitchell has grown accustomed to life in Victorian Scotland after travelling 150 years into the past into the body of a housemaid. She’s built a new life for herself. Even though she works as an assistant to forensic-science pioneer Dr. Duncan Gray and Detective Hugh McCreadie, she considers them true friends. And with Gray in particular, perhaps, someday, something more.

Late one night, Gray and Mallory are summoned urgently to the home of Lady Adler, a patron of Gray’s undertaking business, and they assume there's been a death in the household. But instead, they arrive in the midst of a seance with a ghost demanding Gray's presence. The ghost is Lady Adler's former maid, who had gone missing but now requests that Gray investigate her murder. Although Gray and Mallory are skeptical, they agree to look into the matter, whether she's dead or alive. But unsure if there's been a murder or not, unable to call out the medium as a fraud, and concerned for the fate of the young maid, Gray and Mallory are once again drawn into a mystery much more puzzling--and more dangerous--than it first seems.

Audiobook Review: The Anniversary by Alex Finlay

 

The Anniversary by Alex Finlay

Publication Date: May12th 2026 by Macmillan Audio

Pages: 336

Audio Book Length: 7hrs 38min

Narrators: Brittany Pressley & Ari Fliakos

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Libro.fm | Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Jules and Quincy are unlikely friends. Jules was part of the popular crowd and Quincy, a quiet loner from the wrong side of the tracks, however they have a connection. Tragically, their lives are changed forever on the May 1^st of their senior year.

 

Quincy tries to break up a fight, and it goes badly. He ends up in juvenile detention, and while he’s locked away, his mother is murdered. On his release, without options, he joins the army.

 

Jules is abducted by the May Day Killer, but she ends up being “one of the lucky ones” and is let go.

 

The story is told through both Jules and Quincy’s POV on the May 1^st of each year over a decade. Jules struggles with the aftermath of surviving the attack but eventually gets on track and starts looking for the killer. Quincy is haunted by his mother’s murder and sets about trying to solve it.

 

I was moved by Jules and Quincy’s friendship in the beginning. Their lives separated that fateful May 1^st, but along the way, they ran into each other, and I wondered if and how their stories would connect.

 

I absolutely loved The Anniversary, it’s my favorite Alex Finlay yet! While most of the story wasn’t a tense thriller, I was completely hooked from the first chapter! The mysteries come to a head at the end and then I was very worried! I suspected some of it but was surprised by other parts.

 

I listened to the audiobook, with Brittany Pressley narrating Jules’ chapters and Ari Fliakos voicing Quincy’s. Both performances were fantastic, expressive, immersive, and perfectly matched to their characters. The audio elevated the entire experience. A definite recommend!

5 Stars

Book Description:

Every Year He Comes For Them.

On one fateful night in 1992, the lives of two seventeen-year-olds are changed and intertwined forever. Quinn Riley, a boy from the wrong side of the tracks, is arrested after he innocently tries to break up a fight but ends up nearly killing someone. Jules Delaney, high school royalty, survives an attack by the elusive and terrifying May Day Killer—a serial predator who strikes every May 1st in midwestern small towns.

A year later, Jules is struggling with trauma and guilt, tormented by one question: Why was I spared? Quinn is newly released from juvenile detention and returns home to fresh the unsolved murder of his mother.

Over the next decade, their lives are revisited on a single day each year—May 1st. As secrets unravel and the paths of Quinn and Jules collide, two mysteries edge closer to the truth. All the while, the May Day Killer is still out there—and the clock is racing toward another May 1st.

The Anniversary is an utterly compelling story of the hunt for a serial killer. But it’s also a heartfelt—and heartrending—novel about fate, innocence lost, and two souls who find that sometimes being broken is the only way for the light to get in.

Audiobook Review: The Last Mandarin by Louise Penny & Mellissa Fung

 

The Last Mandarin by Louise Penny & Mellissa Fung

Publication Date: May 12th 2026 by Macmillan Audio

Pages: 400

Audio Book Length: 13hrs 16min

Narrators: Eunice Wong

Source: Publisher 

Rating: ★★★½

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Libro.fm | Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Alice Li, a food-blogger, is excited to be back in Washington DC to meet up with her friend and fellow food-blogger, Liam. She’s not so thrilled to meet up with her mother, Vivien Li, a Chinese dissident famous for escaping after Tiananmen Square, since they don’t have the best relationship. However, they’re forced to work together when the world is turned into chaos when during brunch security and fire alarms go off and they find out it’s a worldwide event.

 

Alice is even more shocked to be summoned to the White House along with her mother and questioned over her friendship with Liam. Apparently, intelligence has discovered China is responsible for this global attack and to Alice’s surprise, Vivien is a regular advisor to the President on Chinese affairs.

 

When it becomes obvious the attack won’t be the last. Alice and Vivien must band together and stop a terrorist group before they can execute whatever they have planned next.

 

One wouldn’t think a food-blogger and her mother would be key to stopping this nefarious force, but I enjoyed Alice and Viviene’s journey. As they try to get to the truth secrets from Vivien’s past are slowly revealed.  Alice’s view of her mother and their relationship shifts. Vivien gets to see another, more capable, side to her daughter, as well.

 

The Last Mandarin was an engaging thriller with two unlikely heroines. And while I had to suspend my disbelief at some parts of the plot, I was entertained from the start and eager to find out how it would all turn out!

 

I’ve listened to and enjoyed Eunice Wong’s narration in the past and thought she did a wonderful job here performing all characters, bringing them to life as they experienced a whole range of emotions. Her accents and pronunciation of Mandarin made the story feel authentic. Listening to the audio version definitely enhanced my enjoyment!

3.5 Stars

Book Description:

A standalone thriller co-written by the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Gamache series and an award-winning journalist.

In a fast-paced, all-too-real thriller co-written by #1 New York Times bestselling author Louise Penny and award-winning journalist Mellissa Fung, global politics become personal for two unlikely heroines. Alice Li, a first-generation Chinese-American, is an erstwhile food blogger who has lived in the shadow of her mother, Vivien Li. A Chinese dissident who escaped China after Tiananmen Square, Vivien is now a globally recognized human rights activist and passionate advocate for a free and democratic China.

When security and fire alarms go off simultaneously all around the world, setting off a panic, the signal is traced back to China. As world leaders scramble to respond, Vivien and Alice are called to the White House in hopes Madame Li can decode the Chinese intentions.

While it makes some sense that the President would turn to Vivien, since she regularly advises world leaders on the actions of today’s Chinese government, what isn’t clear is why they’d want to talk to Alice.

After looking at the evidence, Vivien says that the only thing worse than the Chinese government being behind it, is if they are not. It would mean, she explains, that some clandestine element within China is calling the shots. That the President of China has lost control. And an unstable China cannot be good for anyone.

Or perhaps that’s exactly what the shrewd old politician wants everyone to think.

Caught up in the chaos, Vivien and Alice are uniquely placed to stop the next, cataclysmic attack. But there are forces deep within both the American and Chinese governments intent on stopping mother and daughter. The estranged pair, who excels at misunderstanding each other, must figure out how to work together.

The increasingly frantic search for answers takes the women from the Oval Office to an office building in Akron, Ohio, from the noodle shops of Hong Kong to the necropolis of the first emperor. Along the way they must decode an old legend, and an old language invented by women, for women.

The Last Mandarin is an electrifying study of absolute power and voracious greed, political terror and personal conviction. But it is also, as to be expected from the minds of Louise Penny, beloved author of the Gamache novels, and Mellissa Fung, an acclaimed international journalist, an intimate examination of choice, of sacrifice, of memory and myths, both cultural and personal. It is the story of a mother and daughter, as well as a compelling international thriller about the precarious balance of power across the world, and within a family. And what happens when both break down.