Bookreporter.com Bets On...

A Stranger in the House by Shari Lapena

August 2017

I enjoyed Shari Lapena’s A STRANGER IN THE HOUSE as much as her mega-hit from last year, THE COUPLE NEXT DOOR. It’s the kind of book where my head was swiveling while I was reading as the plot twisted one way and the next. I love swift plot changes, as they keep me reading! Shari also has a very distinctive voice and style after just two books. Just reading the opening paragraphs, I knew she was the writer.

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Emma in the Night by Wendy Walker

August 2017

In EMMA IN THE NIGHT by Wendy Walker, the two Tanner sisters, who were 15 and 17, disappeared three years ago leaving almost no clues behind. Now the younger one, Cass, has returned. But where is Emma, her older sister? Cass, who shares a story of her escape from captors, has many of the clues. Or does she?

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The Lying Game by Ruth Ware

August 2017

For someone who burst on the scene just two years ago, Ruth Ware has been busy and truly has sealed her place in the world of psychological thrillers. The opening chapter of THE LYING GAME set up a brilliant read. Three boarding school friends are sent the same text from the fourth friend: “I need you.” And they immediately come running.

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The Marriage Pact by Michelle Richmond

August 2017

In Michelle Richmond’s THE MARRIAGE PACT, Alice is an associate in a high-powered law firm who works long hours, and Jake is a marriage and family counselor. They live in San Francisco and are getting married. Before they are married, someone who Alice casually met through work asks to be invited to their wedding and bring a unique gift --- the opportunity to read The Pact, which outlines steps to be taken in marriage. They sound lovely for kindling romance and passion: 1) Always answer the phone when your spouse calls; 2) Exchange thoughtful gifts monthly; 3) Plan a trip together once per quarter; and 4) Never mention The Pact to anyone. I was thinking it would be fun to plan 1-3 with my husband.

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The Address by Fiona Davis

August 2017

THE ADDRESS by Fiona Davis is set in The Dakota, the iconic luxury apartment building in New York. (You may recall that John Lennon was shot outside The Dakota where he and Yoko Ono lived.) I forgot how when it was constructed it was far from the developed part of the city --- the building was a true outlier, and people wondered if it would be filled --- which was interesting to imagine, as right now I feel like a rabid overdevelopment of the city is underway with new tall towers climbing into the sky almost daily. I thoroughly enjoyed the look back with details on the architecture and amenities provided to the residents. Care was given to every detail to ensure that the property was at the top of its game.

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The Hamptons Murder Mystery Series by Carrie Doyle

July 2017

There’s something fun about discovering a series that you love and just binging your way through it. That is exactly what I did with Carrie Doyle’s Hamptons Murder Mystery series. The books are fun reading with a great cast of characters that includes her protagonist, Antonia Bingham, who is both an innkeeper and a chef. Her storylines weave in great background on the history of the Hamptons, as well as some mouth-watering food descriptions. Carrie worked for Ina Garten when she owned and ran The Barefoot Contessa in the Hamptons, so she writes about food with great authority. She also has been a summer and weekend resident of East Hampton for decades, so she knows the lay of the land. Armchair vacation travel with a mystery; I love it.

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The Breakdown by B. A. Paris

July 2017

“Don’t” is a powerful word. For Cass Anderson, “don’t” is what her husband, Matthew, says about her taking a shortcut on a road through the woods on a rainy, stormy night. But alas, Cass makes the turn anyway. She passes a car with a woman sitting inside, but keeping in mind her husband’s words about the dangers of being out there in the rain, she hesitates to stop to help.

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The Child by Fiona Barton

July 2017

There is always some mild --- okay, maybe not so mild --- trepidation when I pick up a book from an author whose debut novel nailed it. So when Fiona Barton’s THE CHILD crossed my desk, those feelings ran through my mind. I thought THE WIDOW had a strong voice and solid plotting. In reading the opening pages of THE CHILD, I exhaled a bit as I quickly saw that Fiona was in a great groove. The story begins as Kate Waters, a news reporter, is intrigued by an article in her paper about a skeleton of a baby being found in the debris of a home that is being demolished. She wants to know more, so she heads to the scene.

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The Bright Hour: A Memoir of Living and Dying by Nina Riggs

June 2017

We all have a list of books that we have read and know we will reflect on long afterwards. For me, THE BRIGHT HOUR, a memoir by Nina Riggs, sits firmly on that list.

While she was 37 and still undergoing a first treatment round for her breast cancer, Nina learned that her cancer already had metastasized and her prognosis sharply dimmed. After reading a “Modern Love” column that Nina wrote for The New York Times on September 23, 2016 about looking for the perfect couch for her family, it was clear that there was a bigger story there to be told. The clock was ticking…loudly. Nina wrote this book between October 2016 and January 2017 (yes, in three months), and it was published last week. Sadly Nina passed away before the book released; she did get to see the cover and the bound manuscript, which she even edited. She leaves behind a beautiful book about how you live when you are dealt a bad hand.

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Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate

June 2017

Lisa Wingate’s BEFORE WE WERE YOURS is historical fiction based on a real-life scandal. Georgia Tann, director of a Memphis-based adoption organization, kidnapped and sold poor children to wealthy families all over the country. Lisa tells their story writing parallel tales --- one set in 1939 and one in the present day.

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