The Wrong Woman by Leanne Kale Sparks is an intense, suspenseful, and engaging debut novel featuring FBI Special Agent Kendall Beck and Denver polThe Wrong Woman by Leanne Kale Sparks is an intense, suspenseful, and engaging debut novel featuring FBI Special Agent Kendall Beck and Denver police detective Adam Taylor. This police procedural, romantic suspense, and crime thriller is mainly set in late February and March with a waning winter in Colorado. The book starts with a chilling prologue from a killer’s point of view and then proceeds to engage the reader with multiple cases. Kendall is investigating the disappearance of five-year-old Emily Williams and Adam is investigating a case where a young woman was found dead at the edge of a golf course. When Kendall’s roommate, Gwen Tavich, goes missing, Kendall and Adam meet.
Kendall is a strong female protagonist and has plenty of character depth for a first novel. Her friends are the biggest part of her life besides her job. She’s compassionate and relentless in her pursuit of justice, but she also has flaws such as a temper that can get her in trouble. Readers gradually learn about her past and how that influences her actions and thoughts today. Adam seems more laid back than Kendall, but just as devoted to his work. While readers also get insight into his relationship with a past girlfriend, his character isn’t as fully fleshed out as Kendall’s is.
The opening is strong, chilling, and memorable. The plot and sense of urgency move the story forward. Both story lines have twists that keep readers guessing. The writing was well-done and transported this reader into the dark and gritty world of victims and investigators. While the ending was a little over-the-top, it wrapped things up nicely, but left an opening for a thread to be followed in future books. The emotional toll on victims, families, and investigators was shown throughout the novel.
This novel shows how hard it can be to get an investigation going when an adult goes missing. Themes include abduction, murder, assault, child abuse, torture, friendship, family, grief, severe trauma, and much more. Readers should be aware that there are descriptions of torture as well as descriptions of crimes against a child.
Overall, this was an intense and gripping thriller with complex and compelling characters that kept me turning the pages. It’s an impressive start for a debut novel. I am looking forward to reading more from this author and hopefully about Kendall and Adam. Readers of police procedurals and crime thrillers may want to check this one out.
Crooked Lane Books and Leanne Kale Sparks provided a digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. Publication date is currently set for February 08, 2022. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.
------------------------ My 4 star review of this police procedural and crime thriller will be posted 3-4 days after it is published at Mystery and Suspense Magazine....more
Who Do, Voodoo? by Rochelle Staab is a cozy mystery set in California and featuring clinical psychologist Liz Cooper as the protagonist. Her best Who Do, Voodoo? by Rochelle Staab is a cozy mystery set in California and featuring clinical psychologist Liz Cooper as the protagonist. Her best friend Robin finds tarot cards on her front door and is then accused of murder. So Liz teams up with her brother’s best friend, Nick, a professor and an expert in the occult, to find the real killer.
Liz and Nick were likeable characters. Readers get to see Liz’s relationship with Robin as well as her relationship with her brother and mother. Nick doesn’t have as much depth as a character. For some reason, the book did not grab my attention like I thought it would. The most memorable character is Liz’s mom and that is mainly due to the situations she puts Liz in. The story was somewhat interesting and the conclusion pulled together all of the threads. The killer was a little too easy to determine although there is a twist or two that might take readers down another path.
Overall, this was a light and entertaining story. It was a reasonably quick read between other books, but it was somewhat predictable. Additionally, the beginning was a little slow.
Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. ...more
Swan Huntley’s latest novel, Getting Clean with Stevie Green, is thought-provoking, sad at times, and occasionally humorous. Stevie Green’s mom haSwan Huntley’s latest novel, Getting Clean with Stevie Green, is thought-provoking, sad at times, and occasionally humorous. Stevie Green’s mom has called and asked her to help her downsize and move into her new home. Stevie is so successful, she decides to start her own decluttering business. Additionally, at thirty-seven, she has decided to give up binge drinking and sleeping with strange men. While her life was derailed by a high school scandal, she was already secretly on a path of alcohol and drugs. She never realized her dreams. The seemed to become addicted to fresh starts. In fact, she doesn’t really know what or who she wants to be now except number one on the Organizely application. What could go possible wrong when she is living in her home town of La Jolla, California, the place of her painful memories.
While most of the book is from Stevie’s POV, there are some insights from Chris, Brad, Bonnie, and Kit. One thing that took me a while to get used to was Stevie seemingly talking to the reader. Her character is one that cries out for empathy at times, but is hard to like at other times.
Stevie’s background story is unveiled gradually. While she has found a purpose, will it last or will she need another fresh start? The novel has several themes running through it including hope, addiction, alcohol, betrayal, lies, mistakes, internet dating, friendship, family, social media, love, and forgiveness.
Overall, I enjoyed this change-of-pace story, but felt saddened that Stevie allowed one event to derail 20 years of her life. Will she finally get her life together?
Gallery Books and Swan Huntley provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. Publication date is currently set for January 25, 2022. ...more
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