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The Christmas Guest
Author: B P Walter
Publisher: Bookouture
Published: September 18, 2026Book Tour
It’s a tradition. The triplets and their mom spend each Christmas on Liar’s Island. But during the 2020 lockdown, their Mom, Marguerite, did not survive Christmas Day.
In this locked-island thriller, arrogant, privileged Turner Wentworth “hires” Noah Myers to observe his three kids, Archie, Cliff, and Nicole, under the guise of being a “guest” on the island. Turner believes that someone on that island murdered his wife. Noah is under duress, and it shows in his bumbling attempts to interrogate everyone, his duplicitous attempts to get close to the siblings, and his naive belief that he was there for the stated purpose.
This is a slow burn that takes the reader through various scenarios and motivations for the murder. Even though she was a nasty piece of work, I loved Marguerite because she said what she was thinking, and I would have loved to see her more fully developed. Noah was a total dish rag, as was his counterpart, Cliff. There were several twists and reveals throughout, but as sometimes happens, the ending wrapped up quickly; I would have liked it to have been a bit more fleshed out. Overall, the sense of “I don’t want to die on this island” held my attention in this snow-filled thriller.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for taking me along on this tour with an advance reader’s copy.Author’s Bio
B P Walter was born and raised in Essex. After spending his childhood and teenage years reading compulsively, he worked in bookshops then went to the University of Southampton to study Film and English followed by an MA in Film & Cultural Management. He is an alumnus of the Faber Academy and previously worked as the Social Media Coordinator for Waterstones. His novels include the bestsellers The Dinner Gues t and The Woman on the Pier , along with horror novel Scuttle (as Barnaby Walter) and Medlock (as S.G. Hartnell).- Mailing List: https://bookouture.com/subscribe/b-p-walter
- Website: https://www.bpwalter.com/
- Twitter: https://x.com/barnabywalter
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bpwalterauthor/
- Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18366746.B_P_Walter
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What We Did to Survive
Author: Megan Lally
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Published: March 31, 2026BUDDY READ
Thank goodness for buddy reads! I do them because they make me go back and read something on my TBR. We were supposed to read about 5 chapters a day and discuss them that evening. Well, this book hooked me so much I skipped ahead (and I wasn’t the only one!) The chapters moved fast, and the suspense was non-stop. And by the end, it was unanimous – we all hated one of the characters!
This is a locked-room/survival boat thriller. Four teens (Hannah, Jackson, Emmy, and Ben) on vacation in Mexico and one very shady boat captain head out to sea…even with an impending storm. Tensions onboard escalate as the captain fails at captaining, the boat fails at sailing, and the others realize that Ben is all about saving his own skin. Thank goodness Hannah, a future nurse, has some mad first aid skills and a conscience. Emmy can’t stop making goo-goo eyes at Ben, and Jackson may or may not be aware of Hannah’s secret crush on him.
This is a YA thriller that had me near tears at the end, and I have no apologies for that because I know I’m not the only one!
Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for an advance reader’s copy. -
Not a Word
Author: Linwood Barclay
Publisher: William Morrow
Published: August 25, 2026Happy Publication Day!
“Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive…”
At the root of this story is a crime that is covered up, a young witness who is silenced, and a marriage that is ruined.
When Reese stumbles upon his father and presumed mother in an apparent murder-suicide, everything he thought he knew is brought into question. Because no one believes his father was capable of that act. His mom is acting fishy, his brother has started using drugs again, and his son is being teenagery.
We learn what happened many years ago, when Reese’s father worked for a drug company. We learn about Holden, his brother, and his time in rehab, and the woman he meets. And we learn who really was in that bed with Brent. To say much more would give away spoilers, but the twists and turns keep coming right until the end!
Thank you to NetGalley, William Morrow, and Scene of the Crime for an advanced reader’s copy! -
The View From Here
Author: Rachel Howzell Hall
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Published: June 23, 2026No body, no closure.
Nicole Baster’s husband, Truman, is an adrenaline junkie. He’s already climbed the highest mountains, and now he’s performing a deep dive. But is he ready? Or is he just looking to escape?
Nicole thought her house was haunted before the accident, but now she’s losing her ever-loving mind! She is seeing, smelling, even hearing Truman. Getting text messages from unknown phone numbers. Is something supernatural going on, or could Truman still be alive?
Above all is the overarching guilt for the one thing she didn’t get to tell him before he drowned. Could this be his revenge?
Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for an advanced readers’ copy -
She Must Go
Author: A. J. Campbell
Publisher: Code Grey Publishing
Published: July 10, 2026I was so happy when I started reading this book because I knew from the opening lines that I would enjoy it. I mean, I have enjoyed other books by A. J. Campbell, but this is her best to date!
There were so many things that rang true: Justin, a mesmerizing lecturer; Scarlet, who believes her sister’s death was no accident; Immy, the friendly, engaging woman with a familiar first name, who gets a little too chummy with your partner; and Beth, trying so hard to not jump to conclusions.
This is the kind of book you want to bring to the beach or on vacation, or just set aside a day, because you’re going to want to stay with it until you finish.
And I can’t wait to see what A. J. writes next! -
Three Reasons for Revenge
Author: Dervla McTierman
Publisher: William Morrow
Published: June 21, 2026A visibly upset college student arrives at the police station to report an assault by a campus psychologist. She asks for Detective Judith Lee by name. Judith remembers a similar report several years ago. One in which she failed the victim. This time, she’s determined he won’t get away with it.
Yet, when she reaches out to Alexis, she’s not answering her phone, not at the address she gave, and what’s more, the college has no record of her.
And then packages start arriving. To three seemingly unconnected individuals.
This is a fast-moving novel of revenge, with just the right amount of emotion, chilling incidents, and twists.
This eBook was gifted to me through Scene of the Crime/William Morrow, and I am pleased to be introduced to this new-to-me author! -
Just One Bite
Author: Miranda Rijks
Publisher: Inkubator Books
Published: June 28, 2026You may not be famous. You may not be rich. But you can definitely relate to Brittany as she becomes a victim of a “Deep Fake”.
Social media shaming has become a kind of sport for some people. Miranda does an excellent job of showing how someone with a little skill, the right AI tools, and unhinged motivation can create social media posts that can bring down a career. Reputations. A family.
The tension builds as the incidents become more threatening, more vile. You’ll fly through this book, one of Ms. Rijks best to date!
Thank you to NetGalley, Inkubator, Booksprout and the author for an advanced reader’s copy. -
Heather
Author: Caitlin Mullen
Publisher: Celadon Books
Published: June 9, 2026As a long-time resident of New Jersey, I was delighted every time the author brought up the myth of the Jersey Devil, born with “the head of a goat, bat’s wings, horns and hooves,” after Mother Leeds cursed her 13th pregnancy. The New Jersey Pine Barrens is the setting for Heather, and living in NJ the second thing you learn is that much of the Pine Barrens is preserved land. The first thing you learn, though, is the Jersey Devil myth!
But beyond that, this is a cold case, reopened by newly installed Chief of Police Callie Hauser. The case revolves around an abandoned baby, but brings up so many revelations to Callie that she wasn’t expecting – her mother, her father. The creepy guy with the snake tattoo. An unnamed “older man”. Twins, one of whom was reported pregnant when she was young, and both now missing. On top of that, she has to battle the “old boys” network that thrives in her small town police department.
While this book is classified as a mystery/thriller, it also makes a statement about small-town culture, secrets, unsupported families, sexism, trauma that continues across generations, and the lack of justice.
This was an emotional read, but with a feisty main character who was bull-headed enough to sort out this complex mystery. The comparisons to Mare of Easttown are spot on, and this would make an engaging TV series!
Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for an ARC of this book. I’m so happy I put this on my summer reading list! -
Notes From Planet Widow
Author: Gwen Suesse
Publisher: Cantando Press
Published: September 10, 2024A quiet feeling of transition runs through NOTES FROM PLANET WIDOW, a reflective story about grief, loneliness, and the slow effort of rebuilding life after sudden loss.
Synopsis:
When loss changes the structure of everyday life, even familiar routines can begin to feel uncertain. In this deeply personal account, Gwen Suesse explores the emotional reality of widowhood, from the exhaustion of carrying grief privately to the disorienting feeling of no longer recognizing the life you once knew so well.
The author quotes Buddha:
In the end, only three things matter:
- How much you loved.
- How gently you lived.
- How gracefully you let go of things not meant for you.
The author explains how she got through widowhood using Grace, Curiosity, and Questions as her guides in “finding her way after loss”.
Author bio:
Gwen Suesse is a writer, certified life coach, and grief support practitioner whose work focuses on navigating loss, identity, resilience, and personal growth. Her background includes education, coaching, choral conducting, human resources, and leadership roles in nonprofit and community organizations. In addition to her latest work on grief and rebuilding after loss, she is also the award-winning author of WOMANSONG: BALANCE AND HARMONY IN A FEMININE KEY. Gwen lives in Tryon, North Carolina, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Visit her at gwenuesseautshor.com. -
Hollow
Author: Celina Myers
Publisher: Hanover Square Press
Published: December 17, 2021I waited far too long to read this! I love a good vampire story (True Blood, anyone?), but I’m very picky about the type of vampire story I will read. I was drawn to this cover, but the story kept me engaged. I read this while on vacation in Italy (Cinque Terre) which was so appropriate! The book starts out with a prologue that makes you think it’s a historical novel, but wait for it…
This is the story of found family. Mia Adair is turned and must choose between the Bellamys and the Suttons – two vampire houses with long lineages. We are right there with her, asking, “why her?” Was it because she had a special gift the Bellamy and Sutton families needed? Or was there a far richer purpose in store for her?
What I loved about this was the modern spin, the Cinderella story aspect, and the way the families lured Mia with closets full of designer clothes, with mansions and fast cars, and love interests that were just enough to add a bit of spice.
Thank you to Booktrovert for my gifted copy!
Book Cravings 