THE SPY COAST by Tess Gerritsen This excellent thriller, with a cast of characters to root for and deft plotting, is one in a recent string of bestsellers built on the trope of retired spies called back into action because of an operation in the distant past that went...
#reviews category
Book Review: THE BONE RECORDS by Rich Zahradnik
Mar 7, 2024 | #reviews
THE BONE RECORDS by Rich Zahradnik is a wonderfully edgy “everyman” thriller but don’t expect a Clark Kent action story. THE BONE RECORDS gives us a down-on-his-luck drama with a compelling sense of place and villains who are still fighting the Cold War. Raised by his...
Book Review: THE SECRET HOURS by Mick Herron
Feb 22, 2024 | #reviews
The Secret Hours by Mick Herron is a must-read spy vs spy thriller. Like John le Carré’s A LEGACY OF SPIES, which tells the backstory of his iconic spy thriller THE SPY WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD, this tale of espionage cross and double-cross reveals past lives of...
Book review: The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose
Feb 9, 2024 | #reviews
Molly Gray is the crime-solving Head Maid at London’s Regency Grand Hotel in THE MYSTERY GUEST the second book in the adorable and bestselling Molly the Maid series. Socially challenged, Molly has an eye for details that others miss. The Regency Grand is thrilled to...
The Forgotten Masters of World War II Thrillers
Jan 19, 2024 | #reviews
In the aftermath of World War II and horror of the Holocaust, the now-forgotten masters of World War II thrillers including Herman Wouk, Ken Follett, and Leon Uris wrote sweeping sagas of lives torn apart by war for an audience that had lived through the violence and...
Shepherd is a better Goodreads with a unique recommendation feature
Dec 15, 2023 | #noticed, #reviews
It's time to celebrate! Shepherd.com is your new go-to book recommendation wonderland. Shepherd.com, is a new(ish) platform to find books. It's considerably more interesting than Goodreads and has fewer trolls, too. What makes Shepherd so different is the vast number...
Your top books of 2023, according to Mystery Ahead
Dec 12, 2023 | #reviews
Every year, I calculate which books in the Mystery Ahead newsletter were most popular with readers. The top books of 2023 were clicked on the most out of the 75 books featured in the newsletter this year. One of my books claimed the top spot (not always the case!)...
Book review: RECKONING by Baron Birtcher
Sep 25, 2023 | #reviews
New favorite series alert! Sheriff Ty Dawson solves murder and corruption cases in must-read police procedural RECKONING by Baron Birtcher. Dawson joins Walt Longmire and Cork O’Connor as lawmen whose investigations are driven by a personal code of honor and the...
Book Review: GRIMM UP NORTH by David J. Gatward
Sep 15, 2023 | #reviews
Now and then, you stumble across a series that is simply captivating and you have to inhale one book right after the other. The DCI Harry Grimm series set in the Yorkshire dales, is that kind of addictive series. GRIMM UP NORTH is the first and a terrific introduction...
Book Review: THE TWYFORD CODE by Janice Hallett
Jul 18, 2023 | #reviews
At first, I was skeptical of a book made entirely of audio transcripts. No, let me back up. At first, I assumed that the audio transcripts were a clever introduction and then the rest of the book would be standard fiction prose. But in fact, The Twyford Code is...
Book Review: RED KNIFE by William Kent Krueger
Jun 23, 2023 | #reviews
RED KNIFE by William Kent Krueger This dramatic addition to the outstanding Cork O’Connor series has it all: a main character firmly grounded in both past and present, intriguing secondary characters, red herrings in abundance, and a central mystery that seems...
4 Unputdownable Thrilling Spy Reads
Jun 9, 2023 | #deception101, #reviews
Need Father's Day ideas? How about a couple of thrilling spy reads? As a retired CIA officer, I can vouch for the authenticity of each book on this list. Well-crafted, spine-tingling action, authentic details that comes from a deep well of research and/or personal...
25 International Mystery Series to Take You Around the World
Jun 1, 2023 | #noticed, #reviews
A hand-selected list of international mystery series that will take you around the world. How many have you read?AFRICA 1 Precious Ramotswe series by Alexander McCall Smith Main character: Precious Ramotswe is the “traditionally built” proprietress of the Number 1...
Book Review: 10 DAYS by Jule Selbo
May 5, 2023 | #reviews
This Portland, Maine mystery has it all—a wounded, complicated heroine, a multi-faceted investigation with save-the-world implications, and oodles of atmosphere. Best of all, this is just the first in what promises to be a great new mystery series. Dee Rommel is a...
Book Review: SENSE OF GRACE by Richard F. McGonegal
Apr 28, 2023 | #reviews
This police procedural offers the best first sentence that I’ve read lately. The overall pace and plotting meet that high bar, making this a fast page-turner. Sheriff Francis Hood of Huhman County, Missouri, is a savvy and compassionate lawman but also a recovering...