"The Couple Next Door" by Shari Lapena

The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena is one crazy read involving kidnapping, family secrets, betrayal, infidelity, greed and manipulation. Anne and Marco come home from a dinner party next door to find their little 4-month-old daughter, Cora, gone! Of course, the cops are called and keep questioning the parents who are the primary suspects. The whole book is about the police investigation and their efforts to find and return Cora. Eventually, the truth comes out.

Teaser from page 21:  She can feel him shaking, can feel the painful thumping of his heart.  She tells herself that together they will get through this.  The police will find Cora.

This contemporary fiction mystery was a page-turner for me that moves along very quickly with lots of twists. I enjoyed the writing style of this one because it was easy to follow and things gradually fell into place. If you enjoy books about scheming, dysfunctional families and very sleezy characters, I would recommend this book. I think this would make a good book club selection because I think it would make for interesting discussion of the characters.
(Karen's review, 5 stars)


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"A Stranger in the House" by Shari Lapena (UPDATED)

A Stranger in the House by Shari Lapena is a murder mystery thriller about Tom and Karen who have been married two years when Karen goes missing one night. Tom gets home from work to find her gone and dinner halfway prepared. He has no idea where she is and calls her friends before contacting the police. A police shows up at his door telling him there was an accident and his wife is in the hospital. From that point, the story takes off with amnesia, a murder and criminal investigation, a nosy neighbor, jealousy, betrayal and manipulation!

Teaser from page 6:  My wife went out and I don't know where she is.  She left without her phone and her purse.  She forgot to lock the door.  It's completely unlike her.

This is a page turner that I zoomed through! This is a good who dunnit story with a surprise ending and cops that aren’t made out to be stupid. I liked the investigation part of this book because it seemed to ring true to life. I highly recommend this to anyone who likes a good mystery. I look forward to reading more by this author.
(Karen's review, 5 stars)

Gerard's review:
In Stranger in the House by Shari Lapena, Tom comes home from work.  He expects his wife to be home, but she is not there.  It turns out she left while preparing dinner and got into a car accident--wrapping her car around a pole.  Now she cannot remember a thing about that night.  The police do some digging and soon a simple accident is anything but. 

Good pacing in this book will have you turning pages.  All the characters were true to life I thought.  (5 stars)

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"The Day I Died" by Lori Rader-Day

In The Day I Died by Lori Rader-Day, Anna is a handwriting expert.  She can tell a lot from one's writing.  When she is called in to help on a criminal case, the sheriff wants no part of this!  However, Anna finds out plenty and she wants to solve the mystery!  But can she and at what cost?

Teaser from page 29:  His name, even written by his own hand, was false.  It was built of sticks, each letter strategically rendered and apart, lonely and stripped.

This book started out a bit slow but picked up about a quarter of the way through!  The story was believable and had good action.
(Gerard's review, 4 stars)

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"Merry and Bright" by Debbie Macomber

Merry and Bright by Debbie Macomber is a Christmas romance comedy that reminded me of a Christmas Hallmark movie. It is about two busy lonely people who find each other on a dating website. The funny thing is that they already knew each other. I enjoyed this light, quick read and highly recommend it to anyone who likes watching Hallmark movies that always have happy endings.

Teaser from page 16:  "Well, if it isn't me, then whose photo did you use?"  Patrick's glee couldn't be contained.  "We used Bogie's."
 (Karen’s review, 4 stars)

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"Poison" by Galt Niederhoffer is a Wow!

In Poison by Galt Niederhoffer, Cass has her hands full.  She has a young daughter, a young boy, a baby and a cat.  She also has a teaching job and now she has a husband who (a) cheated on her, (b) tried to kill her or (c) she just thinks that is happening!

Teaser from page 34:  "Hey, what are you doing?" she said.  She stared at him, defiant.

WOW!  This book is good!  I really liked the character of Cass a lot and only wanted the best for her.  The pacing of the book is very good too and I enjoyed the ending very much!
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)  

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"Welcome to My World" by Curtis Bunn

In Welcome to My World by Curtis Bunn, Brenda’s life is on a downturn. She goes to McDonald’s daily and sees a homeless man every day. She tries to do good by him. One day the homeless guy, Rodney, gives her some life advice! What? This book was so much better than I thought it would be! I enjoyed Brenda and Rodney very much. The story line kept me engaged throughout. (Gerard’s review, 5+ stars)

Teaser from page 10:  "I was so . . . so . . . shocked and appalled that I couldn't even move, much less respond."  "I'm not trying to be mean," he added. 

Karen's review (4 stars):
Welcome to My World by Curtis Bunn is the story about Brenda, a depressed woman, who becomes friends with Rodney, a homeless man with a bipolar disorder. They help each other as their friendship develops. This is a heartwarming story about how simple words between strangers can bring about great change. This book gives insight into the world of homelessness, those with bipolar disorder and how people sometimes use food to deal with depression that can lead to destroying their self-esteem.

I enjoyed this book even though it moved pretty slow since there is very little action in it. It definitely addresses some major social issues and is inspirational I loved the ending!


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"Keep You Safe" by Melissa Hill - To Vaccinate or Not?

In Keep You Safe by Melissa Hill, Madeleine and her husband chose not to have their two children, Clara and Conner, vaccinated.  One day though, Madeleine has an appointment she can't miss so sends Clara to school even though she was not feeling well.  Then Rosie, one of Clara's classmates, becomes very sick and that is trouble for Madeleine.  Social opinion turns against her and the next thing she knows, her and her husband are in court!  Who saw that coming?

Teaser from page 65:  For all these years, she and Tom had played them, and now that horrible realization, albeit distant and buried, rose once again to the fore. Oh, God...what have we done...

I thought this book was really good!  The pacing of the book was quick and I loved the back and forth between the two mothers.  I was into this from page 1.  Don't miss it--a must read!
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

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"Long Way Down" by Jason Reynolds

In Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds, Will's older brother is shot dead and Will wants revenge but has to follow "the rules."  He is more than ready to do Rule No. 3.  You may be wondering what that is, but you will have to read the book for the answer.  Before Will can do Rule 3, he has to take the elevator to the last floor, and this ride he experiences something he never has before!

Teaser from page 48:  I yanked and pulled and snatched and tugged at the drawer until it opened just more than an inch.  Just wide enough for my fifteen-year-old fingers to slither in and touch cold steel.

This book is written in verse so it is a very quick read.  It kept my interest for the most part.  I thought the story line rang true as it would play out in real life.
(Gerard's review, 4 stars)

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"The Sleepwalker" by Chris Bohjalian

In The Sleepwalker by Chris Bohjalian, Annalee goes missing and her family fears the worst.  Where is she?  Lianna, her oldest daughter, starts to take an interest in the detective looking into this.  Will he find the answers she is looking for?

Teaser from page 19:  The thing I kept coming back to was how pedestrian my mother's last night really was.  There were no warnings, no ominous asides, nothing that could be construed by even the most rabid conspiracy theorists as foreshadowing.

This is a short book, just a little over 250 pages.  The story line is pretty good.  Part of the book dragged for me and a little more action would have been welcomed.  It did have a surprise ending!
(Gerard's review, 4 stars)

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"Lie to Me" by J. T. Ellison Made My Head Spin!

Lie to Me by J. T. Ellison is about a married couple, Ethan and Sutton who appeared to be happily married, but in fact not so much.  So when Sutton leaves a note that she is leaving and not to come looking for her, all signs point to Ethan.  What did he do? 

Teaser from page 37:  And here they were.  Five years later, parents of a dead baby, their ruined marriage strewed on the rocks, mistakes piled like a stack of ancient newspapers against the door.

I love books like this where I'm not sure what's going to happen.  I had a love-hate relationship with both Ethan and Sutton.  The pacing of this book was perfect with twists and turns that made my head spin!  I really enjoyed this one a LOT!
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

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"She Rides Shotgun" by Jordan Harper

In She Rides Shotgun by Jordan Harper, Polly knows something it wrong when she finds her dad waiting for her outside of her school one day.  One, he never does that, and two, he is supposed to be in prison.  Even though Polly is 11 years old, she had her Teddy bear with her as usual and goes off with her dad for better or worse!

Teaser from page 54:   Polly put the bear down.  She picked up the phone.

Polly is a great character and when she was in the story, it was really good!  This book starts off strong and ends well; however, having so many characters made the middle of the book not so good.  That being said, on the strength of Polly and the story line, I still give it 4 stars!
(Gerard's review)

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"The Child Finder" by Rene Denfeld

In The Child Finder by Rene Denfeld, Madison is with her family looking for a Christmas tree out in the woods.  The next thing the parents notice is that Madison is gone.  Years later, they decide to call Naomi, "The Child Finder."  The mother clings to hope that Madison is still alive.

Teaser from pg. 15:  

She was awake, the furs and blankets around her cradled with sweat.  She could feel the snow falling outside.

The pacing of this book is very well done!  You cannot help but love Madison and only want the best for her.  I enjoyed this book very much!
(Gerard's review, 5 stars)

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"Fierce Kingdom" by Gin Phillips

Fierce Kingdom by Gin Phillips would probably appeal more to mothers.  Joan and her 4-yr.-old son are enjoying time at the zoo.  They like seeing the animals, but this time Joan sees something that she has never seen at the zoo before, and it means trouble!  If you go to the zoo often, you will see yourself in this book.  It starts out strong, but then drags along until it picks up at the end.  Joan and the school teacher were my favorite characters.
(Gerard's review, 4 stars)

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"The Marriage Pact" by Michelle Richmond

In The Marriage Pact by Michelle Richmond, Alice and Jake are newlyweds. They decide to join an exclusive and mysterious group known as “The Pact.” The goal is to keep marriages happy so how bad can it be? Alice and Jake both want a long and happy life! This book is wild to say the least and certainly not dull at all! I never really knew what was going to happen. I liked both Alice and Jake. This book kept my interest throughout and make me actually laugh out loud at some parts.
 (Gerard's review, 5+ stars)

An appropriate book review for our 20th anniversary!

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"Down a Dark Road" by Linda Castillo--An Amish Murder Mystery We Both Liked

In Down a Dark Road by Linda Castillo, Joseph King is spending life in prison for a horrible crime he committed, but escaped and is on the run. Chief Kate Burkholder is on it! She was a close childhood friend of Joseph. Could he really have done this? Will Kate let her feelings get in the way of doing her job? I thought this book was very good! The characters were well developed and the situations were true to life. Don’t miss this one! (Gerard's review, 5 stars)

Karen's review:
Down a Dark Road by Linda Castillo is about a cop, Katie Burkholder, who finds herself in a hostage situation with a childhood Amish friend who was convicted of murdering his wife and escaped from jail. She has a hard time believing he is guilty and agrees to look into his case even though it is outside her jurisdiction. She finds some disturbing things that make her more determined to investigate to discover the truth for herself which puts her in great danger.

This is a very good book that got my interest right from the start and kept it all the way to the end. It has action, some tender scenes, and suspense. The theme throughout is to seek the truth and fight for justice no matter what. If you like a good mystery that is not boring with ties to the Amish community, you should read this one! (5 stars)


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"The Secrets She Keeps" by Michael Robotham

The Secrets She Keeps by Michael Robotham is told by Meghan and Agatha.  Agatha is envious of Meghan who has two children and a loving husband, beautiful house, friends and a popular parenting blog.  It's everything Agatha wants but Agatha has secrets that had better stay hidden.  Little does she know that Meghan's life is far from perfect and has secrets of her own.  Soon one act will bring these two ladies together and there is no going back!

I loved this book!  The pacing is really good and the suspense built up nicely.  It would make a good Lifetime movie!
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)  

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"What Alice Forgot" by Liane Moriarty (We Both Liked This!)

In What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty, Alice is 29, loves her husband and is expecting a baby--life is good!  She has a fall at the gym though and has to go to the hospital.  At the hospital, she finds out she is 39 and has three kids but is getting a divorce!  What is going on?  Has she really lost the last ten years?

I enjoyed this book very much!  Alice was interesting and for sure funny!  It kept my interest throughout.
(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

Karen's review:
What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty is a thought provoking contemporary fiction book about amnesia.  At age 39, Alice hit her head hard on the handlebars when she fell in her spin class and lost the last ten years of memory.  She forgot she had three children, forgot she was very involved in their school, forgot all the changes her and her husband made to their home, forgot her best friend, and forgot she and her husband were now separated!   Her husband, Nick, loves his kids and was a good husband but what happened?  Alice forgot and is anxious to reconcile and have Nick come back home.  What happens when she finally remembers?  Will their family reunite or will Alice and Nick go their separate ways?

This is a very interesting, thought provoking and fun read.  Makes you think what has changed in your own life in the past ten years.  This book mostly covers the week after Alice's fall but then jumps ahead at the end about ten years into the future.  I loved the humor in this and would have given it 5 stars except I did not care about the sister's infertility story line and all her miscarriages.  I thought that part was quite boring and the book would have been better if it just focused on Alice and her family.  I really enjoyed Nick and her children!  This book actually looks at love from several different perspectives:  lost love, dating love, marriage love through the ups and downs, late-in-life love, and unexpected love.  We both think this would be a great book for a book club.  It has some questions in the back.  (4 stars)

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"Two Good Dogs" by Susan Wilson--We Both Liked This One (UPDATED)

Two Good Dogs by Susan Wilson is all about second chances and is a heartwarming story involving two Pit Bulls who used to be used as fighting dogs but got rescued. Skye and her daughter Cody are trying to start a new life after Skye’s husband got killed in a drive-by shooting. Skye decides to go after her dream of running a hotel but her daughter does not share that dream and resents having to leave all her friends and move to a little town. Cody has a secret that she cannot tell anyone because it is a matter of life and death. Adam is a widower who visits Skye’s hotel with his dog, Chance, a therapy dog. Chance leads Cody to Mingo, a street kid who overdosed, and his pit bull, Dawg Chance and Dawg become friend;, Cody and Mingo become friends. Cody’s strange behavior is all related to the big secret she feels forced to keep.

I loved this book and it went by quick. I was sorry to see it end because I really liked Mingo and would have liked to see how Cody would continue to mature and grow. I also would have liked to know if Adam and Skye would actually marry, but the book ended before any of that happened. I still enjoyed this book very much and liked all the main characters. I thought Skye, the single mom, was also an interesting character who I felt sorry for throughout the book because of all the trouble her daughter got into.
(Karen's review, 5 stars)

Gerard's review, 5/25/17:
In Two Good Dogs by Susan Wilson, single mom Skye runs a hotel with the help of her daughter Cody but when Cody falls in with the wrong crowd, she needs help.  Adam and his dog check into the hotel and Skye befriends him.  When Cody befriends a street kid named Mingo and his Pitbull, can these four form a bond?

I thought this book was pretty good.  The story line kept me interested and I really enjoyed both dogs in it!  (4 stars)

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"A Rancher for Their Mom" by Leann Harris

A Rancher for Their Mom by Leann Harris is a happy Christian fiction romance for Mother's Day.  A widow rancher with two young boys who want to be cowboys and one little girl prays for God's help to get her farm planted and keep the ranch going.  The answer comes in the form of a rodeo cowboy passing through town.

This is light reading and you know right from the title how it turns out, but the boys in it made it somewhat interesting and a heartwarming read.
(Karen's review, 3 stars)

On a sad note, this our cat, Manny's, last photo shoot.  He was a very affectionate cat and we will miss him terribly, but he stopped eating and when he did, he couldn't keep it down anymore.  He kept losing weight and I had to do what was best for him.  We chose to end his life so he would die with dignity and not be in pain any longer.  This picture was taken on his last day with us. 

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"If I'm Found" by Terri Blackstock

If I'm Found by Terri Blackstock is the follow-up book to If I Run.  Casey is on the run for a murder she did not commit and Dylan is looking for her to help her.  But, does Casey trust him?  Meanwhile, Casey gets involved in an injustice that she sees.

This book kept me engaged for sure!  Casey and Dylan are really good characters and it has a good ending.  Although not quite as good as the first book, I think you will still like it as I did.
(Gerard's review, 4 stars)

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