Tag Archives: Mystery

Stolen Things by R.H. Herron – a Review

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Stolen Things by R.H. Herron – a Review

 

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Description:
“Mama? Help me.”

Laurie Ahmadi has worked as a 911 police dispatcher in her quiet Northern California town for nearly two decades. She considers the department her family; her husband, Omid, is its first Arab American chief, and their teenaged daughter, Jojo, has grown up with the force. So when Laurie catches a 911 call and, to her horror, it’s Jojo, the whole department springs into action.

Jojo, drugged, disoriented, and in pain, doesn’t remember how she ended up at the home of Kevin Leeds, a pro football player famous for his on-the-field activism and his work with the CapB—“Citizens Against Police Brutality”—movement. She doesn’t know what happened to Kevin’s friend and trainer, whose beaten corpse is also discovered in the house. And she has no idea where her best friend Harper, who was with her earlier in the evening, could be.

But when Jojo begins to dive into Harper’s social media to look for clues to her whereabouts, Jojo uncovers a shocking secret that turns everything she knew about Harper—and the police department—on its head. With everything they thought they could rely on in question, Laurie and Jojo begin to realize that they can’t trust anyone to find Harper except themselves . . . and time is running out.

 

 

 

Review:

Stolen Things by R.H. Herron is a suspense thriller that was so very well written.  This is the debut novel for this author, and after reading this story, I will most definitely read her again. Stolen Things started with a bang, as we met our heroine, Laurie Ahmadi, immediately.  Laurie has worked as a 911 police dispatcher for 20 years (she is a former cop), and picks up a phone call that is every parent’s nightmare.  The person on the other end is her 16 year old daughter, Jojo, who is crying for help, not knowing where she is and just woke up from being drugged.  Laurie’s husband Omid (police chief) is the first to arrive on the scene with other members of his force, with Laurie not far behind. 

A dead body is discovered in a closet, and in another room of the house, an NFL player is woken from sleep, and immediately arrested.  Kevin (NFL player) remembers nothing, as he too may have been drugged, but the police do not believe him, and Laurie wants desperately to hurt him for what he did to her daughter.  Jojo will explain that Kevin is her friend, and he would never hurt her; but no one believes it.

With Jojo in hospital, being examined, Laurie confirms that Jojo was raped, and pushes herself into the investigation, despite Omid and other police officers try to stop her.  Jojo remembers that she went out with her friend Harper that night, and Harper is missing.  Once Jojo is released from the hospital, she is determined to help her mother investigate the case, as well as try to find Harper. 

What follows is an exciting, nonstop action packed story that kept me glued to my seat.  Jojo reveals some of her secret life;, helping Harper & Kevin working for the CapB activist movement (Citizens Against Police Brutality.  She begins to find out more information on the internet, as well as from phone messages on Harper’s phone, which may involve the police department.  This will force Laurie to secretly try to look into the police department records, causing havoc in the police station, and with Omid, who is in hospital after a heart attack.  With Harper missing, and Jojo insistence the Kevin is a good guy, Laurie begins to believe her, and focuses on the department.

To tell too much more would be spoilers, and throughout the who book, things change often.  There are a number of twists along the way, especially the last third of the book.  Stolen Things was so very well written by Heron, and does cover a number of topics: murder, rape, police brutality, politics, race, homosexuality, etc.

Stolen Things is a wonderful thriller, and great mystery that has you unable to put the book down.  I strongly suggest you read this debut novel by R.H. Herron.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

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The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware – a Review

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The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware – a Review

 

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Description:
When she stumbles across the ad, she’s looking for something else completely. But it seems like too good an opportunity to miss—a live-in nannying post, with a staggeringly generous salary. And when Rowan Caine arrives at Heatherbrae House, she is smitten—by the luxurious “smart” home fitted out with all modern conveniences, by the beautiful Scottish Highlands, and by this picture-perfect family.

What she doesn’t know is that she’s stepping into a nightmare—one that will end with a child dead and herself in prison awaiting trial for murder.

Writing to her lawyer from prison, she struggles to explain the unravelling events that led to her incarceration. It wasn’t just the constant surveillance from the cameras installed around the house, or the malfunctioning technology that woke the household with booming music, or turned the lights off at the worst possible time. It wasn’t just the girls, who turned out to be a far cry from the immaculately behaved model children she met at her interview. It wasn’t even the way she was left alone for weeks at a time, with no adults around apart from the enigmatic handyman, Jack Grant.

It was everything.

She knows she’s made mistakes. She admits that she lied to obtain the post, and that her behavior toward the children wasn’t always ideal. She’s not innocent, by any means. But, she maintains, she’s not guilty—at least not of murder. Which means someone else is.

 

 

Review:

The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware is another one of her exciting and intense thrillers. Rowan Caine is in jail, having been accused of murdering a child; she is desperate to prove her innocence.  The story starts with her writing a letter to a solicitor to plead for his help, and detailing everything that happened from beginning to end, and that she did not kill the child.

We learn early that Rowan was offered a job to go to Heatherbrae House in Scotland and be a nanny for a family’s three children; the money is very good, and Rowan wanted to leave her existing job. On her arrival she meets the lady of the house, who is welcoming and Rowan s thrilled by the home that has modern technology and conveniences.  She will quickly learn that their were 4 nannies previously in less than a year that left, and the children tell her the ‘ghosts’ do not want her there.   Is the house haunted?

In a matter of days, the husband and wife go on a business trip leaving Rowan with the two girls (the 3rd girl is away at school until later in the book); Jean, the housekeeper and Jack, the handyman. Jack did turn out to be a friend to Rowan, helping her out when things go wrong, and they do go very wrong.   Each night she can hear creaking footsteps, and missing items; even a doll’s head, a locked closet or being taken by the girls to a poison garden.   Rowan at first ignores things, but with each passing day, things do get worse and she is desperately trying to fight off her panic.  Though this was a thriller, I felt it had too much of the ‘creepy factor’, causing me not to enjoy it as much.

What follows is a dark, scary and intriguing thriller that has us on the edge of our seats, with many twists and surprises as we race to the climax.  I do not want to give spoilers, as it will definitely ruin things for those reading this book.  I thought The Turn of the Key was a well written story by Ruth Ware.  I did think the ending was a little rushed, and a shocker or two that I never expected.  I did feel that it left a little bit open at the end.  But that is my opinion.  If you like a thriller with a bit of creepiness, then I suggest you read The Turn of the Key.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 

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The Birthday Girl by Melissa De La Cruz – a Review

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The Birthday Girl by Melissa De La Cruz – a Review

 

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Description:
Ellie de Florent-Stinson is celebrating her fortieth birthday with a grand celebration in her fabulous house in Palm Springs.

At forty, it appears Ellie has everything she ever wanted: a handsome husband; an accomplished, college-age stepdaughter; a beautiful ten-year-old girl; two adorable and rambunctious six-year-old twin boys; lush, well-appointed homes in Los Angeles, Park City, and Palm Springs; a thriving career as a well-known fashion designer of casual women’s wear; and a glamorous circle of friends.

Except everything is not quite as perfect as it looks on the outside—Ellie is keeping many secrets. This isn’t the first of her birthday parties that hasn’t gone as planned. Something happened on the night of her sweet sixteenth. Something she’s tried hard to forget.

But hiding the skeletons of her past comes at a cost, and all of Ellie’s secrets come to light on the night of her fabulous birthday party in the desert—where everyone who matters in her life shows up, invited or not. Old and new, friends and frenemies, stepdaughters and business partners, ex-wives and ex-husbands congregate, and the glittering facade of her life crumbles in one eventful night.

 

 

Review:

The Birthday Girl by Melissa de la Cruz is a standalone suspense novel revolving around a woman celebrating her 40’th birthday, and another birthday celebration when she was 16 years old.  This is a story of secrets that come back to haunt her, as her life in the present slowly begins to crumble.

Ellie de Florent-Stinson, our heroine, is celebrating her fortieth birthday with an exclusive birthday party in her new house in Palm Springs.  Ellie invites everyone who is anyone to her party and is determined to make it perfect.  She seems to have it all, money, successful business, happy marriage, famous friends, glitzy life, but not is all as it seems. Things continually go wrong, such as the flowers wilting, her suspicion that her husband is having an affair, her step daughter has a secret and a major business deal could cause bankruptcy, etc.  Ellie also receives a text from someone in her past, which worries her, as this person says they will come to her party, and she does not recognize the number. Who is it?

We follow the two POV’s that continuously go back and forth between the present day birthday party and the same day (24 years ago) birthday celebration when she was a teenager.  In the past, the story revolves around two best friends, Leo and Mish, who not only are close, but have the same negative issues with their parent, especially the fathers.  Mish takes Leo out to meet friends to celebrate her birthday, and along the way they get drunk, try drugs, and crash another party.  All does not end well on this birthday party fun.  I will not give spoilers, so you will need to read this book to understand what happens on that day years before.  This is part of the surprise twist at the end, both in the past and present.

The Birthday Girl was well written by Melissa de la Cruz, but I did have some mixed feelings.  It was interesting, and kept my attention; but I frankly did not care for Ellie.  I found her to be not really likeable, self-centered and superficial. As for Leo and Mish, I did like their friendship, until jealousy changed everything.  The ending came out of nowhere, as well as a total surprise. Overall, The Birthday Girl was a good story.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

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Labyrinth by Catherine Coulter – a Review

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Labyrinth by Catherine Coulter – a Review

 

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Description:
On a dark night, Agent Sherlock is driving along circuitous mountain roads in West Virginia when her car is suddenly T-boned at an intersection. As her car spins out of control, a man’s body slams against her windshield and then—blackness. When she finally comes to, Sherlock has no memory of the accident, nor of the moments that led right up to it. But what she does know is that the man she hit is a local CIA analyst…and now he’s missing.

Meanwhile, in the small town of Gaffer’s Ridge, Virginia, Special Agent Griffin Hammersmith has just rescued a kidnapped woman who claims her captor admitted to the murder of three teenage girls. However, the man she accuses is related to the local sheriff and a member of a very powerful family. Special Agent Hammersmith reaches out to Sherlock for help, and they soon realize that the disappearance of the CIA analyst is actually connected to the string of murders. But how?

 

 

Review:

Labyrinth by Catherine Coulter is the 23rd book in her FBI Thriller series.   I have read a few books in the series, but this read very well as a stand alone.  Dillon Savich and Lacey Sherlock, both FBI agents, return as our heroes in Labyrinth.   Almost at the start, we are caught by surprise, as Sherlock is in a terrible car accident, having be hit by another car, as well as someone bouncing off her windshield.   Savich runs to the hospital worrying about his wife’s condition, and though she was lucky, she now has amnesia from her concussion.  She finds some familiar things, but she does not remember her husband, Dillon.  While many of the FBI agents close to Dillon and Sherlock stick around concerned about her, another mystery is happening in Virginia.

Agent Griffin Hammersmith is on vacation with friends in Gaffer’s Ridge, when he hears a woman screaming.   He manages to help her escape, and between himself and the rescued woman, Carson DeSilva, they manage to stop the kidnapper and call for help from the local police.  Unfortunately, the police turn things around and put both Griffin and Carson in jail for harming the local resident.    Griffin manages to call Dillion for help, and the FBI will come in full force to help Griffin, and try to solve the disappearance of three 16 year old missing girls.

When Sherlock is released from the hospital, even if she cant remember a lot, she insists to work with Dillon to help Griffin, and eventually dig deep to find out the missing man (who bounced off her car, and is a CIA Analyst) as well as discover why the CIA is involved in some kind of behind the scenes mystery.

With Sherlock at his side, they go first to Virginia to help Griffin, and discover a family that controls the town and police.  There is a slight element of psychic attacks, that someone is leashing out at first Sherlock, but Dillion will rescue her.  However, this is an important part of the Virginia story, which has some twists and surprises.  Griffin and Carson work together to get to the bottom of the missing girls.

Dillon and Sherlock return back home to slowly piece together who is the villain at the CIA, and why.  What follows is a non-stop exciting and intense adventure with two different cases. I was great to see how despite her amnesia, Sherlock as an agent was masterful, something she did not forget.  She worked so well with Dillion and other members of the FBI Team.  It was tough for Dillion as she didn’t know him, but slowly their love for each other will be instrumental in her recovery process.  Griffin and Carson had their lives on the brink, but the wild ending was so very well done.  This is a difficult review to write, as so much happens, especially with two different cases, and to tell too much more would be spoilers.

Catherine Coulter once again gives us a fabulous story, with so many different surprises and excitement all the way to the climax.  Labyrinth was fast-paced, exciting, with marvelous heroes, who have to delve deep within the CIA resolve the crimes.  If you like suspense, mysteries, espionage, especially in the world of CIA/FBI, I wholly suggest you read Labyrinth.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

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Lock Every Door by Riley Sager – a Review

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Lock Every Door by Riley Sager – a Review

 

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Description:
No visitors. No nights spent away from the apartment. No disturbing the other residents, all of whom are rich or famous or both. These are the only rules for Jules Larsen’s new job as an apartment sitter at the Bartholomew, one of Manhattan’s most high-profile and mysterious buildings. Recently heartbroken and just plain broke, Jules is taken in by the splendor of her surroundings and accepts the terms, ready to leave her past life behind.

As she gets to know the residents and staff of the Bartholomew, Jules finds herself drawn to fellow apartment sitter Ingrid, who comfortingly, disturbingly reminds her of the sister she lost eight years ago. When Ingrid confides that the Bartholomew is not what it seems and the dark history hidden beneath its gleaming facade is starting to frighten her, Jules brushes it off as a harmless ghost story . . . until the next day, when Ingrid disappears.

Searching for the truth about Ingrid’s disappearance, Jules digs deeper into the Bartholomew’s dark past and into the secrets kept within its walls. Her discovery that Ingrid is not the first apartment sitter to go missing at the Bartholomew pits Jules against the clock as she races to unmask a killer, expose the building’s hidden past, and escape the Bartholomew before her temporary status becomes permanent.

 

 

Review:

Lock Every Door by Riley Sager is the 2nd book I have read by this author, and once again it is a fantastic exciting thriller.  I will be reading whatever stories that Sager writes.

Jules Larsen, our heroine, has recently been dumped by her boyfriend, has no job, has been staying at her friend’s house, and is in dire straits financially.  When she sees an ad in the paper for an apartment sitter at the famed Bartholomew building on the upper west side, near Central Park, she jumps at the chance, especially as she will earn $4000 a month for three months work. What could go wrong? Is this too good to be true?

When Jules accepts the job, she is told the rules….no visitors, no social media, do not talk to residents, must sleep in room every night; despite the strict rules Jules is in no shape to turn it down.  As she begins her tenure, she does meet many of the wealthy and famous residents, who keep their distance.  When Jules runs into another apartment sitter, Ingrid, whom she befriends; who also tells her about the missing people who were in those apartment’s previously. Jules also begins her own investigation, try to learn more about the residents as well as those who have disappeared.  When Ingrid disappears, Jules becomes desperate to find her. At this point, the story becomes a bit dark and creepy, as Jules starts fearing for her own life; and it is now an edge of your seat suspense thriller.  Can Jules trust anyone?

What follows is an intense, exciting story that had us holding our breaths, as so many surprising twists that I never guessed.  Sager certainly kept us in the dark until the last ¼ of the book which certainly threw us for a loop.  I will not give spoilers, as it would ruin the story for you. Lock Every Door is a dark, macabre, suspenseful story that kept you engrossed until the very end.   If you love suspense thrillers, I suggest you read Lock Every Door, which was well written by Riley Sager.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

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Her Deadly Secrets by Laura Griffin – a Review

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Her Deadly Secrets by Laura Griffin – a Review

 

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Description:
Private Investigator Kira Vance spends her days navigating the intricate labyrinth of Houston’s legal world, and she knows all of its shadowy players and dark secrets.

On a seemingly normal day, she’s delivering a report to her top client when suddenly everything goes sideways and the meeting ends in a bloodbath. Twenty-four hours later, the police have no suspects but one thing is clear: a killer has Kira in his sights.

Fiercely independent, Kira doesn’t expect—or want—help from anyone, least of all an unscrupulous lawyer and his elite security team. Instead, she launches her own investigation, hoping to uncover the answers that have eluded the police. But as Kira’s hunt for clues becomes more and more perilous, she realizes that she alone may hold the key to finding a vicious murderer. And she knows she must take help wherever she can find it if she wants to stay alive.

 

 

Review:

Her Deadly Secrets by Laura Griffin is the 2nd book in her Wolfe Security series. I am a big fan of Laura Griffin and her Tracers series, which is great; and now with Wolfe Security, we have another suspenseful series to enjoy.

 Kira Vance, our heroine and a Private Investigator, finds herself in a dangerous situation at the start.  She arranges to meet her boss at their current client’s house to review findings from her investigation, and quickly is in the middle of a shootout, which kills her boss. 

Kira continues to work on the investigation for the client, who is a lawyer working on a high-profile case, and because of the situation and possible danger, she is assigned a bodyguard to protect her from Wolfe Security.  

Jeremy, our hero, works for Wolfe Security, who are protecting the lawyer, the law firm and now Kira.  Kira is very independent and confident, as well as smart and savvy.  She at first tries to do her own thing, but Jeremy refuses to let her be alone, which works out as Kira becomes a target, putting her life in danger; especially after she continues to come up with more clues as to who and what is behind the murders.  Jeremy slowly finds himself attracted to Kira, which is something he is trying to avoid, as it would affect his job.  This romance is slow build, and more in the background to the story line.

There is also another POV of the female detective, Charlotte, who is on the case.  She is tough, but she is also as independent as Kira, and is willing to work long days without rest to find the murderer.  She suspects Kira is keeping secrets, but in the end, both will help each other with their findings. This was very well done, as we got to see two different perspectives for the same crime, and the clues begin to tie in.  

What follows is an exciting, tense, suspenseful adventure, with two great female leads. I loved Kira, and really liked Jeremy too; though the romance remained in the background til closer to the end, they did make a great couple.  Wolfe Security has a lot of wonderful characters, which we will get more stories from them in future books.  Her Deadly Secrets was very exciting, edge of your seat story; as well as tense, especially as the danger for our heroes escalates.  If you enjoy mystery, exciting suspense with romance, then you should be reading Laura Griffin.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 

“Excuse me?”
“You’re Kira Vance?”
She stood up, which put her eye-level with his neck. “Who are you?”
“Jeremy Owen. Wolfe Security.”
Kira stepped back to look at him. Shaggy brown hair, tanned skin. He had a square jaw covered with at least a week’s worth of beard.
“I’m head of your security detail,” he said. “We were supposed to meet upstairs at the briefing. Which you skipped.”
His blue eyes looked irritated and bloodshot and together with the scruff made him seem like he was coming off a weekend bender. Except for the gun. He wore jeans and an untucked black T-shirt that did little to conceal the holster at his hip.
“My detail?” she asked.
“That’s right. I’m—”
A jackhammer sounded nearby, drowning him out. Kira waited patiently until the noise stopped.
“Look, Mr. . . .” What had he said?
“Jeremy.”
“Not to be rude, Jeremy, but I don’t have time for this now. I have a police interview, and I’m late to pick up my car.” At least some of that was true, but he looked unmoved. “Let’s reschedule for tonight. Maybe around six? I should be clear by then, and we can go over whatever it is.” She stuffed the chain into her bag and jerked her bike from the rack.
He plucked it out of her hand, holding it by the frame.
“No deal.”
“Excuse me? You want to put that down, please?”
“No.”
“No?”
“Come with me.”
He turned and walked back to the building, carrying her bike like it weighed nothing. He held the door open and waited, clearly expecting her to follow him.
She snatched up her helmet and complied, ducking under his arm into the air-conditioned lobby, where he guided her out of the traffic flow and set down her bike.
“Rescheduling isn’t an option,” he said as she glared up at him. Damn, he was tall. “But I’ll make this quick if you want, and we can get to your interview.”
She crossed her arms.
“Let’s start over.” He held his hand out. “I’m Jeremy Owen, lead security specialist with Wolfe Security.”
It seemed petty not to shake his hand, so she did.
“Kira Vance.”
“Good to meet you.” He rested his hands on his hips and gazed down at her. “I understand you’re on the defense team that was targeted yesterday evening.”
“Yes and no.”
His eyebrows tipped up.
“It’s a long story.” She huffed out a breath. “Look, is this really necessary? I don’t need a bodyguard, and I’m very, very late for something, so can we—”
“If you don’t like the arrangement, take it up with your boss.”
“Brock Logan is not my boss.”
“His law firm, then. They hired us to protect Logan’s team, and I was told you’re on it. Or am I wrong about that?”
She thought of the wire transfer hitting her account right about now. By taking the money, she’d tacitly agreed to all this.
And she thought about the likelihood that Jeremy had driven himself here.
“No, you’re right, I’m on it.” She blew out a sigh. “Sorry, it’s been one of those mornings.”
“No problem.”
“Hey, so Jeremy, any chance you have a car here?”
“Yes.” He picked up her bike again. “Tell me where we’re going.”

 


New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Laura Griffin started her career in journalism before venturing into the world of writing romantic suspense. Her books have won numerous awards, including two RITA Awards (for Scorched and Whisper of Warning) and a Daphne du Maurier Award (Untraceable). Laura currently lives in Austin where she is working on her next book.

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Wolf Instinct by Paige Tyler – a Review

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Wolf Instinct by Paige Tyler – a Review

 

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Description:
He’s a wolf shifter.
She hunts monsters.
How can she be The One for him?

SWAT werewolf Zane Kendrick will do whatever it takes to take down the man who attacked his pack. His search takes him to Los Angeles, but when he meets Alyssa, the smart, sexy agent who comes to his aid, he’s immediately interested in pursuing more than just the next lead. All his wolf instincts tell him that she’s The One.

FBI agent Alyssa Carson has investigated some weird stuff lately, and finding missing people drained of their blood definitely falls into that category. When following a clue leads her to Zane, she agrees to work with him and his team. She’s attracted to the gorgeous Brit, but she doesn’t have time for anything but finding answers.

When Zane and Alyssa discover the sinister truth, it’ll take everything they have to make it out of this mission with their lives―and hearts―intact.

 

 

Review:

Wolf Instinct by Paige Tyler is the 9th book in her wonderful SWAT series. I am a big fan of this series, as Tyler always gives us exciting stories that are pulse pounding action, with a great couple, and the hot men (werewolves) that make up the Alpha Swat team. Wolf Instinct was another wonderful romance suspense that Tyler does so well.

Zane Kendrick, our hero, is a member of the Dallas Swat team, and on assignment with two other members to Los Angeles looking for someone attacking werewolves.  Zane does not believe he will ever find the ‘One’ that some of his mates have found, but when he meets an FBI agent who helps him stave off an attack, his instinct senses something different about her.

Alyssa Carson, our heroine, has been working as a hunter to discover the reason why many deaths on different cases, were drained of their blood, seeming to be the work of animals (or monster).  She was a great kick-ass heroine, who not only was smart, tough, savvy, but also preferring to work as a loner.  But when Alyssa meets Zane, she realizes that they seem to be working on similar cases, and decides to work with him.

 Zane quickly knows that Alyssa is the ‘One’, but he also feels that because of her FBI job and hunting, she may not be willing to become his mate.  However, the chemistry between them heats up fast and furious, as they not only made a great team, but a hot one.  How will Alyssa react when she finds out that Zane is a werewolf?

What follows is an exciting action-packed adventure that will tie in both cases, which Zane and Alyssa are investigating.  The story line escalates when they discover that vampires are behind a major organization and the ensuing deaths.  Alyssa finds it difficult to believe that vampires exist, but when lives are at stake, and Zane calls in help from the Dallas Swat members, she will call in the FBI for help against a powerful enemy. As we raced to the exciting suspenseful climax, we held our breaths as to who will survive.

What I love about this series is not only the suspense and action-packed story; but Paige Tyler always gives us a wonderful sexy couple.  Zane and Alyssa had sizzling chemistry, and were great together

The last 1/3 of the book was very exciting; I was unable to put the book down.  I loved Zane and Alyssa; and I also like Zane’s two partners, whom I hope we get to learn more about them in future stories. 

Paige Tyler does it again with another intense, intriguing, fun and sexy story,  and as always Tyler manages to keep the story in the forefront, and still give us a beautiful sexy romance. Wolf Instinct is another fabulous addition to this series.  If you have not started this series, I suggest you do so, as it is a fun, exciting and sexy read and Paige Tyler is an author you need to be reading.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 

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The Truth About Gretchen by Alretha Thomas – a Review

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The Truth About Gretchen by Alretha Thomas – a Review

 

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Description:
Gretchen Holloway, in her final year of graduate school, is in the throes of auditioning actors for her thesis film, inspired by a murdered young football star who has haunted her dreams for two years. Gretchen believes making the movie will be cathartic. But instead of freeing her, embarking upon the film production unleashes a sequence of events that lead Gretchen to conclude that she’s the reincarnation of the young man.

Regina Wilson has always wanted to be an actress. When her agent gets her an audition for a role in Gretchen’s film, which eerily mirrors one of the worst events of her life—the unsolved murder of her older brother, Robert—she’s hard-pressed to go through with it. Upon fleeing, she leaves behind a keepsake that features Robert’s photo. Gretchen sees the picture and recognizes Robert from her dreams. She tracks down Regina, and after being rebuffed and called crazy, Gretchen’s unexplainable knowledge of events in Robert’s life eventually convinces Regina that Gretchen is Robert reincarnated.

The two decide to have his case reopened, but their significant others are dead set against it, and the police, who believe that Robert’s death was gang-related, are less than cooperative. However, Gretchen is desperate to get justice for her former self, and Regina wants justice for her brother. The women piece together the final week of Robert’s life. And the deeper they delve into his past; one shocking revelation follows another, leaving them wondering who they can trust and if they’ll live long enough to find Robert’s killer and bring him to justice.

 

Review:

The Truth About Gretchen begins with Gretchen Holloway hosting auditions for a film she’s making in her last year of graduate school.  She has been haunted for two years by recurring dreams/nightmares of a young man being murdered.  She also has no idea who the guy is.  All she knows is that the need to make a movie based on these dreams is a need like no other.

Regina Wilson has struggled for twenty years with the unsolved murder of her brother.  She lands an audition for the movie Gretchen is making, but, is disturbed at how eerie the events are to her brother’s murder.  She makes her way to the auditions, only to breakdown at the thought of actually going through with the audition.  She leaves in a near panic and has no idea how an item she leaves behind will change her life and the lives of others.

The Truth About Gretchen is another well written story by Alretha Thomas.  Gretchen and Regina are both relatable from the beginning.  However, it’s Regina, at least for me, that pulls you in.  Her steadfast need to find out what really happened the night that her brother was murdered is emotional on one hand and endearing on the other.  Even though both Gretchen and Regina are doubted from the very  beginning of their quest for justice, they know that they won’t allow anyone, or anything,  get in their way.  The story is wrought with intrigue and  mystery, but it is the emotion that makes it a page turner, which is, in my humble opinion, what makes Thomas a standout author.  The secondary characters are well written as well, and you’ll find yourself hoping your inner circle is as supportive as these people are.  As always, I can’t wait for Thomas’ next book………….  Well done, Alretha Thomas!  Very well done!

Reviewed by Vickie

Copy supplied for review

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