Midnight Sun by Jo Nesbo borrows
concepts from Ove, Hitman Anders and The
Revenant but doesn’t quite succeed. A failed-fixer for an Oslo drug lord doesn't kill a contract and becomes his former employer's next target. He escapes to a quiet Norway community north
of the Arctic circle where he finds friendship, adventures, love and an
opportunity for redemption.
**Nutshell by Ian McEwan is
essentially “a womb with a view” account by a precocious fetus who narrates the tale about the diabolical murder
of his father (by his mother and uncle). What might have been just a clever literary gimmick
becomes a “devilishly clever and darkly humorous” in the hands of a world class
talent who deserves the awards and accolades he has received.
The Taxidermist’s Daughter by Kate
Mosse is “a chilling and spooky Gothic historical thriller reminiscent of Rebecca and The Turn of the Screw.” There are
lots of weather reports, dark twists and eerie surprises that add bits of
flavor to a thin plot.
*The Trespasser by Nina French was
named one of the year’s best books on a NYT reviewer. I didn’t think so, but it was an engaging
police procedural with lots of lots of self-doubt and analysis by Dublin Murder
Squad Detective Antoinette Conway. The challenge is to figure out who is trying
to intimidate her out of the 's high-pressure investigation into the death of a
highly polished and unsettlingly familiar woman whose demise reveals a growing
number of secrets. Conway is a great detective whose deep-seated paranoia seems
to work for her.
*The Whistler by John Grisham who
continues to expertly and entertainingly interweave his story line with the
mechanics of the legal process while addressing timely issues. Yes, the plot is familiar and predictable,
but it is still hard to put down as a lawyer for the Florida Board on Judicial
Conduct investigates a major corruption case. A disbarred lawyer practicing
under an assumed identity, pursues a claim under the Florida Whistleblower Law
involving a circuit court judge who helps an Indian tribe, an unethical
developer and the local Mafia skim millions from a casino and related enterprises.
The Woman is Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware
is an Agatha Christie wantabe novel about a travel writer, Lo Blacklock, who is assigned to review an exclusive North
Sea luxury cruise and witnesses a woman being thrown overboard. She is baffled
when all passengers remain accounted for, and a nightmare that unravels as she
struggles to convince everyone that she saw a real crime and not an
alcohol-induced hallucination.
*Truly, Truly Guilty by NYT best-selling author of Big Little Lies and The Husband’s Secret, Liane
Moriarty captures three “successful” couples and how a seemingly insignificant
back yard cook-out changes all of their lives.
“A tale that explores the role of guilt in relationships and the power
of everyday moments in family life."
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