Murder in the Family – Book Review

Title:- Murder in the Family

Author:- Cara Hunter

Date published:- July 20th 2023

No. of pages:- 470 pages

Genre:- Thriller

Rating:-

Plot:- 4/5 Writing:- 4/5

Overall rating:- 4/5

A shocking thriller about a cold case, a fictional true crime series, and the family caught in the middle.

SIX EPISODES. ONE KILLER.

It was a case that gripped the nation. In December 2003, Luke Ryder, the stepfather of acclaimed filmmaker Guy Howard (then aged 10), was found dead in the garden of their suburban family home.

Luke Ryder’s murder has never been solved. Guy Howard’s mother and two half-sisters were in the house at the time of the murder–but all swear they saw nothing. Despite a high-profile police investigation and endless media attention, no suspect was ever charged.

But some murder cases are simply too big to forget…

Now comes the sensational new Netflix series Infamous, dedicated to investigating–and perhaps cracking–this famous cold case. The production team will re-examine testimony, re-interview witnesses, and once again scour the evidence. The family will speak. The key players will be reunited–on camera. The truth will come out.

Are you ready to see it?

Murder in the Family by Cara Hunter follows a TV show called Infamous where they are investigating a cold case of a brutal murder of Luke Ryder that happened in 2003. Luke Ryder’s murder case is still unsolved and when Luke Ryder was murdered his older wife and her daughters swore that they didn’t see anything. Now twenty years later, crime experts from UK and USA reopen and reinvestigate the case with fresh eyes, investigating the witnesses’ testimonials and statements so that finally Luke Ryder’s case will be solved and the murderer will be caught.

The whole book is written in the format of script, which is interesting rather than in the traditional novel way. This book reminded me of Applerton Angels by Janice Hallet who also wrote in the same way using the format of script, text messages, email messages and newspaper articles. I actually do like this change of scene. And reading this book kind of made me feel like I was watching an interesting crime documentary on Netflix which is how I actually felt.

Besides the settings and format of the book, overall, I like the story. The cold case that is now reopened, piles of turns and unexpected twists in each and every episode (chapters) and of course an unexpected ending at the end.

Overall, if you are into watching crime documentaries and like reading fictional ones, then try this book out. Worth four stars.

Christmas Fling- ARC Book Review

Title:- Christmas Fling

Author:- Lindsey Kelk

Date published:- will be published on 9th October 2025

No. of pages:- 384 pages

Genre:- Holiday/Christmas

Rating:-

Plot:- 5/5 Writing:- 5/5

Overall rating:- 5/5

‘Lindsey is the Taylor Swift of romance writing’ DAISY BUCHANAN

Laura and Callum have met exactly three times – once at a mutual friend’s wedding (Laura doesn’t remember), once at a baby shower (Callum doesn’t remember) and once right now – when Laura lets herself into his flat to find him exiting the shower completely naked (they both remember).

When Callum’s parents walk in and mistake Laura for his mystery girlfriend, Laura has no choice but to play along, accepting their invitation to spend Christmas at home in the Scottish Highlands.

But then Laura’s best friends show up pretending to be her family, and Callum’s ex is invited, and as Laura gets closer to Callum, she can’t tell if the increasingly sizzling chemistry between them is real or just a very convincing part of the act…

Laura and Callum have met each other several times but once Laura had accidentally walked into his flat and saw him nearly naked. Then Callum’s parents come over to visit Callum and mistakes Laura as his girlfriend. Laura then pretends to be Callum’s girlfriend by accepting an invitation to spend Christmas with Callum’s family up in Scotland. Not to mention Laura’s own friends also comes into play, pretending to be Laura’s family where soon the drama stars.

I hardly come across the female protagonists in the STEM field–i.e. in this story, Laura is a neurosurgeon. Most of the time, the female protagonists are either working in advertising or marketing firm, journalism etc. As a woman who used to be in the STEM field, this was pretty exciting to me. (I was a former materials engineer before becoming a banker and then becoming a teacher)

I like the whole atmosphere in Scotland, that makes me feel like I am in Scotland. And above all, there were so many funny parts in the book that will actually make you laugh out loud. And it was quiet enjoyable and entertaining book to read, giving an air of Christmas season overall. The characters particularly Callum’s family members particularly Derek (Callum’s father) and Elsie (Callum’s sister) who is bitter towards everyone. I also like the slow burning chemistry between Callum and Laura.

The ending overall was very realistic. And the spicy scenes in this book is also very low which is good for me.

If you are into Christmas Romance or someone who loves Kelk, then this book is for you. Worth five stars.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

The Menu of Happiness – ARC Book Review

Title:- The Kamogawa Food Detectives Menu of Happiness

Author:- Hisashi Kashiwai

Translated by Jesse Kirkwood

Date published:- will be published on 9th October 2025

No. of pages:- 224 pages

Genre:- Japanese Fiction

Rating:-

Plot:- 4/5 Writing:- 4/5

Overall rating:- 4/5

A beloved Japanese bestseller, The Menu of Happiness is for fans of Before the Coffee Gets Cold and asks the question: What’s the one dish you’d do anything to taste just one more time?

Every memory has a flavor. A very special restaurant in Kyoto helps find them . . .

Tucked away down a Kyoto backstreet lies the extraordinary Kamogawa Diner, run by Chef Nagare and his daughter, Koishi. The father-daughter duo have reinvented themselves as “food detectives,” offering a service that goes beyond cooking mouthwatering meals. Through their culinary sleuthing, they harness the power of taste to rekindle forgotten memories.

From the yakisoba holding the memories of precious first love to the dumplings shared between sworn enemies, each client will be forever changed by what they find on the menu, because the Kamogawa Diner doesn’t just serve meals—it’s a door to the past.

This is the third book of the Kamagowa Food Detective series. We meet again the father and daughter duo, Nagare and Koishi. Again just like the two previous books, we follow the hidden stories behind the meals that the customers used to fondly remember and the father-daughter duo try to bring happiness to those meals, thus bringing back fond memories of the customers.

The story pattern is similar as before so there is no difference between the two previous books. The only thing is the customers are different. We have a lonely Japanese pianist, who comes to Japan from Austria to find a meal prepared by her ex-boyfriend. We find a boy who remembers eating delicious meals prepared by his classmate’s mother. We also find the hidden stories behind those meals.

This is a good comfort read for anyone who is willing to read a quick read. And anyone who is fond of Japanese fiction must try out the Kamagowa Detective series.

Overall the book is worth four stars.

The Christmas Party – ARC Book Review

Title:- The Christmas Party

Author:- Kathryn Croft

Date published;- 3rd October 2025

No. of pages:- 209 pages

Genre:- Psychological Thriller

Rating:-

Plot:- 4/5 Writing:- 4/5

Overall rating:- 4/5

On a cold winter’s night, a little girl went missing. What really happened at the Christmas party?

Twelve years ago, the six of us were young and carefree, getting ready to celebrate Christmas. We had the house to ourselves: no parents, nobody telling us to behave. We just had to look after Seffie, my friend Gabby’s little sister. We thought she was tucked up safely in her lilac pyjamas, sleeping through the music. We were wrong. The next morning, when we went to wake her, her bed was empty. She was never seen again. And no one ever found out why…

Twelve years later, I receive a call from Gabby, inviting me to spend Christmas at her remote Scottish lake house. None of us have spoken since the night that Seffie disappeared, and part of me knows I shouldn’t go.

But Gabby says we need to be together to help us move on. Yet as soon as I arrive, it becomes clear that she has another reason to bring us all together. She claims one of us knows what happened to her little sister. And, as a snowstorm traps us in the house, she’ll stop at nothing to get to the truth…

Kathryn Croft is one of those underrated psychological thrillers that you should read. She has written many fast paced psychological thrillers that will definitely keep you up all night.

The Christmas Party follows Sasha when she gets an unexpected invitation from one of her college friends Gabby to attend her Christmas party at her house. Nearly ten years ago, Gabby hosted a party which resulted in the mysterious disappearance of Gabby’s younger sister Saffy. Sasha had been responsible to look after Saffy and she carries the guilt with her even today. Sasha when she reaches Gabby’s place, she finds that other college friends have been invited as well–Fin, Shaun, Andre, Anna. As there is snow storm ad that the friends seem to be stuck in Gabby’s house, Sasha realizes that someone in the room is Saffy’s murderer as she got a mysterious email from someone before she came to the party.

This was quiet unputdownable and fast paced thriller and quiet a page turner. The book goes back to the event that happened ten years ago to the present day. If you liked locked room mysteries then this book will be a perfect choice. Sasha couldn’t remember the events that happened the night ten years ago as her memories seemed muddled up. Then of course, the ending was quiet unexpected.

Overall, this book was worth reading and worth four stars.

Home is Where the Bodies Are – Book Review

Title:- Home is Where the Bodies Are

Author:- Jeneva Rose

Date published:- April 30th 2024

No. of pages:- 256 pages

Genre:- Thriller

Rating:-

Plot:- 4/5 Writing:- 4/5

Overall rating:-

After their mother passes, three estranged siblings reunite to sort out her estate. Beth, the oldest, never left home. She stayed with her mom, caring for her until the very end. Nicole, the middle child, has been kept at arm’s length due to her ongoing battle with a serious drug addiction. Michael, the youngest, lives out of state and hasn’t been back to their small Wisconsin town since their father ran out on them seven years before.

While going through their parents’ belongings, the siblings stumble upon a collection of home videos and decide to revisit those happier memories. However, the nostalgia is cut short when one of the VHS tapes reveals a night back in 1999 that none of them have any recollection of. On screen, their father appears covered in blood. What follows is a dead body and a pact between their parents to get rid of it, before the video abruptly ends.

Beth, Nicole, and Michael must now decide whether to leave the past in the past or uncover the dark secret their mother took to her grave.

Jeneva Rose’s Perfect Marriage was unputdownable and Home is Where the Bodies Are is also another fast paced thriller

Outline:- When the mother passes away, the three estranged siblings reunite again. Beth the oldest was at her mother’s side when she passed away. Nicole is a drug addict but now on the path to recovery and hadn’t contacted Beth a long time. Michael, the youngest and the only one who seemed to be leading successful life out of the state earning money. While cleaning up their parents’ things, the siblings come across a collection of VHS tapes. When they put one of the VHS tapes, they were horrified and shocked to find their own father asking their mother for help to get rid of a body–the body was eleven year old Emma Harper who supposedly disappeared from the town. Now the siblings must work together to find out what their parents had been hiding.

Thoughts:-

The story outline was realistic. The pacing was great–it was fast paced. Not many twists or turns and the ending in my opinion was a bit predictable. However, the story itself was enjoyable and intriguing. None of the characters in the book were appealing to me and each of these characters seemed to be hiding some dark secret in their lives.

Overall this book is worth four stars.

It’s a Love Story – Book Review

Title:- It’s a Love Story

Author:- Annabel Monaghan

Date published:- May 27th 2025

No. of pages:- 368 pages

Genre:- Romance

Rating:-

Plot:- 4/5 Writing:- 4/5

Overall rating:-

From the USA Today bestselling author of Nora Goes Off Script, a novel about a former adolescent TV punchline who has left her awkwardness in the rearview mirror thanks to a fake-it-till-you-make-it mantra that has her on the cusp of success, until she tells a lie that sets her on a crash-course with her past, spending a week in Long Island with the last man she thinks might make her believe in love.

Rules for a love story: There are none. It’s all a lie.

Jane Jackson knows that true love is a lie. Laughter is the only truth—you can’t fake a belly laugh. Jane should know, she spent her adolescence as “Poor Janey Jakes,” the barbecue-sauce-in-her-braces punchline on America’s fifth-favorite sitcom. Now she’s a Creative Executive at Clearwater Studios and she’s living by a new mantra: Fake it till you make it.

Except, she might have faked it too far. Desperate to get her first project greenlit and riled up by pompous cinematographer and one-time crush Dan Finnegan, she opened her mouth and a big fat fib fell out. She claimed that Jack Quinlan, hottest popstar of the moment, has promised to write an original song for the soundtrack. Jack may have been her first kiss—and greatest source of shame—but she hasn’t spoken to him in twenty years.

Now, Jane must turn to the last man she’d ever want to owe: Dan Finnegan. Because Jack is playing a festival in Dan’s hometown on Long Island, and Dan has an in. A week in close quarters with Dan while facing down her past is Jane’s idea of hell, but Dan just might surprise her. While covering up her lie, can they find something true?

Annabel Monaghan has released another new romance novel–It’s a Love Story this year and really glad I got my hands on this book. I have become a huge Annabel Monaghan fan and enjoyed reading all her books and make it a point to read all her latest published novel.s

Outline– Jane Jackson was a former child star and now she works as a creative executive at a studio. Desperate to get a big break in her career, Jane tells everyone that she knows Jack Quinlan, now a famous singer. Along with her former crush and nemesis Dan Finnegan, the two travelled to Long Island, New York where Jack supposedly was performing. Will Jane succeed in getting Jack work with her and at the same time, keeping her feelings towards Dan to herself?

Thoughts – This was a cheesy romance novel set up. Sometimes, most of Annabel Monaghan books are enjoyable to read and at the same time laughable in some plot lines. And most of the time, characters don’t immediately fall in love with each other at once.

Characters Jane Jackson used to be insecure about her looks even though now she has grown out of it. Jane doesn’t really want to fall in love with Dan even though she couldn’t help later on being in love with her. I also like the gradually increasing chemistry between Jane and Dan.

Writing The writing was great and intriguing and engaging.

There are some funny parts in the book, but I really like the family dynamics mentioned in the book. Jane’s character started growing throughout the story which made her a likable character in my opinion.

Overall thoughts– I enjoyed this book even though I think her previous books are better than this. This book will be a perfect beach or summer read for anyone looking forward to go on a vacation to beach. Worth four stars.

Annabel Monaghan is the New York Times bestselling author of IT’S A LOVE STORY, SUMMER ROMANCE, SAME TIME NEXT SUMMER and NORA GOES OFF SCRIPT. She is also the author of two novels for young adults, A Girl Named Digit and Double Digit.

Clown in the Cornfield – Book Review

Title:- Clown in a Cornfield

Author:- Adam Cesare

Date published:- August 25th 2020

No. of pages:- 368 pages

Genre:- Horror/Thriller

Rating:-

Plot:- 4/5 Writing:- 4/5

Overall rating:- 4/5

In Adam Cesare’s terrifying young adult debut, Quinn Maybrook finds herself caught in a battle between old and new, tradition and progress—that just may cost her life.

Quinn Maybrook and her father have moved to tiny, boring Kettle Springs, to find a fresh start. But what they don’t know is that ever since the Baypen Corn Syrup Factory shut down, Kettle Springs has cracked in half.

On one side are the adults, who are desperate to make Kettle Springs great again, and on the other are the kids, who want to have fun, make prank videos, and get out of Kettle Springs as quick as they can.

Kettle Springs is caught in a battle between old and new, tradition and progress. It’s a fight that looks like it will destroy the town. Until Frendo, the Baypen mascot, a creepy clown in a pork-pie hat, goes homicidal and decides that the only way for Kettle Springs to grow back is to cull the rotten crop of kids who live there now.

Don’t miss this Bram Stoker Award-winning novel from rising star Adam Cesare.

Clown in a Cornfield is a Slasher Horror book that is suitable for people who liked Friday 13th movie.

Quinn Maybrook and her father Glenn move into the small-town Kettle Springs Missouri after their mother died from an overdose. Quinn’s house faces a burned down factory with the logo of the freaky clown Frendo on the sign. Quinn missed Philadelphia where she was from originally and while in school, she meets some of her classmates–Cole, Tucker, Matt, Ronnie and Janet. On the day of the Founder’s Day, while partying with friends, someone dressed as Frendo the clown starts killing the teenagers. Quinn realizes that the whole town has got together dressed as clowns to kill all the teenagers and to bring back whatever the traditions that seemed to have lost in the town.

I actually enjoyed reading the book. I feel like watching a horror movie while reading this book and right now, this book is already made into a movie, which I haven’t watched yet. I just like the tense atmosphere in the book. Quinn is the new girl and also the final girl who survived the massacre.

Overall, this was an unputdownable book which I actually enjoyed reading. Worth four stars.

Adam Cesare is a New Yorker who lives in Philadelphia. His books include Clown in a Cornfield, Video Night, The Summer Job, and Zero Lives Remaining. He’s an avid fan of horror cinema and runs Project: Black T-Shirt, a YouTube review show where he takes horror films and pairs them with reading suggestions.

Still Missing – Book Review

Title:- Still Missing

Author:- Chevy Stevens

Date published:- July 6th 2010

Genre:- Psychological Thriller

No. of pages:- 413 pages

Rating:-

Plot:- 4/5 Writing:- 4/5

Overall rating:- 4/5

On the day she was abducted, Annie O’Sullivan, a 32-year-old realtor, had three goals – sell a house, forget about a recent argument with her mother, and be on time for dinner with her ever-patient boyfriend. The open house is slow, but when her last visitor pulls up in a van as she’s about to leave, Annie thinks it just might be her lucky day after all.

Still Missing interweaves the year Annie spent as the captive of a psychopath in a remote mountain cabin, which unfold through sessions with her psychiatrist, with a second narrative following the events after her escape—her struggle to piece her shattered life back together and the ongoing police investigation into the identity of her captor.

Still Missing is a shocking, visceral, brutal and beautifully crafted novel.

Annie O Sullivan is a successful realtor. One day, she was abducted by a man, whom she calls as The Freak. While in therapy, Annie recounts her ordeal with the Freak, being locked up in a cabin and being constantly tortured by the Freak. Annie soon escapes and the whole story deals about the aftermath of Annie’s abduction and how Annie experienced her abduction.

This was well written–each of the chapters are based on therapy sessions where Annie recounts her ordeal with the abductor and the aftermath after she escaped. The whole story is realistic as if you are reading a nonfiction recount of a woman who got abducted and escaped. The book details all the trauma Annie went through, including r*pe and the death of her child. How she deals with emotions and feelings after she has escaped from the cabin

The only thing was this was slow paced, and it took me a while to get into the book. However, towards the middle of the book, it was unputdownable. The ending was completely unexpected, and it was a greatest twist shown at the end. I really didn’t expect that type of ending at all. I also have to praise author for handling and writing a very sensitive topic very well.

Overall, this is worth four stars and looking forward to reading more books from this author.

CHEVY STEVENS lives on Vancouver Island with her husband and daughter. When she’s not working on her next book, she’s spending time with her family and their two dogs. Chevy’s debut novel, STILL MISSING, was a New York Times bestseller and won the International Thriller Writers Award for Best First Novel. Her books, including THOSE GIRLS which Stephen King called “incredibly scary” have been published in more than thirty countries. Her eighth novel, THE HITCHHIKERS, is out Oct.7/25

8 Spooky Reads for Spooky Season

It’s the Spooky Season and it’s time to read Spooky books for the season! Here are my top picks to read for this spooky season

1 Home Before Dark – Riley Sager

One of the best books by Riley Sage and a perfect book to read for Spooky Season. The story follows a girl who moves back into her childhood house that shares a traumatic past.

This is more like a psychological thriller with a hint of horror in it

2 Hidden Pictures – Jason Rekulak

This is one of my top favorite horror/thriller books I have read! There are creepy pictures drawn by the child which also makes the story more haunting.

A girl gets a job as a nanny to work for a family but the child seem to be drawing disturbing pictures.

3 We Used to Live Here – Marcus Kliewer

A family claims that they used to live in the house and then weird thing starts happening in the house.

Perfect read if you want to read something of a horror genre

4 September House – Carissa Orlando

Haunted House and how to survive in a haunted house when there is an evil entity residing in the house–perfect read for this Halloween season.

5. The Sun Down Motel – Simone St James

This is the most one of the scariest books I have read. The Sun Down Motel will keep you up all night and boy, there are some parts that made you jump at the scene.

A worker works in the motel at night–the same motel where her own aunt disappeared more than thirty years ago. And she realizes this motel has a dark history…

6. The Broken Girls – Simone St James

This is also another one of my favorite Simone St James books, perfect to read for the Halloween season.

7. Never Lie – Freida McFadden

Freida McFadden’s Never Lie is a thriller to die for and perfect to read during the spooky season. A newly wedded couple move into their dream house but the house has a darker secret.

8. Daisy Darker – Alice Feeney

It’s a thriller with a bit of horror in it. Daisy Darker follows the story of Daisy Darker who reunites with her family to celebrate Nana’s 80th birthday. But Nana is found dead and one by one seem to follow them.

9. Ask for Andrea – Noelle W Ihli

A thriller–a girl becomes a ghost after becoming a victim of a serial killer and tries to bring justice for herself.

What are your book recommendations to read this spooky season? Leave a comment below!

The Ex Who Came Back – ARC Book Review

Title:- The Ex Who Came Back

Author:- Daniel Hurst

Date published:- will be published on 24th September 2025

No. of pages:- 306 pages

Genre:- Psychological Thriller

Rating:-

Plot:- 3/5 Writing:- 3/5

Overall rating:- 3/5

Your biggest mistake is your sister’s new boyfriend.

All the family are gathered to meet my sister’s new boyfriend, including my husband Seth, and it should be a happy occasion. But the moment I see him my stomach drops. It’s Mateo. My worst mistake. My biggest secret. I hoped I’d never see him again – why is he here now?

‘It’s nice to meet you,’ he says. As I look into Mateo’s cold green eyes, I know he’s playing a deadly game. My hands tremble. This man can’t be trusted. He’s pretending not to know me… and he knows I have to pretend, too.

I’m caught in a lie with no way out. Mateo is dangerous. I don’t want my sister to get hurt. But if I admit who Mateo really is – what really happened between us – I could lose everything. My gorgeous husband. My precious little boy.

Or even my life…

Corinne and her husband Seth and son Freddie were excited to meet her sister Georgia’s new boyfriend along with their parents. But when Corinne meets him, she realized and recognized who he was–he was Mateo and five years ago, when Corinne was questioning about her relationship with Seth, she had an affair with Mateo which didn’t last long. But now Mateo is back and he wants nothing but getting back with Corinne. But Corinne will make sure that no one will know about her secret affair with Matteo even if it involves killing Matteo.

This was a fast-paced thriller–the story is told in the POV of Corinne entirely. I just like how the atmosphere in this book is tense overall, with Corinne worried about her husband finding out about her secret affair and Matteo threatening to tell everyone about their affair so it was well written in my opinion. However, I actually have a problem with the main character, Corinne–I think she is flawed in my opinion. Also compared to other thrillers written by Daniel Hurst, this wasn’t really great. Not many twists or turns you would expect and I kind of predicted what the ending was going to be. Nonetheless, I would continue reading Daniel Hurst’s books even though this wasn’t great.

Overall this is worth 3 stars.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.