Tropical Girl Reads

A journalist begins to question everything she knows about her mother’s murder in a startling novel of suspense by the New York Times bestselling author of The Body Reader.

Culpable in an exposé gone tragically wrong, investigative journalist Jupiter Bellarose takes her boss’s advice: head back to her hometown for a fluff piece and get her world in balance. But in Savannah, the past is waiting.

Twenty years ago Jupiter’s mother, actress and celebrated beauty Marie Nova, was murdered, leaving many in her wake: Jupiter’s father, who has erased memories of his wife’s murder with alcohol. The matriarch of the cosmetics company who helped make Marie a star—and who takes every opportunity to reopen old wounds. Then there’s the fragile cop with blood on his hands, and the killer whose confession no longer seems convincing.

With so many lingering questions, Jupiter must revisit the grisly event that has influenced every decision in her life. Maybe her homecoming will bring closure.

Or maybe the worst is yet to come.

Jupiter Bellrose is an investigative journalist working in Minnesota. So when the latest article left her in such a mental state, Jupiter decides to go to Savannah, Georgia, where once when she was a teenager, her mother, who was an uprising actress was brutally murdered and dismembered. Together with Ian, who was a police cop at the time, they try to find the secret behind the murder even though the culprit is already caught and is already behind bars.

This was in my opinion, an OK thriller. Not fast paced as I liked it to be but not a slow burn either. There were some boring parts in the story but overall, it was OK. There were some twists and turns and the book mainly talks about Jupiter’s past and mental state. Overall, it was a good thriller. Worth four stars.

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

There are thirteen knives. One by one they begin to disappear

Nora didn’t expect Hidden Lake Camp to be in a state of ruin. Dock full of rotten boards, smashed windows, cabins falling apart. To her new husband, Paul, the camp is the past he’d just as soon bury. Nora agreed to drive north with him to get his elderly parents settled while he makes enough repairs to sell the property. Only a few months, Paul said. The summer camp, however, and its deep lake have other plans.

After Nora’s first meal with his difficult family, one knife-part of a prized collection-goes missing. By the time the fourth and fifth vanish from behind locked doors and out from under watchful eyes, Nora can barely sleep. There’s talk of ghosts, secret rooms and someone at the summer camp found dead in the tall grass.

Unsettling, gripping, and totally original, Book of Knives is a literary thriller that shows how one person’s unraveling can bring the whole house down.

OK, the plot sounded interesting and intriguing and the book cover is appealing and so I decided to try this book out.

Unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy this book as much I thought I should be and almost DNF the book.

Nora agrees to accompany her husband Paul to Hidden Lakes to look after Paul’s elderly parents and was surprised to see the camp in ruins. Paul’s brother Gabe and the kids are also at the camp with a Gabe’s wife named Salish as well. Then for some reason or the other, the thirteen knives start disappearing one by one. There is a rumor of a ghost hunting around the cabin and also a murder that had occured in the camp. And while these things are happening, tensions start developing between the family members.

First of all, I am not sure which type of genre it belongs to–horror or a mixture of horror and thriller? Second of all, this was a slow burn and there were few parts of the story where it was really boring and there were some parts in the story that I didn’t really understand. The ending to me was somewhat confusing. I don’t know whether it was just me, but honestly, I didn’t really enjoy reading this book. The plot was interesting but the way the story was executed was poor. Overall, a 2.5 stars for me.

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

A dark, satirical thriller by the bestselling Japanese author, following the perilous train ride of five highly motivated assassins—soon to be a major film from Sony

Nanao, nicknamed Lady Bird—the self-proclaimed “unluckiest assassin in the world”—boards a bullet train from Tokyo to Morioka with one simple task: grab a suitcase and get off at the next stop. Unbeknownst to him, the deadly duo Tangerine and Lemon are also after the very same suitcase—and they are not the only dangerous passengers onboard. Satoshi, “the Prince,” with the looks of an innocent schoolboy and the mind of a viciously cunning psychopath, is also in the mix and has history with some of the others. Risk fuels him as does a good philosophical debate . . . like, is killing really wrong? Chasing the Prince is another assassin with a score to settle for the time the Prince casually pushed a young boy off of a roof, leaving him comatose.

When the five assassins discover they are all on the same train, they realize their missions are not as unrelated as they first appear.

A massive bestseller in Japan, Bullet Train is an original and propulsive thriller that fizzes with an incredible energy and surprising humor as its complex net of double-crosses and twists unwind. Award-winning author Kotaro Isaka takes readers on a tension packed journey as the bullet train hurtles toward its final destination. Who will make it off the train alive—and what awaits them at the last stop?

A dark, satirical thriller by the bestselling Japanese author, following the perilous train ride of five highly motivated assassins—soon to be a major film from Sony

Nanao, nicknamed Lady Bird—the self-proclaimed “unluckiest assassin in the world”—boards a bullet train from Tokyo to Morioka with one simple task: grab a suitcase and get off at the next stop. Unbeknownst to him, the deadly duo Tangerine and Lemon are also after the very same suitcase—and they are not the only dangerous passengers onboard. Satoshi, “the Prince,” with the looks of an innocent schoolboy and the mind of a viciously cunning psychopath, is also in the mix and has history with some of the others. Risk fuels him as does a good philosophical debate . . . like, is killing really wrong? Chasing the Prince is another assassin with a score to settle for the time the Prince casually pushed a young boy off of a roof, leaving him comatose.

When the five assassins discover they are all on the same train, they realize their missions are not as unrelated as they first appear.

A massive bestseller in Japan, Bullet Train is an original and propulsive thriller that fizzes with an incredible energy and surprising humor as its complex net of double-crosses and twists unwind. Award-winning author Kotaro Isaka takes readers on a tension packed journey as the bullet train hurtles toward its final destination. Who will make it off the train alive—and what awaits them at the last stop?

If you like

• Thriller with five dangerous criminals
• A book set in Japan

Then Bullet Train will be the best. The story involved a Shinkansen known as Bullet Train that will journey from Tokyo to Morioka. Inside the train, there are five dangerous criminals–Satoshi known as “Prince” is a teenage psychopath, Kimura who wants to avenge on his son’s injury, Nanao the unluckiest assasin and the duo, Lemon and Tangerine. The story starts of with Lemon and Tangerine saving a dangerous boss’s son carrying a suitcase filled with money. The son ended up dead on the train ride and the suitcase goes missing. We see that the suitcase was stolen by Nanao on the mission to get off at Ueno once he is done with stealing but soon he loses the suitcase. Throughout the journey to Morioka, we see that all these criminals are connected in someway, including the mysterious “snack” girl.

In my opinion, the beginning to me was interesting and the story is told from the five criminals POVs. We see some disturbing cases and I have to say, the author did a good job of drawing the reader into the story. I also like how Lemon and Tangerine (we don’t know their real names) mentions about Thomas and the train, mentioning about the characters. The whole book to me felt like I was watching an action packed movie, (in reality this book will be turning into a movie with Brad Pitt in it) that is keeping me on the edge of the seat. And not only that, we don’t really know what is going to happen to these five killers when they finally reach their destination. I wasn’t really engrossed into the story as there are some parts which are little boring to read but I actually enjoyed reading this book–worth solid four stars.

All’s fair in love and revenge in this taut thriller from bestselling author Lisa Gray.

Ex–crime reporter Leonard Blaylock spends his days on an unusual hobby, developing forgotten and discarded rolls of film. He loves the small mysteries the photographs reveal to him. Then Leonard finds something no one would ever expect, or want, to see captured on film—the murder of a young woman.

But that’s impossible, because the woman is already dead. Leonard was there when it happened five years earlier.

He has never been able to shake his guilt from that terrible night. It cost Leonard everything: his career, his fiancée, his future. But if the woman didn’t really die, then what actually happened?

This was actually a very interesting thriller.

Leonard Blaylock is an ex crimes reporter who develops the forgotten and discarded rolls of film. So he gets a shock when he discovers one of the film rolls contains a picture of a murdered woman. But five years ago, Leonard had seen this woman dying in front of him which cause him to lose his job and fiancee. But if the woman did not die, what really happened back then?

In my opinion, this was a good thriller. Not too fast paced but not a slow burn either. To me it got more interesting by the middle of the book and then started becoming more interesting and intriguing with shocking plot twists. There were also too many suspects as well with a motive to kill. The ending was what actually twisted me in a complete surprise and I actually did not see that ending coming at all. Neverthless, I actually enjoyed reading this book and this is one of the rare thrillers that the main protagonist was a male and a potential villain as well.

So if you like plot twists, then I recommend this book–worth four stars!

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

“Mom, they took me. You have to do what they tell you. I’m so scared.”

When I pick up the call from an unknown number my worst fears are realized: someone has kidnapped my daughter Nelle. In an instant, the blissful life I’ve built is shattered.

Distraught, I plead with them to let me speak to my darling daughter, until the voice on the line says a name that makes my blood run cold: Betty Hamms.

Suddenly my past and present are colliding. My heart pounds harder in my chest, the memories flooding my head. How do they know about Betty? And what else do they know?

I picture Nelle’s beautiful green eyes and freckled cheeks, knowing that I have a choice to make. Just how far am I willing to go to protect my beloved family—and my secrets?

Racing to the address they gave me in a tiny lake town upstate, I’m terrified I will never see Nelle again. But I’ve been hiding behind my lies for twenty years. If the truth finally comes out, will my daughter ever forgive me? And is there any hope of her surviving?

This was a whopping psychological thriller that will keep you on the edge and quite unputdownable!

The story starts with Laura getting a phone call from a person saying that he had abducted her daughter Nelle. But soon, the person also accuses that Laura was indeed named Betty Hamms who apparently killed the person’s mother Sofia. In fact, back in 1993, Sofia accidentally killed Betty’s brother Donny as a hit and run accident. The person gives Laura the address and Laura drives through the interstate, willing to risk her own life to save her daughter’s.

I have to say, the story started out really good. It was quite a page turner, with twists and turns, dividing between the present day and the past when Betty Hamms was in Texas working as a nurse. I was literally absorbed into the story that I actually couldn’t put the book down, wanting to know what is going to happen in the end as it was highly unpredictable, which is a plus sign for a thriller book. I really did enjoy reading this book and felt more like I was watching an action packed movie that would keep me on the edge–and that’s how I felt. I must say, There were nail biting moments in the story that as a reader you feel you are on the edge and I have to say, there were menacing characters in the story as well.

Overall, if you are looking a fast paced thriller that is unputdownable and will keep you on the edge, I highly recommend this book–worth five stars!

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

A new life in paradise should have healed her wounds. But for a woman struggling to hold on to her family and her sanity, one stormy night could change everything.

Blow by blow, Annie Lin’s life crumbles. Her dance studio goes bankrupt. Her mother and beloved dog are gone the same year. Then a terrible accident leaves her young son traumatized.

It’s time for a change.

Palm trees, mai tais, peace and quiet―Annie should be at ease, safe in her new Kauai home with her husband and son. She hopes proximity to her family can provide them all with a sense of belonging and calm. But soon items from her past start turning up―her dog’s collar, a bracelet that disappeared years ago―and she has the unnerving sensation she’s being watched. Reality begins to fracture, and Annie’s panic attacks return. When, during a brewing storm, a woman appears on her doorstep looking for shelter, Annie is relieved to have the company and feels an unexplainable bond with her visitor.

As the night progresses, Annie realizes the woman is no stranger. Their lives are inextricably intertwined―and Annie might just lose everything.

I have heard so many raving reviews on Lyn Liao Butler’s books and so I was excited when I got the ARC of this book. I did enjoy reading this book.

Annie seemingly had a perfect life, but then her life crumbles, when her dance studio goes bankrupt, her mother and her dog suddenly passed away and a terrible incident left her son Finn traumatized. Annie with Brody and Finn moved to a paradise to start a new life and be closer to her family. When a storm suddenly hits the island, a strange woman seeks shelter inside Annie’s house. The woman’s name was Serena and at first the two women doesn’t seem to know each other but as the conversation develops, Annie realizes that she might have met Serena before…

What I really like about this book is the multi-cultural setting–Taiwanese, Caucasian, mingled in the setting. This was a slow burn thriller and it started getting more interesting and intriguing when you reach to the middle of the story. To me, this was more like a family drama than a thriller to me however, the story did make feel like I am at the edge of my seat and it became really unputdownable towards the end. The ending was really dramatic and then eventually I couldn’t put the book down!

Overall, this was a slow burn thriller but will keep you up all night–worth four stars.

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

Follow the clues. Find the fortune. Solve the Mystery. This Christmas is to die for. Let the game begin…

‘Endgame has kept our secrets for half a century, now it’s time for it, and its secrets, to have a new owner.’

When Lily returns home to her aunt’s manor house, she discovers that in order to inherit, she and her estranged cousins must stay together over the Christmas week and take part in a family tradition: the annual treasure hunt.

But as they are drawn deeper into the game, the clues seem to point not to the deeds to the manor house, but to the key to a twenty-year-old mystery: what really happened to Lily’s mother?

As a snowstorm cuts them off from the village, it becomes apparent that the game has turned deadly and that Lily is fighting for more than just an inheritance: she is now fighting for her life. Does she have what it takes to survive?

12 clues, 12 keys and 12 days of Christmas for the heirs of Endgame House to find their inheritance, but how many will die before Twelfth Night?

This was a locked room mystery filled with twists and turns with a game that you had to win in order to achieve the goal. This was the first time I am reading a book written by this author.

Lily goes back to the Endgame mansion where many years ago, her mother, Mariana was reportedly committed suicide though Lily’s aunt, Liliana through a crack of codes and poems tells it otherwise. The cousins of the Armitage family meet during the Christmas and their one goal is to win the game. In order to win the game, one must crack the secret meanings behind the poems and find the key. And whoever finds the key will become the owner of the Endgame Mansion.

I actually did like the plot and the premise of the story sounds promising and interesting. The clues and the meanings behind the poems written by the aunt sounds fascinating. The house itself is nestled in Yorkshire where there is severe snowstorm causing the others to be actually locked into the house. The writing was intriguing and interesting and I also do like the setting of the story. This book also a sort of Agatha Christie vibe in it as well. However, the lower rating is due to the fact that it was predictable which did spoilt the story in my opinion.

If you are into locked room mystery with an Agatha Christie vibe, then this book is one for you–worth three stars!

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

The woman lies so still as her blood soaks into the soft bedcovers beneath her. A tear runs down her face as she looks at the wedding band on her finger. She had loved her husband so much…

When Detective Amanda Steele unexpectedly reconnects with an old boyfriend, the last thing she expects to see lying on his bed is the dead body of his wife, Claire, who walked out on him four years ago.

Logan begs Amanda to believe he’s innocent. But she doesn’t miss the gun on a nearby table, and she’s torn when forensics reveal that not only was this the murder weapon, but Logan’s fingerprints are all over it… Could he have been framed? Or is he using his connection to Amanda to get away with murder?

Determined to uncover the truth, Amanda retraces Claire’s last steps and finds that she visited her best friend the day before her death. But Amanda is devastated to discover that the friend died in a car accident just hours after meeting with Claire. What deadly secret connected them, and could more women be in danger?

But the killer is closer than Amanda realises, and when her beloved daughter, Zoe, is threatened, she’s suddenly in a race to find the final clue before the person she loves most pays the price…

I finished this book in a span of two days! It was compeltely a mind blowing thriller that will keep you on the edge from the beginning till the end!

The story starts with Amanda preparing a night cap with Logan in his house…until when they reach the room, they find the body of a woman fatally shot to death. And the woman happened to be Logan’s wife named Claire. Amanda was asked to step away from the case and Logan was labeled as the main suspect. However, Amandha believed that Logan was innocent and with her partner Trent, she is determined to find out who actually killed Claire. As the investigation is going on, Amanda finds out that Claire has gotten a secret that involved stealing various artifacts and might be working under someone.

As always, this was a mind blowing thriller. Completely fast paced with twists and thrills along the way and the author has done a good job of making the reader feel like a part of the story. Though Logan was the “main” suspect, the real person who might be responsible for Claire’s death is out in the open, and so as a reader you are in a guessing game as to who might be the killer. Great writing by the author and I as a reader was completely absorbed into the story. Overall, this was a great fast paced unputdownable thriller that will put you on the edge of the seat. Worth a whopping five stars!

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