Review: The Drowned Girls (Angie Pallorino, #1) by Loreth Anne White

★★★★½

I’m telling you right now, this book is the motherfucking shit.

Not even an exaggeration, honey.

And it’s the shit for one reason. Yes, it’s got murder. Yes, it’s got sex. Yes, it’s got a psycho serial killer. Yes, it’s hitting that fine line in the level of detail. Yes, it reads like real life honesty. Yes, it’s got gore. Yes, it takes place in C to the A to the N to the A to the D to the A…

Hold on, did I spell that right? *goes back to check* Yep.

CANADA!

But listen to me readers and lovers, without Detective Angie Pallorino as a lead character we would be sitting at a three star rating That’s just the truth.

Was there anything astonishing about the story line? Not really. It’s interesting, but at the end of the day it’s a police procedural. Extra points for taking place in Canada and getting my patriotic self a little hyped about that, because I’m always reading books that take place in the UK or the US – and quite honestly I’ve had just about enough of the United States at this CRAZY Trump Juncture – but, I’m pretty sure serial killers obsessed with religious bullshit has been done to death.

But do you know what’s not done to death?

Serial killers obsessed with religious bullshit who are being hunted by Angie Pallorino.

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Review: The Fifth To Die (A 4MK Thriller, #2) by J.D. Barker

★★★★½

This is what you have to know going into the 4MK series:

This story is a marathon, not a sprint.

And I’m not just talking about this particular book, number two in the series.

J.D. Barker has crafted a rich, intricate world full of robust, personality-driven characters, and advanced story telling technique. And he is presenting it to us, the reader, one giant novel at a time.

You don’t get conclusions around here. There is no end until it ends.

It’s a train that never stops. It is always moving towards the next destination in this 4MK world where you’ll be given new threads and new clues and new revelations that puts one more puzzle piece into the jumbled picture that is Anson Bishop and Detective Porter.

This series is detailed, not so much in visual description, but in depth of narrative and connections. They are flying all over the place, from past to present, from case to case. It could be too much maybe for some readers, but for me, it filled me with joy at how vast this puzzle really is.

And I don’t want to oversell this, but HOLY SHIT, YOU GUYS, IT’S THE GREATEST THING OUT THERE RIGHT NOW ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH.

…yeah, that feels like the right amount of cap locks.

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Review: Brave by Rose McGowan

★★★★

It doesn’t feel right “rating” an autobiography, especially one as intense and personal as this one, so consider my stars more of a decoration than a judgement.

Rose McGowan is an actress that had a significant presence in my formative years. (Favourite movie of all time: Scream. One of my favourite TV shows of all time: Charmed.) So, going into reading this, after the downfall of Harvey Weinstein, I felt a little bit of a connection to her. In some ways I grew up with her. Perhaps that affects my opinion of this book, as opposed to someone that saw Death Proof once or remembers her from that time she walked the red carpet at the MTV VMAs essentially naked.

I know this is not the typical book review you might expect to find on a blog dedicated to mysteries and thrillers, but I believe this is an important one to read. For me personally, as a feminist and as a woman, but also just in general. All people should be reading this book. End of.

Whether you agree with her opinions or not, there is so much in this novel that will make you think, make you reconsider an opinion or give you a new perspective you might not have considered.

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Review: Two Girls Down by Louisa Luna

★★★★½

So I’m just going to say it: Favourite read of 2018 so far!

Omg, heart-eyes for Louisa Luna!

This was just so much fun, a pretty perfect example of what a crime thriller-whodunnit should be.

I would love this to be a series featuring the enigmatic bounty hunter/P.I. Alice Vega. Not a lot was revealed about her, just enough for you to know her without knowing her. There is still a lot of space to grow with Vega; more story that can be told.

The minute she popped onto the page I knew I was in fictional love. Vega is damaged and snarky and ruthless, smart and cynical, with a short bullshit fuse. She has no problem beating the shit out of her skips, or using her talent of mental warfare to get her way. She’s just a tough-as-nails Queennnn.

And when I grow up I want to be just like her.

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Review: Sixth Grave on the Edge (Charley Davidson, #6) by Darynda Jones

★★★★½

I feel like this book is a watershed moment for the series. If you’ve been loving the ride so far, this book is going to test just how invested you really are in sticking it out with Charley.

If you’ve been iffy about Charley, whether-or-not you like her and her constant slapstick bullshit – then this book is going to be what tips you over the edge on either side.

It is not your typical Charley Davidson novel. If you’re expecting to find a PI case that Charley takes from beginning to end….sorry, but no. There is a lot going on, a lot of defining moments, a lot of new plot threads that are introduced for the future of the series, and one hell of a cliffhanger.

(Seriously, the seventh book was available for download from my library and I borrowed that shit immediately after finishing this.)

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Review: The Girls in the Water (Detectives King and Lane, #1) by Victoria Jenkins

★★★★

There’s just something about smart, in-charge females solving violent crimes against other females, perpetrated by men with psycho fucking issues, that really gives me some lady wood.

I was super excited to read this new series by Victoria Jenkins for that very reason, and I have to say it didn’t disappoint.

This is a really promising start for a new author and new series.

In Wales, a jogger finds the body of a woman floating in the river. DI Alex King and DC Chloe Lane are called to the scene. It seems almost as soon as the first body is found a second body turns up. Serial killers FTW.

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Review: Fifth Grave Past the Light (Charley Davidson, #5) by Darynda Jones

★★★★

You guyssssssssssss, I love Charley! Sincerely, I have massive amounts of affection for her.

I wish she’d be my friend. We could get drinks together, gossip about people (both alive and dead), maybe smoke a little pot together in our pajamas and then pass out watching Rick & Morty.

She’s just honestly one of my favourite female characters.

And really, you don’t even need to read this series from the beginning to get into it, (but it does help.) You can jump in whenever and immediately know Charley. Because her voice and her personality are clear and genuine from the beginning. Darynda Jones has her figured out and never wavers from that truth.

This time around Charley is dealing with a lot. And it starts from page one. A cheating husband, gun fire, being confronted by the police about how exactly she manages to solve cases the way that she does. Not to mention, her apartment is filled with dozens of dead blonde women who may, or may not, have been killed by serial killer. They are the worst houseguests too – climbing her walls (literally), hanging from the ceiling (literally), straight up ignoring her requests to communicate but then also getting in the shower with her. Like you do.

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Review: The Ice Beneath Her by Camilla Grebe

★★★★

Holy Nordic crime fiction, Batman!

Ughhh, please just completely ignore that I started this book review with a holy batman exclamation.

If you’re a fan of the aforementioned genre, you will love this novel. It’s really hit or miss for me, but this one is a hit.

Let’s start our bookworm asses at the beginning, shall we?

A unidentified, decapitated woman is found in the bed of a moderately famous, very wealthy CEO. And he, Jesper Orre, has seemingly disappeared.

DI Peter Lindgren is lead detective on the case. He’s a despondent, sullen character. He has an ex-wife who hates him and a troubled teenage son, whose issues could probably be traced back to his ongoing search for a connection with his father. Only time and again, he finds that Peter has been, and always will be, more interested in his job than his family.

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Review: Stillhouse Lake (Stillhouse Lake, #1) by Rachel Caine

★★★★

After reading this I am going to be on high alert-code orange, for any signs my darling husband is a deranged serial killer.

I mean, he has a serious deep-rooted hate for bunnies, so that’s got to be red flag number one. All I need now is to find a locked room in our house that I’m never allowed to go in, and it’s all but basically confirmed. I’m going to have to kill him.

But we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.

Stillhouse Lake by Rachel Caine is a different twist on the usual serial killer thriller. This time the killer is behind bars and the star is his ex-wife.

For the duration of their marriage, Gina Royal had no idea her seemingly doting father of a husband, Melvin, was stringing women up in the garage and doing things with the skin (Hannibal Lecter shoutout!) until a drunk driver rams into their house and reveals his last victim.

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