SEPARATION ANXIETY by Laura Zigman

March 2, 2020

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Zigman’s latest (Animal Husbandry, Her) features Judy, a 50-year-old mother going through some serious life changes. Her career as a successful children’s book writer has tanked, leaving her writing clickbait for a self-help website. Her parents have recently died, her best friend has terminal cancer, her 13-year-old son is growing up and away from her, and her anxiety-ridden husband has turned to cannabis to an extreme, all of which is debilitating to the marriage.

Judy has a two-fold approach to her problems; she tucks her Sheltie dog into an old baby carrier and wears the dog everywhere, all while she wallows in self-pity and whines about her life.

Anxiety is a serious issue, but here it is treated as comedic fodder, while the dog in the sling leaves the reader to ponder whether it is animal abuse or to just accept it as farce.

Verdict: Readers who enjoyed the far superior Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple, or Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes, may enjoy this, but it is not her best effort even though Zigman is a popular author.

©Library Journal, 2020

3/2020 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

SEPARATION ANXIETY by Laura Zigman. Ecco (March 3, 2020). ISBN 978-0062909077. 288p.

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Win the March 2020 bookshelf of signed thrillers!

March 1, 2020

So many books to win, it’s absolute madness! Like March Madness, minus the basketball. There is definitely something for everyone. One of my favorite authors, Allison Brennan, is kicking off a fantastic new series. There are a couple of debuts; Stephanie Wrobel’s Darling Rose Gold, which is a Library Reads top ten books for March, and Don Bentley’s Without Sanction, that none other than Lee Child is raving about! I am super excited about Peter Swanson’s Eight Perfect Murders, which is so in my wheelhouse, not to mention several other fantastic new books from some of the best thriller writers out there.

Don’t forget to check back, additional titles may be added. To enter: Win Books

Best of luck!

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THE THIRD TO DIE by Allison Brennan: A disgraced detective teams up with an ambitious FBI special agent to prevent a cycle of murders by a killer who ended the life of a colleague’s sister. First book of a new series (yay!) by the author of the Lucy Kincaid series.

EIGHT PERFECT MURDERS by Peter Swanson:  Years after establishing a literary career through his compilation of the mystery genre’s most unsolvable classics, an unsuspecting bookseller is tapped by the FBI for help solving murders that eerily mimic the books on his list.

DARLING ROSE GOLD by Stephanie Wrobel: Enduring decades of serious illness as a victim of Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy before exposing her mother’s behavior, Rose Gold invites her unrepentant mother back into her life to secretly settle the score. A first novel.

THE LAST TOURIST by Olen Steinhauer: Retired agent Milo Weaver has his hideout in the Western Sahara invaded by a young CIA analyst who questions him about suspicious deaths and the possible return of the Tourists, in the fourth novel of the series following An American Spy.

LAVENDER BLUE MURDER by Laura Childs: Attending a traditional English bird hunt, tea-maven Theodosia Browning and her sommelier, Drayton Conneley, stumble on the wounded body of their host before suspicious accidents prompt the organization of a séance to expose the culprit.

THE GOOD KILLER by Harry Dolan:  In the newest thriller from best-selling author Harry Dolan, former soldier Sean Tennant stops a deadly mass shooting, and captures the attentions of two dangerous men from the past, including one who blames him for a brother’s death.

THE DEEP by Alma Katsu: Surviving the sinking of the Titanic, Annie takes a job as a nurse on the Britannic before encountering a fellow survivor who forces her to reckon with past demons. By the award-winning author of The Hunger.

A REASONABLE DOUBT by Phillip Margolin: When a magician linked to suspicious deaths goes missing in the middle of performing a new trick, criminal defense attorney Robin Lockwood untangles dangerous clues to identify a killer among numerous suspects.

CROSS HER HEART by Melinda Leigh: When her sister Erin is murdered and Erin’s husband goes missing, Philadelphia homicide detective Bree Taggert vows to uncover the secrets of her sister’s life and death but when the danger hits close to home, her own family is caught in a death grip.

WITHOUT SANCTION by Don Bentley: An operative struggling with PTSD in the aftermath of a mission gone wrong is forced to confront his biggest failure to prevent an ISIS splinter cell from creating a weapon of mass destruction. A first novel.

You can win autographed copies of these books! If you are new to the site, each month I run a contest in conjunction with the International Thriller Writers organization. We put together a list of books from debut authors to bestsellers, so you can win some of your favorites and find some new favorites.

What makes this contest really special is that all of the books (except eBooks) are signed by the author! Books with multiple authors will be signed by at least one of the authors.

Penguin Random House books for giveaway were provided by the publisher. #PRHpartner

Don’t forget, if you subscribe to the newsletter or follow this blog, you get an extra entry into every contest you enter. Check out the Win Books page for more information on all these books and how you can enter this month’s contest.

Thanks for reading, and good luck!

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THE LAST DAY by Andrew Hunter Murray

February 29, 2020

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From the publisher:

HALF THE WORLD IS DARK. ONLY SHE CAN SAVE THE LIGHT.

A high-concept, utterly original debut thriller which envisages a world on the edge of catastrophe, perfect for readers who loved Robert Harris’ Fatherland, Station 11, and The Wall by John Lanchester.

It is 2059: forty years previously a solar catastrophe began to slow our planet’s rotation. Now it has stopped so that one side of the world permanently faces the sun while the other is stuck in an eternal frozen night.

Britain is one of the few fortunate countries. Located in one of the few remaining temperate zones, it should have the means to support itself. In reality though it is struggling, and today it is a land stalked by hunger and violence.

It is also home to the American Zone, the last surviving enclave of the United States.

Ellen Hopper is a British scientist living on a frostbitten rig in the cold Atlantic. She wants nothing more to do with her country after its slide into authoritarianism and decay.

Yet when two government officials arrive demanding she return to London to see her dying tutor, she accepts – and begins to unravel a secret that threatens not only the nation’s fragile balance, but the future of the whole human race.

The absolutely impossible happens. The earth stops rotating and causes day and night to be the same day in and day out all over the world. The cold spots are eternally cold and the warm spots always warm, possibly too warm as they face the sun in the same position without change. The cause of this calamity is a huge celestial body crossing space relatively near to our solar system. As a consequence of this event, the earth begins a period of slowing down in its ever-changing position of moving around the sun. Differences in day and night and seasonal change begin to slow down, and eventually cease when our planet finally finishes slowing down and eventually stops.

The author does an excellent job of portraying the effect cessation of motion of the earth has on our planet. How many lose their lives with the ability to survive lost. And how people begin to adjust to a life that is totally different than the one they were used to. England and a portion of the United States emerged as the more powerful countries on the planet. In addition, one man begins taking charge of adaptation in Great Britain and not surprisingly becomes a dictator with plans to take over the United States and expand his hold on England

Ellen Hopper is a woman that has found a life living on an ocean rig with no thought of changing until one day two officials from the British government visit her demanding that she visit her mentor from her days at university. When she does so she is thrown into the middle of a scheme that bids fair to throw the country off from its fragile balance and possibly even negatively affect the remainder of the planet’s population.

Murray has taken on the challenge of developing a novel with a huge amount of interwoven factors and does a very creditable job of tying everything together in a logical way. The novel is certainly one that cannot be put down until finished with every section bringing in different factors to be faced by the characters. The book is indicated as the author’s first and is no doubt a great start for an up and coming writer.

2/2020 Paul Lane

THE LAST DAY by Andrew Hunter Murray. Hutchinson (February 6, 2020). ISBN: 978-1786331915. 384p.

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THE WARSAW PROTOCOL by Steve Berry

February 27, 2020

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Cotton Malone, Book 15

From the publisher:

In New York Times bestseller Steve Berry’s latest Cotton Malone adventure, one by one the seven precious relics of the Arma Christi, the weapons of Christ, are disappearing from sanctuaries across the world.

After former Justice Department agent Cotton Malone witnesses the theft of one of them, he learns from his old boss, Stephanie Nelle, that a private auction is about to be held where incriminating information on the president of Poland will be offered to the highest bidder―blackmail that both the United States and Russia want, but for vastly different reasons.

The price of admission to that auction is one of the relics, so Malone is first sent to a castle in Poland to steal the Holy Lance, a thousand-year-old spear sacred to not only Christians but to the Polish people, and then on to the auction itself. But nothing goes as planned and Malone is thrust into a bloody battle between three nations over information that, if exposed, could change the balance of power in Europe.

From the tranquil canals of Bruges, to the elegant rooms of Wawel Castle, to deep beneath the earth into an ancient Polish salt mine, Malone is caught in the middle of a deadly war―the outcome of which turns on a secret known as the Warsaw Protocol.

This is the 15th book by Steve Berry featuring Cotton Malone. The formula utilized is the same winning format that has made these novels attractive to a large group of readers. Cotton is a former employee of a division of the CIA called the Magellan Billet. He is retired and lives in Copenhagen where he owns a successful book store. He has a girlfriend that lives elsewhere in the world and the two get together whenever possible. How he has time for her and his bookstore are a miracle of time. But that is our gain.

The novel opens as Cotton is on a trip to buy several rare books to fill a customer’s request. His trip is interrupted as is the norm by his ex-supervisor, Stephanie Nelle, who needs him to help the Magellan Billet out by entering into a case. The circumstances involve the present President of Poland being blackmailed by the U.S. in order to force him to allow a missile installation to be set up in Poland. The President is very much against the idea since it will put Poland at odds with Russia.

A situation has developed in which holy relics – Arma Christi – the weapons of Christ are being stolen from their repositories around the world. Stephanie Nelle learns that the relics will be used as admission to a private auction in which incriminating evidence about the Polish President will be given to the highest bidder in attendance. One relic is still in its original place – the Holy Lance – and Malone is sent to a castle in Poland in order to steal it and use it to get into the auction. The events faced by Cotton include traveling into an enormous salt mine that has been in use for centuries. It has proven an excellent source of income for the country over time and is a much sought after tourist attraction for many foreigners.

The auction, its results and a lot of action provides the reader with another great read by Steve Berry, and continued interest in picking up the next novel by the author.

2/2020 Paul Lane

THE WARSAW PROTOCOL by Steve Berry. Minotaur Books (February 25, 2020). ISBN: 978-1250140302. 384p.

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COLD NOSE, WARM HEART by Mara Wells

February 26, 2020

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Fur Haven Dog Park, Book 1

From the publisher:

A poodle, a black lab and a Chihuahua walk into a dog park…

All Caleb Donovan has to do to redeem his family name is take a rundown Miami Beach apartment building and turn it into luxury condos. Easy, right?

Unfortunately, that would also turn the local dog park into a parking lot and the neighbors aren’t having it. Caleb is faced with outright revolt, led by smart, beautiful building manager Riley Carson and her poodle, LouLou.

For Caleb, this project should have been a slam dunk. But even more challenging than the neighborhood resistance is the mutual attraction between him and Riley. It would be so much easier just to stay enemies.

Can Riley and her canine sidekick convince Caleb that what’s best for business isn’t always best for the heart?

Based on the description, the adorable title, and the super cute cover, I had high expectations for this book. It’s set in nearby (to me) Miami and there aren’t a lot of romances set there. And it has dogs! But I didn’t love it, and I wanted to. It was cute and sweet, but it just felt too shallow. It needed a bit more depth.

There are some very funny moments, and a few sweet ones as well. Caleb definitely has some baggage, but I never really felt like I got to know him. Riley was a little bit more developed, and I liked her grandmother. The other tenants in the building also added some laughs. I will probably read the next book in the series, just because this author was new to me and I want to give her another chance. I am forever hopeful.

2/2020 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

COLD NOSE, WARM HEART by Mara Wells. Sourcebooks Casablanca (January 28, 2020). ISBN 978-1492698586. 384p.

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THE BIG LIE by James Grippando

February 25, 2020

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 Jack Swyteck Novel, Book 16

From the publisher:

As the Electoral College battle for the White House lands in a Florida courtroom, Miami attorney Jack Swyteck has never felt farther from the truth, fighting for a “faithless elector,” caught between a corrupt president and his manipulative opponent—with each revelation more explosive than the next.

The country is reeling. For the sixth time in American history, the winner of the popular vote will not occupy the Oval Office. President Malcolm MacLeod, the Machiavellian incumbent, was spared from impeachment only because his political foes were certain they would oust him at the ballot box. Now, he appears to have secured a second term, thanks to a narrow victory in the Electoral College.

His opponent, Florida Senator Evan Stahl, saw his campaign rocked by allegations of an extramarital affair—with another man. Despite the salacious headline-making scandal and the surrounding media frenzy, most Americans chose Stahl to lead the politically polarized nation. But Stahl is refusing to concede. Backed by millions of supporters, he looks to individual members of the Electoral College to cross party lines.

Gun lobbyist Charlotte Holmes is one of Florida’s twenty-nine electors who is bound by law and by oath to cast her vote for MacLeod, who won Florida by the thinnest of margins. When Charlotte announces that she intends to vote her conscience and throw the Electoral College to Stahl, the president and his Florida machine haul her into court on felony charges—which, for some, isn’t nearly punishment enough.

Miami attorney Jack Swyteck is going to use every legal maneuver he can to keep his new client free—and alive. MacLeod’s hand-picked prosecutor is determined to prove Charlotte is unfit to cast a vote. Dredging through her past, he’s looking for skeletons to humiliate and discredit her, while others with far deadlier intentions have begun acting on their threats.

As the pressure mounts, Charlotte and Jack must decide how far they’ll go to stand their ground in the stand-your-ground state.

In James Grippando’s latest novel featuring attorney Jack Swyteck, he touches upon present 2019 conditions in the United States. There is a division in the country, with one party maintaining that the current president did not win the election that put him in office. The opposing party did win the majority of the popular vote but lost when the electoral college result put the current president into office.

Grippando explains that the electoral college was put into place by the U.S. founding fathers as a means of assuring that large population centers would not be able to crush the wishes of other areas of the country. The current U.S. system has the electors in each state asked to vote for the candidate that gained the most votes in that state. In that system, it becomes possible for one candidate to gain more of the popular vote but lose when electors in less populous areas vote for the majority candidate and have the same effect as the electors in the other more populated area with the overall election decided by the overall majority of electoral votes. The author makes the point that it is possible that one of the electors may decide to vote his or her conscience even if it doesn’t coincide with the constraint to vote for the winner of the majority vote in that state.

The novel is about an elector deciding to vote her conscience and not for the candidate that the state majority dictated. Charlotte Holmes is one of the 29 appointed electors in the state of Florida and during the presidential election has decided not to follow custom. That would have placed her vote for the opposition candidate and not for the president who did win the majority of the state’s popular votes.

The book places two scandalous candidates in juxtaposition but the president has been elected by a narrow margin. There are underlying facts and interests in play making the outcome of Charlotte’s choice important beyond the one electoral vote lost, and we have another mesmerizing novel by James Grippando guaranteed to keep his readers up and reading until it is finished. The author attempts to keep his personal views out of the plot but this is not 100% accomplished. Any personal bias encountered will certainly not have any effect on the enjoyment of the book. Chalk up another five-star encounter with Jack Swyteck and his defense of Charlotte Holmes and her decision not to follow normal elector procedure.

2/2020 Paul Lane

THE BIG LIE by James Grippando. Harper (February 25, 2020). ISBN: 978-0062915047. 368p.

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THE TWO-DATE RULE by Tawna Fenske

February 24, 2020

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Smokejumper, Book 1

From the publisher:

Willa Frank has one simple rule: never go on a date with anyone more than twice. Now that her business is providing the stability she’s always needed, she can’t afford distractions. Her two-date rule will protect her just fine…until she meets smokejumper Grady Billman.

After one date―one amazing, unforgettable date―Grady isn’t ready to call it quits, despite his own no-attachments policy, and he’s found a sneaky way around both their rules.

Throwing gutter balls with pitchers of beer? Not a real date. Everyone knows bowling doesn’t count.

Watching a band play at a local show? They just happen to have the same great taste in music. Definitely not a date.

Hiking? Nope. How can exercise be considered a date?

With every “non-date” Grady suggests, his reasoning gets more ridiculous, and Willa must admit she’s having fun playing along. But when their time together costs Willa two critical clients, it’s clear she needs to focus on the only thing that matters―her future. And really, he should do the same.

But what is she supposed to do with a future that looks gray without Grady in it?

This book felt a little like it switched things up a bit; our hero, Grady, is smart and capable, even though his plans for the future are non-existent. Our heroine, Willa, on the other hand, has some serious baggage. Willa doesn’t do relationships, hence, the two-date rule. She’ll go out with a guy twice at most. After that, she cuts them loose so she doesn’t form any attachments. She is laser-focused on her career and she’s not going to let a man get in her way. Until she meets Grady.

Grady is definitely on board with the two-date rule, after all, with his work schedule, he can’t really get involved. But their first date goes so well that he is bound and determined to keep seeing her and somehow get around her rule and his scheduling issues. Willa is pretty smitten as well and finds herself bending her own rule quite a bit. She won’t break it, exactly, and that leads to a lot of comedy. But as her life story unfurls, Grady learns why she is the way she is, and the best way to deal with her issues. Willa is a workaholic and completely obsessed with money. She lost her mom as a young child, and her childhood was heartbreaking at best.

This wouldn’t be a romance if it broke all the rules, so boy meets girl, they fall pretty quickly, then boy loses girl. Only to get her back again. But I was so emotionally involved that it felt pretty devastating when they reached their breaking point. I only kept going because I knew they had to get their happily ever after.

I had a couple of very minor quibbles with this book; the cover wasn’t great, and I felt like I missed something regarding Willa’s relationship with Grady’s mom, but all in all, this was a very good romance. I liked learning about smokejumpers, I was not familiar with that specialized field of work, and I really like how it was integrated into the story. This was my favorite book so far from Entangled Publishing. It had all the elements I love in a romance; great characters that I cared about, lots of laughs, some heat when needed, lots of drama without ever going over the top, and of course, a happy ending. Best of all, this is the first book of a new series and I am all in!

2/2020 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

THE TWO-DATE RULE by Tawna Fenske. Entangled: Amara (February 25, 2020). ISBN 978-1640637436. 320p.

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ONLY LIES REMAIN by Val Collins

February 23, 2020

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From the publisher:

Award-winning author Val Collins returns with a suspenseful, twisty thriller

Everyone thought Danny Walsh deserted his family when his sons were young. But when Danny’s body turns up fifteen years later and his wife, Maura, is implicated in his murder, accusations and old rumours surface.

Aoife rushes in to clear her mother-in-law’s name. But why is it that Maura’s story concerning Danny’s disappearance doesn’t quite add up?

Aoife’s investigation uncovers old secrets, long-held jealousies, and lies upon lies. With every new revelation, Aoife realises she doesn’t know her family at all. Now her new boss is acting strangely, her best friend is more and more distant, and her husband is no help at all.

With her support network crumbling and her family threatened, Aoife must race to keep one step ahead of danger before more innocent lives are lost. But how will she uncover the truth when only lies remain?

Set in present-day Ireland, Collins presents a second novel featuring Aoife as a protagonist. She is on the descending side of a failed marriage, is the sole support of her only child, and in the process of trying to get rid of her ex-husband. He, on the other hand has found a sinecure In Aoife, moving in with her indicating that he will help care for their little girl and also allow time to try and work out their problems in an attempt to make the marriage work. In reality, he continues with the conduct that caused the marriage to break up as he just lays around and gives orders to serve him.

Suddenly the dead body of her father-in-law appears, dispelling the idea that he had deserted his family fifteen years ago. On top of her own problems with an ex-husband camping in her house and no means of support available, Aoife now has to attempt to comfort Maura, her mother-in-law who is plagued again with guilt over her own possible culpability or innocence in driving her husband away.

Val Collins takes Aoife through various crises in her life. She gets a part-time job and has a friend of hers developing a romance with her new boss. A handsome police detective calls on her, charged with investigating the death of her father-in-law and continues to call on her, obviously looking for romance. Her daughter becomes more and more precocious and at one point is seemingly kidnapped. She is returned but carries a note warning Aoife to stop meddling in affairs that don’t concern her or her daughter will be captured again.

The novel is entertaining and a good read but not an all-engrossing novel. Sufficient to say that the book is worthwhile reading and enjoying with the idea of getting Val Collins’ next book.

2/2020 Paul Lane

ONLY LIES REMAIN by Val Collins. VCB Publishing (December 9, 2019). ISBN: 978-1916298941. 316p.

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WRONG BED, RIGHT MAN by Rebecca Brooks

February 22, 2020

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Accidental Love, Book 3

From the publisher:

Rose Campbell is determined to get her stuff from her cheating ex-fiancé’s apartment. There’s just one problem. A sexy stranger is sleeping in her bed. Work boots and scruff so aren’t her type––except when they’re on furniture maker Owen Crowley, who is funny, kind, and speaks his mind.

The prim and proper Rose isn’t the kind of woman Owen is usually interested in. But the more he gets to know her, the more intrigued he becomes. There’s passion underneath those stiff suits of hers that he can’t wait to explore.

There’s no reason these two opposites can’t have some sexy fun––except that one thing. Rose works for the very people trying to destroy Owen’s business.

Let me just say if I judged a book by its cover, I never would have read this. I really hate the cover. But I did like the book.

It is a very short, very quick read; more fleshed out than a novella, thank goodness. I liked Rose and Owen, and the meet-cute was just that, as it should be. I did have some issues with the supposed competition between the big box furniture company that Rose worked for, and their “crush list” of small, mom & pop businesses that they want to drive out of business. Like Owen’s. Frankly, I just didn’t buy it. There is a world of difference between an Ikea with its serviceable, cheaply made, Allen wrench, DIY furniture and custom made or refinished fine furniture. They are dealing with absolutely different customers. So that was a sizable flaw in the story, as it was a major plot point.

This is probably considered an “erotic romance” as there was plenty of explicit sex described, and it was done pretty well. No cringey moments, at least not for me. I also liked the relationship Owen had with his father, it added another layer to the story that you don’t usually see in such a short book. The other secondary character was Rose’s ex, a complete stereotype. But he didn’t show up very often so no biggie.

All in all, this was an enjoyable read.

2/2020 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

WRONG BED, RIGHT MAN by Rebecca Brooks. Entangled: Brazen (February 17, 2020). ASIN: B083RRZDBM. 184p.

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THE OTHER MRS. by Mary Kubica

February 21, 2020

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From the publisher:

“Altogether unpredictable.” —Karin Slaughter, New York Times bestselling author

Coming to Netflix!

Propulsive and addictive, and perfect for fans of “You,” The Other Mrs. is the twisty new psychological thriller from Mary Kubica, the New York Times bestselling author of The Good Girl

Sadie and Will Foust have only just moved their family from bustling Chicago to small-town Maine when their neighbor Morgan Baines is found dead in her home. The murder rocks their tiny coastal island, but no one is more shaken than Sadie.

But it’s not just Morgan’s death that has Sadie on edge. And as the eyes of suspicion turn toward the new family in town, Sadie is drawn deeper into the mystery of what really happened that dark and deadly night. But Sadie must be careful, for the more she discovers about Mrs. Baines, the more she begins to realize just how much she has to lose if the truth ever comes to light.er investigation weaves together with the story of what really happened during their deliberation, told by each of the jurors in turn, the secrets they have all been keeping threaten to come out—with drastic consequences for all involved.

It’s a good thing that Mary Kubica can’t write a book every week because if that were the case I wouldn’t get any sleep. This novel, if not her best, is certainly near the top. Her styling grabs the reader from the start pulling him or her right into a great story and not letting up until the ending is reached. The ending is the epitome of a surprise and not what is thought of during most of the book. But, and definitely, a strong point after reading the novel a short reflection by the reader will provide the information that it is realistic, not one that is just juxtaposed in order to end the book.

Sadie and Will Foust have just moved away from their home in Chicago to a small island in the state of Maine. They inherited a house there from Will’s sister who has committed suicide after suffering from a long bout with Fibromyalgia and the unbearable pain that stems from the disease. Sadie is an MD and secures a position with the only medical office on the island while Will gets a teaching position in a city on the shore of Maine. All seems well with an idyllic existence laid out for them and their two children. The couple also adopts Will’s sister’s daughter who is devastated by her mother’s suicide and resents Sadie’s presence and having to live with her obeying her rules. But the couple understands the girl’s anguish and try to help her as much as possible.

Shortly after the family moves in a next-door neighbor is murdered; something the local police indicate is an almost nonexistent problem. Sadie is very affected and frightened by the event. She begins wondering if the murderer is hiding in one of the homes on the island that is temporarily uninhabited while their owners are away during the off season. Sadie is also seeing a psychiatrist due to having had issues with lapses of memory and disassociation. It is felt that the condition is treatable and Will is very supportive of his wife. He helps Sadie in many ways including cooking and cleaning the house as well as making sure the children leave for school and are picked up afterward.

The novel is, of course, a five-star book, and my advice is to keep on the lookout for Kubica’s next book in order to get it hot off the press.

2/2020 Paul Lane

THE OTHER MRS. by Mary Kubica. Random House (February 18, 2020). ISBN: 978-0399591778. 336p.

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