The Banker's Wife

On an early morning in November, a couple boards a private plane bound for Geneva, flying into a storm. Soon after, it simply drops off the radar, and its wreckage is later uncovered in the Alps. Among the disappeared is Matthew Lerner, a banking insider at Swiss United, a powerful offshore bank. His young widow, Annabel, is left grappling with the secrets he left behind, including an encrypted laptop and a shady client list. As she begins a desperate search for answers, she determines that Matthew's death was no accident, and that she is now in the crosshairs of his powerful enemies.

Meanwhile, ambitious society journalist Marina Tourneau has finally landed at the top. Now that she's engaged to Grant Ellis, she will stop writing about powerful families and finally be a part of one. Her entry into the upper echelons of New York's social scene is more appealing than any article could ever be, but, after the death of her mentor, she agrees to dig into one more story. While looking into Swiss United, Marina uncovers information that implicates some of the most powerful men in the financial world, including some who are too close to home. The story could also be the answer to Annabel's heartbreaking search—if Marina chooses to publish it.

It's been a hot minute since I've read a thriller that wasn't classified as a domestic thriller.  I used to love these type of books and I have no idea why I never pick them up anymore, but after finishing The Banker's Wife I won't wait that long again.  This book was a really interesting setup and felt pretty true to life.  The whole scandal is based around off shore banks and what role they play.  The narrative was pretty much split between Marina and Annabel.  Often times a dual narrative can have a character you really care about and the other you are not nearly as invested in, but I was completely tied in to both of their stories and how they connected.  Sometimes there were parts that I'd have to read a couple times to understand, but for the most part the book flowed really well.  This was such a welcomed change and I started seeking out similar reads when I finished the last page.     

          * I received this book from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review *

The Other Woman

 

Emily thinks Adam’s perfect; the man she thought she’d never meet. But lurking in the shadows is a rival; a woman who shares a deep bond with the man she loves.

Emily chose Adam, but she didn’t choose his mother Pammie. There’s nothing a mother wouldn’t do for her son, and now Emily is about to find out just how far Pammie will go to get what she wants: Emily gone forever.

The Other Woman is an addictive, fast-paced psychological thriller about the destructive relationship between Emily, her boyfriend Adam, and his manipulative mother Pammie.

 The Other Woman was exactly the type of thriller book that I love to pick up.  While I thought I had everything figured out, the whole thing snuck up on me and smacked me right in the head!  Emily, the main character, was likeable, but at times I didn't understand her decisions.  Although, after further reflection, I feel like she was just desperate to find her true love.  Adam, her fiance, was a great character because I wasn't sure if I was supposed to rot for him or not.  I wasn't sure if he was an amazing or delusional fiance.  And finally, his mom, Pammie (which, by the way, I have never been bothered too much by a character's name, but her name just rubbed me the wrong way every time I read it) was weird, borderline creepy.  This novel did not disappoint!

        * I received this book from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review *

Lies She Told

Liza Jones has thirty days to write the thriller that could put her back on the bestseller list. In the meantime, she’s struggling to start a family with her husband, who is distracted by the disappearance of his best friend, Nick. With stresses weighing down in both her professional and her personal life, Liza escapes into writing her latest heroine.

Beth is a new mother who suspects her husband is cheating on her while she’s home alone providing for their newborn. Angry and betrayed, Beth sets out to catch him in the act and make him pay for shattering the illusion of their perfect life. But before she realizes it, she’s tossing the body of her husband’s mistress into the river.

Then the lines between fiction and reality begin to blur. Nick’s body is dragged from the Hudson and Liza’s husband is arrested for his murder. Before her deadline is up, Liza will have to face up up to the truths about the people around her, including herself. If she doesn’t, the end of her heroine’s story could be the end of her own.

I have struggled lately to find thrillers that seem believable, hold my attention and keep me guessing, this book did all three.  It's difficult to say too much without giving anything away, but I felt totally engrossed in Liza and Beth, the main character in Liza's story.  I love when a story can really tow the line between fact and fiction and this novel did just that.  I am beyond happy that I found another great thriller to recommend!

          * I received this book from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review *

The Address

After a failed apprenticeship, working her way up to head housekeeper of a posh London hotel is more than Sara Smythe ever thought she’d make of herself. But when a chance encounter with Theodore Camden, one of the architects of the grand New York apartment house The Dakota, leads to a job offer, her world is suddenly awash in possibility—no mean feat for a servant in 1884. The opportunity to move to America, where a person can rise above one’s station. The opportunity to be the female manager of The Dakota, which promises to be the greatest apartment house in the world. And the opportunity to see more of Theo, who understands Sara like no one else...and is living in The Dakota with his wife and three young children.

In 1985, Bailey Camden is desperate for new opportunities. Fresh out of rehab, the former party girl and interior designer is homeless, jobless, and penniless. Two generations ago, Bailey’s grandfather was the ward of famed architect Theodore Camden. But the absence of a genetic connection means Bailey won’t see a dime of the Camden family’s substantial estate. Instead, her “cousin” Melinda—Camden’s biological great-granddaughter—will inherit almost everything. So when Melinda offers to let Bailey oversee the renovation of her lavish Dakota apartment, Bailey jumps at the chance, despite her dislike of Melinda’s vision. The renovation will take away all the character and history of the apartment Theodore Camden himself lived in...and died in, after suffering multiple stab wounds by a madwoman named Sara Smythe, a former Dakota employee who had previously spent seven months in an insane asylum on Blackwell’s Island.

One hundred years apart, Sara and Bailey are both tempted by and struggle against the golden excess of their respective ages—for Sara, the opulence of a world ruled by the Astors and Vanderbilts; for Bailey, the free-flowing drinks and cocaine in the nightclubs of New York City—and take refuge and solace in the Upper West Side’s gilded fortress. But a building with a history as rich—and often tragic—as The Dakota’s can’t hold its secrets forever, and what Bailey discovers in its basement could turn everything she thought she knew about Theodore Camden—and the woman who killed him—on its head.

This is one of those stories that I wish I could read again for the first time.  I thought all of the characters had great dimension and sucked me right in.  The star of the story is of course The Dakota, which I immediately read more about as soon as I finished.  I have drove past the building before when visiting New York City, but I definitely will be making a stop next time to view the gorgeous details that were described.  Fiona Davis weaved a masterful story that kept me engaged from page one and never faltered.  I would highly recommend historical fiction fans to check it out and I will definitely be on the lookout for more titles by Fiona Davis.     

      * I received this book from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review *

By the Book

An English professor struggling for tenure discovers that her ex-fiancé has just become the president of her college—and her new boss—in this whip-smart modern retelling of Jane Austen’s classic Persuasion.
 

Anne is determined to score a position on the coveted tenure track at her college. All she’s got to do is get a book deal, snag a promotion, and boom! She’s in. But then Adam Martinez—her first love and ex-fiancé—shows up as the college’s new president.
 

Anne should be able to keep herself distracted. After all, she’s got a book to write, an aging father to take care of, and a new romance developing with the college’s insanely hot writer-in-residence. But no matter where she turns, there’s Adam, as smart and sexy as ever. As the school year advances and her long-buried feelings begin to resurface, Anne begins to wonder whether she just might get a second chance at love.

I must first confess, that I have never read Jane Austen's Persuasion.  When I realized the novel was based on this well loved novel I was excited to give it a go.  But when I saw some negative reviews for this book I was nervous to pick it up.  However, maybe because I had never read Jane's original novel, I really loved this book!  I thought it was delightful and heartwarming.  The characters felt realistic and I was invested in Anne's story.  I can understand that some may not like this sort of fluffy, quick read, but for me it was pretty perfect.  If you are looking for a light, fun read I would highly recommend this book.  And because I liked it so much, I may just have to pick up Persuasion later this year. 

            * I received this book from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review *

Just Between Us

Alison, Julie, Sarah, Heather. Four friends living the suburban ideal. Their jobs are steady, their kids are healthy. They’re as beautiful as their houses. But each of them has a dirty little secret, and hidden behind the veneer of their perfect lives is a crime and a mystery that will consume them all.

Everything starts to unravel when Alison spots a nasty bruise on Heather’s wrist. She shares her suspicions with Julie and Sarah, compelling all three to investigate what looks like an increasingly violent marriage. As mysterious injuries and erratic behavior mount, Heather can no longer deny the abuse, but she refuses to leave her husband. Desperate to save her, Alison and the others dread the phone call telling them that she’s been killed. But when that call finally comes, it’s not Heather who’s dead. In a moment they’ll come to regret, the women must decide what lengths they’ll go to in order to help a friend.

Just Between Us is a thrilling glimpse into the underbelly of suburbia, where not all neighbors can be trusted, and even the closest friends keep dangerous secrets. You never really know what goes on in another person’s mind, or in their marriage.

What a ride!  I picked up this book when I was struggling a bit to find anything that kept my interest and this was exactly what I needed.  It kept me up reading at night, which few things do these days, and I would sneak in a couple pages whenever I found the chance.  The four main characters in the story were easy to relate to in many ways.  They seemed like the friends many moms have once they have children.  I have read a couple reviews that found the change in narration confusing, but I didn't have any problems.  If I forgot for a second, the page heading displayed who was narrating and I was right back on track.  I would classify this book as a domestic thriller, which I tend to love because there is character development, along with a fast-paced timeline.  If I had one complaint, it would be that I had to suspend belief for a few of the decisions/actions of the characters.  I didn't always think it was how people would behave, but in some ways that's exactly what this book is about.  I had suspicions early on about what was happening, and while I was correct, there were still enough details in the why that left me shocked.  I will be on the hunt for more novels like this is the future, it's what makes reading books so enjoyable!

          * I received this book from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review *

The Other Girl

Officer Miranda Rader of the Harmony, Louisiana PD is known for her honesty, integrity, and steady hand in a crisis—but that wasn’t always so. Miranda comes from the town of Jasper, a place about the size of a good spit on a hot day, and her side of the tracks was the wrong one. She’s worked hard to earn the respect of her coworkers and the community.

When Miranda and her partner are called to investigate the murder of one of the town’s most beloved college professors, they’re unprepared for the brutality of the scene. This murder is unlike any they’ve ever investigated, and just when Miranda thinks she’s seen the worst of it, she finds a piece of evidence that chills her to the core: a faded newspaper clipping about that terrible night fifteen years ago. The night she’d buried, along with her past and the girl she’d been back then. 

Until now that grave had stayed sealed…except for those times, in the deepest part of the night, when the nightmares came: of a crime no one believed happened and the screams of the girl they believed didn’t exist.  Then another man turns up dead, this one a retired cop. Not just any cop—the one who took her statement that night. Two murders, two very different men, two killings that on the surface had nothing in common—except Miranda.

I read this fast-paced crime novel in under 24 hours and it delivered in most ways.  Even though the novel is short, I did feel invested in the characters.  The author was really able to tell us a lot in a small amount of pages, which I am always grateful for.  I felt terrible for Miranda and just wanted to help her make everything right.  Just be warned, because their are only a few characters introduced, I had ideas throughout the book of what I thought.  I was right and wrong, which was fun to feel like I solved a piece, but was still surprised.  This was a first time read author read for me, but I wouldn't hesitate to pick up more titles by Erica Spindler.      

 * I received this book from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review *