Mini Reviews: Riley Sager Edition

Every spooky season, I challenge myself to read some extra-suspenseful thrillers or try to get through a few horror novels. Surprisingly, I enjoyed the few I read last year, even though they scared me a bit, so I decided to try Riley Sager this fall. He did not disappoint!

 

The Unknown by Riley Sager

Pages: 368

Genre: Adult Fiction/Horror

Pub. Date: August 4, 2026

Publisher: Dutton

Source: Personal Copy

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

 

 

Goodreads says, "In 1926, five women disappeared from a remote island in Vermont. Now, one hundred years later, it’s happening again. Struggling actress Marin Keane is shocked when she lands a role in a major motion picture about the unsolved mystery of New Avalon, an island on sprawling Lake Faraday in Vermont. She’s even more surprised when she learns that the role requires a weeklong research trip to that very spot. Because New Avalon isn’t your ordinary island. A century ago, it was a commune for spiritual mediums—until they all vanished in 1926. The only trace of them was five dresses hanging from the branches of an old oak tree in the middle of the island, one for each missing woman. Some locals say they simply left. Others think they were murdered. But the prevailing opinion, thanks to a diary left behind by one of the vanished, a young woman named Daisy Rue, is that a séance gone wrong conjured something supernatural that took them all one by one. Not long after arriving, Marin and her castmates, including legendary actress Violet Wright and white-hot director Ronan Peters, begin to realize all is not right with New Avalon. They hear strange noises in the night and notice mysterious symbols left behind by the island's previous occupants. And after a sudden health emergency leaves Marin, Ronan, and the other actors stranded on the island, the disappearances begin again. Is it the work of someone trying to derail the movie? Or is the island’s alleged supernatural past catching up with the present? As fear and suspicion mount, Marin turns to Daisy’s diary, hoping it holds the key to figuring out what really happened to the women of New Avalon—and how to keep the island’s terrible history from repeating itself."

 

100 years ago, a group of women went missing from Vermont's isolated island on Lake Faraday. It's still a mystery, but that doesn't stop the movie industry from seeing this as prime entertainment. Marin, a struggling actress, gets the job opportunity of her life when another actress backs out of a movie. She is offered a role in this movie about the women who disappeared, except there is a catch. She has to get acclimated to the time period and the setting, so the producer wants her, along with the other actresses, to live as they did 100 years ago on this island for a week. No cell phones, no electricity, no modern clothing, etc. Despite the warning not to take this job from the actress who previously had her role, Marin goes, albeit hesitantly, because there are so many big names attached to this movie. She couldn't possibly turn it down as this could be her big break! But while there, strange things start happening. Some of the things happening are similar to the crazy events that happened 100 years ago. There are also noises in the night, strange symbols throughout the island, and before they know it, there's a life-threatening accident that takes one of the producers to the mainland, and with her, all their cell phones. So, technically they are stranded. Riley Sager's The Unknown is an atmospheric and eerie read that kept me flipping the pages.

What I liked about The Unknown was how it blended mystery and suspense. I kept wondering what had happened 100 years ago, and combining that mystery with Marin’s questions about what was currently happening on the island made this a real page-turner. There are séances, secrets, a 100-year-old journal, and more. However, at times, I felt there were a few plot holes, and I wished Sager had fleshed out certain aspects more. Nonetheless, I was entertained.

 

 

 

 

Home Before Dark by Riley Sager

Genre: Audiobook/Adult Fiction/Horror

Pub. Date: June 30, 2020

Publisher: Penguin Audio

Source: Personal Copy

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

 

 

Goodreads says, "Maggie Holt is used to such questions. Twenty-five years ago, she and her parents, Ewan and Jess, moved into Baneberry Hall, a rambling Victorian estate in the Vermont woods. They spent three weeks there before fleeing in the dead of night, an ordeal Ewan later recounted in a nonfiction book called House of Horrors. His tale of ghostly happenings and encounters with malevolent spirits became a worldwide phenomenon, rivaling The Amityville Horror in popularity—and skepticism. Today, Maggie is a restorer of old homes and too young to remember any of the events mentioned in her father’s book. But she also doesn’t believe a word of it. Ghosts, after all, don’t exist. When Maggie inherits Baneberry Hall after her father’s death, she returns to renovate the place to prepare it for sale. But her homecoming is anything but warm. People from the past, chronicled in House of Horrors, lurk in the shadows. And locals aren’t thrilled that their small town has been made infamous thanks to Maggie’s father. Even more unnerving is Baneberry Hall itself—a place filled with relics from another era that hint at a history of dark deeds. As Maggie experiences strange occurrences straight out of her father’s book, she starts to believe that what he wrote was more fact than fiction."

 

 

25 years ago, Maggie Holt and her family moved into a historic Victorian estate in Vermont named Baneberry Hall. Coming from the city, this was a nice change, and the estate offered so much room. It does have a complicated past, but the Holts have chosen to take a chance on Baneberry Hall and put everything behind them. However, that proves impossible because three weeks later they flee Baneberry and never return. In fact, it was such a horrific experience that Maggie's father. Ewan, writes a memoir entitled House of Horrors after they move out, and it becomes an instant bestseller. That's all Maggie and her family are known for going forward, but Maggie really resents this as she barely remembers all the details in her father's book and questions whether they actually happened. But after he dies, she is shocked to find out that not only did he still own Baneberry Hall, he left it to her in his will. So reluctantly, Maggie agrees to go back to Baneberry to renovate it and sell it. But once she gets there, strange things start happening again, and she starts questioning whether what her father wrote in his memoir might actually be true. Home Before Dark is an edge-of-your-seat audiobook that was well-written, scary, and with some memorable twists. It's perfect spooky season reading!

I decided to listen to Home Before Dark, which actually worked out nicely for me, as I don't think I would have been able to finish it if I were reading it, as there were so many spooky parts! Sager did such a great job developing this story and letting it unfold; I did not see the twists coming at all. Part of the narration jumps back to Ewan's point of view when they first moved to Baneberry, which was a nice touch to fill in some blanks regarding the Holts. Home Before Dark reminded me of a mix between The Amityville Horror and The Haunting of Hill House. This is the ultimate book to read in October, filled with traditional horror and some elements of psychological suspense.

 

 

Are you a fan of Riley Sager? Which of his novels is your favorite? Let me know in the comments below.  

 

 

 

Audiobook Review: The Pirate Queen by Ariel Lawhon

Genre: Adult Historical Fiction/Audiobook

Pub. Date: September 8, 2026

Publisher: Random House Audio

Source: Personal Copy

Other Books By Author: The Frozen River

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

 

 

Goodreads says, "Grace O’Malley was born to be a sea captain. But despite her natural skill on the water, Grace learns early that her dreams of a life at the helm are not compatible with the expectations of her noble family. As the only daughter of a powerful chieftain, her role is to secure a strong alliance and bear children. But when she’s sent to foster with a nearby clan, Grace falls for a clever and open-minded second son—a man she cannot have.

Married off against her will to a brutal warrior, Grace performs her duty, all the while gathering followers loyal to her, and consolidating her husband’s power, only to be ousted from his lands. But this betrayal offers Grace the opportunity to return to sea, finally leading clan O’Malley’s mighty fleet. Just as she finds true independence, Queen Elizabeth’s incursions into Ireland grow bolder and Grace must fight to defend her land, her ships, and the people she loves most against the cruel and power-hungry English deputies, who will stop at nothing to check her influence.

Keenly observed and fiercely written, Ariel Lawhon's new action-packed novel channels the untamed beauty and harsh realities of sixteenth-century Ireland, as seen through the eyes of an unforgettable heroine who rightly became “the Pirate Queen of Ireland.”

 

Grainne, or Grace O'Malley, as history remembers her, is the daughter of a chieftain in 16th-century Ireland. Readers may know a little bit about her as she is legendary in Irish folklore and history, but Ariel Lawhon's The Pirate Queen takes it one step further. Readers are taken back to her childhood, her time as a mother, and, lastly, as a matriarch. Throughout those various points in her life, one thing remained: her love for the sea. Grainne, or Grace, wasn't brought up like a typical girl. She is adventurous, can understand the sea, sails (despite her father not wanting her to), and deals with the ups and downs of leading a clan. Her life is one adventure after another filled in between with tender moments of love, heartbreak, and motherhood. Ariel Lawhon brings her life together beautifully in The Pirate Queen, and the audiobook is an immersive experience.

 

Lawhon, who usually writes novels with chapters that are from different time periods, has done the same in The Pirate Queen. The novel isn't told linearly; in fact, it jumps around from her childhood all the way to her final years. So one chapter could be about eight-year-old Grace, and then next, she is 56. I do not prefer this kind of braided story; however, it didn't deter my enjoyment of the novel.

 

My favorite aspect of The Pirate Queen is how immersive the tale was; Lawhon does a superb job of bringing Ireland to life. Everything from the descriptions of the land, the clans, all the way to the Gaelic dialect and sayings. The story takes us to beautiful Ireland during her childhood, to her arranged marriage to the horrible O'Flaherty, up to the battlefields during the Elizabethan era. It was all utterly captivating.

 

Tara Flynn, the audiobook's narrator, does a wonderful job bringing the story to life and the dialect. I am glad I listened to this book as her storytelling enhanced my experience. The Pirate Queen is definitely one of my favorite audiobooks of the year.

 

If you love a good adventure, look no further. The Pirate Queen will have you flipping the pages as well as dreaming of an afternoon exploring castles in Ireland and taking windswept walks along its cliffs. Have you read The Pirate Queen? Are you a fan of Ariel Lawhon? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

 

Mini Reviews: Fall Reads

I don't know about you, but I love curling up with a thriller or mystery in the fall. Sometimes, I even step outside my comfort zone and read a horror novel. I'm starting off light this fall with two books to get me ready for spooky season.

 

Free Falling by Lyla Sage

Pages: 288

Genre: Romance

Pub. Date: September 22, 2026 

Publisher: Dial Press

Source: Publisher for review

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

 

 

Goodreads says, "Clarke Cartwright probably needed to get out more. She just had a lot to do. Running Toade’s Antiques was no small feat, especially considering that the roof was in shambles and half her merchandise was unsellable. But dealing with that felt easier than her other two options: third-wheeling with her best friend…again, or chatting it up with the ghost of her childhood crush’s father, who just can’t seem to leave her alone.

Leith Wilkes has spent his life preparing to take over his family's farm. Well, he’s actually spent most of his life flirting, but now he’s ready to buckle down, which has nothing to do with an oddly specific clause that his dad left in his inheritance. Leith is pretty sure he’s the only one who knows about it…until Clarke drunkenly spills that she knows, too, along with a bunch of other Wilkes family secrets.

Leith starts to wonder if there’s more to Clarke than she lets on…and if his dad has something to do with it. And if she is keeping secrets of her own, maybe she won’t mind helping him with his."

 

 

Clarke Cartwright is running her mother's antique store in the sleepy town of Sweetwater Peak. She is living a relatively normal life except she can communicate with ghosts, and lately, that's all she has been hanging out with since her sister is off traveling and her best friend moved away. Leith Wilkes has always known he is going to inherit his family's farm, except things aren't as simple as they appear. There is an inheritance clause, and thanks to ghosts, Clarke knows about this clause and warns him about a few things. In order to save Leith's farm, they come up with a plan to fake date, and the rest is history. Fans of paranormal stories as well as spicy romances like the author's Rebel Blue Ranch series will appreciate Free Falling by Lyla Sage the most.
 
I love a good paranormal romance, and while they often seem far-fetched, Free Falling is one truly worked for me. I appreciated that Clarke could communicate with ghosts, and this ability significantly impacted her daily life, making it feel believable. The paranormal elements were cozy rather than eerie, which suited me perfectly. The entire novel was a delightful cozy fall romance. If you’re looking for a slightly paranormal read with romance, Free Falling is a great choice. I also enjoyed the romance between Clarke and Leith, their childhood connection, and how their relationship developed. Although I haven't read the first book in the Sweetwater Peak series, I don't think it's necessary to enjoy Free Falling.
 
 

 

 

 

 

Heart of Glass by Jennifer Hillier

Genre: Audiobook/Adult Fiction 

Pub. Date: August 25, 2026   

Publisher: Macmillan Audio

Source: Personal Copy

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars 

 

 

 Goodreads says, "Seaside is a small coastal town, known originally for the local amusement park. But twenty-five years ago, a serial killer dubbed The Carnival Killer confessed to the murder of a local high school girl. Now, he's recanted that confession.

Barb, Nicolette, and Lorelei were best friends - then they met "Sam" at Wonderland, the local amusement park. After hanging out with him there, and accompanying him to the drive-in movie, where the twenty-something handsome drifter made out with Lorelei in the backseat. That night was the last time Lorelei was seen alive, her murdered body surfacing a couple of days later in a local cranberry bog.

Barb's dreams of leaving Seaside and becoming a successful writer never materialized and she is a freelancer for the local newspaper and, secretly, writes anonymously about reality tv stars for a hugely successful gossip web-site called Reality Bitch. Specifically, she writes savagely about a long-running show set in Canada called Trophy Wives.

Nicolette left town shortly after Lorelei's body surfaced, never to return. Ultimately, she married a very rich man, moved to Toronto and rebranded herself as Cole Lennox, one of the stars of Trophy Wives.

With the amusement park about to reopen, revitalizing the dying town of Seaside, the Carnival Killer recants his confession about killing Lorelei, the dead body of young woman washes ashore, and the truth about what happened that night twenty-five years ago - and what is happening now - threatens not only the carefully constructed lives of Barb and Nicolette, but the very fabric of Seaside itself."

 

 

Many years ago in Seaside, Washington, three teenage girls spent the evening at Wonderland, a seaside amusement park. While there, an older man, Sam, starts hanging out with them, and one of the girls, Lorelei, shows an interest in him despite the age difference. Days later, Lorelei ends up dead, much to the girls' shock. The other girls, Barb and Nicolette, try to move on with their lives after this awful event, which they come to find Lorelei was killed by a serial killer named the Carnival Killer, who is also responsible for other women's deaths. As the years go by, Barb stays in Seaside working as a local reporter, and Nicolette moves away to the big city, finding herself on reality TV. On the night that Wonderland is set to reopen, another body is washed ashore. To top it off, there is a documentary being done on the Carnival Killer, and he recants his story; he says that he didn't kill Lorelei! Barb and Nicolette have some secrets about that night, and everything is threatening to unravel before their very eyes. Heart of Glass by Jennifer Hillier is an edge-of-your-seat audiobook that kept me turning the pages.

I love a good thriller in the fall, and Heart of Glass is one was particularly chilling, especially as an audiobook. The different narrators did a great job bringing the story to life, and the special touches enhanced the overall listening experience. I had a feeling about where the plot was heading, but Hillier effectively incorporated many twists. My only issue with the book was that it felt overly long; it went off on several tangents that I felt didn’t really contribute to the plot. Other than that, I found it to be a solid thriller to start off the spooky season.
 

 

Have you read either book? Are you a fan of paranormal romances or thrillers? Let me know in the comments below.

 

 

Audiobook Review: The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett

Pages: 656

Genre: Adult Historical Fiction

Pub. Date: May 5, 2026

Publisher: Spiegel & Grau

Source: Publisher for review

Other Books By Author: The Help

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

 

 

Goodreads says, "In 1933 Oxford, Mississippi, Prohibition is on the wane, and the Great Depression is tightening its grip. Poor and rich folks alike have fallen on hard times, even as the old social order remains. For women on the margins, the options are few and the price of dignity and self-determination is unbearably high.

Eleven-year-old Meg, one of the unadoptable “big girls” at the Lafayette County Orphan Asylum, fights each day to keep her spirit unbowed. Birdie, unmarried and outspoken, has come to Oxford on a mission to ask her social-climbing sister to help the struggling family she’s left behind. And Charlie is a woman with a past, running low on luck but driven by fire, fury, and grit. When their fates converge, they come up with an audacious plan to take back control of their lives. Together, they form an unlikely sisterhood—but in a place and time where hypocrisy is rife, women’s freedom is fragile, and making an enemy can have dire consequences, will the price they pay for their outrageous risk-taking be too high?

The Calamity Club will make you laugh, cry, and cheer—an epic testament to resilience, friendship, and the fierce, funny women who know that calamity can be the spark of new beginnings. This is Kathryn Stockett at her most confident, heartfelt, and hilarious—the triumphant return of one of the most beloved storytellers of our time."

 

 

Meg Lefleur is down on her luck. Her mother abandoned her around Christmas and left her to fend for herself. The year is 1933, and she finds herself at the orphanage in Oxford, Mississippi, under the "protection" of a mean director who seems to have it out for her. She is counting the days till she gets out of the orphanage. Once she turns twelve, she can head off to the cannery for work; unless, that is, her mother returns for her. That is the hope that keeps her going. Then there's Birdie Calhoun, who has returned to Oxford to visit her sister, Frances, and ask for money. Birdie, and her family live on the Delta, and their house is on the brink of foreclosure. They need some money from Frances who has married into a wealthy family, but once she gets to Oxford, she realizes that things are not what they seem at Frances's home or with her marriage. Birdie crosses paths with Meg as well as Meg's biological mother, Charlie, who has concocted a plan to make enough money to get Meg back, and she lets Birdie in on this plan as she needs money, too. Ultimately, The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett is a story about mothers, daughters, community, and the will to survive. It's one of those books that stays with the reader long after the final chapter is read.
 
Stockett creates such dynamic characters; I truly cared about all of them, even if I didn't always agree with their decisions in The Calamity Club. Meg is a spitfire of an eleven-year-old who deserves so much more than being abused in the county orphanage. I desperately wanted her out of there, and to watch how her life intersects Birdie's was also well plotted. Birdie's story was also a compelling one, and she was a character whom I came to enjoy. I wanted her to have her happy ending, too, and as the story progressed, Birdie grew as a person. Lastly, all of the secondary characters who enter the story were memorable and well developed; Stockett did a superb job bringing them to life. 
 
The setting of Oxford, Mississippi, during the Great Depression was outstanding. It's crazy to think that Stockett didn't even live then, because the setting, the atmosphere, the details all jumped off the page in The Calamity Club. It's A+ historical fiction and at times reads like a modern classic; it would make for a great TV show or movie.
 
But be forewarned. The Calamity Club is really, really, really long. I am glad I chose to listen to the audiobook as well as read the novel, as I jumped back and forth. I must be honest that I was drawn to the audiobook more as the narrators brought the characters to life so very well and really helped push the story along when it meandered a bit and slowed down much like a person on a hot, humid day in the south. I do think some parts could have been cut as the story really chugged along in some chapters; nonetheless, despite the slow pacing at times, it was a fantastic read, complete with everything a historical fiction fan could want.
 
If you love historical fiction, don't miss this one this summer. I recommend the audiobook for a more dynamic presentation. Despite its imposing length, The Calamity Club is a memorable read and one of my favorites of the year. 

 

Audiobook Review: Once Upon a Time by Elizabeth Beller

Genre: Biography/Audiobook

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Pub. Date: May 21, 2024

Source: Personal Copy

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

 

 

Goodreads says, "A quarter of a century after the plane crash that claimed the lives of John F. Kennedy Jr., his wife Carolyn, and sister-in-law Lauren, the magnitude of this tragedy remains fresh. Yet, Carolyn is still an enigmatic figure, a woman whose short life in the spotlight was besieged with misogyny and cruelty.

Amidst today’s cultural reckoning about the way our media treats women, Elizabeth Beller explores the real person behind the tabloid headlines and media frenzy. When she began dating America’s prince, Carolyn was increasingly thrust into an overwhelming spotlight filled with relentless paparazzi who reacted to her reserve with a campaign of harassment and vilification.

To this day, she is still depicted as a privileged princess—icy, vapid, and drug-addicted. She has even been accused of being responsible for their untimely death, allegedly delaying take-off until she finished her pedicure. But now, she is revealed as never before.

A fiercely independent woman devoted to her adopted city and career, Carolyn relied on her impeccable eye and drive to fly up the ranks at Calvin Klein in the glossy, high-stakes fashion world of the 1990s. When Carolyn met her future husband, John was immediately drawn to her strong-willed personality, effortless charm, and high intelligence. Their relationship would change her life and catapult her to dizzying fame, but it was her vibrant life before their marriage and then hidden afterwards, that is truly fascinating.

Based on in-depth research and exclusive interviews with friends, family members, teachers, roommates, and colleagues, this comprehensive biography reveals a multi-faceted woman worthy of our attention regardless of her husband and untimely death."

 

Many people believe they know Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy based on what the tabloids highlighted, but she was so much more than that. Once Upon a Time by Elizabeth Beller explores Carolyn's childhood, formative years, career, and her relationship with John Kennedy Jr. If you want to learn more about Carolyn, her motivations, and the triumphs and struggles she experienced, this biography will help you appreciate her more deeply. It also sheds light on the challenges she faced with the media in the latter part of her life, evoking sympathy for her situation. Elizabeth Beller’s Once Upon a Time is a compelling biography of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, a misunderstood woman who was truly larger than life.
 
This debut biography starts with Carolyn's childhood, and it examines her relationship with her formidable mother, her sisters, and the often complex relationship with her father. As a teen, she was well-liked, popular, and often a little too social, which had her mother start her in a Catholic school instead of the public school in the neighborhood. Her mother remarried a successful doctor, so Carolyn's life was a bit more affluent after their marriage, and she lived in a nice house in New York. She attended Boston University, and the biography takes us through her college years, and I was surprised to find out she majored in education. This was just one of the interesting tidbits that challenged my original ideas on Carolyn.  
 
Always drawn to fashion, she ends up working at Calvin Klein and works her way up the ladder. Beller dives into some of her fashion and how that evolved through the years. At Calvin Klein, this is where she meets John F. Kennedy Jr., and then her life is forever changed. Once Upon a Time takes us through their first meeting, the dates, breakups, more dates, and eventual engagement. I adored the details surrounding their secret wedding on a private island, how she navigated the Kennedy family, and eventually how she deals with the overbearing media scrutiny. The last quarter of the book mainly focuses on how the tabloids destroyed Carolyn's sense of peace, and she couldn't deal with it in a healthy way. She was constantly portrayed horribly, and it wore her down. Readers can help but feel sympathy towards her and see her in a different light.
 
What inspired me to dive into Once Upon a Time was watching a few episodes of Love Story on FX, which is based on this book. I'm glad I made that choice because the biography filled in some gaps that the show couldn't fully explore. Was it the best written biography? No, it did feel repetitive at times and hyper-focused on Carolyn's looks, but if you're a fan of Love Story, I recommend picking up a copy of Once Upon a Time. Even though we know the sad ending, I still enjoyed learning more about Carolyn. It evoked a strong sense of 90s nostalgia, which I relished in! Also, I appreciated Carolyn as more than just a fashion icon. I hope she is remembered for her full legacy.
 
Are you a fan of Love Story? Do you want to read Once Upon a Time? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.  

 

Audiobook Review: Culpability by Bruce Holsinger

Genre: Adult Fiction/Audiobook

Pub. Date: July 8, 2025

Publisher: Spiegel + Grau

Source: Personal Copy

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

 

 

Goodreads says, "When the Cassidy-Shaws’ autonomous minivan collides with an oncoming car, seventeen-year-old Charlie is in the driver’s seat, with his father, Noah, riding shotgun. In the back seat, tweens Alice and Izzy are on their phones, while their mother, Lorelei, a world leader in the field of artificial intelligence, is absorbed in her work. Yet each family member harbors a secret that implicates them in the accident.

During a weeklong recuperation on the Chesapeake Bay, the family confronts the excruciating moral dilemmas triggered by the crash. Noah tries to hold the family together as a seemingly routine police investigation jeopardizes Charlie’s future. Alice and Izzy turn strangely furtive. And Lorelei’s odd behavior tugs at Noah’s suspicions that there is a darker truth behind the incident—suspicions heightened by the sudden intrusion of Daniel Monet, a tech mogul whose mysterious history with Lorelei hints at betrayal. When Charlie falls for Monet’s teenaged daughter, the stakes are raised even higher in this propulsive family drama that is also a fascinating exploration of the moral responsibility and ethical consequences of AI.

Culpability explores a world newly shaped by chatbots, autonomous cars, drones, and other nonhuman forces in ways that are thrilling, challenging, and unimaginably provocative."

 

 

When the Cassidy-Shaw family is on their way to their older son Charlie's lacrosse tournament, and their autonomous family van collides with an oncoming car, their lives are impacted irrecoverably. Charlie, a seventeen-year-old, was "driving" the van at the time when the accident occurred with his father, Noah, sitting shotgun. In the back were sisters Alice and Izzy, along with their mother, Lorelei, who was working on her laptop as she holds a prominent position in the tech world of AI. The accident killed the people in the oncoming car and left the Cassidy-Shaws with various injuries, but they all survived the crash. Afterwards, they decide to escape to the Chesapeake Bay to recuperate at a rental house. But they can't escape the crash and the problems that have come up due to the complexities of the accident, as the car is considered autonomous. Charlie, a lacrosse star with a college scholarship, is now being investigated for this crash, and his parents are being dragged into it, as he is a minor. During their week on the bay, more secrets float to the surface about the crash, what each passenger saw, and the ramifications of it. To complicate matters further, their neighbor on the bay is a prominent tech guru, Daniel Monet, and Charlie starts to hang out with his teenage daughter. Plus, Lorelei seems to know him as they are in the same work circles, and what should have been a quiet week on the bay turns out to be filled with drama. Bruce Holsinger's Culpability is one of the smartest books I've read in a while. The audiobook was thought-provoking, compelling, and one of my favorites of the year.
 
The Cassidy-Shaw family is tragically flawed, but that is what I found most compelling in Culpability. Each family member is dealing with their own issues, and slowly, the issues come to the surface. I also felt like each character wasn't exactly likable and I was frustrated with their choices from time to time, but that is what made the story a page turner. Lorelei is brilliant, but is hiding something from her husband. Meanwhile, readers are wondering why Noah wasn't just driving the car? Why put Charlie at the wheel? What were Alice and Izzy texting about in the car, and did they notice anything before the crash? These are all questions that come up, and slowly Holsinger reveals this to his readers.
 
What was most compelling about Culpability was the AI storyline. Yes, this is a family drama, but the story also begs readers to think about AI. What are the implications of AI? What are the moral ethics surrounding AI and an autonomous car? Whose fault is it in an accident like theirs? It's a smart read that definitely got me thinking, and because of this, it would make for an excellent book club book as it lends itself to much discussion.
 
Culpability is one of my favorite audiobooks of the year. I really enjoyed the family drama, the beach house setting, and the moral questions that it poses. I will definitely read more of Holsinger's novels in the future. Have you read Culpability? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. 

 

Audio Book Review: The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

Genre: Adult Fiction/Audio Book

Pub. Date: February 5, 2019

Publisher: Macmillan Audio

Source: Personal Copy

Other Books By Author: The Fury

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

 

 

Goodreads says, "Alicia Berenson’s life is seemingly perfect. A famous painter married to an in-demand fashion photographer, she lives in a grand house with big windows overlooking a park in one of London’s most desirable areas. One evening her husband Gabriel returns home late from a fashion shoot, and Alicia shoots him five times in the face, and then never speaks another word.

Alicia’s refusal to talk, or give any kind of explanation, turns a domestic tragedy into something far grander, a mystery that captures the public imagination and casts Alicia into notoriety. The price of her art skyrockets, and she, the silent patient, is hidden away from the tabloids and spotlight at the Grove, a secure forensic unit in North London.

Theo Faber is a criminal psychotherapist who has waited a long time for the opportunity to work with Alicia. His determination to get her to talk and unravel the mystery of why she shot her husband takes him down a twisting path into his own motivations—a search for the truth that threatens to consume him...."

 

 

The story starts with Alicia Berenson, a painter, who shot her husband in the face (for reasons we aren't sure of) and then stopped talking altogether. Her husband, Gabriel, a photographer, doesn't exactly seem like someone who raises too many red flags. Theo Faber, a psychoanalyst, takes a job at Alicia's institution for the sole purpose of interacting with Alicia as he thinks he can get her to talk. The story is narrated through Theo's experiences and point of view as well as Alicia's diary entries. Slowly, readers piece things together, but start to wonder if Theo is a reliable narrator and what his motives are. Alex Michaelides's debut, The Silent Patient, is part psychological thriller, part detective novel, and will keep readers guessing.
 
Immediately, I was curious as to why Alicia, a seemingly normal person, committed such a horrific crime and why she is now silent, hence the title of the story. I liked learning more about her through her diary entries, and slowly, a few suspicions arose once we got to understand her relationship with Gabriel, as well as others. Theo was also a questionable narrator in that the more readers learn about him, the more his motives are questioned. His relationship with his wife, Kathy, made him seem unstable more often than not, and both he and Alicia have had childhood trauma that impacts their adult lives. 
 
I will say that Alicia's diary was a nice touch in The Silent Patient; however, the details in the diary made it seem almost unbelievable, as no one would write a diary entry including such specific dialogue. After I got past that, I started to appreciate the novel more and could even guess one of the plot twists coming up.  
 
I have enjoyed Michaelides's The Fury, and I am glad I finally listened to his debut novel, The Silent Patient, as I know many readers have enjoyed it. The dual narration was outstanding and a perfect binge-worthy audiobook. 
 
Let me know in the comments if you are a fan of Alex Michaelides and your thoughts on The Silent Patient.  

 

Audiobook Review: The Irish Goodbye by Heather Aimee O'Neill

Genre: Adult Fiction/Audiobook

Publisher: Macmillan Audio

Pub. Date: September 30, 2025

Source: Personal Copy

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

 

 

Goodreads says, "It’s been years since the three Ryan sisters were all home together at their family’s beloved house on the eastern shore of Long Island. Two decades ago, their lives were upended by an accident on their brother Topher’s boat, a friend’s brother was killed, the lawsuit nearly bankrupted their parents, and Topher spiraled into a depression, eventually taking his life. Now the Ryan women are back for Thanksgiving, eager to reconnect, but each carrying a heavy secret. The eldest, Cait, still holding guilt for the role no one knows she played in the boat accident, rekindles a flame with her high school crush, Topher’s best friend and the brother of the boy who died. Middle sister Alice’s been thrown a curveball threatening the career she’s restarting and faces a difficult decision that may doom her marriage. And the youngest, Maggie, is finally taking the risk to bring the woman she loves home to her devoutly Catholic mother. Infusing everything is the grief for Topher that none of the Ryans have figured out how to carry together.

When Cait invites a guest to Thanksgiving dinner, old tensions boil over and new truths surface, nearly overpowering the flickering light of their family bond. Far more than a family holiday will be ruined unless the sisters can find a way to forgive themselves—and one another."

 

Twenty-five years after a family tragedy, the Ryan family returns to their beloved Long Island home for Thanksgiving. There's Nora, the matriarch and a devout Catholic who grew up in an Irish orphanage, and her husband, Robert, who is trying desperately to keep up on the upkeep of the Folly, their sprawling home on the coast. Their three daughters and their families will be coming to Thanksgiving, starting with Alice, who never left the small Long Island town. She is the dutiful daughter who takes care of her parents' needs, her children, and tries to do it all. Cait is returning home from London along with her twins; she is newly divorced. Then there's Maggie, who is dealing with a lot personally and at work, but is bringing home her new girlfriend for the holiday weekend. The only Ryan they are missing is Topher, who died tragically in a boating accident twenty five years ago, and the grief over his death is still weighing heavily on the Ryan family. Each Ryan sibling is dealing with something over Thanksgiving - some kind of heavy secret that is waiting to be exposed. Throw in some usual family dynamics over the holiday, and you've got yourself a pressure cooker waiting to bubble over. The Irish Goodbye by Heather Aimee O'Neill is a debut novel with a lot of heart and is perfect for fans of contemporary family dramas.
 
The nice thing about the Ryan family is that you can find at least one family member to relate to in The Irish Goodbye. Each sister is dealing with their own personal struggles, and O'Neill dives into their stories as the points of view alternate between chapters. Alice is dealing with the struggles of midlife as she tries to reinvent herself after focusing on her own family for years. However, something happens to derail her plans. Cait is newly divorced and struggling to "single" parent her rambunctious twins and is wondering about her former crush, Luke, who is back home as well for the holiday. This is complicated because Luke was Topher's best friend, so having him around brings a lot of issues back to the surface. Maggie has a secret she is keeping from her girlfriend she brought home for the holiday - so throw that into the mix with the loud and nosy Ryan family, readers are in for a Thanksgiving that is anything but perfect.
 
I really enjoy family novels, so I enjoyed that aspect of The Irish Goodbye, but I felt that O'Neill really only scratched the surface of the characters. I felt like I could care about them more if she dived into what makes them tick and peeled back some layers. I did enjoy the flashbacks to their childhood as that helped paint a better picture, but overall, I enjoyed the Ryan family and all of their struggles, trauma, and quirks. 
 
The Irish Goodbye is a family story about grief, forgiveness, secrets, and moving on from family trauma. It's about forgiving and accepting people for who they are. I look forward to reading more of O'Neill's novels in the future. Have you read The Irish Goodbye? Let me know in the comments below. 

 

Audiobook Review: My Husband's Wife by Alice Feeney

Genre: Adult Fiction/Audiobook

Pub. Date: January 20, 2026

Source: Personal Copy

Publisher: Macmillan Audio

Other Books By Author: Beautiful Ugly,

Daisy Darker, Rock Paper Scissors and His & Hers

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

 

 

Goodreads says, "Eden Fox, an artist on the brink of her big break, sets off for a run before her first exhibition. When she returns to the home she recently moved into, Spyglass, an enchanting old house in Hope Falls, nothing is as it should be. Her key doesn’t fit. A woman, eerily similar to her, answers the door. And her husband insists that the stranger is his wife.

One house. One husband. Two women. Someone is lying.

Six months earlier, a reclusive Londoner called Birdy, reeling from a life-changing diagnosis, inherits Spyglass. This unexpected gift from a long-lost grandmother brings her to the pretty seaside village of Hope Falls. But then Birdy stumbles upon a shadowy London clinic that claims to be able to predict a person's date of death, including her own. Secrets start to unravel, and as the line between truth and lies blurs, Birdy feels compelled to right some old wrongs.

My Husband’s Wife is a tangled web of deception, obsession, and mystery that will keep you guessing until the last page. Prepare yourself for the ultimate mind-bending marriage thriller and step inside Spyglass – if you dare – to experience a story where nothing is as it seems.

 

 

Eden Fox, an artist, is starting over with her husband in the sleepy coastal town of Hope Falls. It's the day of her opening at a new art gallery, and she wants to make a good impression on her new community. Before the opening, she goes for a run, as she always does, and leaves her cell phone and belongings behind, except her house key. Once she returns from her run, the key does not work. This has never happened before. When she struggles to open the door, another woman answers it, impersonating her! When she demands to talk to her husband, even he doesn't think she is who she says she is. In a parallel storyline six months prior, Olivia, whom they call "Bird," gets an upsetting terminal diagnosis that upends her life. She finds out she inherited a house from her grandmother called Spyglass in Hope Falls. While at this house, she finds a letter from a mysterious company called Thanatos predicting the exact date of her grandmother's death. Bird, a detective, dives into this mystery surrounding her family. The two stories blend perfectly in Alice Feeney's new psychological/domestic thriller, My Husband's Wife, which is one of the best audiobooks I've listened to.
 
How could readers not feel for Eden Fox once she comes home to someone impersonating her! The deception runs deep, and I was fully on board as she tried to figure out who was impersonating her, whether her husband was in on it, and ultimately why this person had hijacked her life. But things aren't always what they seem in a Feeney novel, and secrets abound. Slowly, readers make a connection between Bird, Eden, Eden's husband, and even more characters that slowly enter the plotline. I will say I was confused at times, but in the best way possible. Feeney kept me guessing; once I thought I knew where the plot was going, she turned the tables on me, and I was back to second-guessing my theories. Feeney truly is the queen of plot twists, and My Husband's Wife has quite a few.
 
My favorite aspect of My Husband's Wife was the listening experience. Not only were the narrators top-notch, but the audio was so immersive. I have never experienced an audiobook like this one before; I loved it! There were sounds to enhance the story, such as footfalls while Eden was running, the sound of windchimes, crashing waves, and more. It was so well done and really enhanced my experience of the story. 
 
If you love a good mystery with some psychological/domestic thriller aspects to it, look no further. Alice Feeney's My Husband's Wife is one of my favorite books of the year and an audiobook that shouldn't be missed. Let me know in the comments if you are a fan of Feeney and if you have read My Husband's Wife.  

 

 

Audiobook Review - JFK: Public, Private, Secret by J. Randy Taraborrelli

Pages: 592

Genre: Biography

Pub. Date: July 15, 2025

Publisher: St. Martin's

Source: Personal Copy

Other Books By Author: Jackie: Public, Private, Secret

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

 

Goodreads says, "In this deeply researched presidential biography, J. Randy Taraborrelli tells John F. Kennedy’s story in a provocative new way by revealing how public moments in his life were so influenced by private relationships with not only his family, but also Jackie’s.

But it’s the secret life that also surprises. As Congressman, Senator and finally President, JFK was a magnet for women. With exclusive interviews and meticulous research, Taraborrelli reveals not only the man’s many affairs but also the strength and resolve his wife showed in coping with them.

The JFK presented in Taraborrelli’s definitive biography is a complex and endlessly fascinating historical figure, despite—and maybe even because of—his many flaws.

 

 

 

JFK lived an extraordinary life, and there’s no doubt about it. J. Randy Taraborrelli, a Kennedy expert, takes readers on a journey through JFK's life, specifically examining how the relationships around him influenced his world. JFK: Public, Private, Secret by J. Randy Taraborrelli delves into his relationship with his father, his older brother, his religious mother, and Jackie, providing insight into how these interactions shaped his identity.

I have read many a JFK biography, but Taraborrelli manages to cover a lot of information I knew, and also provides some new information based on twenty-five years of his research. I liked learning more about his time in the military and his heroic efforts in the South Pacific. Taraborrelli also dives into his health issues and how that shaped his world. Also, Taraborrelli sheds a bit more light on Jackie and Jack's early marriage days and how they were on the brink of divorce. Lastly, I appreciated the depictions of Jack's family, how he was raised, Rose's behaviors, and how that all impacted Jack and turned him into the person who rose to the presidency. 
 
JFK is one of the most memorable presidents in history, and I always appreciate learning more about him, his struggles, and his family. After reading a JFK biography, I always wonder what life would be like if he weren't assassinated. It's heartbreaking all that the Kennedy family endured. However, Jack's story is one of hope. Even though he had questionable morals at times when it came to women, deep down, he cared about the American people and making a difference. Despite all his chronic issues, pain, and surgeries, he still endured, which I find inspiring.   

JFK: Public, Private, Secret as an audiobook is fantastic and will definitely be one of my favorites of the year. So, let me know if you are you a fan of JFK? Do you plan on reading JFK: Public, Private, Secret? Let me know in the comments below.  

 

Book Review: The Heir Apparent by Rebecca Armitage

Genre: Adult Fiction/Audiobook

Pub. Date: December 2, 2025

Publisher: Hachette Audio

Source: Personal Copy

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

 

 

Goodreads says, "Lexi Villiers is a 29-year-old Englishwoman doing her medical residency in Hobart, working too hard, worried about her bank balance, and living with friends. It's a good life, and getting even better, because as the dawn is breaking on New Year's Day, Lexi is about to kiss the man she loves for the very first time.

But by midnight, everything will change. Because Lexi is in fact not an ordinary young woman. She is Princess Alexandrina, third in line to the British throne - albeit estranged from the rest of her family and living in voluntary exile on the other side of the world. But following a terrible accident, Lexi - the black sheep of her family and, until this moment, always destined to be the spare - is now the heir apparent, first in line to the throne once her grandmother, the elderly Queen, dies. Called back to do her duty, she arrives in London to a Palace riven with power plays and media leaks, all the while guarding painful secrets of her own. Palace waters are treacherous, rumours are rife, and selling each other's secrets is a family tradition. And with the Crown just within her grasp, Lexi must choose what bonds she will keep ... and what she is willing to leave behind."

 

Lexi Villiers is a medical doctor in Australia living on an idyllic vineyard in Tasmania. She is estranged from her family due to her life choices, but is living a happy life without them in Australia; she even has a sort-of boyfriend and a promising career. Except her family isn't just any family; it's the British Royal Family. One day, a helicopter lands on the property delivering the bad news that her father (the future King), her twin brother, and his best friend have all died in a tragic skiing accident due to an avalanche. Lexi's world is turned upside down, and her grandmother, the Queen, summons her home to England. Lexi is now the heir apparent, should she choose to take the title; she has one year to decide. If she doesn't accept it and all that it brings, the title falls to her awful uncle Richard. Once Lexi is back in England, all of the reasons why she left come flooding back to her, not to mention all the difficult emotions she has to deal with regarding the loss of her brother and father. This is all triggering to her in that she lost her mother, and the circumstances surrounding her death are still issues that plague her to this day. Also, she has to deal with her grieving and angry sister-in-law, her power-hungry uncle, her grandmother, and all the tabloids that harass the Royal Family at every turn. Ultimately, the question that stresses her out is whether she will accept the title as the heir apparent or choose to pass it along to her uncle. What will happen to her perfect life in Tasmania and her almost-boyfriend, Jack? Can she have it all? Rebecca Armitage's The Heir Apparent is an absorbing audiobook that fans of the Royal Family will enjoy.
 
Lexi has to return to the very life she tried to escape to pursue a career as a doctor, and when she returns, the problems are still there. The grief around her mother's death, now her brother's and father's death, and all the family issues that made her escape to Australia bubble back up to the surface. Lexi is reminded that no matter how far you travel, you still can't escape your problems. Her former life as a doctor is still calling to her, not to mention Jack, and she wonders if she can make this all work. Or does she have to give up her previous life? Heavy is the head that wears the crown!

So many moments in The Heir Apparent felt like they were ripped straight from the tabloids about the Royal Family. It's obvious Armitage has a wealth of knowledge regarding the British Royal Family; however, at times it felt a little too similar - almost fan fiction. Nonetheless, as a Royal Family lover, I enjoyed being lost in a world full of court intrigue, family secrets, tabloids, and extreme wealth.
 
My main issue with The Heir Apparent is the length. The plot meandered too many times around the same plot point, and at times, it got tedious. 416 pages were too much, in my opinion, and due to this, the pacing was uneven despite Shakira Shute's excellent narration of the audiobook.
 
Royal family lovers will especially soak up all the family drama in The Heir Apparent and appreciate the similarities to the current British Royal Family. Have you read The Heir Apparent? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.