reecaspieces

Overview

Laura Dave continues Hannah Hall’s pulse-pounding journey in the riveting and deeply moving sequel to the #1 New York Times bestselling blockbuster that’s sold more than 5 million copies and is now a hit Apple TV+ show, The Last Thing He Told Me.

Five years after her husband, Owen, disappeared, Hannah Hall and her stepdaughter, Bailey, have settled into a new life in Southern California. Together, they’ve forged a relationship with Bailey’s grandfather Nicholas and are putting the past behind them.

But when Owen shows up at Hannah’s new exhibition, she knows that she and Bailey are in danger again.

As a thrilling drama unfolds, Hannah and Bailey are forced to go on the run in a relentless race to keep their past from catching up with them. Hannah risks everything to get Bailey to safety—and finds there just might be one way back to Owen.

A gripping, rich, and deeply evocative novel about the power of forgiveness, The First Time I Saw Him picks up right where the epilogue for the “genuinely moving” (The New York Times) The Last Thing He Told Me left off, giving readers the eagerly awaited and absolutely exhilarating sequel to Dave’s global blockbuster.

Review

Five years after her husband, Owen, disappeared, Hannah Hall and her stepdaughter, Bailey, have settled into a new life in Southern California. Together, they’ve forged a relationship with Bailey’s grandfather Nicholas and are putting the past behind them. But when Owen shows up at Hannah’s new exhibition, she knows that she and Bailey are in danger again.

Now, this picks up where The Last Thing He Told Me left off. (that was a cliffhanger!) I would suggest you read that one first. Just for the simple reason, the characters will mean so much more. You will understand the situation a bit better. And believe me, it is a bit complicated but it is intense.

There is not a lot of Owen in this book. It is more about Nicholas. Nicholas has a complex past. And the deal he made to protect his family is falling apart. But Nicholas is NOT going to let his past threaten his family!

I love when an author has a hook in every chapter and this makes you want to keep reading and not stop. Laura Dave is an expert and this. Trust me, when you pick this up you will not want to stop.

Need a book that is intense from start to finish…THIS IS IT! This book publishes January 6.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

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Overview

Set at the turn of the 20th century, a mystical, tantalizing novel about a visionary’s journey toward her destiny. 

In 1888, Katherine Tingley, a medium and clairvoyant, continues to have a childhood vision of a white city on a sundown sea. While serving the poor at her Do-Good Mission on Manhattan’s East Side, she encounters William Q. Judge, a mesmerist and leader of the American Theosophical Society. He recognizes her potential, convinces her to become his student, and guides her on a spiritual path that could make her mystical dream become a reality. 

After Judge’s passing, Katherine assumes leadership of the Society and embarks on a world crusade to spread brotherhood, learn from ancient cultures, and search for a Himalayan Mahatma. In 1900, she moves the Theosophical headquarters to San Diego. Here, she sets out to establish Lomaland—a sacred space of learning, artistry, and divine harmony, built on a barren peninsula yet brimming with hidden potential. As people from around the world converge to share in her vision, they form a community united in purpose to spread enlightenment. However, betrayals, lies, and libels accumulate until a monumental court case ultimately decides her future and the fate of the white city on a sundown sea.

Review

I enjoy a book with a strong female lead! This book has it in spades!

In 1888, Katherine Tingley, a medium and clairvoyant, continues to have a childhood vision of a white city on a sundown sea. While serving the poor at her Do-Good Mission on Manhattan’s East Side, she encounters William Q. Judge, a mesmerist and leader of the American Theosophical Society. He recognizes her potential, convinces her to become his student, and guides her on a spiritual path that could make her mystical dream become a reality. 

Not only is a strong female lead a favorite of mine, I adore a book with mysticism. Katherine Tingley is a clairvoyant with a plan. She is one of my favorite characters of the whole year!

This book takes you on a wild ride through many aspects of Katherine’s life. She did not fit into the norm of society. As a matter of fact, she took on this society with the fight of her life.

Need a wonderful, historical tale about a real person…THIS IS IT!

I received this novel for a honest review.

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Overview

A locked-room mystery meets white-knuckle horror in this mind-bending thriller, where strangers must survive a deadly night in a remote Texas motel.

In the frigid west Texas desert, weary travelers converge at a lonely roadside motel nestled at the foot of a massive mountain. Ethan and Hunter have left behind a corpse, a fire, and a horrific act of violence. Kyla and Fernanda are fleeing for the border. Stanley and his granddaughter are returning from Mexico with a mysterious man in hot pursuit. All of them are on the run from something. All of them are hiding something.

And somehow, they’re all connected to the motel’s other guest, an enigmatic woman named Sarah Powers.

Within hours, Sarah is dead. The strange twins who run the Brake Inn Motel inform the surviving guests that her murder demands justice. The guests are given an ultimatum: uncover the killer by midnight—or die when the protective lights around the motel go out.

Because something very old and very dangerous lurks in this corner of the desert. And it’s hungry.

But nothing at the Brake Inn Motel is quite as it seems. As time ticks away, alliances fracture, secrets unravel, and the guests will not only have to confront the violence of the past—they will need to face the darkness within themselves.

A masterful blend of psychological tension, supernatural horror, and layered storytelling, The Midnight Knock pushes the boundaries of what a mystery can be. And with its unforgettable climax, this novel cements John Fram as a contemporary master of the genre.

Review

In the frigid west Texas desert, weary travelers converge at a lonely roadside motel nestled at the foot of a massive mountain. Ethan and Hunter have left behind a corpse, a fire, and a horrific act of violence. Kyla and Fernanda are fleeing for the border. Stanley and his granddaughter are returning from Mexico with a mysterious man in hot pursuit. All of them are on the run from something. All of them are hiding something.

This story has a great premise. It is horror driven with a captured audience in an old hotel. And it has some terror filled moments. But, it just moved so slow. It took forever for the intensity to get where I needed it to be.

And as with some characters in a horror film…they make dumb decisions. And that is true in this book as well. It also has some weird Sci-Fi elements that just didn’t seem to fit.

This is 2.5 stars rounded up.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

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Overview

#1 New York Times bestselling author John Grisham is the acclaimed master of the legal thriller. Now, he’s back with his first-ever whodunit, even more suspenseful than his courtroom dramas, as a small-time lawyer accused of murder races to find the real killer to clear his name.

“A classic, compulsive, taut and thrilling novel from one of the great storytellers of our time. The Widow is John Grisham at his irresistible, unforgettable best.”—Chris Whitaker, author of All the Colors of the Dark

Simon Latch is a lawyer in rural Virginia, making just enough to pay his bills while his marriage slowly falls apart. Then into his office walks Eleanor Barnett, an elderly widow in need of a new will. Apparently, her husband left her a small fortune, and no one knows about it.

Once he hooks the richest client of his career, Simon works quietly to keep her wealth under the radar. But soon her story begins to crack. When she is hospitalized after a car accident, Simon realizes that nothing is as it seems, and he finds himself on trial for a crime he swears he didn’t commit: murder.

Simon knows he’s innocent. But he also knows the circumstantial evidence is against him, and he could spend the rest of his life behind bars. To save himself, he must find the real killer….

Review

This story starts strong and sort of slows down in the middle. But in true John Grisham fashion…THE ENDING!

Simon Latch is a lawyer in rural Virginia, making just enough to pay his bills while his marriage slowly falls apart. Then into his office walks Eleanor Barnett, an elderly widow in need of a new will. Apparently, her husband left her a small fortune, and no one knows about it.

I enjoyed Simon. Lord, is he a hot mess and yes, he wants the widow’s money. However, he does have some intelligence on how to go about it. But that doesn’t necessarily save him.

Then there is Eleanor. I didn’t quite know what to make of her. Does she have the money? Does she not have the money? Is this a big scam? WHAT?!

This is an intricate tale that will keep you guessing. And yes…I guessed wrong on more than one occasion!

Need a good puzzle of a read…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

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Overview

A potentially momentous discovery. A suspicious fire. A 50-year-old missing person’s case. Are they connected?

When Buddy Bolden died in a Louisiana insane asylum in 1931, a quarter century after his reign as the undisputed first “king” of jazz, he left behind no known recordings. But when quirky New Orleans antiques dealer Bruneau Abellard listens to a vintage phonograph cylinder he found in the secret compartment of a sideboard, he wonders if he has stumbled upon an important piece of musical history. In researching his discovery, Bruneau runs headlong into an arson investigation led by his childhood friend, NOPD Detective Bo Duplessis, which in turn may hold the key to a 50-year-old unsolved missing person’s case.

To untangle their present-day mysteries, Bruneau and Bo must first piece together a perplexing string of puzzles from the distant past. Their parallel investigations immerse them in the rhythm-and-blues subculture of 1960s New Orleans, and transport them to the dawn of the 20th Century, when a brash young musician introduced a new sound to the city, forever changing the course of music history.

Fast-paced and vividly drawn, The Bolden Cylinder introduces a memorable cast of eccentric characters, including a malodorous collector of early R&B memorabilia, a sultry nightclub singer, a reputed mob boss, a 12-year-old tap dancer, and an inscrutable peddler of voodoo paraphernalia. Together, they serve up a savory gumbo of suspenseful intrigue set against the seductive backdrop of a city in which past and present are forever interwoven.

Review

When Buddy Bolden died in a Louisiana insane asylum in 1931, a quarter century after his reign as the undisputed first “king” of jazz, he left behind no known recordings. But when quirky New Orleans antiques dealer Bruneau Abellard listens to a vintage phonograph cylinder he found in the secret compartment of a sideboard, he wonders if he has stumbled upon an important piece of musical history.

I expected more from this book. I wanted more from the asylum and more history. Plus, it is not as fast paced as I like. It is enjoyable but it is a bit wordy. That is not to say it is not a good read. I think I went into this tale with different expectations than the author.

That being said, I loved the setting of New Orleans. The author took you all over this area and did a fabulous job. I have not been to N.O. in quite a while. But I could just picture it. AND THE FOOD!

The mystery is also different with a wonderful myriad of characters. And the way it is woven together definitely keeps the reader guessing to what is going to happen next.

Need a unique mystery set in New Orleans…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for an honest review.

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