Historical, Mystery

Woman in the Green Dress by Tea Cooper

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

cover180817-mediumA cursed opal, a gnarled family tree, and a sinister woman in a green dress emerge in the aftermath of World War I.

After a whirlwind romance, London teashop waitress Fleur Richards can’t wait for her new husband, Hugh, to return from the Great War. But when word of his death arrives on Armistice Day, Fleur learns he has left her a sizable family fortune. Refusing to accept the inheritance, she heads to his beloved home country of Australia in search of the relatives who deserve it more.

In spite of her reluctance, she soon finds herself the sole owner of a remote farm and a dilapidated curio shop full of long-forgotten artifacts, remarkable preserved creatures, and a mystery that began more than sixty-five years ago. With the help of Kip, a repatriated soldier dealing with the sobering aftereffects of war, Fleur finds herself unable to resist pulling on the threads of the past. What she finds is a shocking story surrounding an opal and a woman in a green dress. . . a story that, nevertheless, offers hope and healing for the future.

This romantic mystery from award-winning Australian novelist Tea Cooper will keep readers guessing until the astonishing conclusion.

Fans of historical mysteries will enjoy this look at the early days of Australian settlement alternated with Australia at the end of World War I. Written using the familiar convention of alternating chapters in different time periods, the story does require some close attention to keep track of which year you’re in with which characters.

The story revolves around a cursed opal that provides the red thread connecting the mid-19th century story to the WWI era. The two best things here are Fleur and Bert, who will worm their ways into your heart. This is a mystery, historical fiction, and a love story – everything that will appeal to fans of Kate Morton and MJ Rose (albeit without Rose’s supernatural additions). A good summer read. Includes discussion questions for Book Clubs.

Publication Date: June 16, 2020
Published By: Thomas Nelson
Thanks to Netgalley for the review copy

Cozy, iRead Book Tour, Mystery

Killer Deadline by Lauren Carr

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

“Lauren Carr’s books are never boring, that’s for sure. They entertain,
give us a good mystery to dig into, keep the reader guessing, give us a
few good laughs and make us eager for the next book. Warning: Lauren
Carr’s series are addictive, so be ready to read more than just one
book!” – Laura Fabiani, Library of Clean Reads

Join us for this tour from April 20 to May 22, 2020!Book Details:

Book Title:  Killer Deadline (A Nikki Bryant Cozy Mystery) by Lauren Carr

Category:  Adult Fiction (18 +),  232 pages

Genre:  Mystery/Cozy Mystery

Publisher:  Acorn Book Services

Release date:   April 23, 2020

Content Rating: G. This is a true cozy mystery. No sex. No on-stage violence. No swearing. Just good clean fun!

“Here we go! Carr is a master storyteller who always offers a plot full of twists and turns, a bit of humor to offset the dark, and a unique cast of characters. In Killer Deadline that cast includes – handsome Ryan, her first love (who is now her step-brother); a mysterious social media friend called Nerdy Guy; Elmo, a super smart dog, a boxer, she rescued who has become asocial media star and has a penchant for cleaning; a TV station full of suspicious employees; and more.
“This book is a wonderful read to pick up at the end of a long day. It truly is a “cozy murder mystery.”  I promise, it’ll draw you in right from page one and keep you turning the pages until you reach the very last page. I can’t wait for the second book in this  series.” – Marilyn R. Wilson, Olio by Marilyn

Book Description:

Folks in Pine Grove, Pennsylvania, claim that where Nikki Bryant goes, trouble is not far behind. Her refusal to back down from a challenge has made Nikki Bryant a top investigative journalist.

When an online friend nudges her to join him in a pact to reconnect with their first loves, Nikki and her boxer dog Elmo leave the bright lights of Las Vegas for the charming town of Pine Grove. There, she must face the biggest challenges in her career and life—the first love she had left behind and her father’s unsolved murder.

But before she has time to unpack her car, Nikki stumbles upon the dead body of local news anchor, Ashleigh Addison, her childhood rival. Could Ashleigh’s death be connected to an explosive news story that she had teased about airing live? Did that explosive story have anything to do with the murder of Nikki’s father?

With the clues in her father’s cold case hot again, Nikki intends to chase down the story of her life until she catches his killer—no matter what it takes.

Fans of cozy but sassy mysteries will thoroughly enjoy this adventurous romp. Nikki Bryant is an appealing, trendy, and bold character in the vein of Kate Carlisle’s Brooklyn Wainwright.

The plot is suspenseful and inventive, blending an old mystery (the death of Nikki’s father) with a new one (the murder of Nikki’s childhood nemesis) in an engaging way that keeps you turning page after page.

Sometimes I find the protagonists of modern cozy mysteries to be extremely annoying, especially when a female character who has been written as smart and articulate suddenly starts making really stupid decisions. That doesn’t happen here. Nikki Bryant promises to become a favorite sleuth. Check this one out!

 

Order Your Copy Today!

Meet the Author:Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, Chris Matheson Cold Case, and Thorny Rose Mysteries—over twenty-five titles across three fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!

Killer Deadline marks Lauren’s first venture into mystery’s purely cozy sub-genre with a female protagonist.

Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr’s seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, crime fiction, police procedurals, romance, and humor.

A popular speaker, Lauren is also the owner of Acorn Book Service, the umbrella under which falls iRead Book Tours. She lives with her husband and two spoiled rotten German Shepherds on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.

Connect with the author: Website  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook  ~  Instagram ~Pinterest

Tour Schedule:

Enter the Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Historical, Mystery

Murder on Pleasant Avenue by Victoria Thompson

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

cover178623-mediumWhen Gino Donatelli is accused of a brutal murder, beloved sleuths Sarah and Frank Malloy have to catch a killer who is out to destroy their innocent friend’s life in the latest installment of the national bestselling Gaslight mysteries.

A victim is found, brutally murdered and the police are certain they’ve caught the killer. Their only suspect: Gino Donatelli.
Frank and Sarah know Gino is innocent but the police have a one-track mind. Once Frank struck it rich and left their ranks taking Gino with him, there has been a simmering resentment in the department. And now, someone has pulled out all the stops to make it look like Gino is the only one who could have committed the crime. With the clock ticking and evidence mounting against their friend, Sarah and Frank will try to unravel a treacherous plot before Gino is sent up the river for good.

Fans of Sarah & Frank Malloy will thoroughly enjoy this latest entry in Thompson’s Gaslight series.. This time, our friends use their deductive skills to help out old friend Gino Donatelli when he is accused of a heinous crime. Thompson comes through again with a clever plot, engaging writing, and wonderful descriptions of the relationships cultivated by the Malloys and the denizens of 19th century New York. While this can be read on its own, it is much more enjoyable if you’ve read the previous series entries.

Publication Date: April 28, 2020
Published by: Berkley Publishing Group
Thanks to Netgalley for the review copy

Reader Profiles, Uncategorized

Reader Profile – Adam Traub

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

mendozaAdam is the Associate Director of the Monroe County Library System. Before joining MCLS in 2019, he had spent the past 15 years in academic libraries, primarily interested in consortial programs around resource sharing. He’s worked at the University of Rochester, RIT, St. John Fisher, and Strong Museum of Play. Adam grew up around Rochester and has been living in the city since 2005, currently living in the South Wedge with his partner. When he’s not working or advocating for libraries, you can find him cooking, running with his dog, or playing Ultimate (frisbee).

 

Write a one-sentence description of yourself as a Reader.

Sporadically voracious – that is not a sentence, but it’s accurate.

What are you reading right now?

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel

The desert island question – What 5 books would you have to have with you if you were stranded on a desert island?

Are you a finisher? In other words, are you compelled to finish a book even if you hate it? What are some books that you’ve had to force yourself to finish, or which you’ve bailed on?

It took me many years to be able to put down a book but I’ve decided my time is too precious to waste on a book I don’t like. “The Savage Detectives” is one I bailed on that comes to mind.

Do you ever read the end of a book first? Why or why not?

Never! I hate spoilers so much, I avoid any summaries. For example, I had no idea what Station Eleven was about when I picked it up just before the COVID crisis hit us. Ugh – this will be a tough one to get through right now.

What is at the top of your To Be Read pile?

Once published, the third book in the Kingkiller Chronicle. Though, the second in the Founders Trilogy is supposed to be out shortly – I imagine I’ll tackle that ASAP.

Who is your go-to author when someone asks you for a recommendation?

Depending on the someone, I’d go for Patrick Rothfuss or Robert Jackson Bennett. Though, it really depends on what they like. If they aren’t into fantasy, I’d probably suggest Chabon or Winters.

Would you rather be your favorite author or your favorite character?

Well, my favorite author is dead and most of my favorite characters are pretty flawed. I’m content being me and enjoying them from a nice armchair.

Has any book defined your life, as in you would be a different person if you hadn’t read it?

The Hobbit. I was – decidedly – not a reader until high school. If it wasn’t for my uncle introducing me to Tolkien, I don’t think I’d be a librarian today.

Is there a genre or type that you are over and wish would just go away?

No – Ranganathan’s Third Law: “Every book its reader.”

Describe your favorite place to read.

My skin warmed – either by a campfire or equatorial sun, preferably with a dog nearby.

Book or movie? Is there a movie that you think was better than the book?

I enjoy both so much, I don’t know I can make a blanket statement. Casino Royale, perhaps?

What is your preferred format? Hardcover, paperback, digital, audio, doesn’t matter?

I prefer physical books, though I’m not too picky on their binding. One day, though, I’ll be thankful for a nice e-reader where I can make the text bigger.

Share a favorite quote from a book you’ve read. Why is it meaningful to you?

“Not all those who wander are lost.” – JRR Tolkien
It reminds me to enjoy life’s detours, but also to reserve judgment when someone else takes a different path.

What book are you recommending that everyone read right now?

I loved Foundryside and I’m really looking forward to the next in the series. Though, if I’m honest, “Name of the Wind.” Not only is it a great fantasy story, but I hope the increased sales urge the author to finish the series!

What book challenged you the most when you read it?

Native Son by Richard Wright. Growing up in a predominantly white middle-class neighborhood, in a predominantly white middle-class school district, surrounded by predominantly white middle-class – well, I had – and do have – a lot of learning to do. I’m grateful for my teachers who selected that as a part of the curriculum.

Historical, Makes You Think

The Book of Lost Friends by Lisa Wingate

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

cover182289-mediumFrom the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Before We Were Yours comes a new novel inspired by historical events: a dramatic story of three young women on a journey in search of family amidst the destruction of the post-Civil War South, and of a modern-day teacher who rediscovers their story and its vital connection to her own students’ lives.

In her distinctive voice, Lisa Wingate brings to life startling stories from actual “Lost Friends” advertisements that appeared in Southern newspapers after the Civil War, as formerly enslaved people desperately searched for loved ones who had been sold off.

Louisiana, 1875: In the tumultuous aftermath of Reconstruction, three young women set off as unwilling companions on a perilous quest: Lavinia, the pampered heir to a now-destitute plantation; Juneau Jane, her illegitimate free-born Creole half-sister; and Hannie, Lavinia’s former slave. Each carries private wounds and powerful secrets as they head for Texas, following dangerous roads rife with ruthless vigilantes and soldiers still fighting a war lost a decade before. For Lavinia and Juneau Jane, the journey is one of inheritance and financial desperation, but for Hannie, torn from her mother and eight siblings before slavery’s end, the pilgrimage westward reignites an agonizing question: could her long-lost family still be out there? Beyond the swamps lie the seemingly limitless frontiers of Texas and, improbably, hope.

Louisiana, 1987: For first-year teacher Benedetta Silva, a subsidized job at a poor rural school seems like the ticket to canceling her hefty student debt–until she lands in a tiny, out-of-step Augustine, Louisiana. The town seems suspicious of new ideas and new people, and Benny can scarcely comprehend the lives of her poverty-stricken students. But amid the gnarled live oaks and run-down plantation homes lies the century-old history of three young women, a long-ago journey, and a hidden book that could change everything.

This book caught me by surprise. The concept intrigued me – parallel stories past & present about the “lost friends” letters in the Southwestern Christian Advocate that helped reunite formerly enslaved people and their families, and a modern story about descendants of some of those people who reconnect with their history.

It takes a skilled writer to construct a narrative that jumps between centuries but keeps a common thread running through both past and present. Often, one of the story threads is better developed and more interesting, but that doesn’t happen here. Both past and present are are equally captivating. I found myself reading swiftly through chapters because I couldn’t wait to find out what happened.

The story set in the past, that of Hannie Gossett, is wrenching and raw. The unspeakable way enslaved families were broken up and sold and how black women and girls were treated by white men and women is hard to read, but it is an important part of the narrative which makes the end of Hattie’s story that much more satisfying.

The present day story about a naive but enthusiastic young teacher who finds a way to connect with her students through history is, at times, a bit too convenient. However, the teacher (Miss Silva), the adult characters, and the kids are well-developed and endearing.

This will appeal to Wingate’s fan base, for sure, and would make a decent book club book. It must be said that there are better novels about life as an enslaved person out there (Beloved and certainly The Water Dancer by Coates), but The Book of Lost Friends is a good addition to that genre of books and will introduce readers to the Lost Friends letters which can be viewed online. Recommended.

Publication Date: April 7, 2020
Published By: Random House – Ballantine
Thanks to Netgalley for the review copy

Historical, Mystery, Suspense

The Animals at Lockwood Manor by Jane Healey

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

cover178794-mediumA debut novel for fans of Sarah Perry and Kate Morton: when a young woman is tasked with safeguarding a natural history collection as it is spirited out of London during World War II, she discovers her new manor home is a place of secrets and terror instead of protection.

In August 1939, thirty-year-old Hetty Cartwright arrives at Lockwood Manor to oversee a natural history museum collection, whose contents have been taken out of London for safekeeping. She is unprepared for the scale of protecting her charges from party guests, wild animals, the elements, the tyrannical Major Lockwood and Luftwaffe bombs. Most of all, she is unprepared for the beautiful and haunted Lucy Lockwood.

For Lucy, who has spent much of her life cloistered at Lockwood suffering from bad nerves, the arrival of the museum brings with it new freedoms. But it also resurfaces memories of her late mother, and nightmares in which Lucy roams Lockwood hunting for something she has lost.

When the animals appear to move of their own accord, and exhibits go missing, they begin to wonder what exactly it is that they might need protection from. And as the disasters mount up, it is not only Hetty’s future employment that is in danger, but her own sanity too. There’s something, or someone, in the house. Someone stalking her through its darkened corridors . . .

I seem to be reading a lot of gothic mysteries lately…the genre is definitely making a comeback!

Here we have all the elements needed for a first-class, spooky gothic thriller – intrepid heroine who is made of sterner stuff than is believed by those around her; a creepy country house; a tragic inhabitant; a prickly, horrible mystery; and a horrifying climax followed by a new beginning.

There is, however, a refreshing difference here. In the old 1970s gothics, the tragic inhabitant of the creepy country house was invariably a man. Here, it’s Lucy. The beautiful, delicate, sleep-deprived daughter of the master of the house. The story spun around Lucy and Hetty is delicate and charming, a piece of lace on the grimy, icky cloth of the horrible mystery, and one that gets ripped off, preserved, and sewn into something beautiful.

The story is captivating and creepy, the writing skillful and eloquent. Well done.

Publication Date: March 10, 2020
Published By: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Thanks to Netgalley for the review copy

Ghosties, Mystery, Romance

Healer’s Legacy by M. MacKinnon

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

cover188537-mediumColleen Fitzgerald has finally found the perfect man. But when fate steals her happiness yet again, she finds herself searching for redemption in the Scottish Highlands. A haunted castle will pit her nursing skills against a vengeful ghost and a modern killer, but also offer a chance at true love – if she is strong enough to trust her heart one more time.

Gothic romance novels played a big part in my development as a reader, so this one appealed to me as a light, uncomplicated read since it combines some of my favorite things – ghosts, a mystery, a romance, and Scotland.

I found a very pleasant, well-told story with some memorable characters. This is the 1970s gothic updated for 2020, with modern settings and language, but a very familiar plot. Our heroine gets burned by a rotten, cheating scoundrel and retreats to a remote castle/country house in another country to lick her wounds. Once there, she stumbles into some sort of historical mystery involving the supernatural and a surly man who eventually becomes her love interest.

While nothing new plot-wise, MacKinnon delivers a fun and engaging story that will appeal to romantic mystery fans.

Publication Date: April 1, 2020
Published By: DartFrog Plus
Thanks to Netgalley for the review copy

Mystery, Psychological, Suspense

Please See Us by Caitlin Mullen

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

cover173378-mediumIn this sophisticated, suspenseful debut reminiscent of Laura Lippman and Chloe Benjamin, two young women become unlikely friends during one fateful summer in Atlantic City as mysterious disappearances hit dangerously close to home.

Summer has come to Atlantic City but the boardwalk is empty of tourists, the casino lights have dimmed, and two Jane Does are laid out in the marshland behind the Sunset Motel, just west of town. Only one person even knows they’re there.

Meanwhile, Clara, a young boardwalk psychic, struggles to attract clients for the tarot readings that pay her rent. When she begins to experience very real and disturbing visions, she suspects they could be related to the recent cases of women gone missing in town. When Clara meets Lily, an ex-Soho art gallery girl who is working at a desolate casino spa and reeling from a personal tragedy, she thinks Lily may be able to help her. But Lily has her own demons to face. If they can put the pieces together in time, they may save another lost girl—so long as their efforts don’t attract perilous attention first. Can they break the ill-fated cycle, or will they join the other victims?

Evocative, eerie, and compelling, Please See Us is a fast-paced psychological thriller that explores the intersection of womanhood, power, and violence.

This book is one of the best debuts in the suspense genre that I’ve read in a very long time. Full of well-drawn characters and a clever, twisted plot that will keep you reading and shivering into the wee hours, this is a must-read for fans of psychological suspense.

Mullen carefully builds the relationship between boardwalk clairvoyant Clara/Ava and art gallery girl Lily in such a way that you find yourself rooting for both of them as they plunge into the dark side of Atlantic City and into the even darker recesses of a killer’s mind. At the same time, she also gives character to the girls who want to be seen – not just the victims in the marsh but all the lost girls who drift around the city, looking for…something.

Relationships are key here – the failed relationships that have shaped Lily and Ava, the tragic relationships between the girls in the marsh and their families, and the friendships that move the action forward. Mullen weaves those relationships into a taut, suspenseful story that will keep your eyes glued to the pages.

Fans of Laura Lippman and Kathy Reichs will enjoy this one.

Publication Date: March 1, 2020
Published By: Gallery/Pocket Books
Thanks to Netgalley for the review copy

Historical, iRead Book Tour, Mystery, Victorian

A Child Lost by Michele Cox

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

 
Join Us For This Tour from April 14 to May 11, 2020

 

BOOK DETAILS:
  • Series Title:  A CHILD LOST (A Henrietta and Inspector Howard Novel #5) by Michelle Cox
  • Category:  Adult Fiction (18+)
  • Genre:  Historical Mystery
  • Publisher:  She Writes Press
  • Release dates:   April 2020
  • Content Rating: R: My book is rated R for 2 sex scenes
    that are somewhat explicit but which are tastefully done. There is
    periodic swearing (not excessive), but no violence.

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

A spiritualist, an insane asylum, a lost little girl . . .

When Clive, anxious to distract a depressed Henrietta, begs Sergeant
Frank Davis for a case, he is assigned to investigating a seemingly
boring affair: a spiritualist woman operating in an abandoned
schoolhouse on the edge of town who is suspected of robbing people of
their valuables. What begins as an open and shut case becomes more
complicated, however, when Henrietta―much to Clive’s dismay―begins to
believe the spiritualist’s strange ramblings.

Meanwhile, Elsie begs Clive and Henrietta to help her and the object of
her budding love, Gunther, locate the whereabouts of one Liesel
Klinkhammer, the German woman Gunther has traveled to America to find
and the mother of the little girl, Anna, whom he has brought along with
him. The search leads them to Dunning Asylum, where they discover some
terrible truths about Liesel. When the child, Anna, is herself
mistakenly admitted to the asylum after an epileptic fit, Clive and
Henrietta return to Dunning to retrieve her. This time, however,
Henrietta begins to suspect that something darker may be happening. When
Clive doesn’t believe her, she decides to take matters into her own
hands . . . with horrifying results.

This is a new series for me, so I realized early in the book that I really needed to read the earlier entries to have a better understanding of the character dynamics here. Even so, I was able to read through the story and follow the plot without issue. The story stands alone; it’s just the relationship histories of the characters that left me puzzled a couple times.

The plot is well-designed, with plenty of action and suspense that will keep you turning pages. Fans of historical/paranormal mysteries will especially enjoy the spiritualism and asylum elements here, climaxing in Henrietta’s harrowing scene at the end. The author also leaves us with a tasty little morsel on the very last page which foreshadows the next entry in the series (I think!).

Michele Cox is an author new to me, and my experience with A Child Lost will make me find her earlier books. Fans of Sarah Rayne and M.J. Rose will enjoy this.

MEET THE AUTHOR:Michelle Cox is the author of the multiple award-winning Henrietta and Inspector Howard series as well as “Novel Notes of Local Lore,” a weekly
blog dedicated to Chicago’s forgotten residents. She suspects she may have once lived in the 1930s and, having yet to discover a handy time machine lying around, has resorted to writing about the era as a way of getting herself back there. Coincidentally, her books have been praised by Kirkus, Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, Booklist and many others,
so she might be on to something. Unbeknownst to most, Michelle hoards board games she doesn’t have time to play and is, not surprisingly, addicted to period dramas and big band music. Also marmalade.

Connect with the Author:

website ~ facebook ~twitter ~ instagram ~ goodreads

 

TOUR SCHEDULE:

 

April 14 – Working Mommy Journal – book review / giveaway

April 15 – fundinmental – book spotlight / giveaway

April 16 – It’s All About the Book – book review

April 17 – Laura’s Interests – book review / guest post / giveaway

Apr 17 – Books,Dreams,Life – book spotlight / guest post

April 20 – Hall Ways Blog – book review / giveaway

April 20 – I’m All About Books – book spotlight / giveaway

April 21 – T’s Stuff – book review / author interview / giveaway

April 21 – eBook Addicts – book spotlight / giveaway

April 22 – Books and Zebras – book review

April 22 – Olio by Marilyn – book review / author interview / giveaway

April 22 – Book Corner News and Reviews – book review / giveaway

April 23 – Sahar’s Blog – book review

April 24 – The World As I See It – book review

April 24 – Just Another Reader – book review

April 27 – Literary Flits – book spotlight / giveaway

April 27 – The avid reader – book spotlight

April 28 – She Just Loves Books – book review / giveaway

April 28 – michellemengsbookblog – book review

April 29 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book review / giveaway

April 29 – A Madison Mom – book review / giveaway

April 29 – Mowgli with a book – book review

April 30 – Library of Clean Reads – book review / author interview / giveaway

May 1 – Jazzy Book Reviews – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway

May 3 – Jessica Belmont – book review

May 4 – Gwendalyn’s Books – book review / giveaway

May 4 – Adventurous Jessy – book review / giveaway

May 4 – Books, Tea, Healthy Me – book review / author interview / giveaway

May 5 – Falling Into A Good Book – book review / giveaway

May 6 – Leels Loves Books – book review / giveaway

May 6 – Down the Rabbit Hole – book review / guest post / giveaway

May 7 – Karma Readz – book review / author interview / giveaway

 

ENTER THE GIVEAWAY:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Fairytales, Fantasy, Horror, Magical

The Night Country by Melissa Albert

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

cover173062-mediumThe New York Times bestseller! The Night Country is the highly anticipated sequel to Melissa Albert’s beloved debut The Hazel Wood.

In The Night Country, Alice Proserpine dives back into a menacing, mesmerizing world of dark fairy tales and hidden doors of The Hazel Wood. Follow her and Ellery Finch as they learn The Hazel Wood was just the beginning, and that worlds die not with a whimper, but a bang.

With Finch’s help, Alice escaped the Hinterland and her reclusive grandmother’s dark legacy. Now she and the rest of the dregs of the fairy tale world have washed up in New York City, where Alice is trying to make a new, unmagical life. But something is stalking the Hinterland’s survivors—and she suspects their deaths may have a darker purpose. Meanwhile, in the winking out world of the Hinterland, Finch seeks his own adventure, and—if he can find it—a way back home…

I confess I found this sequel to The Hazel Wood hard to read. The grim and bloody violence was wrenching at times, and the story seemed a bit convoluted. However, all of the odd story strands were pulled tight and tied off in a pulse-pounding conclusion that will resonate with fans of The Hazel Wood and the Hinterland.

All that said, I really think I was not in the right frame of mind to read this. It was early days of “New York on PAUSE” due to coronavirus and my nerves were super-taut. I’m recommending it because the writing is awesome and the conclusion to the story begun in The Hazel Wood is highly anticipated by fans.

Publication Date: January 7, 2020
Published By: Flatiron Books
Thanks to Netgalley for the review copy