Nine Lives by Peter Swanson

Hello everyone.  I hope your day has been wonderful.

You'll have to excuse any misspelled words or typos; my hands are frozen.  In the land of housewifery all is not well.  Our hot water heater has a bunch of corrosion on the pipe that exits, bringing steaming hot water to the house...too hot if I'm being honest.  Fortunately, hubby noticed the pipe's decline while spraying for bugs, another wonderful house duty, luckily not mine.  Anyway, getting a plumber in this small town has been like getting a book from Dan Brown, difficult.  They are all so busy, even the guy we always use.  Although hubby swears it isn't necessary, I have been curtailing my use of hot water. Washing dishes in frigid winter water has left me feeling like I have been paddling a boat with my hands in the artic. Yes, we have a fantastic dish washer but some things I don't trust to its practically acid like soap and blasting spray (that's a compliment not a complaint).  Plumbing has nothing to do with today's book, but I just knew you would want to know every single detail about things going on in our basement. Yes, I'm being sarcastic, no I haven't lost all of my mind but I'm working on it, thanks for asking.

I recently read Nine Lives by Peter Swanson. This is the story of nine people who are strangers from all over the country.  Each of these characters receives an envelope with no return address, inside is a piece of paper with a list of nine names, nothing else.  Each recipient has the unfortunate surprise of finding themselves on the list.  Several discard it as junk mail.  Some people think it's a joke.  It becomes clear that the list is trouble once people on the list start being murdered, one by one the list is getting smaller as the FBI races to track down and protect the remaining survivors.

This book is exactly what a thriller should be, full of anticipation, dread, curiosity, and page flipping fun.  This is aided by the fact that this book is told in a unique way.  It is told by a countdown.  Yep, when the next chapter comes you know that someone else will be dead as we count down from the nine strangers. Further, the major twist is something I've never seen done before and I read a ton of thrillers.  Order take-out and ditch Netflix, this book will hold your attention all night.

An evil thought: if you have a book club reading this, it would be so creepy to send them each an anonymous single sheet of paper with all their names on it.

The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley

Hello everyone.  I hope you're having a great day.

I think I might be a homebody.  When I look back at my parents' scrapbooks, they traveled all the time.  In fact, we frequently went on vacations when I was a kid.  My maternal grandparents were the traveling champions!  First, they went to Hawaii every year, usually around my birthday.  It was the only available time originally, then it got to be a running joke, they'd call from the pool to wish me Happy Birthday in freezing cold upstate New York. They went to what seemed like every country: in England they met Lord Mountbatten, in Spain (which they adored) they learned to flamenco dance and nearly drove my parents crazy bringing home castanets for all four of us kids, in Alaska they lead a group jumping out of a helicopter onto an iceberg, in Paris they bought watercolors of the Eifel tower, they soaked up all the sun in Acapulco leaving none for anyone else.  They went to many other countries and loved all the wonderful people they met.  Yes, my grandparents lived remarkable lives, in part because of their excitement for meeting other people and learning about their cultures.  I wish I was like them.  Well, I would love to go everywhere, especially the middle east, Egypt, etc.  As a history lover those areas are fascinating. Sadly, I am a terrible traveler.  As soon as I finish the cup of coffee I've brought with me to sip on in the car, I'm whining about aren't we there yet.  Yup, that's my tolerance length, one cup of coffee. Then, while away, I worry about things at home.  Yes, I'm a homebody and hate it.

I recently read The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley.  This is the story of a woman, Jess, who travels to Paris looking for a break, perhaps a fresh start.  She decides to stay with her brother, Ben, who is already there.  Jess is disappointed when Ben isn't home to meet her when she arrives but she's worried when he doesn't turn up the next day.  Ben's apartment is in a beautiful old building, that had once been a large house. His neighbors are less than helpful when Jess inquires about her lost brother.  Something is wrong and she is convinced they are hiding secrets. 

If you liked Lucy Foley in the past, I doubt you will be disappointed.  While there are several characters that you have to keep track of, the residents of the building, it becomes easy very quickly as the characters are well defined. I suppose the story might have been a smidge shorter, but the book is a quick read and remains interesting throughout. While this fun book has many twists, I'm proud to say I guessed one of the major surprises. The other twists, I missed completely.  If you can't travel to Paris, this might be a fun escape.

Hubby told me to end this by saying "arrivederci." He thinks he's funny and knows that's Italian not French. I might be saying "au revoir" to him soon!

The Golden Couple by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen

Hello everyone. I hope your day is going well.

Would you ever cheat on your spouse?  I wouldn't.  Let's face it, I'm too lazy.  First, there is all the prep, the scrubbing and shaving, the makeup and clothes.  Then the actual act, the "ow, not there" or "get off my hair."  Then there is the hiding it and the eventual guilt.  I'm a huge feeler of guilt, half the time for stuff I didn't even do.  Yep, an affair just seems exhausting.  When my husband makes a totally male comment about some girl, I tell him "ahhh go ahead but make sure she cooks dinner before she leaves, and a load of laundry wouldn't hurt."  Honestly, I'm starting to think my attitude toward affairs should be on stage in the Catskills.  (look up Concord hotel)

I recently read The Golden Couple by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen.  This is maybe my fourth book by the dynamic duo and it fits right in with their twisty thriller resume.  This is the story of a wealthy couple, Marissa and Matthew.  At first you believe they have the perfect, fairytale life.  As so often is the case with psychological thrillers, things are not what they seem. Marissa has had an affair and wants to inform her husband of her infidelity.  Marissa wants to do this in the presence of another, specifically a counselor.  Hmmm.  Why must another person be a witness to such a sensitive issue?  The therapist, Avery, has some rather unconventional methods and has, in fact, recently lost her license.  As the trio work through the issues of being unfaithful more secrets are brought to the surface, some that should have stayed hidden.

This book is exactly what you expect from Hendricks and Pekkanen, twisty, shocking, intense, and a page turner.  What else is there to say?  As usual, a great read.

The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James

Hello everyone. I hope you're having a great day.

Do you have a hobby?  Reading, I suppose.  My husband has the worst hobby, model *!@#$ trains!  Oh yes, you heard me correctly, you read the implied curse word.  I meant every upper number key stroke too! First of all, let's face it....they are trains, that is strike one.  Two, they are super expensive, his train money I could use for my cool hobbies, like reading or paper crafting.  Third strike, they take an enormous amount of room.  Again, room I could be using for some other purpose.  In addition, those rail riders have dictated every house we can buy as we must have a large third floor or room over garage. So young parents, when your child wants a Thomas the Tank toy, I beg of you....run.

I recently read The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James.  I've read two other books by her, The Broken Girls, which I loved, and The Sun Down Motel, which I didn't.  My issue with The Sun Down Motel is that as with both earlier books and the current offering, there is a mystery to be solved and something spooky. In The Sun Down Motel, there was just too little of each for me and I guessed the ending during the first ten minutes.  So, I was apprehensive but hopeful going into The Book of Cold Cases.  My faith has been restored as I liked this book very much, it might even be my favorite of St. James', which is saying something since I really enjoyed Broken Girls.  

The Book of Cold Cases basically revolves around two people, Shea and Beth.  Shea is a blogger whose hobby is running a true crime website called The Book of Cold Cases.  Beth is a rich socialite, who lives in the same town. Beth had once been on trial for three murders, one of which was her own father.  After a chance meeting Beth decides it is finally time to tell the truth and get everything out in the open and decides Shea is just the person to help her. The story is told from both characters' perspectives, with Beth's being both current day and from her childhood.  While Shea is at Beth's elaborate mansion on several occasions for interviews, she begins to notice all is not right with the house.  Beth hides nothing and invites Shea to explore the building that seems every bit as alive as they are.  

This story is a breeze to read, the writing solid and plot clear.  This time St. James has a mystery you won't figure out and a house that will truly have you listening for noises at night.  If you are new to this author but liked the style of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and enjoy haunted house author Darcy Coates, this book will be one of your new favs.

I wonder how many model trains Beth's house would hold?

The Lightning Rod by Brad Meltzer

Hello everyone.  I hope you're having a good day.

I told you that my dad worked at a facility that took government contracts for various things, and that my dad had a high security clearance.  Actually, I worked there too.  No, nothing as exciting as my dad but I had a job there as an intern one summer.  I was shocked by the security I saw, which was obviously only a tiny portion.  I remember them insisting that typewriter ribbons be locked up at night, fearing someone could read them.  Yes, I said typewriter...look junior there was a world before you and your fancy laptop...youngster.  Phew, okay, feeling a bit better about having to admit I used the infamous Selectric.  Also surprising, was that every bit of trash was shredded, unless it was your sandwich wrapper from lunch it was cut into unreadable bits.  I thought I was the new female James Bond, all that typing and mail (yes, real mail) delivering I did. It's so funny, I had no idea what I was right in the middle of, I suspect secret stuff is often like that

I recently read The Lightning Rod by Brad Meltzer.  This is the second in a series.  Honestly, it's going to be better if you read the first book, The Escape Artist, but if you are stubborn and have an odd aversion to great books then skip it, The Lightning Rod will still be enjoyable.  Basically, the whole series revolves around Zig who is a mortician at Dover Air Force base and Nola who is a young military artist. Sounds not so great, I mean a mortician, ick.  Wait, don't go by your first instincts.  This series is fantastic.  Both books are thrillers, not like "gosh, my neighbor looks shady" thriller, I mean like looking around each corner, on the run, heart pounding, page flipping so fast you create a breeze thriller.  I could go on and on about the plots of both books, but honestly, they are so involved and constantly changing. There are government and personal secrets that the reader discovers, each feeding on the other.  Trust me, just get them...both.  AND, if you have a man in your life that won't read, these are male chest pounding enough to really hold his interest.  However, they aren't so shoot'em up-ish that women won't like them.  Yep, boys and girls, these books are for thriller lovers everywhere.

I have to go put chicken wings in the oven, I'm sure James Bond does that all the time!

Quicksilver by Dean Koontz

Hello everyone.  I hope you are having a great day.

Usually, I ramble on about my sisters or housework.  Today I want to address my husband.  Yes, I've told you about him before, how he is such a prince.  Ahhh, now let me tell you about the other side.  If we go to a restaurant, he barely says a word.  We sit eating it utter silence like two people on a terribly awkward first date.  However, if you have something you want to watch on tv, perhaps a long movie you have hours invested in, you can count on my husband to come parading in during the last ten minutes.  It's right when the guy is about to tell the girl he loves her and there is the big kiss.  Or you've watched 85 people killed Agatha Christie style on the remote island and you're about to learn who the killer is, THAT boys and girls is when my husband wants to chat.  Not only chat, he wants to stand squarely in front of the screen so I am denied the flowery wedding proposal or the bad guy falling off a cliff.  AND, if he turns around and sees some part of the movie, he instantly has to know who each person is and what has happened.  Honey, I've been watching this complicated who done-it, turned Radio City Rockettes show that has blossomed into a Brady Bunch reunion for hours... please don't ask me to explain.  Just thinking about it is making me roll my eyes like a teenager with an attitude. I'm convinced he is a Marvel superhero, Chatty Carl, ready to leave you sitting silently in a restaurant or voice bombing your movie ending in a single bound.  Yup, that's my punkin.

I recently read Quicksilver by Dean Koontz.  This is the story of a baby left abandoned on the middle of a highway.  He's taken to an orphanage but sadly never adopted.  We are following him now that he is out of high school and has a job as a writer, telling people about the state of Arizona.  For some reason I put this book to the back of my "read stack."  Something about it just didn't appeal to me.  Feeling obligated since I spent good money on it, I started to read.  Oh my gosh, this young man discovers he possesses some sort of magnetism.  Not like spoons go flying, sticking to his forehead.  He can be out driving and will be pulled to something for an unknown reason.  In the beginning he is pulled to an old building where he discovers a valuable gold coin.  The story really takes off.  It holds your interest the whole way through.  If you're thinking Arizona, dessert, dry, maybe dry story, then stop, because you are wrong. This story is surprising and went to places I had no idea were coming.

The reading is easy with short chapters often ending with a revelation.  This book is fun, and Koontz has some cute little sarcastic zingers added for good measure. 

Don't be like me, pull it to the front of the class, I promise it isn't the dunce.

ps.  hubby is now pouting