REVIEW: Deep Water

 Deep Water
Author: Emma Bamford

The blurb for this book reminded me a bit of a true story -- the murders on Plumyra Atoll. Wealthy couple sails their boat to an Atoll to enjoy a few days in the sun, only to discover there are already two other people there. The two younger people sailed to the Atoll to escape drug charges and their boat motor conked out. They coexist for awhile....then things turn bad.  Several weeks later, the druggie couple sails into port with the wealthy couple's boat. The wealthy couple is never seen again. 

The story in Deep Water is similar but different. A naval ship encounters a boat at sea sending out distress signals. An injured man and his wife are on board. The woman confesses to doing something bad and killing people. She agrees to tell the whole story.....they sailed to an isolated island to enjoy the beach only to find there was a group of sailors already there. Things go fine for awhile.....but when it goes bad, it goes bad quickly. 

This story was just ok for me. The pacing was a bit too slow, and I felt like I was reading a reworking of a true story/earlier book by another author. I expected a bit more excitement. Slow burn is sometimes too slow when there really isn't an exciting moment until the very end. The ending just didn't pack enough power to justify the slow, slow pacing. It just took to long to get there for me. 

I'm glad I read the story, but it did disappoint me a bit. 

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Gallery Books. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

REVIEW: Old Bones

 Old Bones
Authors: Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child

I first read this book when it came out in 2019. The third book in the Nora Kelly series just released, so I decided to go back and read the series from the start again! I grabbed book one, Old Bones, from Audible and got to listening!

Here is my original review of the book from September 2019:

I'm a big fan of the Agent Pendergast novels by Lincoln & Child. The stories are always suspenseful and creepy-cool. That's why I jumped right on this first novel in a new spin-off series featuring Nora Kelly. Kelly appears in two prior Pendergast novels and as the main character in a prior stand alone novel, Thunderhead.

The Basics: Kelly is an archaeologist and museum curator. She is approached by historian Dr. Clive Benton about a lost camp site of the Donner Party. Promising the chance to excavate previously undisturbed remains of the ill-fated party who descended into madness and cannibalism while trapped by heavy snow in the Sierra Nevada mountains, Benton also pulls Kelly in with the possibility of a stash of gold coins hidden at the site. Meanwhile, new FBI agent Corrie Swanson (another character from previous Pendergast novels -- Still Life With Crows & White Fire) is investigating grave robberies, one disappearance and a murder that seem related to a member of the Donner Party. When members of the group excavating the lost camp start dying, Kelly and Swanson work together to solve the case.

I loved this story! I liked Nora Kelly and Corrie Swanson when they appeared in the Pendergast series. Nice to see them getting a series of their own! Both are strong, intelligent women and they worked well together in this story. Pendergast does make an appearance at the end, but the investigation and action in this new novel is all Kelly & Swanson!

It isn't necessary to have read the Pendergast novels before Old Bones. The story really doesn't refer much to prior cases or characters from the Pendergast books.The story would still be enjoyable even with no knowledge of Pendergast or the prior cases Kelly and Swanson helped investigate. This book can stand on its own just fine.

Enjoyable read! I will definitely be reading more of this series! Happy to see two favorite characters from the Pendergast series get to branch out a bit on their own!

And, now adding my thoughts on the audio book.

The audio, narrated by Cynthia Farrell, is just shy of 11 hours long. Farrell has a pleasant voice and reads at a perfect pace. She is a skilled narrator, blending into the background and letting me just get sucked in by the story. I wasn't distracted by mispronounced words, bad pacing or other issues -- I just got to enjoy the story! Loved it! 

I love stories that incorporate real historical events like the Donner Party, Dyatlov Pass, etc. Preston & Child are so skilled at pulling me in with their creepy-cool plots! I've been a fan of the Pendergast series for years, so of course I love this spin-off series as well!

Now on to book 2, The Scorpion's Tail! 

REVIEW: Dark Stars

 Dark Stars
Author: Various

What do horror writers do during lockdown? They write! This bewitchingly dark collection of 12 stories is the product of an idea in the mind of Editor John Taff mixed with the weird situation in 2020. Who expected the entire world to basically shut down for an extended period? So bizarre....but the perfect backdrop for horror. Perfect timing for Taff to turn his idea into an actual project!

12 stories. Vastly different stories. Everything from slow burn to AHHHHHHHH!!!!! As with any story collection, there were some that I loved and some that just didn't resonate with me at all. But that's perfect -- it means this is a varied and diverse anthology. These stories are imaginative, different and chilling. Some of the writers are new to me -- I love books and stories from "new to me'' writers to my TBR pile. And some of these stories were by writers that I've read before. It was awesome to read a bit of short fiction by familiar storycrafters to see what creepiness they could impart in the brevity of short story. I'm happy to say that although some of the stories weren't scary for me or didn't pull me in like some others did, I did enjoy each one. I loved the fact that these tales are not merely variations on a single theme or style....but each is unique and completely different. 

I read one story per day for 12 days. And after reading each tale, I did my usual clicking around on the internet to find out some info on each author and their collection of writing. My TBR is a bit bigger and my enjoyment of horror a bit more varied since reading this collection. That's the gift of short stories....you get a taste of the writer's style that leaves you wanting more! 

My favorite story? Mrs. Addison's Nest by Josh Malerman. Followed closely by The Familiar's Assistant by Alma Katsu. Malerman's story is different and creepy-strange. I liked it because it's weird and the ending is vague. It leaves much to the imagination. Who really trusts a high school librarian? I kept thinking of one school librarian I had growing up that had creepy vibes....sucked me right into the story because I kept seeing her as Mrs. Addison in my mind. Alma Katsu's vampire tale is short, but develops into a coldly undead nightmare. Loved it! 

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this anthology from Macmillin/Tor-Forge. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

REVIEW: Friend of the Devil

 Friend of the Devil
Author: Stephen Lloyd

This book snuck up on me. I didn't expect it to be quite so creepy and weird. I enjoy horror stories set in upper class twit boarding schools, and figured this story would be another along the lines of multiple others I have read. I was wrong....oh so wrong. Joyously wrong. Stephen Lloyd weaves sarcasm and wit around a horror plot with grace and style. He caught me by surprise with some of the twists and turns of this plot. A fun creepy read!

The basics:  Sam Gregory is a detective for an insurance company. Sam is a product of Too Much and Too Many.  Too Many Vietnam memories. Too Much Smoking. Too Much work. Too Many vices. Too much Stress.  He's called to investigate a case involving a stolen rare book at Danforth Putnam, an elite boarding school. The setting is perfect -- the school is on an isolated island. The school is creepy. The faculty is creepy. And the kids are......teenagers. Scary as hell! 

This tale rapidly becomes more than just a search for a priceless book gone missing from a safe. There is much, much more going on at Danforth Putnam. It's not a long book -- the pacing is fast. This was a binge read for me. The sort of warped Scooby Doo feel coupled with the jaded aging detective all tangled in a supernatural edged mess.....the tale sucked me right in. Despite several obvious clues and misdirections, I didn't really see the end coming. But then again I'm also the one who knows the jump scare is coming....I know it's coming....then it comes and I still scream and jump like an idiot. Every time!! 

Very entertaining story. It reads like a fleshed-out television script. Short, fast paced, a bit of humor thrown in to break up the creepy, a few tropey side characters and just a couple MCs, and a completely cinematic awesome setting. 

Glad I read this book! It was engaging and very creepy! But not something that was going to weigh on my mind for long after I finished reading. Creepy, entertaining and quick dash of horror -- just what I like for a rainy afternoon scary read! 

This is the first book by Stephen Lloyd that I've read. I will definitely be reading more. 

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Penguin/Putnam Group. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.** 

REVIEW: The Deepest of Secrets

 The Deepest of Secrets
Author: Kelley Armstrong

The Rockton series is one of my favorites! I love the setting, the characters and just the premise itself....a town hidden in the Canadian wilderness where people in trouble go to disappear for awhile. It makes for great suspense novels! 

The Deepest of Secrets is the 7th book in the series. This time, the residents of Rockton are on edge. Every one of them came to the hidden town to hide out and keep their past secrets private But someone is revealing information and the threat of exposure causes the residents to start turning on each other. Soon the situation escalates from gossip to violence. Can Detective Casey Duncan find out who is behind it all before things spiral completely out of control?

This story starts off at a slow burn....with the plot developing over the first half of the book. And then it just really takes off. I was hooked on each word. After 7 books I'm invested in these characters and what happens to them.....so I totally binge read this one! I enjoy Casey and her lover Eric Dalton (Rockton's sheriff) as main characters. They work well together to keep things safe in Rockton, and I just like the characters in general. They've been through a lot in seven books! 

I read somewhere that this might be the last book....I hope not! I'm definitely in line for the next book if there is one...love this series! 

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from St Martins Press. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

5/5/2022 -- I initially read a digital review copy of this book back in February. This series is one of my favorites so after publication I picked up the audio book. Decided to listen to it while on vacation this week. Such a good story! The audio book is narrated by Therese Plummer. She does an excellent job of bringing the story to life. She reads at a good pace, and gives an excellent voice acting performance. Loved it! But....from what I have read, this is the last novel in the series. The ending was perfect for a novel, but not really a closure for a series IMHO. Maybe there will be a spinoff series? Or maybe it's just done without all the loose ends being safely tucked away. That may actually be a better choice for an ending, as the characters were all hiding their past and their lives from the outside world. Great series! 

REVIEW: The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook

 The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook
Dungeon Crawler Carl #3
Author: Matt Dinniman

The best book so far! Carl, Princess Donut and her sidekick Mongo face the toughest floor yet. The Iron Tangle. The world's subway and train systems have all been jumbled up and linked together into a dungeon of massive and utterly confusing proportions. Navigating the way to the stairs down to the next level in only 8 days will be nearly impossible. Doing so in boxers, with a scrappy sentient cat and her dinosaur pet is just downright epic! 

Once again, I grabbed up the audio for this book and enjoyed Jeff Hays' performance. Fun and entertaining story! Complex traps, a complicated dungeon and unexpected events carry this story through to floor collapse. Enjoyed it!! 

On to the next book!! 

REVIEW: Carl's Doomday Scenario

 Carl's Doomsday Scenario 
Dungeon Crawler Carl #2
Author: Matt Dinniman

I am not a binger.  I'm always a season or two behind on television shows because I watch a few episodes and pause to digest what I've seen so far. Then I come back and view more, etc.  Frustrates my husband to no end as he always wants to discuss the ending with me....and I'm forever 8 episodes or more behind him. Same with books. I don't want to hit the current book and have to wait a year on a cliff hanger to find out what happens, so I meander my way through a series.  Just not a binger.

Until this series.

A friend recommended this series to me. I read the blurb for book one, and got the audio. Loved it! Next thing I know I've listened all the way through to the end of book 3, and have book 4 queued up on Audible. Binge-city. It's not just Dinniman's mix of adventure and humor -- it's that darn Jeff Hays. Comes sauntering in like he's the best and narrates the complete shit out of these books. I couldn't stop listening!  And now I'm going to catch up to the writer and be stuck waiting.... I learned my lesson with that red wedding writing non-publishing author that shall not be named. Or the comic series with Wolverine's legs up a damn mountain.....and no next issue. Jeff Hays made me break my cardinal rule....I binged. I binged hard. In my excuse, I couldn't help it. So good. I even snorted my coffee at one point when Princess Donut had a moment. 

Darn Jeff Hays. Now I'm looking for other books he's narrated. Dude, you are so good at what you do! And Dinniman -- I work in social services. It's been 2 years of complete crap for me.....but your books made me smile and just have a good time. Such a fun series! I recommend this series to any fan of LitRPG or adventure fantasy. Definitely. And I feel better about the binge -- book 5 about ready to come out on audio. And I can meander through some other books offered through Sound Booth Theater while I'm waiting on Dinniman to churn out more Carl

Love this series! Love the characters! Just entertaining and fun. I did learn one lesson though -- never report to the end of the world in your underwear and a leather jacket. Not a good idea. :)

Definitely reading this series until the very last dungeon floor.  And Jeff Hays is at the top of my favorite narrator/voice actor list with Scott Brick, Neil Gaiman, Wil Wheaton and Ray Porter. Yep -- that good, in my opinion. I can't pick a fav -- you guys all grouped up at the #1 spot. It takes a lot to make a caseworker laugh out loud at the tail end of a two year pandemic -- but ya got me Jeff. Several times. 

:) All smiles here!  Publish more Carl, Dinniman!! :) 

I hear tell that Matt Dinniman is going to be in Charlotte, NC at Dragon Con in August.  I may just send one of my minions to buy me a signed book. Damn it, Dinniman -- making me a fan girl. Ruining my curmudgeon rep. Sigh. 

Great series, guys! If you are into LitRPG -- read it! Or listen like I did. Jeff Hays gives a great performance. Too good at times -- I spit water all over myself when he bleated like a screaming goat guy. Don't drink and listen -- dangerous.  Well, damp any way.