Audiobook Mini Reviews: Crime, Suspense, and Mystery

I'm super excited to get these audiobook reviews finally done!
I know y'all have been waiting patiently and I really appreciate it!
For the most part, I can get these audios "read" much faster than actual books, so I decided to try and do a round-up 3.
These are the three that fell into the category of crime, suspense, and mystery.
I'm hoping to have a theme similar with each set of mini reviews I do.
That may mean larger gaps between reviews, depending on what I read and how I can categorize them. Just bear with me.

*This post contains affiliate links.

1. The Life We Bury~ Allen Eskens

(Detective Max Rupert #1)

mystery/fiction/thriller

College student Joe Talbert has the modest goal of completing a writing assignment for English class. His task is to interview a stranger and write a brief biography of the person. With deadlines looming, Joe heads to a nearby nursing home to find a willing suspect. There he meets Carl Iverson, and soon nothing in Joe's life is ever the same. Iverson is a Vietnam veteran- and a convicted murderer.

My Review:

This book had so much going for it. Joe has enough of his own issues going on, home life, a dysfunctional mother, college, an autistic brother, a crush on his neighbor. The last thing he needs is a murder mystery to solve. Yet, that is exactly where this story takes us.

Joe wonders how this respected veteran with his loyal friend and stories of heroism can be convicted of such a violent crime.

Joe, with the help from his girl neighbor, are determined to find the truth. Will it be too late?

A must read.

2. Adam~ Ted Dekker

Christian fiction, mystery, horror, thriller

FBI Behavioral psychologist Daniel Clark has been made famous by his arguments that religion is one of society's greatest antagonists. What Daniel doesn't know is that his obsessive pursuit of a serial killer known only as "Eve" will end in his own death at Eve's hand. Twenty minutes later, Daniel is resuscitated, only to be haunted by those twenty missing minutes of life.

My Review:

Dekker! (swoon)

I truly do love all of his books. I love his writing style and how he combines his Christianity and beliefs into real scenarios. Real stories that will not only grip you from the beginning but also give you tons of food for thought.

Adam is a twisted mix of obsession, pursuit, capture, release, mind altering, abuse, trauma, consequences, and beliefs. It truly has a little something for everyone.

For myself, this books real question...the real "take-away" is; Which is better or right. Facing our demons and finding release to heal. Or hiding them, hoping they go away from fear of what happens when they are revealed?

3. Harvest~ Tess Gerritsen

mystery, thriller, crime, suspense

Medical resident Dr. Abby Matteo is elated when the elite cardiac transplant team at Boston's Bayside Hospital taps her as a potential recruit. But faced with a tormenting life-and-death decision, Abby helps direct a crash victim's harvested heart to a dying teenager -- instead of a wealthy older woman who was supposed to receive it. The repercussions leave Abby shaken and plagued with self-doubt.

My Review:

I fell in love with Gerritsen's writings through her Rizzoli and Isles series. I have continued to enjoy many more of her books.

Harvest is a stand alone book. It was such a great book without the commitment of getting sucked into another series.(I just don't have time at the moment).

This story very much could be true. I'm sure it has happened to some degree, somewhere. Greed is everywhere and the fight to live only fuels that. What would you be willing to pay to save a loved one?

Would you be willing to look the other way in order to save one of your own?...For the right price.

Dive into this twisted mystery and find out how it plays out.

I just checked the website, Thriftbooks,  This Link Here! All three of these books are now available in copies for $3.79 and up depending on condition!

Go, buy the book!

Seriously, you can also join their amazing awards program and earn points towards FREE books!

Book Review: The Priest's Graveyard

The Priest's Graveyard

By

Ted Dekker

Quote:

" Of course. Of course. There's nothing worse than injustice. I've always believed that those responsible for it should be brought to their knees even when they come in small, frail packages." ~ Danny pg. 129

Started: September 13, 2017

Finished: September 27, 2017

hardback cover, 360 pages

* This posts contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase from the link, I will receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.
(TIA for adding to my book fund ;)

From the cover:

Two abandoned souls are on the hunt for one powerful man, soon, their paths will cross and lead to one twisted fate bound by a perilous love.

Danny Hansen came to America with hopes of escaping haunted memories of a tragic war that took his mother's life. Now he's a priest, incensed by the powerful among us who manipulate the law for their own gain, uncaring of the shattered lives they leave behind. It is his duty to show them the error of their ways, even if he must put them in the grave.

Renee Gilmore is the frail and helpless victim of one such powerful man. Having escaped his clutches, she now lives only to satisfy justice by destroying him, regardless of whom she must become in the pursuit.

But when Danny and Renee's paths become inexorably entangled things go very, very badly and neither of them may make it out of this hunt alive.

My Review:

I bought this book from ThriftBooks a few years ago but it had been put up and forgotten. I went through a huge  Ted Dekker phase and read about 5 of his books almost back to back. I absolutely love his writing style and amazing stories. I think I jut burnt myself out and moved on to something lighter and this book got forgotten. I'm so glad I found it and decided to read this one. 

It is a stand alone and I love that I wasn't getting in to a commitment...I have so many on my TBR list that I have slacked off on series unless, I already have the whole set.

Dekker did not disappoint!

As with all of his books, I was hooked from the first page.

He has an amazing way of saying just the right words to make you immediately ask the question, "What's happening here?"...and you have to keep going to figure it out.

Always action packed from the beginning.

In The Priest's Graveyard, it starts out with Renee asking a priest if he will listen to her, or rather Danny's confession, but only if he is 100% he will keep confidence and have time to hear the full story and hopefully understand Danny better. 

The Priest assures her God can forgive anything, but Renee isn't so sure... this time.

Danny's confession, written out in a journal, describes how it all started. How he became the priest who claims the lives of those who have done evil and gotten away with it. 

It details how he became who he now is and the events he has been involved in.

Throughout the book, Danny and Renee's relationship takes many turns and their lives become more entangled. They become teacher and apprentice, friends, partners, and even foe.

Much of Renee's life has been forgotten or at the least regressed memories that her brain isn't ready to deal with just yet. Will Danny uncover her secrets and be able to help her through the memories...or will he help to destroy her and the life she is now building with him?

How will all these events play out and what are the final consequences? Who really gets the final say?

I don't want to spoil the story for you readers. So, ....READ IT!

I can only say good things about yet another awesome Dekker book!

Make sure you check out all of his great books over at Goodreads!

Have you read any of his books?
Which is your favorite?

Shop now for thousands of quality used mystery, thriller & suspense books starting at under $4

Review: Cover Of Snow

Cover of Snow

By~ 

Jenny Milchman

Quote: " The only thing I can tell you about Brendan's last days is he was doing a lot of talking. More than usual even."~ Club

( pg.60)

Started: July 31, 2017

Finished: Aug. 7, 2017

paperback/336 pages

From the Cover:

Waking up one wintry morning in her old farmhouse nestled in the Adirondack Mountains of New York, Nora Hamilton finds her world suddenly shattered. Her husband, Brendan, has committed suicide. Then a disturbing awareness slowly settles in: Brendan left no note and gave no indication that he was contemplating taking his own life. Why would a rock-solid police officer with unwavering affection for his wife, job, and quaint hometown suddenly choose to end it all? Unraveling her late husband's final days, Nora searches for an explanation- but finds a bewildering resistance from Brendan's best friend and partner, his fellow police officers, and his brittle mother. It quickly becomes clear to Nora that she is asking questions no one wants to answer. For beneath the soft cover of snow lies a powerful conspiracy that will stop at nothing to keep its presence unknown...and its darkest secrets hidden.

My Review:

This is by far one of my new favorites!

It jumps right in and holds you from the beginning. 

The mysterious suicide of a small town cop starts a peeling away at a lifetime of secrets and crimes.

Nora, his wife is determined to find answers no one else wants uncovered. She is learning friend from foe along the way and keeps stumbling. She is struggling to understand the clues her truest ally, Dugger, an autistic man is trying to tell her. His rhymes are codes. "Red head, Red dead" He is trying to show her the big picture in small clips, recordings and sing songs.

Ned a  reporter, starts out with his own agenda(yet another crime the cops covered up), but quickly realizes he too has to help Nora and dives into all the danger at any cost to save her before the truth gets her killed.

Who knows the truth? What is the truth? Who is covering things up? and why?

This book definitely keeps you engrossed and wanting more.

Wonderful characters, plot, twists and action.

I think Jenny Milchman has done an amazing job and I will definitely recommend her and this book to any reader that loves a good thriller mystery.

5 Stars for Cover of Snow!

Review: One Breath Away

One Breath Away

by 

Heather Gudenkauf

Quote: " I saw one girl just about to climb out of the window. I don't know what, but something made her change her mind." ~ Meg   pg. 165

Started: Jan. 24, 2013

Finished: Jan. 29, 2013

paperback/370 pages

From the cover:

In the midst of a sudden spring snowstorm, an unknown man armed with a gun walks into an elementary school classroom. Outside the school, the town of Broken Branch watches and waits.

Officer Meg Barrett holds the responsibility for the town's children in her hands. Will Thwaite, reluctantly entrusted with the care of his two grandchildren by the daughter who left home years earlier, stands by helplessly and wonders if he has failed his child again. Trapped in her classroom, Evelyn Oliver watches for an opportunity to rescue the children in her care. And thirteen-year-old Augie Baker, already struggling with the aftermath of a terrible accident that has brought her to Broken Branch, will risk her own safety to protect her little brother.

As tension mounts with each passing minute, the hidden fears and grudges of the small town are revealed as the people of broken branch race to uncover the identity of the stranger who holds their children hostage.

My review:

I love Heather Gudenkauf and have read her other two books. I have to say this was my least favorite of her books. I kept feeling like this story was split. Not into the five characters as it was meant to be but rather it felt like two completely different stories in one book. I did not like Holly's character at all. First of all other than her children being with her father back in her home town there was really no point to her character at all. For these reasons, 1) Girl hates home, leaves. what does that/she have anything to do with the school hostage situation? Her not agreeing with her father's ways/lifestyle has nothing to do with the events that happened in the school. 2) Her lifestyle and choices don't either. How does her whole "chapter" about her sexual drive or partners tie into a school stand off??

I will say my favorite character was Mrs. Oliver. She showed true "character" throughout the book. I loved her courage and determination towards the safety of her students. She was level headed, clever , and always thinking of others first. which is what I would ideally want for my children's teacher to be.

Also, this book was a little to predictable for me. We see fairly quickly that "gunman" may be threatening and mean enough to knock a few people around, but he wasn't ready to start firing. Even after several chances. There were too many signs throughout the book that for me pretty much gave away any suspense or chance of thinking it was someone else.

I gave One Breath Away 3 stars*

Review: Before The Poison

Before The Poison

by Peter Robinson

Quote: "Well, let's face it, the place is hardly a cottage, and it is rather remote, isn't it? Talk about Wurthering Heights or Bleak House. And it's not a great spot for farming. Then... Do you know much about it, yourself?" ~ Ted  pg. 71

Started: Jan. 17, 2013

Finished: Jan. 24, 2013

hardcover/ 594 pages

From the cover:

After twenty-five years abroad in America, Chris Lowndes decides to return to the Yorkshire dales of his youth. The rambling old mansion he buys is charming, but something about it disturbs him- a feeling made ever stronger when he learns that the house was the scene of a murder more than fifty years before. The former owner, a prominent doctor named Ernest Arthur Fox, was supposedly poisoned by his beautiful and much younger wife, Grace. Arrested and brought to trial, Grace was found guilty and hanged for the crime.

 The more Chris discovers about the case, the more convinced he becomes that grace may have been innocent. Ignoring warnings to leave things alone, he sets out on a quest that takes him deep into the past and into a web of secrets that lie all too close to the present.

My Review:

I enjoyed the way this story was written. Jumping from present day 2010, back to the 1950's. It was broken up to give you details of the past and of the trial. Also we eventually get to read pages written in Grace's diary. 

 As Chris takes on a quest into finding out more about Grace Fox and who she was, Before the Poison, he finds out more about himself.  Maybe who he is can help him find what he's looking for and understand better who Grace was.

Loved the idea, liked the book. All in all, there may have been too much focus on what I considered "not important" parts and too little detail or understanding on the " big stuff".

I still gave it 3 stars*

Review: The Midwife's Confession

The Midwife's Confession

by Diane Chamberlain

Quote: " I feel like I don't know her. I know I've said that a lot lately, but now I really, really feel that way." ~ Emerson pg. 138

Started: Oct. 29, 2012

Finished: Oct. 31, 2012

417 pages/ paperback

From the cover:

Dear Anna,

What I have to tell you is difficult to write, but I know it will be far more difficult for you to hear, and I'm so sorry...

The unfinished letter is the only clue Tara and Emerson have to the reason behind their close friend Noelle's suicide. Everything they knew about Noelle- her calling as a midwife, her passion for causes, her love for her friends and family- described a woman who embraced life.

 Yet there was so much they didn't know.

With the discovery of the letter and its heartbreaking secret, Noelle's friends begin to uncover the truth about this complex woman who touched each of their lives- and the life of a desperate stranger- with love and betrayal, compassion and deceit.

Told with sensitivity and insight. The Midwife's Confession will have you turning pages late into the night.

My Review:

This book will definitely be among my Top 10 favorite books ever. Honestly, I couldn't tell you exactly why and yet, there are so many reasons why! Confused? Me too! I don't know. It was just such a well written book with the most intriguing characters. I could not put it down. I literally read on and off for less than 2 days and had it finished. i even went back and re-read skipping around trying to take it all in again and make sure I hadn't missed anything. I couldn't get enough of the characters!

 Everything falls into place just when it should. It gives you such insight into how complex humans truly are. How even the people we are closest to can be so much more than we ever knew or ever thought possible. 

This is such a tragic and heart wrenching story about a woman's life, mistakes, lessons learned and how she copes with the things both in and out of her control. Right, wrong or ugly this was who she was. As you read you learn which parts she chose to expose and what she kept hidden until after her death. things that even then were only found by accident and the drive to find answers. to find the truth!

Completely amazing!

*5 stars* (should be 10!)

Please check out more of  Diane Chamberlain's books.

I know I will be!

Review: Mothers & Other Liars

Mothers & Other Liars

by Amy Bourret

Quote: " I had no one. I wanted to go back there, to California. I guess I thought maybe I could find my mother, some of her, there on the beach." ~ Ruby pg. 64

Started: Oct. 20, 2012

Finished: Oct. 24, 2012

356 pages/ hardcover, large print edition

From the Cover:

Ten years ago, Ruby Leander was a drifting nineteen-year-old who made a split-second decision at an Oklahoma rest stop. Fast forward to the present: Ruby and her daughter Lark live in New Mexico. Lark is a precocious, animal loving imp, and Ruby has built a family for them with her wonderful community of friends and her boyfriend of three years. Life is good- until the day Ruby reads a magazine article about parents searching for an infant kidnapped by carjackers. Then Ruby faces a choice no mother should have to make.

My Review:

What an amazing, heart wrenching, sad story! I know this book is fiction, but all through out I kept wanting to ask..."What happened next?" I honestly felt like someone was telling the story, their story. It was so well written. The characters were exactly what each of them should have been. Very well developed and believable. Even on the pages that made me want to cry, scream or slap them. 

This story is all about decisions. Human logic or lack of and how each decision has a spiraling effect it has on everyone around. Was there a right/wrong answer? 

While I did love this book dearly, there were a few things I would have changed. 

***SPOILERS***

1. I wanted more of Chaz ( IMO, easy-way-out was such a turn-off)

2. Someone needed to slap/punch/shake some sense into Darla!!! (man vs. child thing irritates me!!!)

3. Ruby just forgetting she wasn't biologically Lark's mother(it was mentioned to Chaz)So, not believable! Really?!?!!?

4. What was the deal with everyone's dogs???? Not an important element, too much focus on them.

Ok, I will stop there.

I would definitely recommend this book to any mother. Great show of a mother's love and determination to "save" a child!

* 5 stars*

Review: The Evil Inside(Krewe of Hunters #4)

The Evil Inside

by Heather Graham

Quote: "Most people do mock what they don't understand- especially when we're all taught to be brave, that ghosts don't exist and there's nothing hiding under the bed." ~ Jake pg. 146

Started: Oct 4, 2012

Finished: Oct. 13, 2012

479 pages/ hardcover, Large print edition

From the cover:

Lexington House, overlooking New England's jagged coastline, has been the witness to madness and murder throughout its history. But in recent years the malice has lain silent. Until now. Jenna Duffy is a member of the nation's foremost paranormal forensic team. Yet nothing could prepare her for the string of slayings once again plaguing Lexington House, or for the chief suspect- a boy barely old enough to drive, much less kill. With the young man's life on the line, Jenna teams up with attorney Samuel hall to pinpoint who- or what- is taking the lives of those who get too close to the past.

My Review:

Ok, first off I will tell you that I am going to rate this book high. Probably higher than I should. Only because I feel this book would be amazing as a stand alone. The reason I'm so bummed is that Graham is becoming SO predictable! I really do enjoy this series but every book by chapter 2 we know that 2 people are going to fall for each other and usually have figured out which 2. :(

With that out of the way...I did enjoy The Evil Inside. This story was a great book to choose just around Halloween. Set in Massachusetts during an event called Haunted Happenings, it focuses on a number of murders and trying to determine if they are looking for one killer or possibly two. Once again the Krewe of Hunters are called in to use their talents to try and gain insight to the string of mysteries and murders. Jenna is called in to help by her Uncle a to help with a boy he once had as a patient who is now being held as a suspect in a brutal crime, the murder of his entire family.  

*4 stars*

Review: Sacred Evil (Krewe of Hunters #3)

Sacred Evil 

by Heather Graham

Quote: "Are you still convinced that it all has to do with Jack the Ripper and someone obsessed with him?" ~Angela pg. 196

Started: Sept. 23, 2012

Finished: Oct. 4, 2012

479 pages/ hardcover, Large print edition

From the cover:

One look and Manhattan Detective Jude Crosby recognizes the tableau: a re-creation of Jack the Ripper's gruesome work. but he also sees something beyond the actions of a mere copycat. something more dangerous...and unexplainable. As the city seethes with suspicion, Jude calls on Whitney Tremont, a member of the country's preeminent paranormal investigating team, to put the speculation to rest. Yet when Whitney and Jude delve deeper, what they discover is more shocking than either could have predicted, and twice as sinister.

My Review:

This series continues to get better and better. While I won't say this book was one of my favorites out of the series, I did love the story line and the historical theme that went along with it. I think I like these so much because they use real events from the past and put a new spin on them. many of the historical events I had heard of but never learned any of the details. With these being "cop stories" they do seem to use a lot of facts and follow the crimes in a realistic way.

This book brings the story of Jack the Ripper to modern times with a paranormal twist. Once again, the Krewe of Hunters are called in to use their personal talents to shed light on an unsolved murder case. Sacred Evil seems to focus mainly on Jude and Whitney. I like how each story lets you get to know certain characters more intimately and gives a more detailed look into each of the members.

*5 stars*

continuing on to the next book...

Review: Heart of Evil( Krewe of Hunters #2)

Heart of Evil

by Heather Graham

Quote: " I believe that there are spirits here, spirits of the past, of happiness and of trauma. But if we have ghosts, they're here to guard us, to watch over us. There's nothing evil at this plantation." ~ pg. 279

Started: September 17, 2012

Finished: September 23, 2012

436 pages/ hardcover, Large print edition

From the cover:

Donegal Plantation is known for its captivating atmosphere, haunting legends... and now a corpse swinging from a marble angel in its cemetery. A corpse discovered in nearly the same situation as that of Marshall Donegal, the patriarch killed just before the Civil War. Desperate for help traditional criminologists can't provide, Ashley Donegal turns to an elite team of paranormal investigators who blend hard forensics with rare intuition. Among them is Jake Mallory, a gifted New Orleans musician with a talent that stretches beyond the realm of the physical, and with a few dark ghosts of his own.

My Review:

This is the second book in what I am discovering to be a great series! I love that the first book forms the team, the Krewe of Hunters. Now each book is a new story, a new crime they must solve using logic and intuition. The team has a bond and you see them growing and the characters developing evermore.

I love anything to do with American history so these books have a bonus for me.

 The story takes you on "flashbacks" or into the minds of those long dead, showing you how they saw things.

Heart of Evil  is about an murder on the Donegal Plantation that uncovers a much darker secret and raises a lot of unfinished business. Several families and a lot of bad blood, a mystery over 150 years old and all the lives it affects. I'll definitely be reading through the rest of this series and see what becomes of the Krewe of Hunters!

*5 stars*

Review: Phantom Evil (Krewe of Hunters #1)

Phantom Evil

by Heather Graham

Quote: " You have the ability to find all the answers- if you let yourself do so." ~ Mama Matisse pg. 113

Started: Sept. 11, 2012

Finished: Sept. 17, 2012

493 pages/hardcover, large print edition

From the cover:

A secret government unit is formed under the oversight of Adam Harrison, famed paranormal investigator. The six members he's gathered know a little of the other-worldly; each has honed a psychic talent of their own. The case: In a historic mansion in New Orlean's French Quarter, a senator's wife falls to her death from a balcony. Most think she jumped, distraught over the loss of her young son. Some say she was pushed. And yet others believe she was beckoned by the ghostly spirits that inhabit the house- once the site of a serial killer's grisly work.

My Review:

this is the first book in the Krewe of Hunters series. I had actually read #5 without knowing it was a serious. So for me this was a sort of back-tracking to the beginning.

I am so glad I did. The book shows how the team or "hunters" are formed. How each member has something special to contribute to the group. I love that it shows so much diversity and a somewhat realistic view of how they work together despite their individual backgrounds or beliefs. They pull together for the greater good and to help others. 

It's also mainly about politics and the behind-the-scenes type stuff. Great book before a big election(although it is fiction).

This book did have a few unexpected twists which made for a great mystery. I am currently on #2 and will continue to read and review this series.

Great new story-line for me to become obsessed with!

*5 stars*

Review: The Weight of Silence

The Weight of Silence

by Heather Gudenkauf

Quote: " I did not misplace my daughter. We put her to bed at eight-thirty last night and when I awoke this morning she was not in her bed.~ Martin pg. 64

Started: Aug. 11, 2012

Finished: Aug. 14, 2012

paperback/373 pages

From the cover:

It happens quietly one August morning. As dawn's shimmering light drenches the humid Iowa air, two families awaken to find their little girls have gone missing in the night.

Seven-year-old Calli Clark is sweet, gentle, a dreamer who suffers from selective mutism brought on by tragedy that pulled her deep into silence as a toddler. Calli's mother, Antonia, tried to be the best mother she could within the confines of marriage to a mostly absent, often angry husband. Now, though she denies that her husband could be involved in the possible abductions, she fears her decision to stay in her marriage has cost her more than her daughter's voice.

Petra Gregory is Calli's best friend, her soul mate and her voice. But neither Petra nor Calli has been heard from since their disappearance was discovered. Desperate to find his child. Martin Gregory is forced to confront a side of himself he did not know existed beneath his intellectual, professional demeanor. 

Now these families are tied by the question of what happened to their children. And the answer is trapped in the silence of unspoken family secrets.

My Review: 

This is one of those books that I absolutely couldn't put down. From cover to cover awesomeness! It is the second book of Heather Gudenkauf's that I have read and I am more impressed with each read. 

Again, Gudenkauf writes each chapter from a character's point of view. I really think it helps keep things in order and show the story as a whole from different angles. Amazing story line and wonderful, very real, believable characters. this book could be made into a great movie or even a series book The Weight of Silence has just enough mystery, suspense and distant characters to keep you reading, guessing and discovering!

Total *5 stars*

Review: The Unseen( Krewe of Hunters #5)

The Unseen

by Heather Graham

Quote: " Bodies with no names. and now a name with no body." ~ Logan Raintree pg. 101

Started: Aug. 4, 2012

Finished: Aug. 8, 2012

Hardcover/ 337 pages

From the cover:

1800s. San Antonio, Texas:  In room 207 at the Longhorn Saloon, in the long shadow of the Alamo itself, a woman renowned for her beauty was brutally murdered. Her killer was never found.

One year ago:  In that same historic room, another woman vanished without a trace. Her blood was everywhere...but her body was never recovered.

Now:  In the last month, San Antonio has become a dumping ground for battered bodies. All young women, many of them long missing, almost all forgotten. Until now.

Texas Ranger Logan Raintree cannot sit by and let his city's most vulnerable citizens be slain. So when he is approached to lead a brand-new group of elite paranormal investigators working the case, he has no choice but to accept the challenge. And with it, his powerful ability to commune with the dead.

Among Logan's new team is Kelsey O'Brien, a U.S. marshal known for her razor-sharp intuition and a toughness the belies her delicate exterior. Kelsey has been waiting all her life to work with someone who can understand her ability to "see" the past unfolding in the present. Now she has her chance.

Together, Kelsey and Logan follow their instincts to the Alamo and to the newly reopened Longhorn, which once tempted heroes with drink, cards and women. If the spirits of those long-dead Texans are really appearing to the victims before their deaths, only Kelsey and Logan have the skills to find out why.

And if something more earthly is menacing the city's oldest, darkest corners, only they can stop it- before more innocent women join the company of San Antonio's restless ghosts...

My Review:

I have to admit this is my first time reading Heather Graham. A friend of mine has been reading her books for quite awhile and I stumbled upon this one by chance. I loved it! I'm kinda bummed that I read this one first since it was her latest. Now my TBR list will go up by 5 more. I will have to start at the beginning of the Krewe of Hunters series. I can't wait to find out how it got started and learn more about Jackson Crowe, since he became a minimal character in this book.

I would compare this book to works of Tess Gerritsen, one of my favorite authors. Some similarities are: lots of characters, the crime, medical and paranormal/mythical feelings, the facts within the story, and the way the characters end up being connected throughout the events.

This story was very well written. I loved the suspense, the characters and all the elements it included. Mostly, I think I liked the history aspects of the story. I'm always excited when I can learn more historical facts, even when the book is fiction. It makes learning fun and keeps me interested. I will definitely be checking out more of Graham's work!

*5 stars*

Here is a link to Heather Grahams website including list of books:

Heather Graham

Review: Blame

Blame

by Michelle Huneven

Quote: " You'd think they could come up with something, said Patsy. So we could come out more educated, or at least less crazy, than we were going in." ~ Patsy pg. 73

Started: June 22, 2012

Finished: June 27, 2012

291 pages/ hardcover

From the cover:

The story: Patsy MacLemoore, a history professor in her late twenties with a brand-new Ph.D. from Berkeley and a wild streak, wakes up in jail-yet again-after another epic alcoholic blackout. "Okay, what'd I do?" she asks her lawyer and jailers. "I really don't remember." She adds, jokingly: "Did I kill someone?"

  In fact, two Jehovah's Witnesses, a mother and daughter, are dead, run over in Patsy's driveway. Patsy, who was driving with a revoked license, will spend the rest of her life-in prison, getting sober, finding a new community(and husband) in AA-trying to atone for this unpardonable act.

  Then, decades later, another unimaginable piece of information turns up.

  For the reader, it is an electrifying moment, a  joyous, fall-off-the-couch-with-surprise moment. For Patsy, it is more complicated. Blame must be reapportioned, her life reassessed. What does it mean that her life has been based on wrong assumptions? What can she cleave to? What must be relinquished? 

My Review: My thoughts on this book lead me to have more questions than answers. I won't say that is  going on any of my favorites lists, it is a good read that makes you think. It makes you question just who is to blame? How many times in life have we been at least somewhat responsible for something but passed the buck so to speak because someone else played a bigger part? I guess what I'm trying to say is, we may not be solely or completely to blame, but even our unintended involvement may leave part of the blame on ourselves. Whether we acknowledge it or not. 

Patsy had evidence, patterns in her behavior and a guilty conscience that helped form what she used to determine who, what she was and had become. She had family, friends, cellmates and professionals telling her how to deal, how to move on, how to live. She had both support and judgement. Sometimes from the same person. 

 Sometimes during the book I felt she was naive in her thinking and other times I thought she was being more realistic than others around her in dealing with what she knew and what she had done. There are parts of the book that are sad to me. I felt she did get screwed out of things she may otherwise have felt worthy of. I won't go into details due to spoiling the book, but she could have had a very different life after the events surrounding the plot. 

*4 Stars for Blame*

Review: These Things Hidden

These Things Hidden

by Heather Gudenkauf

Quote: "No, she never talks about it, I wish she would, though. At least with her doctor. Keeping things bottled up inside doesn't do anyone any good. I'll tell her you called, Allison. Take care of yourself, okay?" - Grandma pg.276

Started: April 17, 2012

Finished: April 19, 2012

hardcover, large print

481 pages

From the cover:

Allison Glenn tried to hide what happened that night...and failed. The consequence? A prison sentence. Now she's free. But secrets have a way of keeping you locked up.

  When teenager Allison Glenn is sent to prison for a heinous crime, she leaves behind her reputation as Linden Falls' golden girl forever. Her parents deny the existence of their once-perfect child. Her former friends exult in her downfall. Her sister, Brynn, faces whispered rumors every day in the hallways of their small Iowa high school. It's Brynn-shy, quiet Brynn-who carries the burden of what really happened that night.

 All she wants is to forget Allison and the past that haunts her.

 But then Allison is released to a halfway house, and is more determined than ever to speak with her estranged sister.

 Now their legacy of secrets is focused on one little boy. and if the truth is revealed, the consequences will be unimaginable for the adoptive mother who loves him, the girl who tried to protect him and two sisters who hold the key to all that is hidden.

My Review:

What a great book. Very well written. I enjoyed the chapters being divided by characters. it made a good mystery easier to follow.

This story reminds us that our decisions, actions and mistakes help shape who we are. What we become and what becomes of the others we affect. We react out of fear, confusion, pain. Allison is feeling all of these things when she and many around her make one decision after another. Did they realize who it would affect? Could she have chosen any other choice? Who is responsible for the decisions a teenager makes? What will they do for someone they love?

This book is a story for any audience with a heart. Anyone who can relate on any level of how naivete and immaturity play such a huge part in any teens life.

I'm so glad that I grab books based on the cover. This is definitely a book I will remember reading! 5 stars!